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Spring in Colonial Williamsburg Guide

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Last year my husband and I took a trip to experience Spring in Colonial Williamsburg. Since we are approaching the official start of this season, I thought I would do a little guide on it.

Spring in Colonial Williamsburg

Spring in Colonial Williamsburg

Having previously posted a Winter in Williamsburg guide last year, I thought I would do a springtime one highlighting the differences between the seasons. While winter will be January, February, and most of March, spring is late March, all of April, and most of May.

We visited in early May and were pleased with the trip. It was warmer than when we visited in March. However, a few days were a little chilly and there was some rain. So, definitely check the weather forecast to pack the right clothes. On this trip, we really enjoyed walking around and seeing the gorgeous flowers in bloom! The gardens were also full of produce. Plus, we got to see some adorable lambs in the fields! I highly recommend a spring trip to CW if you enjoy the outdoors.

Tips for Visiting in the Spring

  • Check the calendar for special events – In March, CW celebrates Women’s History Month with special talks and events. Additionally, Drummer’s Call or a showcase of 18th century music happens every spring. Plus, there’s the annual Memorial Day celebrations.
  • Check the weather forecast – The first few days we were in the area, it was chilly. Then, it warmed up nicely. However, there were a few afternoon rainstorms as well. So, I recommend looking at the forecast before packing or heading out.
  • Expect moderate crowds – CW is almost always less crowded than a theme park. However, spring can be busy with families on spring break as well as school field trips. So, expect larger crowds than you might see in the winter months but fewer than the summer or holiday months.
  • Expect moderate prices – Since the crowds are moderate, so are the lodging prices. Winter is definitely the cheapest time to go, with spring being a little more expensive. However, it is way cheaper than during the holidays.
  • Book dining in advance – I still recommend booking your Tavern dinner or tea in advance simply due to the limited availability. I have a whole guide to Colonial Williamsburg dining if you are trying to decide where to eat. There are some other dining options within walking distance outside of the historic area that don’t require reservations though.

Is Spring in Colonial Williamsburg worth it?

We really enjoyed our time in Colonial Williamsburg during the spring. The weather was mostly pleasant. It was a little more crowded, but not overly so (unlike Christmastime). Plus, it was neat to look at the gardens and animals. Have you ever visited during the spring months?

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House Review

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Back in December my mom and I shared a Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House while visiting for the holidays. Today, I am going to share my thoughts on that experience.

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House

My mom and I initially booked a Tavern Room for this trip. However, we received a call a few weeks out from our trip that they had overbooked our room. So, they upgraded us to a house. While normally you can book a specific house, we had no idea which house we were staying in until we were handed the keys. We ended up spending two nights in the Orrell Kitchen. FYI: Kitchens used to be a separate building from the house back in colonial times. So, while you may book or be placed in a “kitchen”, it’s still a whole separate home.

The House

At first glance, this is an adorable little home. There was a little sign on the wall detailing some of the rich history of this home when you first enter it. We were tickled to have our own spaces, with my mom taking the downstairs bedroom and I took the upstairs. However, as we spent sometime getting familiar with our home, we started to notice lots of little issues.

For starters, while there was two bathrooms, only the upstairs one had a shower. So, my mom took only one shower while we were here because she didn’t want to navigate the stairs. The stairs were a whole issue onto themselves. They totally couldn’t be built like that today. You can view them in my Instagram post to see for yourself how bad they were.

By the time I went to bed, I discovered another glaring issue: the lack of working heat. I was freezing the whole night. We went back to check in to inquire about switching to a room someplace but we were told everything was booked up. They sent maintenance out to look at the house. Apparently, they couldn’t get the heat to work either. So, they put a small portable heater in the upstairs room and called it a day. Thankfully, it was a small space so the heater was able to heat the bedroom. Unfortunately, the one bathroom with a shower was still a little chilly.

We also had issues with the lock on the back of the house. When we checked out, we couldn’t even get it to lock back. Upon returning the key to the front desk, we told them about the issue and they didn’t seem surprised. In fact they told us not to worry about it.

Pros

  • Location – The houses are located right in Colonial Williamsburg! It’s so easy to walk to everything. Plus, we loved not having to deal with parking during the fireworks.
  • Tickets included – Staying at any of the official CW resorts (including the houses) gives you length of stay passes to Colonial Williamsburg.
  • Unique – It’s truly a unique experience to stay in a house that old. I don’t know anywhere else you can do that.
  • Early access to booking dining reservations – This was especially useful since we were staying during one of their busiest weekends: the holiday season. We were able to book the Holiday Tea prior to the general public since we stayed on property.

Cons

  • Stairs – They didn’t have standards for building stairs back then. So, anytime you get a house with stairs, you run the risk of them being really bad.
  • Run down – I know these are old houses, that’s the whole point of staying in them. However, they really need some love and attention. They need to update the electrical system and put in more outlets. Also, the heat didn’t work in our house.
  • Weird bathrooms – The bathrooms also need to be updated. Once again, just like when I stayed in the Deluxe Suite last year, the bathroom ceiling cut in at an angle in the shower.

Is a Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House worth it?

Suffice it to say, that while it’s mighty convenient and neat to stay in colonial lodging, I probably won’t do it again. I’ll be looking at hotels the next time I visit Colonial Williamsburg, unless they do some major updates to these houses.

Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg Review

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Last month, I had the pleasure of staying at the Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg when I visited the theme park. I thought I would do a little review in case anyone else was considering staying here.

Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg

While visiting the theme park, my mom and I decided to book the Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg for two nights. It had good reviews online and appeared to be really close to the park. Plus, it had great rates for the two nights we were interested in staying. I’m happy to report that this was a good decision.

Standard Queen Room

For this trip, we booked a standard two queens room using the IHG flexible rate. This gave us the peace of mind that we could cancel the room up until 24 hours prior to the stay. The hotel was in good working order with all of the furniture looking relatively new. I have a minor complaint about the towels and comforter though. Both showed signs of wear and tear and were fraying. So, I think it would be nice if they switched those out more frequently. Additionally, the mirror over the sink was too close to the plug-in to be usable. So, I couldn’t dry my hair at the sink and had to do it over at the desk. Other than that, the room was pretty good. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a stay here if you are visiting the area.

Pros

  • Location – It is really close to the theme park. So, it was ideal for visiting Christmas Town and coming back late at night.
  • Affordable – It cost us $264.56 total (including taxes) for a two night stay in early December! We thought that was really reasonable/cheap!
  • Free breakfast – If you are in a hurry to hit the road or the theme park, they provide a free breakfast.
  • Nice accommodations – The room itself is pretty comfortable and great after a long day in the park.

Cons

  • Fraying towels/comforter – The towels and bedding could be replaced, but they were still usable.
  • Limited breakfast options – I wasn’t overly impressed with the free breakfast, to be honest. The options were limited. Unfortunately, the cinnamon rolls were dry and tasted artificial.
  • Plug in near mirror unusable – As I stated above, I had to do my hair near the desk in the room instead of at the mirror over the sink. Not a huge deal, but something to know.
  • No sink in the bathroom – This has a split bathroom situation where the sink/mirror is outside the bathroom and is in the main bedroom. Some people may prefer this set up, but I don’t.

Should you stay at the Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

If you are planning a visit to the theme park, this is one of the closest hotels. It has lots of pros, with a few cons. I think it’s great for a family on a budget. If you are looking to splurge, you may want to consider staying in Colonial Williamsburg or another chain.

Williamsburg Inn Holiday Tea Review

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Last week, I was able to experience the Williamsburg Inn Holiday Tea with my mom. Here’s a review of that event in case you are considering booking it.

Williamsburg Inn Holiday Tea

Williamsburg Inn Holiday Tea

When I was a child, my mom and I attended a Mother’s Day tea at a local historical place. My mom didn’t think we would enjoy it, but I loved it! Unfortunately, due to the lack of local offerings and financial restraints, I didn’t enjoy a formal tea again for the next 20 years! Thankfully, I find myself in a better situation than I grew up in and enjoy the experience of a seasonally themed tea every so often. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to discover the grand Williamsburg Inn hosts seasonal tea events.

As a guest of the CW resorts, we were able to book this holiday offering before the general public. My mom called and booked it on September 10th. She had to pre-pay to book the reservation. It was $72/each plus service charge and tax. In total, it cost $193.54 for the both of us to enjoy this holiday experience!

The Food

The savory course included: Turkey and Sage Bread Pudding with Lingonberry Jam, Yuletide Baked Virginia Ham and Gruyere Pinwheel, Roasted Chicken with Figgy Jam, Brie, and Cress, Onion Marmalade, Herbed Chevre Truffle, Cucumber Canapés with Fire Roasted Peppers, and Mushroom & Chestnut Bisque. I really enjoyed most of these items. My favorite was the pinwheel with the bread pudding in a close second. Neither of us enjoyed the truffle (we aren’t big goat cheese fans) or bisque (too salty). I thought it was a nice touch that the cucumber canapes were tree shaped! Overall, it was a great savory course.

The Scones Service included I’m Dreaming of a Sugar Laden Stollen Scones, Christmas Spiced Devonshire Cream, Orange Marmalade, and Lemon Curd. The scone was harder/crunchier than we are used to for scones. However, it tasted good. I loved the cream and lemon curd.

The Festive Sweets included: Ginger Snaps, Cranberry-Orange Bundt Cake, Peppermint Bark Tea Cookie, American Heritage Crunch Chocolate Cup, and Eggnog Cream Tart. The ginger snap had especially hard/crunch edges with a soft center with a nice ginger flavor. I enjoyed the bundt cake even though I don’t like orange much. I guess it was light on the orange. The chocolate cup was cute with its chocolate bear! The eggnog cream tart was more sweet than eggnog and that was preferable for us. The peppermint cookie was heavy on the peppermint.

The Beverages

As for the teas, we got to sample Warmer in the Winter and Herbal Bourbon Chestnut Tea. It was the perfect flavor for the cold weather. The spice was just right. It tasted great on its own but was elevated with some sugar (cubes).

Additionally, a glass of French Sparkling Wine or Sparkling Apple Cider was included. We sampled the sparkling wine but probably should have just gotten the apple cider since we aren’t big drinkers.

The Atmosphere

I love the Williamsburg Inn. I feel fancier just walking into this place. So, enjoying a meal here is a real treat. Then, add in the holiday decor and it’s amazing! It was a wonderful surprise to have live music being played during the meal as well. The entire experience was a beautiful way to spend an afternoon at the holidays. It was probably one of my favorite things we did on this trip.

Is the Williamsburg Inn Holiday Tea worth it?

This was my most expensive tea experience to date. Our local place charges about half the price. However, this was a more elevated food experience and there was live music. Also, it was on a busy Saturday in Colonial Williamsburg. I think this is great for people looking for a fancier experience or to try new foods. However, if you prefer simpler foods or a more casual atmosphere, you should probably consider somewhere else. You can look at my Colonial Williamsburg Food Guide for help in choosing another restaurant.

Santa’s Fireside Feast at Busch Gardens Williamsburg Review

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Last week, I visited Busch Gardens Williamsburg to experience Christmas Town for the first time. While there, my mom and I enjoyed Santa’s Fireside Feast! So, I thought I would do a little review on it.

Santa's Fireside Feast

Santa’s Fireside Feast

I know you’re wondering why my mom and I would book a Santa dinner. Well, it’s quite simple. Busch Gardens Williamsburg doesn’t do much in the way of special foods for the holidays. We were also concerned about long lines for food and being in the cold. So, an indoor sit down dinner sounded like a good idea to us.

We booked this meal as soon as the option was posted on the website, October 24th. We used my passholder discount, which came out to $40.50/each plus tax and fees. In total, it cost us $96.07 for the two of us to enjoy this meal since they added on a $6.49 service fee in addition to the taxes. So, what started out as a moderately expensive meal got even more expensive once we finally clicked purchase.

Sidenote: I feel like Busch Gardens/SeaWorld is the worst with pricing. They keep adding on service fees and other percentage merch fees.

The Food

With the exception of the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Food and Wine Festival Busch Gardens is not known for its food. However, this is supposed to be a holiday meal with Santa. So, the basic menu of Thanksgiving food sounded good to us. The menu consisted of carved turkey with gravy, chicken alfredo, carved ham with a brown sugar glaze, Trapper’s Smokehouse Chili, cornbread stuffing, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans with garlic, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, tossed salad, dinner rolls, Coca-Cola beverages and assorted desserts. The desserts included cookies and cupcakes.

My mom and I tried several items from the buffet. I think the chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and mac and cheese were the best options. They are very basic but they tasted good. The turkey was dry. The ham was just fine and not really worth the calories/fat in my opinion. The rolls were dry/hard, like maybe they let them sit out in the open too long. For a beverage, I initially selected the “fruit punch” expecting some sort of legitimate fruit juice or perhaps a mix they had made. Unfortunately, I was surprised with an overly sweet Hawaiian Punch. So, I went back for water.

As for desserts, I tried the red velvet cupcake and chocolate cupcake. The red velvet cupcake had a cream cheese frosting that was too much cream cheese for me. I like a blend of cream cheese and buttercream when I have cream cheese frosting. The chocolate was pretty good. Not amazing but not bad either.

Overall, I’d say the food was typical of what I expect from Busch Gardens parks. It won’t blow your socks off but everyone can find something to eat.

The Entertainment

The meal is centered around Santa being the host for this meal. It was a fun and unique treat to have Santa read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to the crowd. We also got to take a photo with him and received a 6″ x 8″ photo of it. While that wasn’t really necessary for us, I can see it being a huge perk for folks with children. You can see Santa while enjoying a meal. We also enjoyed the addition of the elves for some humor throughout the experience.

Was Santa’s Fireside Feast worth it?

I think it was totally worth it at $40/each. However, once you add in the taxes and fees, the value becomes a little more debatable. Although, my mom seemed to really enjoy this meal. The food was basic but there’s something for everyone. We got to sit down in a heated room for a meal instead of roaming around the park. Plus, it felt truly festive eating here. So, if you are debating it, I think it depends heavily on your budget. You can definitely grab something to eat for much cheaper around the park and probably be happy.