Michelle My Bell Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 So, I was given this incredible opportunity to go to Colonial Williamsburg this upcoming Sunday through Friday. I had no thought that this would happen so I have done ZERO research. I am from Ohio so I noticed that DC is right on the way to Williamsburg so I want to squeeze that into the trip either on the way or on the way home or maybe even mid week. I don't have a ton of money to spend on things since this was not an expected trip so I can't go to expensive places (FREE is best) but I need destinations, how much time to spend there etc... I have NEVER been to the East Coast and my kids have never been to the OCEAN so that is a must see. So help me plan my itinerary PLEASE!!! I really, really, really need help with this!!! Oh, and it is me and my 5 kids going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 If you can hit DC on Sunday, do it because y can park for free right at the mall. Park, walk to the memorials and pick one museum. That would be a totally free day. You could spend a month trying to do all the DC museums. Spend Monday at Colonial Williamsburg (I think it will be too cold to do more than one day). Go to Jamestown Tuesday. Make sure to go to the original Jamestown as well, and the Glass Blowing place. On Wed, go to Yorktown (nobody talks about Yorktown, but we loved it) , then drive to VA Beach. Spend Thursday VA Beach. I hope that helps! Of you can spend another night in DC, do, but staying overnight and figuring out weekday transportation can get expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 I would do Jamestown national park site, Jamestown settlement and yorktown victory center in one day. Do the two Jamestown things in the morning, have a late lunch and then go to Yorktown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 OK, this has been very helpful so far! Keep the thoughts coming :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 I would do Jamestown national park site, Jamestown settlement and yorktown victory center in one day. Do the two Jamestown things in the morning, have a late lunch and then go to Yorktown. Do you know anything about the prices of these places? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 What should I see in DC? What memorials and which museum? HELP! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Colonial Williamsburg tickets are pricey. Jamestown settlement and Yorktown victory center are cheaper but not cheap (combo ticket is $20.50 fo adults over age 12). Jamestown national park site is just the park entrance fee. I don't know of any discounts available. Hopefully someone does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 If you stick around the mall you can hit all the memorials in between a couple of the Smithsonian Musuems. All Smithsonians are free. The big ones are American History, Natural History, and Air and Space. There's also the National Gallery of art. The museum of theAmerican Indian is interesting architecturally, but the collection is not that big compared to what the other museums have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Oh, you need at least two days at Williamsburg. Really. You'll want to buy a pass of some kind at the Visitor's Center (and you'll want to see the movie at the Visitor's Center, too). In Colonial Williamsburg, you gently walk through and stop wherever anyone wants to stop, and stay as long as anyone wants to stay, and then move on. You'll also want to pay the extra to go to the Governor's Mansion. I always have one meal at the Old Chickahominy House (only breakfast and lunch are served; I usually do breakfast). In D.C., all of the memorials are close to each other, and all are free. When I took my dds there (they were older--18 and 21yo) I made sure we did pictures at all of them--Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean War, Washington, Jefferson--and in front of the White House and the Capital, because those are the most, well, memorial :-) and I wanted them to remember being there whenever they saw those statues and buildings in movies and TV shows and so on. We also did a couple of the Smithsonians, and the Holocaust Museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 OK, I have to go to bed, but I'll check back in the morning. This has all been incredibly helpful. I noticed the Smithsonian museums have Sunday hours but all of the National Sites only have M-Sat. hours. Should I plan to go a second day during my trip? If so, where do I park my van and how should I get around. I am really clueless about this. OR should I just visit the outside of these places and call it good? Need lots of help with DC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datgh Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 If it is warmer and the snow from today has melted, the mall is really beautiful at night. It was my kids favorite part of our trip. Make sure you wear really good walking shoes. It is two miles from the Capital to the Lincoln Memorial. There are several museums in between to go into and warm up. If you pack a lunch it helps with saving $. There is a McDonalds in the Air and Space Museum that wasn't priced to badly. The cafeterias in the other museums where outrageously expensive. Union Station which is a little off the beaten path has many, many restaurants to choose from. It is like the food court at the mall only twenty times bigger. If I remember correctly, the museums all closed at 5:00. I second what someone said about going on Sunday so you can park. We took the train into the city on the weekdays. Know that your belongings will be searched whenever you go into a museum . You also can't carry any backpacks or bags into the capital building so plan accordingly because it is so worth it to go in. I believe you have to register for a tour. You might try your senators office to see if they will have someone on their staff give you a tour. That is how we saw the capital. We had our own personal tour guide! There is so much to see and do that you will leave wanting more but even if you just have time to run up and down the national mall and see the monuments it will be very worth the stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 I don't think the memorials will be closed even though they are run by the national parks. You probably won't get in the Washington Monument, but you are pressed for time and it's not that big a deal (I think that may be closed for repairs anyway) . All the other memorials you simply walk around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 If you stick around the mall you can hit all the memorials in between a couple of the Smithsonian Musuems. All Smithsonians are free. The big ones are American History, Natural History, and Air and Space. There's also the National Gallery of art. The museum of theAmerican Indian is interesting architecturally, but the collection is not that big compared to what the other museums have. I agree with this, but I would try to go on a weekday so you miss the massive crowds on the weekend. The museums are free, so if you can afford it, I'd park In a parking garage ( $20/day). I usually park at the Ronald Reagan Building, which is very close to the Air & Space Museum. I'd hit that museum, th Museum of Natural History and, if you have time, either the American history or Nat'l Gallery of Art. I find 2 museums to be the max I like to do in a day. There is a food court in the RR building as well as the Air & Space. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Dp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 The Mariner's Museum in Newport News is on the less expensive side and really neat to see. They also have a 5 mile walking trail called the Noland Trail. Ride the free ferry that goes from Jamestown across the James River and back. There is also Williamsburg Pottery if you want to window shop, and there are lots of outlets in that area too. Drive by Newport News Shipbuilding, you can't get a tour, but you could see a fair amount. It is where they build Aircraft Carriers and Submarines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treestarfae Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 DC- http://washington.or...ee-things-do-dc Williamsburg- You can walk around the historical buildings for free. Try to find a groupon for a williamsburg tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 On the cheap: The Jamestown and Yorktown National Park sites are the original sites and they are very inexpensive. You can sometimes get in free if you have some kind of document that shows you homeschool. Just ask at the gate. If you don't want to spend a lot of money, don't go to the other Jamestown and Yorktown. There is also, in Virginia Beach, a First Landing State Park where the Jamestown settlers first made land before they moved on, you can see beach and ocean there. Nearby is the Cape Henry memorial to the original settlers and a lighthouse built in 1792. These are free or close to free. The Mariner's Museum is worth the price and the time, if you have it. Skip the Pottery, and the outlets. They are just stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquilt Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 I would suggest two days for Colonial Williamsburg - I believe Groupon has a good deal now on tickets. If you are planning to visit the beach, is it a day trip from the Williamsburg area? If yes, plan a little extra time for the tunnels, you could spend time simply waiting your turn. DH recently spent 2 1/2 hours trying to get from Newport News to VB because of the tunnel. Virginia Beach is freezing right now, especially with the wind from this storm, but you might still enjoy First Landing State Park. If you want to stay closer to Williamsburg I would add the Living Museum in Newport News to your list. If you have a science museum membership they may offer you a discount. My friend gives tours at the lighthouse at Cape Henry and they also currently have a Groupon discount. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 For any national park sites you need to check how sequestration will affect them. I don't think you need to worry about the memorials in DC because you just walk around them. Jamestown may be affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 So much to learn and figure out and so little time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&M Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 We used to spend every vacation in Williamsburg. Here are some threads that I have posted information on Williamsburg. Post #7 http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/453130-colonial-williamsburg-need-info/page__hl__+williamsburg?do=findComment&comment=4673603 Post # 14 http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/145664-would-a-week-in-williamsburg-be-too-long/page__hl__+williamsburg?do=findComment&comment=1396384 I find that the more you put into Williamsburg the more you get out of it. We always went off-season and our children had lots of opportunities to talk to interpreters and we went so often that some of them knew our children by name. Have a great trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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