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Virginia’s Historic Triangle Tips for Visiting

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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

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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?

Jamestown Settlement Guide with Tips for Visiting

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Having just returned from a trip to explore Virginia’s Historic Triangle, I thought I would post a Jamestown Settlement guide.

Jamestown Settlement Guide

Jamestown Settlement

For those who are unaware, the first permanent English settlement in the US was at Jamestown in 1607. The Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum featuring three re-creations from that time period. Each area has several costumed historical interpreters for visitors to interact with and learn from. This is separate from but located beside the historical fort area.

The settlement can be broken down into four areas: the indoor museum, the Paspahegh Town, the James Fort, and the Ships. This guide will take a closer look at each of these areas.

Indoor Museum/Gallery

When you first arrive at the settlement, you go inside to purchase tickets. After purchasing tickets, you can stay indoors to look at the gallery and various exhibits. We actually headed outside first and then came back to look over things at the end of our visit here since the weather was questionable. It’s a lovely and very informative museum about colonial times. However, it’s probably a bit dry or boring for younger folks. There are things for children to interact with in the museum, but it’s also a text heavy area. Additionally, they had a sign posted about limiting photos here, so I didn’t take any.

Paspahegh Town

Once you leave the building and head outdoors, you encounter the Indigenous community re-creation or Paspahegh Town. The Paspahgeh were a tribe under the Powhatan chiefdom. Here you can explore what their community may have been like. You can enter their homes and learn about their way of life. There are several costumed historical interpreters here to tell you about different aspects of their lives. We saw someone burning out a canoe and my husband got to help scratch some of the burnt wood away. So, it’s also interactive here.

The Ships

Once you leave the town, you can head down to the water to visit the ships. These ships are re-creations of the three ships to bring the first permanent English settlers to this country: Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. My husband really liked this area as he found the ships to be really interesting. We were even able to board the Susan Constant! It was neat to imagine what life would have been like on the long voyage from England to America in 1607! There were a few costumed interpreters here as well to answers questions about daily life on the ships.

James Fort

Lastly, there’s a re-creation of the James Fort itself. Once again, there were several costumed historical interpreters available to showcase life in the early 1600’s. My husband was even able to learn about some of the recreational games they played. We also learned about various surgical equipment and saw some folks fixing food. It was especially interesting to see the difference between the governor’s home and a working class person’s home. It seemed like the activities available may vary from day to day, depending on an interpreter’s schedule.

Tips for Visiting Jamestown Settlement

  • Eat breakfast before you arrive – We ate a lovely meal at the adorable Carrot Tree Kitchens and it fueled us for hours!
  • Eat lunch at the Jamestown Cafe – We took a mid-day break to eat lunch at the on-site cafe. They had lots of options and everything was fresh. The prices weren’t too terrible considering it’s a museum.
  • Plan to spend half to a full day here – We could have stayed all day here. We did about half a day, but could have stayed longer.
  • Look for special events – We were lucky enough to be visiting on Indigenous Arts Day and got to witness some fantastic dancing! We also tried frybread from the Hungry Hungry Arrow food truck!
  • Save on admission – We purchased Virginia resident annual passes good for here and the museum in Yorktown for the same price as a one day ticket. So, I recommend looking at all specials before buying a regular ticket.
  • Be open minded and ask questions – A visit here goes best if you visit with an open and curious mind.
  • Wear comfortable shoes and clothing – It will be a good bit of walking, so dress accordingly. Also, I recommend checking the weather before heading out.
  • Stay in Williamsburg – It was a short and peaceful drive over from our Colonial Williamsburg tavern room.

So, have you ever visited the Jamestown Settlement? What was your favorite part?

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Food and Wine Festival Guide

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My husband and I just returned from a trip wherein we got to experience the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Food and Wine Festival for the first time! So, I thought I would do a little guide to help others plan their visit.

Williamsburg Food and Wine

Williamsburg Food and Wine

Every spring, the theme park hosts this annual festival. It claims to be the largest spring food and wine festival in the state of Virginia! I have no idea if that’s actually true, but this year it features 18 booths with 150 samples to try! Plus, they have special entertainment around the park! So, it certainly sounds impressive to me.

Similar to the Dollywood Seasonal Events, you can save money on food and beverages by purchasing a sampler card. However, since this one includes alcohol it’s a good bit more expensive. There’s the 10 item sampler for $70 and a 15 sampler for $85. You can use it over the course of multiple trips, but only on festival offerings. Upon seeing menus and prices, we opted to simply pay out of pocket for our items. We only purchased food and non-alcohol drinks, so it didn’t make sense to pay extra for the pass. Additionally, passholders receive a discount on food and beverages that made it even cheaper to pay out of pocket.

The Food and Drinks

I will start by saying that everything we tried at the festival was good. We purchased food from two booths: South Korea and Virginia. At the South Korea booth we got the Chicken Bulgogi, Korea BBQ Pork Ribs, and Dalgona Korean Coffee. I found the chicken to have a good flavor and was juicy. The pork rib was dry. The coffee was a disappointment. It tasted like a regular iced coffee to me. There was very little foam on top. It wasn’t bad, just not much different from a simple iced coffee.

At the Virginia booth, we got the Chesapeake Style Crab Cake Slider, Bacon & Cheddar Hushpuppies, and Strawberry Lemonades. I used the free festival item coupon passholders receive for each day of the festival for the crab cake slider. While it was a great use of the coupon, I would have been disappointed if we had spent $10 on it. It was tasty but really small.

The hushpuppies were really good. The bacon and cheddar gave them a unique taste. The addition of the honey butter elevated the dish. The hushpuppies were our favorite item of the festival. The strawberry lemonade was tart and refreshing. It was a moderately warm day, so it was a much appreciated cool beverage. Although, after several sips I tired of the bitterness. My husband ended up finishing mine as he really enjoyed it.

The Entertainment

The park also brings in some local artists to perform during the festival. It makes for a nice touch to walk around and enjoy some food while listening to music. I wish there were some big names as well or perhaps more entertainers spread throughout the park. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to enjoy the entertainment as they performed only a few times a day. I wish the park would bring in more entertainment options and spread the times out.

Is the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Food and Wine Festival worth it?

I think the food and drinks at the festival are good. I think it definitely adds something to your park day. The food made our visit to the park worth the trip over from Colonial Williamsburg. I appreciated the addition of non-alcoholic beverages to several of the menus as well.

Have you ever experienced this festival?

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

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I know that it can be difficult to narrow down where to go on vacation. So, I thought I would make an Orlando Theme Parks Guide to help people figure out which park is right for their trip.

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

When planning a family vacation to Florida, it can be difficult to know which destinations are worth your hard earned money and limited time. Having visited most of the area’s parks, I thought I would do a quick overview of each park and who it’s ideal for.

Magic Kingdom

First up, I’ll start with the busiest one – Magic Kingdom. It’s the OG, the first theme park in Orlando. It’s the one with the big castle. Ha! It’s located at the Walt Disney World resort and typically costs the most to visit on a single day. I think it has a reputation for being for children (given it has Fantasyland) but I think it’s great for everyone. It seemingly has the most to do for laid back types. The food in the park is a little lacking, but I can recommend Crystal Palace Character Breakfast. This park is great for those who are young at heart.

Epcot

Epcot, also at WDW, is seen as an adults park. It’s a food mecca with a plethora of options! There’s also lots of drinks to be had, if you are of age and into that. I love visiting when there’s a festival going on for even more food and drink options! This park also has some cool stuff for kids including the Frozen and Remy rides. It is great for history buffs to learn about different countries. Kids would probably enjoy Akershus Princess Breakfast or Garden Grill Character Dinner. Adults can just pick any restaurant in the World Showcase!

Hollywood Studios

This was originally similar to visiting the big studios in Hollywood. When it opened in 1989, it was supposed to give you a behind the scenes look at movies. It doesn’t do that anymore, but it’s still fun. It’s obviously great for Star Wars and Toy Story fans. Plus, the Fantasmic Dining Package is lots of fun for all ages. It has similar vibes to Disney’s California Adventure Park, if you are familiar with it.

Animal Kingdom

Opened in the 90’s, it’s WDW newest theme park. As its name implies, it’s perfect for animal lovers! You have to ride the Kilimanjaro Safari ride! The Caring for Giants Tour is also great for elephant fans. This park has several good food options: Yak and Yeti for adults or Tusker House Character Meal are just two good places.

Universal Studios Florida

Moving over to Universal Orlando Resort, there’s Universal Studios Florida. Opened in 1990, it’s an edgier park. I love the seasonal events held at this park. I highly recommend visiting during Mardi Gras. If you are into horror/Halloween, then Halloween Horror Nights is amazing as well! The rides here are more intense than the ones at Disney. However, they just added Minion Land in 2023 and DreamWorks Land is coming in 2024! My preferred meals here are at Minions Cafe and Today Cafe (unless the seasonal booths are an option).

Islands of Adventure

Almost a decade after opening USF, Universal opened Islands of Adventure. Personally, I spend way more time at USF than IoA. However, I make time to check out Grinchmas here during the Holidays. Lots of people like Jurassic Park here as well. I don’t have a go to food place here. I guess this one is best if you like the specific IPs represented here.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Epic Universe opening at Universal Orlando Resort in 2025. It looks to have a land for everyone! I’m very much looking forward to experiencing it next year!

SeaWorld Orlando

If you have a big marine animal lover or a roller coaster enthusiast, then SeaWorld Orlando may be worth a day or two. My mom and I have done several animal add-on experiences here and loved each one! The Sharks Underwater Grill makes for a fun meal. They have lots of fun shows to watch and have been adding a new coaster about once a year for the past several years. In a few years, they will even have their own resort! So, this one is growing and will have even more to enjoy in a few years time.

Legoland Florida

Technically, Legoland Florida is in Cypress Gardens. However, it looks neat for the Lego fans in your life. I wish they were closer to an airport or provided a shuttle. You would probably need to rent a car to visit this one, but it looks fun. I’ve never visited, but I’m open to it.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

This is also technically not in Orlando. However, I know some people will rent a car to drive over to Tampa or ride a shuttle over. Busch Gardens Tampa is owned by the same company that owns SeaWorld. It is also great for animal lovers and coaster enthusiasts. My mom and I enjoyed our short visit here last year. You can read my Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours review for insight into some of their add-on experiences.

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

I attempted to cover the main “big” Orlando theme parks in this post, along with a few bonus parks. Which ones have you visited? Which one is your favorite?