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Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg Guide

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Last year, I was able to experience Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg! So, I thought I would help anyone else planning a trip with a guide!

Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg

Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg

Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg actually begins around Thanksgiving and goes until the first Saturday of January. The special fireworks, Grand Illumination, takes place on the first three Saturdays of December. With lots of add-on experiences taking place during this time of the year, I highly recommend looking at the holiday planner to see what events are taking place when you visit.

Holiday Decor

While the holiday decor is more muted/basic than contemporary times, it is still beautiful. I loved spotting the various themed wreaths on the different buildings. There’s a holiday decor tour that I wish we had taken that goes into more detail about the decor. There’s also classes to make your own wreaths and centerpieces. So, I think that makes it a unique holiday travel destination. Plus, it’s neat to learn about the early traditions.

I also would encourage everyone to walk over to the resort’s hotels to see their holiday decor. It’s more modern and looks pretty!

Grand Illuminations

I think the peak holiday entertainment at CW is Grand Illuminations. That’s the special fireworks they do on the first three Saturdays in December. Since they do the fireworks so infrequently, it gets really crowded. I highly recommend staying on property if you are visiting on a day with fireworks just to avoid the mess of parking and driving.

Also, don’t miss all of the free entertainment happening prior to the fireworks. It was really cold, but we enjoyed gathering around the fire and listening to the various groups caroling.

Add-on Experiences

While the fireworks and the like are included with regular admission, there are lots of add-on experiences available during the holidays. From decor tours to wreath making classes. There’s probably something for everyone. The only add-on my mom and I did was Christmastide at the Courthouse. Held on Friday nights and costing $19/adult, it was a lovely way to begin our Christmas trip to CW. The musicians played some historical tunes and told us about Colonial holidays. It was a really interesting program that I enjoyed lots. I think it was well worth the price paid and would do it again if I go back.

Markets

If you are visiting on a Saturday, then there are lots of markets you can check out. Williamsburg has one in walking distance. My mom purchased some Christmas gifts at that one. We also watched some folks ice skate. Yorktown also hosts a holiday market. Basically, you can find lots of local vendors with very little work.

Bonus: Celebration in Lights

If you are hankering for some modern Christmas lights, then head up the road to Newport News. We enjoyed the drive thru Celebration in Lights show. It features two miles of holiday scenes and over one million lights! If you are in the area and like Christmas lights, I think it’s worth checking out!

Tips

  • Book accommodations early – We booked our Colonial House lodging in February for December as things were already booking up! So, book your accommodations as soon as you know you are going!
  • Book dining early – Staying on property allowed us to book things early. We booked our Williamsburg Inn Holiday Tea in early/mid September and it was booked up pretty quickly. We also booked a dinner at one of the Taverns in advance. Basically, keep an eye out for reservations to open up in the Fall and book them as soon as you can.
  • Check out the events calendar – CW puts out an updated holiday planner around early September. I highly recommend consulting it to see what special events are taking place during your trip.
  • Do some add-on experiences – My mom didn’t feel like doing much on this trip. However, I hope I get to go back someday and do some of the add-on tours/classes.
  • Be prepared for crowds – Saturday (the day of the fireworks) was the most crowded I’ve ever seen Williamsburg. Visiting the shops reminded me of visiting a theme park. There were people everywhere I turned. Also, I suspect 2026 will be even more crowded since the US is celebrating its 250th Anniversary.
  • Lodging is expensive – The holidays are definitely the busiest time of the year for CW. As such, they charge a premium for lodging. Just know that you are going to pay more to stay there during this time of the year.
  • Pack warm clothes – It was really cold when we visited. I wore multiple layers and my heaviest coat. You will want a scarf, hat, and gloves too! Bundle up!

Should you visit Colonial Williamsburg at Christmas?

While Williamsburg is more subdued at the holidays than some other locations, it’s still a gorgeous location to visit. It’s perfect for history buffs to learn about the history of the country/state and its early holiday celebrations. It’s also a good location for a more leisurely trip than somewhere like Orlando.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town Guide

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Last year, my mom and I got to experience Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town for the first time. I didn’t find too many reviews or guides about it prior to visiting, so I thought I would create one.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town

Christmas Town is what Busch Gardens theme parks call their annual Christmas event. With special shows, lights, and entertainment, it’s one of the more affordable yet enjoyable Christmas theme park events, in my opinion. My mom and I visited using my Annual Pass and a free bring-a-friend pass. So, it was almost like it was free. Haha!

Attractions

My mom and I don’t really visit theme parks to ride the rides. We are more show/food/ambiance people. However, I wanted to point out that technically some of the rides are open during this event, in case that interests some folks. Although, not everything is open, especially when the temperature drops.

Shows

I think the shows are some of the most enjoyable aspects of this event. Last year, we enjoyed the show at Das Festhaus and Scrooge No More! It looks like Das Festhaus is getting a new show for 2025: Christmas Town Live! I’m sure it will be just as good as the old show. I highly recommend Scrooge No More! I was impressed with the ghosts.

I also highly recommend checking out some of the light shows. The Polar Pathway: Spectacle of Lights is worth catching at least once. The Celebration of Lights at O’Tannenbaum was also nice.

I had wanted to see ‘Twas that Night. Unfortunately, it wasn’t on the schedule for the day we visited. So, I would encourage everyone to consult the schedule to plan out your day.

The Ambiance

I would also like to point out how nicely the park is decorated for the holidays. It was nice to just walk around and take it all in. It was a cold night, but the lights and decor are top notch.

The Food

If there’s one part that’s lacking, it’s the food. Beyond a few drinks and desserts, the park doesn’t really do a holiday dining menu. Most of the restaurants have their regular menus. That’s one of the reasons why we did Santa’s Fireside Feast. It allowed us to enjoy some nice seasonal food while indoors.

Busch Gardens Christmas Town Tips

  • Keep an eye out for details – Busch Gardens doesn’t get in much of a hurry to release info. Last year, the details were released in late October. However, most people have their trips planned by then.
  • Look at the schedule – Not every show is performed everyday. Also, they have limited hours during the Christmas event.
  • Rope drop – With the park being open so few hours, it’s important to maximize each one. Arrive early to get a jumpstart.
  • Take time for shows and decor – Even though you may feel rushed, it’s worth it to pause and see a show.

Should you go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town?

I believe this was my mom’s favorite day of the entire trip. She really enjoyed the shows and seeing the lights. I think if you are visiting the area around the holidays, it’s definitely worth a visit.

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.