Know Before You Go

Colonial Williamsburg is open 365 days a year. Most Historic Trades and Sites are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, check out Evening Programs, which run well into the night. The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Restaurant and store hours vary.

Inclement Weather
When adverse weather occurs, we encourage guests to explore The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, as well as take a tour of the Governor's Palace and The Capitol, which are all indoor activities.

See inclement weather updates here.

Emergencies
For your safety, Colonial Williamsburg has a security force available 24/7. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 or speak with any employee for assistance.

Admission tickets are required to enter buildings and experience programming in the Historic Area. With your ticket, enjoy interpreter-guided tours of our most iconic sites, including the Capitol, Governor's Palace, and Courthouse. Our expert tradespeople are working and sharing their craft with you in workspaces, gardens, yards, and at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. Your admission ticket also grants you access to multiple programs throughout the day on the Charlton and Play House stages as well as the expanded and updated Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, including stage-programs and performance twice a day in the Hennage Auditorium. You’ll also be able to take advantage of our complimentary bus service and get seasonal discounts on carriage rides. Check the events calendar and seasonal activities pages to see what’s open and happening during your visit.

Ticketing Locations
Tickets can be purchased at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, the Visitor Center, and the Lumber House Ticket Office, as well as online. Ticketing agents can answer any questions that you might have. Agents are available by phone at (888) 965-7254 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. View Ticketing locations on the map.

Digital Ticketing
You’ll receive your Single-day Tickets, Multiday Tickets, Event Tickets (including Evening Programs) and Annual Passes in your email directly after purchase. You can also view your tickets online when you create a Colonial Williamsburg account. If you have already created an account, login at colonialwilliamsburg.org to access your order history and see your tickets. If you have not yet created an account, but wish to see your tickets digitally, create one using the same email address you used to purchase the tickets, and they will be added to your account. Click here to learn more.

Refunds
To receive a refund on ticket orders, performances, or programs, you must cancel your reservation 72 hours prior to arrival or the performance date.

Virginians often experience multiple seasons of weather in a day. Wear layers and comfortable walking shoes.

Pets
Pets are allowed on certain areas of Colonial Williamsburg property if they are on a leash and under direct control of the handler at all times. Specifically, pets are allowed in parts of the Historic Area including Duke of Gloucester Street, and the Visitor Center. Pets are not permitted in the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, Rockefeller Library, administrative buildings, on carriages, retail outlets, trade sites, historic buildings or in any site or Colonial Williamsburg owned facilities requiring an admission ticket. Both Chowning’s Tavern Garden and the Social Terrace at the Williamsburg Inn are pet-friendly establishments. Pets must be leashed at all times and under owner control. Guests will need to clean up after their pets and they cannot be allowed on the dining tables. Dangerous animals or animals that are not on a leash or otherwise under the control of their owner are prohibited. We reserve the right to request owners to remove a pet that is disrupting Colonial Williamsburg programming. Colonial Williamsburg hotels each have specific pet policies. Click one of the hotel properties below to review its pet policy.

• Williamsburg Inn
• Williamsburg Lodge
• Woodlands Hotel
• Griffin Hotel

Prohibited Items
Firearms and weapons are prohibited at Colonial Williamsburg. Only Colonial Williamsburg sworn security personnel and law enforcement officers are permitted to bring firearms or other weapons of any kind onto Foundation property or onto Foundation parking lots.

Park at the Visitor Center and download your map. Explore our events calendar to start planning your adventure.

Events
Check out the CW Planner to see what's happening each day, with interest filters to customize your visit. For a printable version take a look at Map & Guide.
Complimentary Bus Service
Guests of Colonial Williamsburg can take advantage of complimentary bus service from the Visitor Center to stops throughout the Historic Area. Stops include the Governor’s Palace, the Capitol, the Taverns, Market House, Williamsburg Lodge, the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, and Merchants Square.

Open Sites
The Historic Area is a mile long and a half-mile wide, but not everything is open all the time, plus, some of our buildings are still private residences. So, look for the Grand Union Flag; it shows that a building or location is open to the public. You'll need to show your physical or digital ticket, so have it ready and come on in.

How Do I Reserve a Carriage or Wagon Ride?
Carriage rides are sold by the whole carriage and may be purchased at the Lumber House Ticket Office (on Duke of Gloucester Street across from Palace Green) on the day of use. These rides are a popular experience and often sell out quickly, so we recommend making your reservation as early in the day as possible. Guests with a current admission ticket or Annual Pass receive a discount on carriage ride tickets purchased onsite. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

Learn More about Carriage and Wagon Rides here.

Colonial Williamsburg strives to conduct its activities in accordance with the highest ethical standards to assure accountability, informed decision-making, and policies that are consistent with the institution’s mission statement and public service responsibility. This is articulated in the Foundation’s mission and is supported by numerous policies and standards. Read our Code of Ethics.

When You Visit
At Colonial Williamsburg, we do not tolerate racist or sexist jokes, comments, or harassment from our guests or employees. We are committed to creating an environment where together, we can explore our complex history in a manner that is respectful. Violators of this policy will be asked to leave the premises.

There are plenty of dining choices to please all tastes. Experience Historic Taverns in the Historic Area, enjoy exquisite cuisine in Modern Restaurants, or check out a sandwich shop or bistro in Merchants Square.

While lunch seats are first-come, first-served, dinner reservations are strongly recommended. A Colonial Williamsburg Reservation Team member (1-800-447-8679) will assist you dining reservations, admission or program tickets, hotel accommodations, and answer your specific questions.

Colonial Williamsburg's official hotels offer a range of accommodations. Whether you are traveling for business, looking for a romantic getaway, or planning a family vacation, you'll find an option that will meet your needs. Visit the Colonial Williamsburg Hotels site for more information.

Colonial Williamsburg’s retail stores are conveniently located across the campus. Our retail stores offer exclusive Colonial Williamsburg souvenirs, t-shirts, books, signature bath and spa beauty products, toys and games, jewelry, folk arts and crafts, gourmet foods and spirits, housewares, sundries, and hundreds of unique historic items. Don't have time to shop during your visit? Find thousands of items from our stores in our online shop. And you won't want to miss our Historic Area auctions, where you can bid on unique items and enjoy the antics of our auctioneer! Check the auction schedule here.

Visit our Accessibility page for more information.

By Car
Colonial Williamsburg is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and is part of Virginia's Historic Triangle, which includes Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. We're located midway between Richmond and Virginia Beach, and 150 miles south of Washington, DC.

Where to park
We recommend parking at the Visitor Center and taking the complimentary bus to the Historic Area. There is also free parking at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. The City of Williamsburg operates a pay-by-the-hour parking garage as well as other timed parking lots.

By Plane
There are more than 200 flights daily into three nearby airports: Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF) (20 minutes), Norfolk International Airport (ORF) (45 minutes), or Richmond International Airport (RIC) (45 minutes)

By Train
Amtrak serves the Williamsburg Transportation Center with a connecting train from Washington, DC. The center is just blocks from Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area and offers car rentals and taxi service.

Three places in Virginia can lay claim to where America was born. The first permanent English settlers arrived at Jamestown in 1607. At Williamsburg, the ideas of independence and revolution took form. The siege of Yorktown in 1781 was the last major battle of the American Revolution. In this Historic Triangle, discover the history of the diverse people whose lives form the earliest chapters of America’s story. Experience the past and discover commemorative events, educational programming, and entertainment all in one place. In fact, we’ve packaged a Historic Triangle ticket so that you can save when you explore all three places.

Jamestown
Discover the world of the settlers who established the first permanent British settlement in the New World at Historic Jamestowne, a National Park Service and Preservation Virginia site. Then visit Jamestown Settlement and watch 1607: A Nation Takes Root, explore artifact-filled exhibit galleries, board replicas of the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery, and see re-creations of a Powhatan Indian village and a 1610-1614 English fort.

Yorktown
Explore Yorktown Battlefield, a National Park Service site. Then stroll through the 18th-century village of Yorktown. The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown offers unique looks at the lives of everyday people overtaken by revolutionary events. Explore museum exhibits recounting the lives of individuals, a re-created Continental Army encampment, and a 1780s farm.

Colonial Parkway
The Colonial Parkway is a 23-mile scenic roadway stretching from the York River at Yorktown to the James River at Jamestown, connecting Virginia's Historic Triangle — Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown.

Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens® offers fun for the whole family. Enjoy thrilling roller coasters, animal encounters, great dining, and shows.

Water Country USA
Guests can splash and slide the summer away at Water Country USA®, Virginia's largest water park. Experience more than 25 water attractions.

William & Mary
The second oldest institution of higher education in America and home to the Wren Building, the oldest academic building still standing and in use today.

Washington, DC
Just a few hours away, visit the nation's capitol. Experience museums, national monuments, and arts and culture.

Virginia Beach
Located approximately an hour to the east, enjoy sunny skies and the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach.

Richmond Raceway
An hour west, Richmond Raceway, known as America’s Premier Short Track, offers great racing action and a commitment to the fan experience. One of the most popular facilities among drivers and fans in all of motorsports, Richmond Raceway annually hosts two NASCAR doubleheader weekends.