Susan in TN Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Anyone have any good resources - online or books - that I could use to plan a trip? We won't be able to visit a ton, but I'd like to touch on a few places next December on our way up the Eastern coast - (visiting family in NY at Christmas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Colonial Williamsburg is a must see. Plan to spend at least a day there. It really is not to be missed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 There is a TON of relevant history in and around Philadelphia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I would definitely go to Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown, VA (all right together). You can stay at Great Wolf Lodge (about 5 min from Williamsburg) if you go that way, too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Definitely Williamsburg, but also Jamestown and Yorktown, which aren't far. It's not the right time for you for the special homeschool discount rates, but if you don't have a ton of time, you can just walk around Colonial Williamsburg and observe the architecture and interpreters' dress and such. You just need to buy tickets if you want to go in the buildings (unless things have changed in the past couple of years). There are two Jamestown sites; one has the site of the original settlement and a collection of artifacts, and the other has two recreated villages (English and Powhatan), ships, and an amazing gallery of artifacts. There is also a Yorktown Visitor Center, with an army camp, colonial farm, and galleries; you can also visit the Yorktown Battlefield, though we have not personally been there. We thought all of the sites were neat, but with limited time, especially in the winter, I'd opt for Williamsburg and/or the Jamestown Settlement (the one with the recreated villages and galleries). More info: http://www.historyisfun.org/Jamestown-Settlement.htm Also, history.org (Williamsburg), historicjamestowne.org, and nps.gov/york. In southern Maryland, Historic St. Mary's City. http://www.stmaryscity.org/ Other southern MD sites here: http://somd.com/culture/historicsites/ In northern Maryland, colonial Annapolis. In Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia is Valley Forge (though it's very near King of Prussia's huge mall, so around Christmas is likely to be very crowded). I've not been here, but this looks cool (and not far from Philly): http://explorepahistory.com/attraction.php?id=1748 More in PA: http://explorepahistory.com/story.php?storyId=20 I know nothing about New York and New Jersey, sorry. :) If you have the time, Plimoth Plantation could be a (long) day trip. And of course, there's Boston, but that is also a longer trip. Oh, and I just found this site too while looking: http://usparks.about.com/od/revwarsitesnatl/Revolutionary_War_Sites_National_Parks.htm (Sorry, that got long. History is kind of one of our family's "things," and we've been privileged to work at and/or live near a lot of historic places up and down the east coast.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Oh, you need two days in Williamsburg, if you have them. You'll want to see the movie at the Visitors' Center, and the Governor's Mansion (which is an additional cost). It's ok that there aren't any programs especially for children, because there are things going on all the time, anyway. When we go to Williamsburg, we just saunter along, stopping at anything anyone is interested in and staying only as long as we're interested, then moving on. Casual, relaxed. Plenty of time to learn and enjoy. :-) You could also go to Mt. Vernon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacongirl Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 You could spend a week in Philadelphia and have something new and cool to do every single day just in the area around Independence Hall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Thanks Everyone! We may try something like the Williamsburg area on the way up and Philidelphia on the way back? Not enough time for either, but maybe we'll get at least a couple highlights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Peach Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 You could try and hit Boston. Lots of history from that period there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Just wanted to say not to plan TOO much. We aren't in America, but we have found travelling Australia that some of the best places are those we just happened to come across by following a road sag , looking for a picnic or free camp site etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 We LOVED Boston. Phila has some good stuff too, but Boston is awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I have A Visitor's Guide to Colonial and Revolutionary mid-Atlantic America. It has a lot of listings. There are similar volumes for New England and for the South. It include info about reenactments and other events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Gettysburg, PA is another potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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