Williamsburg Tours
leading the way!

If you are thinking about a tour there are many different Williamsburg Tours to choose from.

Each of the tours will compliment your trip in a different way. It is not a requirement to add a tour to your itinerary, but if you do, your level of enjoyment will skyrocket.

You can take guided tours of Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown and the James River Plantations. Each tour is different based on the the company who conducts it as well as the guide that takes you on the tour.

Below is a description of the different tours and tour groups.Hopefully it will help you decide what to add to your itinerary.

Colonial Tours

This company is headed up by John Sutton. He is extremely knowledgeable about this whole historic triangle area.

The unique thing about Colonial Tours is that John conducts personal tours just for your group. No other strangers involved. If you have a large family or you are traveling with a group Colonial Tours may be just the thing for you. Even if your group is small you can still take a tour with John.

These unique tours will really pull you into the action. They are one of the best ways to really get involved in history. I am not able to tell you more without spoiling the fun!

Colonial Tours offers Colonial Williamsburg tours as well as tours of Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown,James River Plantations as well as the ever popular ghost tour through the streets of CW.

To have the tour experience of a lifetime you can book a tour for only $50 per hour for up to 8 people. There is an additional cost per person over 8,but it is worth it.

If you want to try out Colonial Tours give them this code (WIG429)and they will give you a special $5.00 discount.

Ghost Tours

Williamsburg tours

There are a few different ghost tours in Williamsburg. You can take a private tour with Colonial Tours (see above)or you can join one of the other tours.

Colonial Williamsburg runs a Ghost tour given by tavern employees and based on the book Witches and Ghosts, Pirates and Thieves, Murder and Mayhem. They talk about the different ghosts that the tavern employees claim still roam the streets.

Maximum Tours runs the Original Williamsburg Ghost Tour. This tour is based on the books by LB Taylor The Ghosts of Williamsburg: Volume II

( I am recommending volume II, after reading both, because it has more stories then the first edition and it is not just a repeat of the tour.)

Speaking of the tour, I have taken this tour and found it very enjoyable. It is worth the $10 fee.

The tour lasts almost 2 hours and is filled with interesting Colonial history as well as ghost stories.

These tours run rain or shine every night. During June through August they run two tours a night 8:00 and 8:45. The tours leave from the William & Mary Bookstore on Duke of Gloucester Street.

You can buy your tickets there or on line. My suggestion would be to buy your early. They sell out most of the summer.

Your tour group will have about 30 people in the group.

Guided Audio Tours

Are you looking for a tour but like the self guided type better? You can try the Colonial Williamsburg Guided Audio Tours. They are available at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Center.

They offer three different tours that you listen to on your own schedule. When you are in front of a building you punch in the right code and you hear the interesting facts and history about it.

The cost for these self-guided Williamsburg tours are $6.00 with your CW ticket or if you don't have a ticket they will cost you $15.00.

The three tours they offer are

Voices of the Revolution (50 mins)

Reading the Revolution Architecture (45 mins)

Highlights of the Historic Area (60 mins)

This may be a good choice for you if you like to meander at your own speed. I have taken these audio tour in the past and I don't particularly care for them because I like to ask questions (It drives my husband crazy!) But if that is not your thing then these are a great way to delve deeper into the history of the area.

Museum Teen Audio Tours

The different Museums of Colonial Williamsburg have a new audio tour just for teens. It was written and recorded by high school students and it is called "Teen Takes: A New Angle on Art" The tour takes about an hour and it discusses 17 decorative arts and folk art pieces. The tour tries to help teens relate to the art and the history by comparing and contrasting life today to life back in the 18th century. This audio tour is free and it is available at each museum's front desk. For more information call 220-7724.

Colonial Williamsburg's Lanthorn Tours

Colonial Williamsburg offers an evening tour program that they call the Lanthorn tour.

Lanthorn is the archaic spelling of Lantern.

All of the guides carry colonial style lanterns. This tour takes you into the trade shops at night. You are given an inside look at the life of the tradespeople and how they lived. During the day you can learn about the trade itself.

I have heard that this is a very impressive tour. If you want to take this tour make sure you book it ahead of time. Check here to find out more about Colonial Williamsburg

Group Tours

If you are planning a trip for a group you have a few more options of Williamsburg tours. There are a few tour groups in town that only handle large groups. If this is what you are looking for you may want to contact Colonial Connections.They offer the following tours for groups of 25 or more:

The Hauntings of Williamsburg - This candlelight walking tour is based on the stories of Jackie Wileen Behrend's The Hauntings of Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown

Early American Medical Practices- this is an indoor program that explains the practice of medicine in the 18th century.

Historical Investigations- This is also a candlelight walking tour that has you spend an evening on the historic streets of Colonial Williamsburg learning about the harsh day to say realities of life in the 1780's

the Christmas Walk -This shows of the Williamsburg famous Christmas Decorations and talks about how the holiday was celebrated back in the 1700's.

Williamsburg Tours are a good way to add something extra to your trip. I have a few suggestions to make the most of your Williamsburg tours.

First, bring your camera. Especially on the Ghost tours. You will get some cool pictures.

Second, try to stand at the front of the group so you won't miss anything the guide says and you are close enough to ask questions!

For the Ghost tours, if you have young children who scare easily think about leaving them home. The tours aren't all that scary but the whole concept can be overwhelming for the sensitive ones. If you are bringing older children you may want to get them excited about what they might see by getting them to read A Haunting in Williamsburg (Avon Camelot Books) It will make the whole area more familiar.

Add some extra magic to your vacation and add one or more Williamsburg Tours to your plans. They will not disappoint.

Williamsburg Tours are the best! Click here to keep planning your trip to Williamsburg Virginia.

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