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Oh The Places You’ll Go In Williamsburg, Virginia

October 17, 2016

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Finding places to travel around the world that will excite, entertain and inspire the whole family can be a daunting task. This is why we do what we do–we take the guesswork out of where to travel and the things to do–which hopefully makes your life and travels easier.

Last weekend I experienced Williamsburg, VA for the first time with my two children (sadly, my husband had to stay behind for work). We took a family trip to Busch Gardens a few years back but I didn’t get to see much else. In preparation for the trip I knew that I wanted to visit Colonial Williamsburg, however, I was determined to experience other things the area had to offer as well.

Before embarking on our trip I decided to do some research. I wanted to take my five year old son and my ten year old daughter to places where they’d have fun but also learn something. We decided to visit a few museums including the Virginia Living Museum located in Newport News as well as a brief stop in Colonial Williamsburg. Along the way we found adorable shops, restaurants and more.

So without further adieu we bring you our trip to Williamsburg, Virginia: Day 1.

We live 2 1/2 hours (give or take) to Williamsburg so I knew I needed to stay a few days to really get a good sense of the area, so I booked us two rooms at Kingsmill Resort. I heard wonderful things about Kingsmill from my good friend, Sarah of Capital Moms so I knew we were in for a real treat.

Our Lodgings: Kingsmill Resort

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Kingsmill Resort, features 425 rooms on the premises as well as privately owned homes, five restaurants, 17,000 sq. of conference space, a spa, hotel gift shop, fitness center, marina, indoor/outdoor pools and a 15 court tennis center. Three championship golf courses surround the resort (Kingsmill has hosted a total of 29 professional golf tournaments from 1981-2009; LPGA, PGA events and others).

Upon arriving at Kingsmill Resort we were kindly greeted and given directions toward our rooms.bb4

Our main suite held a living room with a fireplace, dining area, full kitchen (including a dishwasher, garbage disposal and more), bath, large master suite and a balcony.

Main bedroom and Full Kitchen (my kids decided to hop on the bed when we arrived, he

Main bedroom and Full Kitchen
(my kids decided to hop on the bed when we arrived, hence the wrinkled duvet.)

The main suite connected to a separate bedroom and bathroom for my two children with a balcony as well. Our rooms were right on the James River had spectacular views from all sides.  The rooms were beautifully furnished and very clean.

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Our view of the James River

After refreshing ourselves from the drive we decided to head out and explore a bit of Williamsburg before nightfall.

Stop #1: Museums/Dinner/Shopping

The Public Hospital Museum

The Public Hospital Museum is a museum that has been rebuilt upon the original hospital’s foundation after a fire demolished it in 1885. Opened in 1773 it was the first hospital in the United States to treat the mentally ill. The museum has six exhibit cells (only four were open when we visited) and everything we saw and read was quite eye opening.

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I learned that at the time many people believed that the mentally ill “chose to be irrational.” Mental illness were not diagnosed by a doctor, but rather by a jury of 12 citizens.

hospital   Each cell was outfitted with a barred window, a straw mattress which sat upon the floor, chamber pot, and shackles for the wrist or ankles. In the 18oo’s treatment of mental illness began to change (thankfully) and cells were furnished with actual beds and nicer furnishings. When electric wiring (for lighting) was put in during late 1885 the hospital caught fire and burned to the ground. Many interesting artifacts that were recovered from the remains are on display . While nothing in the museum was inappropriate for young children or overtly scary there were some voiceovers that could be disturbing to younger audiences. I would recommend this museum for kids 12+.

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An underground concourse from the Public Hospital Museum leads to the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum so it’s a breeze to visit all three.

Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum

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As we headed through the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum we viewed an original painting of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart (c. 1796), outdoor folk art; weather vanes, carousel animals and other 19th/20th century outdoor pieces.  My kids absolutely loved seeing the nautical figureheads and the carousel animals.

DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum

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I wasn’t sure that my children would enjoy the Decorative Arts Museum but boy was I wrong. My kids absolutely loved it! Their favorite collection was the ‘Joy of Toys’ collection where many dollhouses and antique toys were on display.   They also enjoyed looking at an old telescope, seeing how musical instruments improved over the years and the furniture that was popular 17th and 18th centuries.

Look at the size of this dollhouse! It was magnificent. It even had a servants quarter for the maid.

Look at the size of this dollhouse! It was magnificent. It even had a servants quarter for the maid.

There is so much to see in the Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum I would suggest at least putting aside half a day for it. My kids and I walked around for about an hour and a half and only saw a small portion of the museum.

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My 5 year old son LOVED this little fort with soldiers.

One of my favorite items on display was a huge antique stove. I learned that Governor Botetourt of Virginia ordered the stove from London in 1770 for use in the Capitol. It is decorated with fashionable ornament and symbolic imagery. On the lower side panel is the standing figure of Justice with a balance upheld in her right hand and her left holding a sword and resting on the Magna Carta (signifying the sanctity of law and civil liberties). The arms of the Virginia colony are boldly displayed on one end. A notice in a London newspaper in 1770 characterized the stove as “one of the most elegant warming machines…that was ever seen in this or any kingdom.” Isn’t it gorgeous?

museum4  After our walk around all three museums we became quite hungry so we walked over to  Merchant’s square. The square has many fun shops and restaurants to choose from. Based upon Sarah (Capital Moms) recommendation we stopped at The Cheese Shop to pick up a quick bite to eat.

The Cheese Shop

The Cheese Shop features sandwiches on freshly baked bread, fresh cheeses and other unique products for sale. My kids ordered the grilled cheese on french bread while I ordered the Prosciutto on Focaccia with provolone & roasted tomatoes with their famous house dressing. Everything is fresh, delicious and reasonably priced. I highly recommend stopping in.

Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop

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While in The Cheese Shop we spotted Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop across the way and of course we HAD to go in. This store has every candy and chocolate you could imagine. Imported goods, different flavored sodas, fudge, handmade confectionaries and more line the shelves. If you have a sweet tooth make sure you make a stop at Wythe’s.

Blackbird Bakery

.   After leaving Wythe’s we headed over to the Blackbird Bakery to pick up a slice of the ‘Death by Chocolate’ torte (another recommendation). The Death by Chocolate torte takes three days to make and consists of seven layers.

Death by Chocolate Torte. Seven Layers of decadence.

Death by Chocolate Torte.
Seven Layers of decadence.

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The Blackbird Bakery ended up being one of our favorite spots in Williamsburg. We came back twice to pick up goodies for breakfast. The bakery is quaint, adorable and the items we picked up were delicious.

blackbirdbakery   I recommend the Morning Glory Muffin, a slice of the Death by Chocolate torte and a few Pain Au Chocolat to go. They had fresh breads and little pies that looked delicious as well.

After our visit to the Blackbird Bakery we headed back to Kingsmill Resort to get some sleep.

Click here for DAY 2 of our adventures in Williamsburg, VA!

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*I’ve been to Williamsburg, VA before but only to Busch Gardens

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This is a sponsored post.

40 Comments Family Entertainment, Family Finds, Featured, Shopping, Teens & Tweens, Travel Finds

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DeneaTahneearinJessicaRenee @ The Good Hearted Woman Recent comment authors
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karen
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karen

Ooooh – I cant tell you how much I loved reading your post about Williamsburg. The last time I went was in the 7th grade but all my memories are positive so as I saw your photos I relived part of it a bit. Hope to go visit again soon!

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3 years ago
Kiley
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Kiley

Karen,
Aw, you are so sweet. I hope you get to go back to Williamsburg and relive all those memories you made years ago soon!

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3 years ago
Kim
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Kim

This is on my family’s bucket list of places to visit. I love the history behind it. Your photos do it justice too. It looks like you had a great time.

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

Thank you Kim! We had a great time! I hope you get to visit Williamsburg soon!

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3 years ago
Heather
Guest
Heather

The Kingsmill Resort looks lovely. The Public Hospital Museum looks a little spooky! So sad people with mental illnesses were treated so poorly. We still have a long way to go as a society when dealing with mental disease, but it sounds like we have come a long way since the 1800’s!

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

The resort was lovely! Yes, I’ve heard that the Public Hospital Museum is actually haunted. I believe they do a ghost tour around Williamsburg and the Public Hospital is one of the stops! I too agree that we have a long way to go when dealing with mental illness. I suffer from depression and wrote about it here; http://www.cherryblossomstheblog.com/2016/05/depression-and-me.html

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3 years ago
Terri Steffes
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Terri Steffes

We had plans to go there this past summer and then life happened. Some of the same places were on our list. I hope we get to go sometime. Your post makes me want to go!

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

Oh Terri…I am so sorry your plans fell through. I hope you get to visit Williamsburg soon–! I highly recommend it!

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3 years ago
Debra
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Debra

Okay I would love to visit the bakery that cake looks amazing and I sure love learning about an areas history! Looks so much fun

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3 years ago
Kiley
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Kiley

It was GREAT fun!

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3 years ago
Ana
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Ana

How incredible. A cheese shop, museums, antique stoves? There is no better place.

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

exactly!

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3 years ago
Heather
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Heather

I absolutely love U.S. History, and this is a place I would love to visit again as an adult! I went when I was in high school, but I don’t think I appreciated it as much as I could.

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3 years ago
Kiley
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Kiley

Yes, you should definitely go back again!

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3 years ago
Amanda Love
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Amanda Love

Museums are simply amazing, there’s just so much that the kids can learn and experience! I wouldn’t mind going to a place as lovely and peaceful as this. The hotel rooms look awesome as well!

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3 years ago
Kiley
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Kiley

It was a very relaxing place!

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3 years ago
Sheby
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Sheby

I love how there is so much history in the US. We often think that we have to travel to older countries to find history, but there is so much of it here too. This looks like a great place to travel!

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

I completely agree! There is SO much history in Williamsburg–there is also Yorktown and Jamestown to visit as well!

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3 years ago
Ilka
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Ilka

Williamsburg, Virginia is really a great place to visit with the entire family. So much history! Pinning this post for later!

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

Thank you! It is a wonderful family-friendly place!

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3 years ago
CourtneyLynne
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CourtneyLynne

Ooooo looks like y’all had one fabulous trip!! I went to Williamsburg when I was a kid and had a great time!

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3 years ago
OurFamilyWorld
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OurFamilyWorld

This looks like a beautiful place to explore. And look at that Chocolate Torte! I will keep this place in mind.

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3 years ago
Reesa Lewandowski
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Reesa Lewandowski

My husband used to do his military training here. My favorite place to visit was the Yankee Candle shop!

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

I didn’t get to go there this trip–next time for sure! I am obsessed with candles so I know I would LOVE it!

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3 years ago
Brittany
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Brittany

Wow I would love to visit! The pictures you’ve shared show the rich history behind this town too! I love taking my kids to new places to teach them the history of where they are. It makes it way more fun!

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

I totally agree! Thank you!

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3 years ago
Taylor Mobley
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Taylor Mobley

What precious kiddos you have! I have never been but I definitely need to put it on my list of places to visit with my husband.

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3 years ago
Kiley
Author
Kiley

Thank you so much Taylor!

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3 years ago
jill conyers
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jill conyers

So many great places to visit in Virginia. The resort looks like a wonderful place to stay.

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3 years ago
Alyssa Ruane
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Alyssa Ruane

Cute place!! I am especially interested in the Cheese Shop… I can only imagine what kind of tasty treats they have there!

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3 years ago
Dana Vento
Guest
Dana Vento

What an awesome place to bring my kids, I would love to add this on our Bucket list. Glad you share this

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3 years ago
Jena Proctor
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Jena Proctor

It sounds like you had a great trip! I love Williamsburg and can’t wait to go back with my girls!

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3 years ago
Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com
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Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com

I was in Williamsburg as a kid, but have not been back. I think it sounds like a super fun place to take my family 🙂

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3 years ago
Rose Sahetapy
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Rose Sahetapy

I must say, I love how you picked the places/attraction to see in Williamsburg. Looks like you had a fabulous trip, and who could refuse delicious chocolate cake?

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3 years ago
Mandy Carter
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Mandy Carter

Day 1 looks like a success! And the hotel looks comfy and very home-like.

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3 years ago
Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman
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Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman

It’s been more than 20 years since we were last in Williamsburg, but my girls (now grown) still remember their “American Girl” day there. It’s such an amazing place. We are planning to take a trip east in the next few years (we are in left-coast Portland), so I will put the Kingsmill Resort on our list of possible places to stay.

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3 years ago
Jessica
Guest
Jessica

Oh, my goodness. The lobby is so inviting!!! And I’m pretty much swooning over that ornate fireplace!!! This looks so amazing and relaxing!

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3 years ago
arin
Guest
arin

great! another place to add onto my travel list! i’m going to be a very busy gal in 2017! looks amazing, thanks so much for sharing with us! xo

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3 years ago
Tahnee
Guest
Tahnee

it looks like you all enjoyed it! i have never been there but the hospital museum would be so interesting to see!

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3 years ago
Denea
Guest
Denea

I have always been told how nice it is in Williamsburg. I need to go visit considering I go to DC all the time. Thanks for these recommendations.

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3 years ago
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