Living in an area so integral to America’s future, it’s easy to forget we also live in area infused with the country’s past. Jamestown, founded more than 400 years ago as the first permanent British settlement in what would become the original 13 colonies, is only a few hours’ drive away.
Just off the James River, the town is an idyllic locale for both a refreshing getaway and a deep dive into American history. Craft an appropriate playlist (suggestions: Woody Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson), pack some sunscreen and head south.
Where to Eat
Breakfast: Shorty’s Diner
If you head out early enough in the morning and gnaw on a granola bar, you may still have an appetite for breakfast. Good thing there’s Shorty’s Diner on your way into Jamestown. The diner in Williamsburg is known for burgers and fries as well as all-day breakfast. Try the Hangover—two eggs resting on corned beef hash with biscuits and gravy—or the banana cream-covered pancakes.
Lunch: Carrot Tree Kitchens
Carrot Tree is a casual dining institution in the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg. At the Yorktown location, choose from soups, salads, crepes and a robust wrap menu, including the Captain Wingfield—roast beef with Swiss, fried onions, tomato, lettuce and the restaurant’s “zippy secret sauce.”
What to See
Before you get to the Jamestown Settlement, stop by the Jamestown Visitors Center. There you’ll get an overview of the area, including information on the ongoing Jamestown Rediscovery archaeology project and the Voorhees Archaerium. Explore the center’s database of genealogy records; biographies of John Smith, Chief Powhatan and Pocahontas; and the area’s history with slavery.
Immerse yourself in the 1600s as you walk the grounds of the Jamestown Settlement. The recreated colonial site educates visitors with museum exhibits and outdoor experiences from ship tours to lessons from living history actors. Little ones can have fun grinding corn, playing ring toss and participating in one of five kid-oriented tours at the museum.
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Last month, the Yorktown Victory Center reopened as the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, complete with a new film, 22,000-square-foot exhibit galleries and revitalized living-history exhibits. Liberty Fever provides an overview of the Revolutionary War climate while the museum’s Revolution timeline includes photos of several people who lived through the war and into the mid-1800s. At the Continental Army encampment exhibit, gun enthusiasts can don military coats and become part of an artillery crew as re-enactors perform flintlock musket demonstrations. And at the farm exhibit, visitors can care for the farm’s plants and turn flax to fiber. For those who want a tangible reminder of their trip, don’t forget to stop by the mainstay of the modern-day museum: the gift shop.
