Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Virginia’s Historic Triangle Tips for Visiting

By Leave a Comment

Last month, my husband and I took a trip to explore Virginia’s Historic Triangle. So, I thought I would create a post with tips to help other people avoid making the same mistakes we did.

Virginia's Historic Triangle

Virginia’s Historic Triangle

For those who don’t know, the historic sites of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg make up Virginia’s Historic Triangle. All three are relatively close to one another, which makes visiting all three in one trip super easy. I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that I didn’t realize this triangle existed or how close things were until our first trip last year. We saw signs about it and were surprised to discover how close the sites were to one another. So, when we made a return trip to Williamsburg this year, I knew we had to complete the triangle.

I already posted Tips for Visiting Colonial Williamsburg, a Jamestown Settlement Guide and an American Revolution Museum at Yorktown Guide filled with tips for visiting those individual things. So, feel free to check those out for more tips. This post is going to focus on the overall picture of planning a trip to this area.

Tips

  • Stay in Williamsburg – Williamsburg is the central location and is the first one you come to. Plus, staying on-site gives you free tickets to Colonial Williamsburg. Previously, we have stayed in a tavern room but I will look into staying in a hotel in the future.
  • Plan at least one day per town – We crammed Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum into one day. I wish we had spent one whole day in Jamestown and visited the Historic Jamestowne. Then, another full day in Yorktown with the addition of the battleground would have been ideal, I think. Depending on your level of interest, you can probably spend 1-3 days in Colonial Williamsburg. Plan another day if you plan on visiting Busch Gardens.
  • Examine all ticket deals closely – There are several ticket options for visiting this area and each one requires you to do some math. Since we are Virginia residents, we took advantage of a deal that gave us an annual pass to the Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum for the price of a one day ticket! I don’t know if we will return in the next 11 months, but it’s nice to have the option. I also got an annual pass to Busch Gardens, which comes with free bring a friend passes and discounts.
  • Keep an eye out for special events – I didn’t realize it when we planned our trip, but there were special events happening in Yorktown and at Jamestown on the Saturday we visited. The event in Yorktown had roads blocked off and made navigating the town for the first time for dinner stressful.
  • Watch out for the Colonial Parkway Rehabilitation Project – Several roads are currently closed for construction and it makes getting around a little more difficult. It looks like there are 3 phases planned with full completion projected for 2026. So, if you are visiting in the next two years, plan to take a detour.
  • Pack comfortable clothes and shoes – You will be doing a lot of walking here. Wear sunscreen and a hat too.

Other Suggestions

Visiting Virginia’s Historic Triangle is a fun and informative trip. However, it can be a lot to take in. I could see taking a break day at a hotel to enjoy a pool. I can also see some folks only wanting to visit one town and maybe Busch Gardens. You know your crew. Plan what you think you can do and have fun!

Do you have any other tips for visiting this area?

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown Guide

By Leave a Comment

On my most recent trip, my husband and I visited Virginia’s Historic Triangle including the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. So, I thought I would do a little guide for it.

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown tells the story of America’s struggle for independence. This location consists of three parts: the inside museum, a Continental Army encampment, and a Revolution-era farm outside. The museum makes for a great half day or more activity for history buffs and those wanting to learn more. It is similar to the Jamestown Settlement but is smaller in scope. In fact, both locations are managed by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

Indoor Gallery

Just like at the Jamestown Settlement, you first enter this location by purchasing tickets inside. Once you’ve done that, you can browse the indoor museum. It’s text heavy as well, but very interesting. There are also several videos to watch here. We particularly enjoyed the Siege of Yorktown 4D film with a huge curved screen that feels realistic. I didn’t take any photos indoors as I wasn’t sure if that was permitted.

Continental Army Encampment

Once you head outdoors, you are greeted by a series of tents. It’s a re-creation of what an army camp may have looked like during the Revolutionary War. You are free to walk around to hear costumed interpreters tell stories and explain what life was like for soldiers during the war. We were even able to witness them firing a cannon and firing some shots! It was also interesting to learn about how they prepared food.

Revolution-era Farm

Just beyond the camp there is a re-creation of a Revolution-era farm. It’s really interesting to see what life was like for regular people during the war. Unfortunately, we were too late in the day (we spent the morning in Jamestown) to witness the cooking demonstration but it’s great they offer something like that. We walked around to look at the garden and house. It was interesting to hear the interpreters talk about what life may have been like for those people.

Tips for Visiting the American Revolution Museum

  • Allow enough time to enjoy it – Unfortunately, we opted to do Jamestown in the AM and Yorktown in the PM. By the time we headed to Yorktown we were tired and we missed some demonstrations. So, maybe just do one a day.
  • Visit Yorktown – Just up the road from the museum is Yorktown the town. It’s a quaint place with good food.
  • Eat lunch at the 1781 Cafe – If we had started our day here, we probably would have eaten here. It’s so nice and convenient that they have a cafe on premises. They serve primarily coffee drinks, salads, and sandwiches. Personally, I think I would eat breakfast prior to arriving here but then fuel up at their cafe for lunch.
  • Stay in Yorktown or Williamsburg – They have portions of the main road between Jamestown/Williamsburg and Yorktown blocked off for construction right now. That made for a longer trip but it’s totally doable. Although, it did make staying in Yorktown attractive.
  • Save on admission – As I mentioned in my Jamestown post, we actually purchased an annual pass that is good for the Jamestown Settlement and this museum. It was the same price as a one day pass for Virginia residents. I know there are lots of ticket deals out there for this area, so be sure to look at each one and do the math.
  • Ask questions – You can just watch demonstrations but the day is so much more interesting if you ask questions.

Have you ever visited the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown? What was your experience like?

Colonial Williamsburg Deluxe Suite Review

By Leave a Comment

On my most recent trip, my husband and I stayed in a Colonial Williamsburg Deluxe Suite! Since I couldn’t find many reviews of it online, I thought I would post one.

Colonial Williamsburg Deluxe Suite

Colonial Williamsburg Deluxe Suite

You may recall that on our last trip we stayed in a Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Room. However, we wanted something a little more updated and comfortable this trip. So, we decided to try the deluxe suite, which comes with more space and more modern touches. It’s still a colonial house or historic lodging but has been more recently updated.

I believe the entirety of the Lightfoot Tenement building is dedicated to these two suites. We had the upstairs one and the bottom one appeared to stay booked up. I will caution people that the upstairs suite has several steps and can be difficult to traverse with a bunch of luggage.

The Room

I was immediately surprised by how big the suite was. You enter into a sitting room, complete with an old desk, a fireplace, a small tv, an old couch, a coffee table, and a few chairs. Then, you enter a small area with a mini refrigerator and coffee maker. There’s also an extra sink and hidden closet in this space. Next, you come to the bedroom. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a tv. It does have an alarm clock with extra usb plug-ins which came in very handy. Lastly, there’s the bathroom. The sink is separate from the tub and toilet. I imagine that would be useful if two people were getting ready at once.

It was a much bigger space than the room we stayed in last time. Additionally, the mattress and pillows were newer and more comfortable. However, we found ourselves bored after dark without a tv in the bedroom and the couch being well used. Also, the ceiling in the tub cuts in at an angle and I hit my forehead on it the first night. So, it’s better than a regular room but not perfect.

Pros

  • Location – We were close to everything in Colonial Williamsburg. Walking to breakfast and dinner was amazing!
  • Designated parking space – It was really useful to have a designated parking space as parking can be a pain in Colonial Williamsburg.
  • Bigger area – It was nice to be able to spread out in the large suite.
  • Updated furnishings – This was probably the best part of the upgrade. The mattress was pretty comfortable.
  • Quaint – It feels nice to stay immersed in the colonial vibes.
  • Tickets – Every stay at an official Colonial Williamsburg resort comes with free length of stay tickets. That’s great for visiting whenever you feel like it.

Cons

  • Outdated – The couch cushion was thin and was slick enough to slide out periodically.
  • Weird set up – The harsh angle of the ceiling in the tub is not the safest.
  • Lack of modern electrical touches – There weren’t many electrical plug ins and only one tiny tv in the whole suite!
  • Not cheap – It was more expensive than a regular tavern room but comparable to a hotel room. I’ll probably book a hotel room next time just for modern conveniences.
  • Not handicap accessible – Maybe the downstairs suite has a better set up, but the stairs were a big nuisance with luggage. Also, the tub and ceiling could definitely be an issue for some guests.

Is a Colonial Williamsburg Deluxe Suite worth it?

This stay definitely had its ups and downs. I initially loved the idea of staying in a colonial house since it’s so unique. However, I think I will be opting for one of the hotels in the future for the modern conveniences they provide. The suite wasn’t a bad stay just not as up to date as I’d hoped.

Rainforest Cafe Breakfast at Animal Kingdom Review

By Leave a Comment

Back in December, my mom and I visited Walt Disney World to celebrate the holidays. On our Animal Kingdom day we decided to try the Rainforest Cafe breakfast for the first time! Here’s a review of that experience.

Rainforest Cafe Breakfast

Rainforest Cafe Breakfast

Walt Disney World has two Rainforest Cafe locations on property. There’s the one at Disney Springs with the erupting volcano outside. However, it’s only open for lunch and dinner. Then, there’s this one at Animal Kingdom. It’s technically situated just outside the park but can be accessed from either outside or inside the park. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

The Theme

For those who don’t know, this is a chain restaurant that is highly themed to a rainforest. It has lots of animatronic animals around every corner. Since we ate here during the holiday season, I thought it was cute that they had put Santa Claus hats on some of the animals. It made it feel more jolly.

The real draw here is the thunderstorm that darkens the entire restaurant and has lots of loud storm/animal noises every 20-30 minutes! Personally, I think it fits right in at Animal Kingdom. It’s a fun theme that is perfect for any animal lover. Plus, it’s significantly cheaper than eating the character breakfast at Tusker House in the park. However, it’s still not exactly cheap or quiet. So, just know that going in.

The Food

My mom ordered the Tonga Toast meal. I was expecting something more akin to the Tonga Toast at Kona Cafe or Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian Resort. However, this was a basic cinnamon French toast. It is served with fruit and your choice of breakfast meat. Considering it costs $6 more than the quick service Captain Cook’s, I was personally disappointed in this dish. They really should call it something else to lower expectations. Overall, it was a fine breakfast dish but not what we expected.

I chose the Banana Fosters Pancakes. The pancakes come with caramelized bananas and pecans. It was delicious! You don’t need any syrup here! It also came with some potatoes and eggs. Unfortunately, the potatoes were overdone and hard. The eggs were fine. I definitely left this meal with a sugar rush.

Is Rainforest Cafe worth it?

I think my mom really enjoyed the animals and the theme was neat. The thunderstorm was added entertainment. However, the food was just ok and overpriced. It gave us a nice place to sit in the dark, out of the hot sun. I think for the price, I’d rather eat quick service breakfast at a resort. This might be a one and done for us. It was a cool experience, but not necessarily worth repeating.

Have you ever eaten Rainforest Cafe breakfast?

My Favorite Summer Activities

By Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe that yet another season is upon us. That means it’s time for my favorite summer activities post!

Favorite Summer Activities

I’ve now shared my favorite activities for each season: fall, winter, and spring! So, it seemed appropriate to kick-off the unofficial beginning of the hottest season with a list of my favorite things to do!

Favorite Summer Activities

  • Read – While it’s hot outside, I like to stay in the air conditioning with a good book. In fact, I love participating in the local library’s summer reading program for a chance to win prizes! It’s something I’ve done most summers since I was a child! I think most libraries host one.
  • Eat berries – I love strawberries and this tends to be the best season to enjoy them. Lots of restaurants will have seasonal berry treats this time of the year and I like trying as many as I can.
  • Sunflower festival – This is a relatively new one for me, but I enjoy visiting a local sunflower festival in the summer. There’s actually a couple here in Virginia. They are fun to photograph. Plus, it’s nice to take the time to appreciate the beauty of each individual flower.
  • BBQ – Who doesn’t love some BBQ?! I’m lucky enough to have a couple of good BBQ places where I live. We eat it year round but tend to gravitate towards it the most in the warmer months as it’s not heavy.
  • Ice cream – It’s wonderful to cool off with an ice cream or frozen yogurt with plenty of toppings!
  • Stay home – Given my propensity for travel, this probably comes as a surprise. However, I’ve taken to intentionally staying home during the hottest months of the year recently. I sweat too much to go too far in the heat.
  • Do a puzzle – A puzzle is the perfect indoor activity.
  • S’mores – We bought a firepit a few years back and love to make s’mores on Saturday nights.

Summertime Fun

I know lots of people like to take vacations to the beach or camp during this time of the year. What do you like to do in the heat of the summer?