We had the perfect pre-holiday weekend in Williamsburg, VA a few weeks ago, and this mini-getaway could not have come at a better time. We loved spending some quality time (just the three of us!) in such a beautiful place. I’m from Virginia and have always loved how gorgeous and historic Williamsburg is, especially around the holidays! It is a perfectly picturesque town you can envision as the set of a Hallmark movie, complete with cobblestone streets!
The leaves were breathtaking, and we loved strolling through their historical downtown and exploring everything that this beautiful area had to offer. It was very family-friendly, and Bo loved seeing all the battlefields! He’s starting to really soak everything in, and it is so fun watching him experience things for the first time.
We were SO excited to stay at The Great Wolf Lodge. We had never been, but some of our friends highly recommended it, and we are so glad we stayed there. The indoor water park was amazing, and the lodge was just beautiful. Plus, everyone that works there is SO nice, and there were SO many fun kids activities going on as well. Bo even got to see SANTA! The lodge really has taken all precautions to make everything super clean and safe, and we are already planning our next trip to The Great Wolf Lodge.
The Visit Williamsburg team recommended some amazing restaurants around the area, and let me say they were delicious! On night one, we had dinner right out front of the Great Wolf Lodge at The Huntsman’s Grill, where we tried some wild game. Shawn was in heaven, and Bo loved the fish tank! It was so nice being so close to the hotel so we could go back for some swimming and fun in the arcade!
Before heading to the Art-Full Tree Event at the Art Museum in Colonial Williamsburg, we ate at The Hounds Table (the Mac and Cheese, DIVINE). After the tree event, we had worked up an appetite, so we headed for a light snack at Electric Circus, which is inside the Precarious Beer Hall. Their guacamole and the empanadas were AMAZING!
We then went ice skating near Merchants Square (and had some hot chocolate, of course) and headed back to the lodge to change so we could go to Busch Gardens Christmas Celebration! Bo loved riding the train in Busch Gardens, and it was so fun to see him so happy on the rides they have for little ones. The Christmas lights were absolutely magical, and I am so happy we were able to go. I highly recommend going in December just so you can see how beautiful the lights and decorations are. We ate our way through Busch Gardens and then headed back to the Lodge for pizza.
We absolutely loved Yorktown! Driving along the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown was so beautiful. I loved riding the Parkway in December, but I am SURE it was gorgeous in the fall. We went early to go to the and the Viking Yule Tide Celebration and the Christmas Market on Main, where we purchased the most beautiful marble charcuterie board. Bo grabbed some homemade cookies, and we enjoyed seeing the local art and Christmas carolers. We then headed to the American Revolution Museum. We loved being able to see first-hand the re-created Continental Army encampment. Bo was so engaged and asked so many questions. It was really cute to see him so excited.
For lunch in Yorktown, we ate at Water Street Grille, and it will forever be a MUST for us whenever we are in the area. The view is gorgeous, and the food is SO good. We had oysters, deviled eggs, and Caprese salad for an appetizer. Then Shawn had the lobster bake, Bo had the skillet blueberry pancake that was out of this world, and I had my favorite, a Shrimp Boil. We rode around Yorktown and finished the night off with dinner at Aberdeen Barn, where we both had the prime rib, and it was DIVINE. The staff was so nice there, and the atmosphere was so cozy and sweet. Definitely a MUST when in Williamsburg.
Finally, we had brunch at Blue Talon Bistro and then headed home through Norfolk and the Outer Banks, which, if time allows, I highly recommend traveling that way. It was so beautiful. So many of you recommended so many amazing restaurants. I wish we had more time to go to them, and we already cannot wait to go back. Here is a list of restaurants in the area.
We could not have dreamt of a better weekend and cannot wait to go back to Williamsburg again. With so many attractions and sights to see, this can be a destination for anyone. You can have a full day of museums for a historical getaway or parks and hikes for the nature lover. There’s also shopping and dining, or just relaxing and enjoying the view. There truly is something for everyone!
*A special thank you Visit Williamsburg for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
