Thanks in large part to the vaccine, we are once again planning a healthy travel schedule. While we did visit Southern Utah and Las Vegas (driving down the Vegas Strip at 60 mph was a once in a lifetime treat), our recent visit to Williamsburg VA. was our first “real” trip in over a year. Why Williamsburg? My favorite wife had never seen that part of the U.S. and there is plenty to see for a history buff such as myself. We visited an area known as the Virginia Historical Triangle, consisting of Williamsburg, Jamestown and York Town, places which were key to the formation of our nation. This area is small and easily reached as going from point to point often means driving for 30-45 minutes. Going further (120 miles) one can find the Fredericksburg battlefield and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. The driving is easy but make sure you have a GPS as you will want to get off the Interstate and onto some of the beautiful back roads (many of them remind me of driving in central rural France), so let’s look at some of the sights.
Before we do, I must admit that we are fortunate to be able to travel on our schedule. This has huge advantages, such as we miss the main tourist season with the hordes of tourists and the pick of the weather. This area during the summer is hot, humid, and buggy but in late April the weather is wonderful and dry. If you must travel during the summer, be prepared for hot weather and a lot of poorly dress, sweaty people.
You also, if you are from a high cost of living state such as California, must be prepared for sticker shock. The prices in the area are reasonable and I was left wondering why gas in California is $1.50 more per gallon than in Virginia (the air is not dirtier in Virginia) and how it is that I can go into a nice Italian restaurant, get two entrees, a half carafe of wine and dessert and walk out the door with a bill of about $50. The lower costs do not reflect a poor infrastructure, for the roads are in excellent condition, there is no graffiti, the medians trimmed, no litter (we viewed locals picking up the few pieces that were found), and not one homeless person or beggar. We were very impressed by the pride of the citizens and the beauty of the state. Much of the area we visited was heavily wooded and thinking back to descriptions of the Civil War, it is easy to understand the fear and confusion when fighting in that type of terrain.
Jamestown: Founded over 400 years ago, the colony of Jamestown is beautifully reproduced by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation which is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia and private donations. There is an excellent central building with fine galleries, plus a reproduction of the James Fort, two ships of the time, and buildings representing a native Powhatan Indian village. The guides provide excellent explanations and try as I may, I could not stump them with any question. Well done! The tour takes about two hours and is reasonably priced (certainly no Disneyland!). Located only about 20 miles from Williamsburg, it will not tire out the driver.
Yorktown: Site of the battle which effectively ended the Revolutionary War, like Jamestown it is staffed with excellent guides and like Jamestown, has a wonderful 4-D theater covering in 12 minutes the siege of Yorktown. A recreation of a Continental Army encampment is interesting (especially the area dedicated to the “kitchen”. Again, it is an easy 30–40-minute drive from Williamsburg and a quick tour takes about 2 hours. I must admit that we went back for a second day as there was so much to learn from the excellent displays. We have visited many museums on our trips and this one ranks right up there with the likes of the Franco-Prussian museum at Graviotte, France.
Full Day Trip: If you are looking for a full day, drive (about 120 miles) up to the Fredericksburg battlefield and view the old sunken road which Confederates stood 4 deep firing in a murderous barrage as Union troops struggled up the gradual 400-yard slope. None got within 50 yards of the Confederate line and their route was littered with 9600 wounded and almost 1300 dead. It is a sobering place. From there, drive about 70 miles to Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello.
Monticello is quite interesting as one feels that Jefferson must have been a very insular individual. The scale of the house gives the impression of an individual who welcomed but on a limited basis, guests. One can see him working but any additional body in the rooms would be a close fit. Fortunately, the estate has been well maintained and one can understand his love of the location and the house he designed and had built.
A few minutes away from Monticello is Michie Tavern which was built in 1784. It provides a reasonably priced lunch ($18.95) consisting of chicken, barbeque pork, corn bread, a vegetable, etc. The enjoyment is sitting in the tavern and picturing you are back in the 18th century where taverns were centers of entertainment but also a prime place for political discussions and debate. The thick roughly cut logs which make up the walls must have echoed many interesting debates and I am sure a few fights. It is a pleasant look at life centuries ago.
Other side trips: I am sure that one of the advantages of living in the area is the ability to take short drives on the weekends to many of the small towns located on the various peninsulas and along the coast. A forty-five-minute easy drive will get you to Gloucester Point, where you have a nice lunch at the YROC Bar & Grill right on the waterfront. Quiet and on the waterway, you will feel a million miles from your everyday concerns. They have some interesting drinks (try the Tiki Old Fashion), and their happy hour runs from 11AM-6PM. A nice way to relax away an afternoon. Or you might visit Ft. Monroe in Hampton VA, then stop by the Deadrise Restaurant for a tasty seafood burrito and watch the sunset with the locals. Very friendly! If you go South, you are in farm and timber country, and Franklin VA is a nice place to stop for lunch. Try Wydia’s Bistro run by, yes, Wydia and her husband, Clyde, both from Brooklyn! Wydia does the cooking but Clyde says he does the hard work as he works the tables and chats with everyone. After ordering, we discussed politics and taxes for a few minutes, and all the while Clyde had the biggest grin on his face. He has found his bit of heaven.
Virginia is a wonderful place for a family vacation, if you are interested in history or simply to see nature in all its beauty. It is close enough for a quick drive to our nations capital or to go further south and enjoy southern hospitality. Often people travel to the biggest names, the locations with the most glitter while they miss the areas where real people live, and work surrounded by history and beauty. A few days in an area like Williamsburg will renew your faith in our history and our nation and instill in you a greater love for all that we have; give it a try.
Leave a Comment