Getting Colonial in Williamsburg (cont.)

The Pocahontas statue at Historic Jamestowne

Day 7

For our last full day in Williamsburg, we chose to visit Historic Jamestowne. This national historical park is situated on the site of of the oldest English settlement in the United States. John Smith, Pocahontas, figuring out tobacco - it all happened here.

After parking the car, we got our bearings at the visitor center. They show a 15-minute film and offer several exhibits that recount the story of the settlement. Then, you walk across some lovely boardwalks that deliver you to the settlement itself.

We started at the historic tower, the Pocahontas statue (a lovely verdi gris), and the memorial church. The whole settlement is still an active archaeological site, and there were scientists excavating inside the church during our visit. We explored the site of the 1607 James Fort, then made our way into "new towne," where you can see representative outlines of the buried foundations of taverns, houses, workshops, mansions, and more. At the Amber Mansion ruins, more scientists were excavating, learning about some of the earliest settlers in Jamestowne. They stopped their work long enough to talk with us and explain their methods.

Glass making at Jamestowne Glasshouse

It was a lovely, sunny day, and the area is fronted on one side by the James River, affording beautiful views and light breezes. A statue of John Smith looks over the river to the opposite shore. It felt momentous somehow to walk where some of the earliest English settlers trod, people whose grit formed the very beginning of America's character.

After thoroughly exploring the site, we stopped at the Jamestowne Glasshouse on our way out of the park. Here, craftspeople let you get up close and personal as they make lovely glass objects in an outdoor, wood-burning brick oven. They use glass-blowing techniques from the 1600s, and you can see the remains of a much older glasshouse, which unfortunately burned, nearby. You can also purchase contemporary items made in the current glasshouse. It was a fun visit, and watching the craftspeople work was mesmerizing.

By this time, we were very hungry! We stopped at Carrot Tree Kitchens for a late lunch. What a find! Offering menu items as varied as quiche, hummus, sandwiches, soups, and more, this was a perfect fit for us! We all had delicious dishes, and we finished our meal off with the from-scratch carrot cake that the restaurant is known for. Service was quick, the food was perfect, and the prices were very reasonable.

Carrot cake!

Then, it was back to the resort for a bit of rest before meeting up with an old friend. Julia is originally from Virginia, and she'd gone to college at William and Mary. She'd long told me that I should come to Williamsburg for a visit, and after a week in town, I had to admit she'd been right! We met up for dinner and drinks, she introduced me to some of her local friends, and we took an evening walking tour of the campus. It was so great to catch up with her!

The next morning, it was pack-drive-airport-flight-home! We learned so much and had so much fun in Williamsburg! I'm so glad we went, and I'd recommend it as a fun family vacation for anyone!