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
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?
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