The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Earned Media Coverage

September 4, 2014

Family Travel to Virginia: Colonial Williamsburg Revolutionary City: Part 1

9/1/14

By Jennifer Leal

The week before school began, we took a trip to Virginia. In order to save a bit of time, we split the distance by flying to D.C./MD. and then driving to Williamsburg. Naturally, once we got to Maryland, we had to indulge in some crab cakes.

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We planned our trip to focus on Colonial Williamsburg for the history and culture. The first place we stopped was the Great Hopes Plantation, where we let the kids experience how hard you had to work for a meal.

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They also learned what you had to go through just to get a nice piece of lumber.

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All that hard work created a craving for something sweet so the boys snuck into McKenzie’s and grabbed two cookies (that’s right, none for the girls)

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We went for a mansion tour, watched a re-enactment and then the kids punished us in the middle of town.

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But we got them back.

The post office visit was one of the kids’ favorite – they could grasp how long it would take to print even one page of news. Then we went upstairs and mailed some post cards with the stamp hand-canceled with the reproduction Williamsburg postmark, followed by a visit to the market, magazine, and lunch at Chownings.

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To wrap up Day 1, we took a lovely carriage ride. Only the rich folks could do this back then, so we felt like royalty as we sauntered through the streets.

http://www.savoringthethyme.com/2014/09/family-travel-to-virginia-colonial-williamsburg-revolutionary-city-part-1/

Colonial Williamsburg with kids: two-day Revolutionary City itinerary

8/29/14

By Amy Whitley

There’s so much to do in Colonial Williamsburg with kids, prep work ahead of time is definitely essential. Luckily, planning a Williamsburg vacation is very user-friendly. It’s been called the ‘Disney of history buffs’, and I do see the similarity. Williamsburg’s Revolutionary City has a lot going on…at all times. Prepare for sensory overload!

Like Disney, Williamsburg cannot be done in a day…at least not in our opinion. And like many destinations, Williamsburg is what you make of it. Come ready to participate and be open to its many opportunities. Families will want to stay ‘on-site’, and purchase two-day tickets to the city. Here’s how we do it:

Pre-trip prep:

http://pitstopsforkids.com/2014/08/colonial-williamsburg-with-kids-2/

Ahead of time, book your hotel reservations and tickets to any programs or tours you want to participate in beyond what’s offered in the daily admission. We recommend staying at an official Williamsburg hotel; if you have a reservation number (or room card, once on-site) you save considerably on Revolutionary City tickets and other programs.

Where to stay: Williamsburg official hotels range from luxury to colonial cottages to family-focused hotel rooms. We loved staying at The Woodlands, which is located directly adjacent to the visitor’s center and right on the walking path to Revolutionary City. The shuttle bus stops nearby as well. The Woodlands offers upscale rooms, and lots of included amenities, such as a pool, mini golf, free parking, and a deluxe free breakfast.

http://pitstopsforkids.com/2014/08/colonial-williamsburg-with-kids-2/

Day 1: With your Revolutionary City passes in-hand (buy the evening before or morning of, in the visitor’s center), head into Colonial Williamsburg. Don’t plan an itinerary for this day. I can’t believe I’m advising this, but trust me: the magic of Williamsburg lies in the reenactments, living history characters, and impromptu moments. Sticking to an exact itinerary limits your ability to be spontaneous. When we kept our plans open, we were able to linger a full hour participating in the storming of the Governor’s Palace and later make an unplanned stop at the bakery. Later, the kids played a Colonial stickball game in the streets with costumed characters, and we had a lively debate about the idea of a Constitution with a tradesman of the middling class. Keep yourself free to go where you feel led.

Walk Duke of Glouchester Street and adjacent blocks and stop at the various living history exhibits, pausing for programs as desired. Among our favorites: the Brickyard, where kids can stomp through the muddy clay; the Milliner, and the Military Encampment, where kids can be treated like newly enlisted soldiers (for better or for worse!). We also loved the 30 minute tour of the Governor’s Palace (be sure to try the maze in the self-guided portion at the end) and Great Hopes Plantation, located at the edge of

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the city on the walk in from The Woodlands or the Visitor’s Center. At the plantation, kids learn about rural living and the life of slaves. Everywhere you go, ‘citizen’s of the city are in costume (and in character). Ask them questions, and they’ll give answers relevant to their time period. It’s a lot of fun.

Day 2:

Day 2 is when you’ll want to make a more detailed plan. Check out things you missed on Day 1, or use the weekly program guide to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time to see reenactments. We especially enjoyed the reading of the Declaration of Independence on the capitol lawn and a fife and drum corp marching down Glouchester.

Kids may also want to try RevQuest on Day 2. This high-tech scavenger hunt-type game uses any cell phone to send clues to kids. The quest takes you all over Revolutionary City, and prompts kids to interact with various characters at many locations. It’s easy to set up on your phone, but not easy to play, and does take quite a bit of time to do (some steps have to be completed at designated times). We don’t recommend it for the first day of your first visit, because it sends you from location to location

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without time for side trips or delays. Our middle grade and upper grade kids loved it as a final activity of our trip to Williamsburg, but our 4th grader got bogged down by it.

During both days, we brought lunch food into Revolutionary City, and ate picnics. Picnicking is permitted in many places; we liked the tables behind the Bakery (after buying some cookies to end our meal)! We also saved money by bringing waters bottles in; drinking fountains for refills are abundant. Of the taverns, our favorite evening meal was at Chownings, which specializes in reasonably priced flatbread-style sandwiches and homemade root beer and cider.

Evening programs worth booking:

Life of a Jolly Pyrate: this dinner theater production at Shields Tavern combines good food with a fun colonial atmosphere and an intimate live theater production. The show’s acts take place between courses, and is family-friendly.

Pyrates Among Us: This nighttime tour takes visitors to three different Revolutionary City destinations. In each, a live actor tells a different part of the story of the infamous Blackbeard. It’s creepy, yes, but was not too frightening for our school-aged kids. We didn’t see any kids under age 8 at this event.

http://pitstopsforkids.com/2014/08/colonial-williamsburg-with-kids-2/

Admission prices:

One-day admission is $43.95 for adults, and $22 for kids 6-12. Multi-day tickets are available (and the best deal).

Hours of operation:

Hours vary by season, but most of the year, Revolutionary City’s interactive exhibits and reenactments take place between 9 am and 5 pm. The Visitor Center is also open until 5 pm.

http://pitstopsforkids.com/2014/08/colonial-williamsburg-with-kids-2/

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Williamsburg Woodlands: where to stay in Colonial Williamsburg

9/1/14

By Amy Whitley

So, you’ve planned your Williamsburg itinerary with kids, but don’t know where to stay in Colonial Williamsburg with kids? Official hotels of Colonial Williamsburg include options ranging from the luxury Williamsburg Inn to Colonial houses for rent, to family-focused hotel rooms. We found the perfect middle-ground for our family atWilliamsburg Woodlands. This hotel is located directly adjacent to the Visitor’s Center, is within walking distance of Revolutionary City, and offers free parking, a deluxe free breakfast, and lots of included amenities and programs.

Room amenities:

We booked two standard rooms for our group of six. We had two queen beds and a pull out single bed (it comes out of a plush chair). The rooms were not overly large, but did include a shower with tub, separate vanity/sink area, and a mini fridge. Rooms are up-to-date, comfortable, and quiet. Wifi is available in all rooms at no charge.

http://pitstopsforkids.com/2014/09/williamsburg-woodlands-stay-colonial-williamsburg/

Hotel amenities:

Ready for the #1 reason we love the Woodlands? Free mini golf. This 18-hole course is set in their wooded area, and was our go-to evening activity. My kids love mini golf! The #2 reason: the outdoor pool. We just missed the opening of the new pirate themed splash park, but that will be open as of July 2014, next to the large pool.

The Woodlands also offers kids’ activities every evening starting at 5 pm. Activities range from face painting or crafts in the early hours to reenactments and historical activities in the later evening, at 7:30. Our first night, we took part in a military drill circa 1775.

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There is dining on-site: the Huzzah BBQ restaurant is a great option with family-friendly fare, many gluten-free options, and carry-out pizza. If you time your dinner right, you can sit outside on the patio around 7 pm and watch (or participate in) the 7:30 historical activities for the kids.

The hotel also has a small exercise room (it was adequate, but with only a few machines, could get crowded at key times) and coin-operated laundry facilities. Families can purchase Williamsburg tickets right on-site, or the walk to the Visitor’s Center is one minute.

Transportation:

With your room key, you get free shuttle transportation to Colonial Williamsburg (the stop is at the Visitor’s Center). We used this option when our feet were tired after a long day! There’s also a walking path to the city, which takes about 25 minutes, and takes you right past the Great Hopes Plantation (a must!).

http://pitstopsforkids.com/2014/09/williamsburg-woodlands-stay-colonial-williamsburg/

Date last visited:

June 2014

Distance from the interstate:

Just off I-64 in Williamsburg, VA.

Rates:

At the time of our (summer) visit, room rates started at $160 for a standard room. Rates are, of course, seasonal. Look for family-friendly packages: 3-4 night stay, play, and eat free packages start at $159!

Directions:

The hotel is located at 105 Visitor Center Drive, Williamsburg, VA.

http://pitstopsforkids.com/2014/09/williamsburg-woodlands-stay-colonial-williamsburg/

Williamsburg craft brewer's beer anchored in history

By Steve Vaughan

8/29/14

Small breweries are a becoming a big deal in Virginia.

The Virginia Tourism Corporation marketed August as Virginia Craft Beer Month, noting there are 60 craft breweries across the state. There's even a beer lover's tour of Virginia online athttp://www.vabeertrail.net.

A local brewery made a good showing at the Virginia Craft Beer Festival last week. AleWerks Brewing Company won a gold medal, for "Lover's Greed" beer and a silver medal for "Bitter Valentine" beer.

"Lover's Greed" took more than 18 months to produce.

"It was worth the efforts," according to head brewer Geoff Logan.

According to Al Whitaker, one of the owners of AleWerks, demand for craft beer has allowed the 8-year-old company to continue it's expansion, producing 40 percent more beer than last year.

http://www.dailypress.com/business/tidewater/va-vg-wbg-alewerks-20140829,0,5806461,full.story

"We're up to 6,000 barrels, which is still small," said managing member and founder Chuck Haines. Microbreweries are generally defined as those that produce less than 10,000 barrels a year.

But AleWerks is growing.

"Williamsburg AleWerks started in 2005 with a brewer and a packager/helper in the brewery and myself and Al Whitaker in the store," Haines explained. "Al did most of the tours and I did the rest, including helping out in the brewery. By 2007, we had added help in the store, so we were up to five people.

"Today," he continued, "we have seven people in the brewery and are looking to fill two additional positions."

A chef is being added because the brewery intends to offer top-shelf bar food at its on-site restaurant, dubbed The Tap Room.

Located in the Ewell Industrial park off Mooretown Road, AleWerks now occupies space in four buildings. And it's not just a brewery, it's a tourist attraction as well.

"More than 15,000 patrons have visited the brewery within the year. Many of the visitors take a tour learning how beer is made, and seeing the operation of a craft brewery from a very close vantage point," Whitaker said. "Many patrons take a tour and stay after the tasting to enjoy their favorite beer style in the newly opened tap room."

What's the draw?

"Above all it's about the beer" Haines said in a statement celebrating AleWerks' festival wins." Damn good, tasty beer. As good as anyone's beer, and better than most."

AleWerks makes several different styles of beer including two that are produced exclusively for Colonial Williamsburg visitors and sold at the taverns in the Historic Area; Old Stich, a brown ale, and Dear Olde Mumm, a spiced ale.

The reviews on Old Stich from beer professionals are glowing.

"It's just a really, really good beer," Haines aid.

Frank Clark, Colonial Williamsburg's master brewer and the person who researched the recipe for the beer, agreed.

"I really like it," he said. "They did a great job with it."

While overall beer sales in the United States fell nearly 2 percent last year, craft beer sales were up 17 percent.

Haines said he thought American consumers are becoming more sophisticated about different styles of beer — from India pale ale to porters to stouts.

http://www.dailypress.com/business/tidewater/va-vg-wbg-alewerks-20140829,0,5806461,full.story

That's a change since Prohibition, when a few large companies dominated the market. Consider that there were as many as 4,000 breweries in America pre-Prohibition, and only about 200 after alcohol was made legal again.

"They are all Pilsners and they all taste alike," Haines said.

He said the change from brewing being a local business to a national business coincided with the development of refrigeration and pasteurization.

"This is really a return to the way brewing used to be, with local brands," Haines said.

Some styles are also a return to the way things used to be.

"In the early 18th century, from about 1720, porters were far and away the most popular beers," Haines said, adding that Alewerks brews a George Washington Porter. "George Washington drank porter. Everyone drank porter."

Clark agreed.

"With porters is where you begin to see the mass production of beer," he said. "One London brewery was producing 300,000 barrels a year of porter. The lighter ales began to be more popular in the latter half of the 18th century."

Haines explains that the distinctive dark color and rich flavor of porters was created by the early 18th-century brewing process. "They were fire drying the malt, which led to some of it being roasted."

Other styles cater to other tastes. One of Alewerks brews is aged in oak barrels from the Williamsburg Winery. Haines said he's already reached out to Copper Fox Distillery, which is expanding to Williamsburg. He's hoping to obtain some of the barrels in which they've aged whiskey to use for aging beer.

"Of course that's going to take a while," he said. "They need to age their product in them first."

The growing popularity of craft beers isn't lost on the restaurant industry. Those that want to be a first-class restaurant are almost certain to offer craft beers, either on tap or in the bottle.

"Every restaurant is different but that's where the trend seems to be going," said Mickey Chohany, co-owner of 2nd Street Bistro. "There's a demand for that." Chohany added that he tries to stock a selection of local, regional and national craft beers.

Haines said it's a good time to be in the craft brewing business.

"I think Alewerks is a viable, contributing member of the local economy and community," he said. I see us continuing to grow and offer more. It is exciting. I would like to get the word around."

http://www.dailypress.com/business/tidewater/va-vg-wbg-alewerks-20140829,0,5806461,full.story

Enterprise Holdings Foundation Donates $4,000 to Colonial Williamsburg

8/28/14

The Enterprise Holdings Foundation has made a $4,000 donation to operations at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Enterprise Holdings Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Enterprise Holdings, which operates Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car brands.

The general gift can go toward educational program and other activities at Colonial Williamsburg. It also grants Enterprise Holdings access into the foundation’s Business Forum, open to corporations that give more than $500.

“Today, as in the 18th century, businesses such as Enterprise are important members of the communities in which they operate,” said Colin G. Campbell, president and CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, in a news release. “Enterprise has been a valued participant in our Business Forum since 2008, and we are extremely grateful for their continued support.”

Tom McCombs, an area manager for Enterprise Holdings, praised Colonial Williamsburg for providing “educational insights into the founding of our country.”

“We are proud to offer support from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation to such an outstanding organization,” he said.

http://wydaily.com/2014/08/28/enterprise-holdings-foundation-donates-4000-to-cw?cat=hometown/

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