The Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Colonial Williamsburg Virginia, one of the largest attractions within the city of Williamsburg Virginia, operates the largest living history museum in the world. Williamsburg Virginia history tells us that Colonial Williamsburg is the restored 18th-century capital of Britain’s largest, and wealthiest settlement in the New World. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation attempts to interpret the origins of American life through reenactment of the daily life of colonials in a 301-acre area populated with restored, reconstructed, and historically furnished buildings. Fully costumed Colonial Williamsburg Foundation re-enactors, not allowed to break character, tell the stories of men and women of the 18th-century city, from all races and backgrounds.

One of the many attractions within the Colonial Williamsburg history settlement includes Bassett Hall, a two-story 18th-century white frame farmhouse located on 585 acres of lawn, garden, and woodlands. Bassett Hall was once the home of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Unlike the many other historic buildings in Colonial Williamsburg Virginia, the Bassett Hall appears as it did in the 1930s and 1940s, in the early days of the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg Virginia, when the Rockefellers made it their home.

You’ll also want to see the Colonial Williamsburg Market Square. An early act of the historic General Assembly set the square aside for commerce and other public purposes on “Wednesdays and Saturdays.” Annual fairs were also established here during December 12 and April 23 "for the Sale and Vending of all, and all Manner of Cattle, Victuals, Provisions, Goods, Wares and Merchandises, whatsoever" free from local tolls or taxes. Visitors can walk through Market Square today and see re-enactors discussing business matters and performing commerce transactions.

For those who appreciate a good, old-fashioned ale, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation offers the Raleigh Tavern historical exhibit where visitors can read the inscription above the door: "Hilaritas Sapientiae et Bonae Vitae Proles." (Translated it means: "Jollity, the offspring of wisdom and good living."). The reconstructed Raleigh Tavern was the first exhibition building in Colonial Williamsburg history and was the site for banquets, dice playing, and fancy-dress balls.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is also an on-going historical research and archaeological project. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation employs dozens of historians, and in cooperation with the College of William & Mary, conducts yearly archaeological field schools in colonial archaeology for graduate and undergraduate students.

For great Colonial Williamsburg hotels, check with the official Colonial Williamsburg history website online, where you can compare premium, deluxe and value hotels. For a premium offering out of Colonial Williamsburg hotels, try out the Williamsburg Inn, the shining star of Colonial Williamsburg hotels. The Inn has hosted heads-of-state and offers the best in luxury accommodations, expect to pay upwards of $500 per night for a luxury suite. If you have value in mind, check out the Governor’s Inn that will run you between $99 and $120 per night depending on your choice of accommodations.

Colonial Williamsburg can be enjoyed all year round. Check with the Colonial Williamsburg website for information regarding tour packages, and daily event offerings such as “The Revolutionary City,” a two-hour afternoon event that reflects Williamsburg’s role in the Revolutionary War. You can also plan ahead for your Williamsburg vacation and plan to see the Drummer’s Call in May, a special event commemorating how the armies of the Revolution relied on the music to communicate necessary orders, signal tactical maneuvers, and provide musical entertainment. One day passes to Colonial Williamsburg Virginia are under $40 for adults and $15 for youths 6 -17, and well worth the price for a fun-filled day in the 17th century. The town is open for visitors 9am -5pm, 365 days a year.