The Living History of Colonial Williamsburg

A stroll through historic Colonial Williamsburg is like taking a step back in time. The sights and sounds of the restored eighteenth century capital bring the past to life. Visitors to the area have a huge slate of activities to choose from while visiting the city. Colonial Williamsburg greets visitors from around the world who come to enjoy the educational value of the experience as well as the entertainment and culture of this historic destination.

Visitors to Colonial Williamsburg find plenty to do, both day and night. During the traditional summer season, there are more outdoor activities and events than the cooler months, although even the Christmas season offers a wide variety of colonial holiday options.

Any tour of Colonial Williamsburg should include the Governor's Palace, which served as the home to seven of the state's governors. It has been completely restored and is open to visitors year round. The original Capitol Building is the physical location where Virginia declared its dream for independence in 1776.

Colonial Williamsburg may be a living museum in itself, but the town is also full of a wide and diverse range of formal museums. This includes the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, the first in the nation dedicated to folk art, and the incredibly popular DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, which is home to a large collection of silver, ceramics, textiles and other materials dating from the 1600s to the 1800s.

Finally, for guests who come to Colonial Williamsburg specifically to enjoy the "living history" of the area, there are daily presentations by costumed "interpreters" who introduce visitors to life in historic Williamsburg during the eighteenth century. A posted schedule of events is delivered to many popular hotels and inns and will provide the names and locations for each day's presentations.