Tiny Tots and Big Kid Shots - National Children's Photo Contest
March 01 - June 01
Book a session to enter to win the Tiny Tots and Big Kid Shots National Children's Photo Contest! Read on
Colonial Williamsburg Garden Tours
March 26 - May 21
"Through the Garden Gate" gives guests the opportunity to venture through the gates to learn about Read on
Colonial Williamsburg Garden Tours
March 31 - May 19
"Through the Garden Gate" gives guests the opportunity to venture through the gates to learn about Read on
American Furniture: From Virginia to Vermont
April 01 - September 02
This exhibition in the Elizabeth Ridgely and Miodrag Blagojevich Gallery highlights pieces from Read on
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Spend Christmas in WilliamsburgThe Williamsburg area is a premiere holiday destination! From Colonial Williamsburg's Christmas Season to Busch Gardens' Christmas Town experience, there's something to fulfill everyone's holiday wish! Also, be sure to take advantage of our area's quality shopping opportunities, holiday dining happenings and special events! |
 Vivian Bunting
Consumer Sales Manager, Tourism
757.229.6511
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DAY ONE - Plantations, Jamestown, Yorktown & Shopping |
Begin your tour of historic holiday traditions west of Williamsburg at Shirley Plantation, Virginia's first plantation (1613). Through 11 generations, one family has continued to own, operate and work this grand, working plantation. Enjoy a guided tour of the Great House with its original furnishings, highlighted by family Christmas stories dating back to the early 1800s. Enter the Colonial Kitchen and you will feel as if you just interrupted the cook preparing a Christmas feast. New exhibit panels, displays, and a new timeline will satisfy your curiosity about the past while the gift shop will satisfy your current desire for that one-of-a-kind gift for everyone on your list, including exclusive Shirley Christmas ornaments and 1882 reproduction Christmas cards. Continue on Scenic Route 5 to visit the site of America's first Thanksgiving in 1619 - Berkeley Plantation. Enjoy the crisp morning air, breath-taking views of the James River and the beautiful grounds of Virginia's most historic plantation. Tour the elegant 1726 mansion, furnished with a magnificent collection of 18th-century antiques and beautifully decorated with fresh greenery from the gardens. Costumed guides will add a special touch to your holiday season with stories of Christmas at Berkeley through four centuries of history. The birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration of Independence, the estate is also the birthplace of William Henry Harrison, ninth president of the U.S., and the ancestral home of his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president. The ever-poignant "Taps" was composed here when General George McClellan headquartered 140,000 Union troops here in 1862.
A 30 minute drive brings you to Jamestown Settlement, where the story of 17th-century Virginia and culture comes to life year-round through multi-media presentations and gallery exhibits, historical interpretation and hands-on activities in outdoor re-created settings - a Powhatan Indian village, three 1607 ships and a colonial fort. Special holiday programs give you a glimpse into how our nation's first permanent English settlers weathered the cold holiday seasons of the 1600s, and how the cultures of Virginia Indians and Africans contributed to build a new society and traditions on our shores. The living-history museum's "Colonial Christmas" program, from Dec. 1 - Jan 3, includes a special holiday film and guided tours to compare and contrast English Christmas customs of the 1600s with how the season may have been observed in the difficult early years of America's first permanent English colony. Learn about the English colonists' first Christmas at sea in December 1606, and the Powhatan Indian hospitality shown to Captain John Smith's trading party in 1608 during a winter storm. In the re-created colonial fort, you may encounter the English tradition of the Lord of Misrule, "grand captain of all mischief," who with his followers progressed through town during the Christmas holiday! An afternoon drive on the scenic Colonial Parkway takes you from the James River to the shores of the York River and Yorktown, where the decisive victory of the American Revolution was won.
Take a stroll through Historic Yorktown village and along Riverwalk Landing before heading to the Yorktown Victory Center. At the Continental Army encampment, learn about winter camp life and hear accounts of Christmas during the war, as well as assist the quartermaster in preparing military supplies. At the 1780s farm, historical interpreters demonstrate a variety of holiday activities, including sharing the English tradition of Boxing Day, setting a farmhouse table for a holiday feast, decorating with greenery and demonstrating fancy cooking in the farm kitchen. End your day with some great shopping, taking advantage of the spectacular savings at Williamsburg Premium Outlets. Ranked among the top 10 outlets in the country, the 135 designer- and brand-name outlets can take care of your gift list in no time! And it's Christmas every day of the year inside Yankee Candle Williamsburg. You can stroll through the Holiday Park and enjoy the frequent daily snow showers, admiring Christmas trees decorated with ornaments inspired by traditions around the world, as well as American favorites. At the special Wax Works area, you can create your own special jar candle, choosing your own colors and scents for a special gift, or dip your hands into a wax bath to make an impression of your hand in wax and take home as a keepsake!
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DAY TWO - Colonial Williamsburg & Busch Gardens Williamsburg |
Start today at Colonial Williamsburg where you can participate in the dynamic ideas, discussions and events that led to our nation's independence. Make sure to stop by Colonial Williamsburg's newest exhibition building -- the Charlton Coffee House, and learn about the coffee house's role as a gathering place for the politically connected as well as for the socially ambitious. Conclude the experience with a sample tasting of period beverages - coffee, tea or hot chocolate. "The Christmas Decorations Walking Tour" by Colonial Williamsburg is a great way to enjoy the Historic Area all decked out in holiday finery. Boughs, wreaths and other decorations are creatively made from all-natural materials. At the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, 18th- and 19th-century holiday traditions will be the subject of special focus tours. Art programs will allow you to explore the exhibitions and make a toy, ornament or decoration to take home. Or you can make an ornament for the growing collection of homemade decorations adorning the 16-foot Abby Aldrich Folk Art Tree.
In the evening, enjoy Virginia's newest holiday tradition. Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the world's "Most Beautiful Park" opens for the holidays with Christmas Town: A Busch Gardens Celebration. Stroll under a canopy of more than a million twinkling lights while the aroma of hearty soups, smoked meats, fresh-baked holiday cookies and peppermint hot chocolate waft through the air. On every street corner you'll hear the sounds of the season. From traditional Christmas favorites in Banbury Cross - England, to country-style classics in New France and Celtic sounds in the streets of Killarney - Ireland, this is the music you love. Make sure to visit Santa's workshop at the North Pole to meet St. Nick himself before heading to Oktoberfest to view Virginia's tallest lighted Christmas tree. This 45-foot LED tree stands taller than Das Festhaus and features computerized lights that dance and change color during special evening light shows that will fill you with Christmas cheer. Surrounding the tree is a traditional Christmas Market Place, where artists and artisans, among a bevy of vendors, demonstrate their work and offer truly unique gift ideas. And did we mention you can also enjoy the exhilaration of some of your favorite rides?
For more information, contact Vivian Bunting, Consumer Sales Manager, Tourism.
*The above itinerary is only suggestion. For a more customized tour to match your group's wants and needs, feel free to browse our group tour attractions, shopping, dining and lodging options OR contact one of our local tour services - no one knows the ins and outs of the Historic Triangle better than they do! Should you have any questions or comments about this itinerary or simply want to start planning your trip, please contact us via email at Vivian Bunting, or call 800-368-6511.
We strive to keep all information accurate and updated. If you notice any mistakes or changes, please contact Joanna Skrabala, Manager, Tourism & Interactive Programs, via email or call 800-368-6511.
