Colonial Williamsburg & Washington D.C.
In early March, we decided to take a week and head to the east coast for a trip to Colonial Williamsburg and Washington D.C.. We wanted to visit before schools got out for Spring break, and before the weather turned too warm. There are so many beautiful monuments and historic sights to see.
Try to visit before Spring Break
I made my last trip to Colonial Williamsburg and Washington D.C. about 15 years ago. I have memories of trying to take pictures of various monuments surrounded by dozens of kids who were climbing all over the actual statues. This was not something I wanted to repeat. Even though we were going to miss the cherry blossoms, I would be much happier to avoid those types of misbehaving crowds.
Plan your flight near your final destination
Since we were ending our trip in Washington D.C., we decided to fly into the airport there and rent a car. We drove 3 hours south to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. It was good to have a car for those days to see various sights.
Where to stay in Colonial Williamsburg
Our Marriott vacation club points needed to be used, and we were happy to be able to book 3 nights in Colonial Williamsburg at Ford’s Colony, and 4 nights in the capitol city. We arrived at Marriott’s Manor Club at Ford’s Colony late in the evening on our first night. There was just enough time to grab a late dinner at a local pizza restaurant before heading over to our lodgings. Our one-bedroom villa was very spacious and even had a fireplace.
One of the main reasons we love to stay in a villa (small apartment) whenever possible (on points, of course), is that we enjoy having a living room. It’s so nice to sit and catch up on our email, photos, and scratch some notes for writing. My hubby and I are both night owls and we are typically up late. We love having a comfortable space to return to at the end of the day. A small kitchen area with a fridge and microwave (and sometimes even a full kitchen), as well as a table and chairs make us feel at home.
The Benefits of a Loyalty Program
As part of our Marriott status, we can enjoy a free breakfast if the hotel provides this. If they don’t provide breakfast, we typically stop at a store on our first day to stock up on light breakfast as well as happy hour cheese and wine to have in the room during our stay.
Colonial Williamsburg Merchant Square
Williamsburg is such a beautiful and quaint town. First of all, it’s a college town. The college of William and Mary is a public college founded in 1698. It’s the second oldest college in the nation. The entire campus and surrounding areas are beautifully preserved. There are lots of fun shops and restaurants, as well as history on every corner.
On our first full day, we drove around the town and into the colonial Williamsburg area. We parked at the Merchant Square. We walked through the shops, had a light lunch, and walked through the actual colonial town.
The Visitor Center at Colonial Williamsburg
You must purchase a pass to enter the buildings, and we didn’t remember this. So, we walked to the visitor’s center from the town. Weather permitting, it’s a pretty half-mile walk. If we had planned ahead, we would have parked at the visitor’s center free parking. Then we could have walked or shuttled into town.
Once at the visitor center, it was only about an hour before closing time. The clerk was very nice and sold us a one-day pass for the following day. We could still get in any place that was still open that day. Also, the pass was good for the Jamestown Settlement, and we planned to visit there as well. We hopped on the free shuttle bus back to the village just in time to visit Bassett Hall.
Bassett Hall
Bassett Hall was built between 1753 and 1766 by the House of Burgesses’ member Philip Johnson. It was purchased around 1800 by Virginia legislator and congressman Burwell Bassett, a nephew of Martha Washington. Colonial Williamsburg purchased the property in 1927 and it became the home of John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1936. JD Rockefeller was very involved in the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg.
John D. Rockefeller, lived here
Bassett Hall closes at 4pm, and we arrived just as they were going to close for the day. A lovely woman took us through, anyway. We were so glad she did. We were leaving the day after and it wasn’t going to be open again that week. The house has been maintained as it was when the Rockefeller’s lived there between 1936 and 1948. It was a sweet window into life during that time.
Relax with a Light Dinner In
Since we had walked so much that day and had a big lunch, we didn’t feel like a big dinner out. Instead, we stopped into a local Trader Joe’s and bought a simple dinner of cheese, salami, crackers, and fruit to go with some wine. We love to eat-in some nights. It’s so much more relaxing and quiet.
The Living Museum
The following day, we went back to Colonial Williamsburg. This living museum is so interesting and beautifully preserved. We especially enjoyed the working shops. We spent quite a bit of time watching and listening to the stories of the tailor, the wood finisher, and the barrel maker. Everyone dresses and speaks as they did in the colonial days.
Jamestown Settlement
Next, we drove over to Jamestown, which is also really interesting. In the harbor on the James River just off the Chesapeake Bay. There are reproductions of the ships that brought the settlers into Jamestown.
They have a living museum area, as well as an indoor museum. We were glad of that because it had started raining, and was pretty chilly outside. I was happy to have been able to enjoy the stirrings of spring in the gardens before the rain started. The beautiful red cardinals looked bright and cheery against the grey cloudy skies.
Washington D.C. via Gettysburg
On our 3rd full day, we checked out of our resort and took the long way to Washington DC, by way of Gettysburg. Although, I was really excited to be able to check a new state off of my list, I hadn’t anticipated the sadness that I’d feel in walking the various battlegrounds. The David Wills House, where Lincoln wrote his Gettysburg address, is a must-do when in this area. It’s a museum set inside this historic home.
The David Wills House
We turned our car back in to the airport and took a taxi to the Washington D.C. hotel. The rest of the time in the city, we either walked, took a taxi, or an Uber. Parking was a ridiculous $63/day at the hotel. We figured it was a lot less expensive to turn the car in and hire a ride, especially when you factor in the cost of the car. The price was the same for the taxi and Uber, so we took whatever was handiest at the time.
To Taxi or Uber?
As someone who has been a resister to the Uber movement, I will say that the cars were consistently cleaner than any of the taxis. But the taxi drivers were consistently more knowledgeable and willing to share their favorite restaurants and must-sees. I’d be most likely to take a taxi when alone, and an Uber when with people.
The Washington monument is a really fantastic landmark. You can see it from all over. When we saw it from the plane as we were landing, I felt a little star stuck.
Lodging in Washington D.C.
The Mayflower Hotel is beautiful, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. It was built in 1925 and has quite a storied past. We had brought our snacks with us from Ford’s Colony because we figured we’d have a refrigerator in the room, but we didn’t. Our status did provide access to the Club Lounge for breakfasts and happy hour, as well as for water throughout the day, so that was a very nice plus.
The National Mall
After a lazy morning, we wandered out for a very long walk. Six miles and several hours later, we had visited the White House visitor center, the Washington Memorial, WWII Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. This was all on foot from our hotel.
Reserve a Tour of the Capitol Building
Day two began with a Capitol building tour. I set it up with our state representative’s office weeks before we arrived. We met at the office and a staffer took us to the Capitol through a series of underground tunnels. The Representatives have one office building and the Senators have another, all connecting underground to the Capitol.
The Supreme Court is directly across the street, but not connected to the Capitol. So, when the chief justice needs to go to the Capitol they drive him over, for security reasons. Our tour included the galleries of the Representatives, but they weren’t in session today. I especially enjoyed the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court building.
Later, walked across town to see the Ford Theater, where Lincoln was shot. It was very interesting, but there were a few school groups there at the time and entry was very disorganized. The Smithsonian Museum of Art filled in the rest of our afternoon. It was another big day in the city of the people!
The Smithsonian Museums
We spent our last full day in DC at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural Science, and the Space Museum. Both are beautiful museums, with much to see. Our final day ended in a delicious dinner out. It was perfect!
Do Visit the National Geographic Museum!
On the morning we were leaving, we had to check out of the hotel earlier than we needed to leave for the airport. We left our bags with the concierge, and walked across the street to The National Geographic Museum. This is a very small museum with gorgeous photography, a great gift shop, and a couple of very good exhibits. Plan a good two hours to see it all, and it’ll be time well spent.
We felt pretty happy to have been able to see all we saw in our limited time. The area has so much more to offer. One could probably spend 4 or 5 days in the areas between Colonial Williamsburg and Washington D.C., plus an additional week in D.C., itself. There was much we didn’t see, but we’re happy to have something to do for a return trip some other time.
What are your favorites to see, do, and eat in the Washington D.C. area? I’m making a list for next time.
