Busch Gardens & Colonial Williamsburg
a primer
by Jennifer Cooper, posted on May 11th, 2011 in Features, Ideas and Inspiration
During our Spring Break hiatus, we visited a popular family destinations in the United States: Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg.
Today I’m bringing you my notes from our adventure.
Busch Gardens
1. Skip the rapid ride unless you want to get really, really, REALLY drenched. Plus, some kids end up crying. It’s a lot of water. The riders in our raft would say, through sobs, “too much.”
2. If you do go on a water ride, there are family driers located nearby. They are $5 for 5 minutes. We fit three adults and two kids in one. It won’t get you really dry but it may help.
3. Don’t wear jeans! Wear light cotton or a blend that dries fast.
4. Wear good walking shoes but not necessarily sneakers. I’d recommend Keens.
5. They do a lovely job checking kids’ heights and color coding rides based on your child’s height. But if the line near the gate is long, skip it and get their height checked at any of the rides.
Highlights: Daughter rode her first real roller coaster, bratwurst in Germany, red cabbage
Ye old climbing tree
Colonial Williamsburg
1. You don’t have to buy a ticket to walk around. You won’t have access to all the buildings, but you can shop and enjoy the live outdoor shows/reenactments for free.
2. You don’t have to park at the visitor’s center. While it is a lovely walk, there is much closer parking near the historic park. This is especially helpful to know if you have a stroller or small child.
3. Don’t wear open toed shoes or sandals. You’re essentially walking on a sea of pebbles. They will get stuck in your or your child’s shoes and you/he/she will just end up whining and complaing.
4. Eat at Retro’s Good Eats. It’s charming, delish, well priced and family friendly. The burgers are great and so is the homemade limeaid and rootbeer. We headed back a second time for their chocolate dipped frozen custard. While you wait for your order, kids can draw on the large chalkboard wall that lines one side of the restaurant. Now that’s all kinds of chock full of goodness.
5. Biggest hits for the kids: shopping, bamboo forest (end of town near the shopping), picking buttercups, the famous climbing tree* and and the stream behind one of the houses.
Highlights: horse drawn carriages, outdoor theater and strolling through beautiful gardens.
photo courtesy of Dave K Cooper
*Directions to climbing tree: take a stroll down Duke of Gloucester Street. Go past Bruton Parish church and take a left toward Governors Mansion. Take first right Nicholson St. just 50 yrds on the road, there it is.
Any tips do you’d like to share or something we missed?
Related Posts :
Tags: travel issue
Cindy H Says:
Laura C Says:
Becky Says:
Jennifer Cooper Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 2:20 am
Ooh! So smart about the lockers. We’re planning on going back this summer. We’ll DEFINITELY use that advice!
Do you really get to hold a sloth? ‘Cause that’d be awesome!
[Reply]
Cindy H Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:35 am
The day we went on the tour, it was us and one other family, so only 6 people all together! We handled a sloth, a teeny hedgehog, an armadillo, an alligator, a giant rabbit, and there might have been some sort of bird, I don’t remember. I am sure it varies somewhat by tour/day and which animals are in a good mood, etc. but it was really cool. Worth the money. Oh, and take a bag of quarters for the locker I think…
[Reply]