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Top 20 Things to Do in Williamsburg Area over Christmas Break 2022
From our friends at Localourist.com – Live Like a Local. Play Like a Tourist!(TM) Updated for the week of Dec 26, 2022 so some events have been removed because they are over and new ones have been added.
- Visit the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg (yes, bring the kids!) They have a tour that includes making an ornament. This week they have special concerts and performances that kids and adults will love. **Good Neighbor Pass gets you admission FREE. It is a world class museum right in our back yard! Here is their daily calendar with hourly events!
- Christmas Town at Busch Gardens – Christmas Town is back and it is beautiful! We have our review updated for all the new shows and info you will need to make your time in the park awesome! If you need tickets make sure to visit our Busch Gardens Discount page.
- Drive the Spectacular Lights Tour in Williamsburg – The Spectacular Lights Tour in Williamsburg is WilliamsburgFamilies.com annual list of the Best Christmas Lights in the area! Live Like a Local and visit all your favorite local neighborhoods in “the Burg” as locals call it! Readers also can submit their favorites to the list and map! The GOOGLE Map has all the home listed (there are over 100) so you can drive along – the list gives you photos and links to maps. Here is the list and map!
- Live theatre at the Hennage Auditorium – The live shows at the Hennage this break are wonderful. The Hennage is the stage inside the Art Museum of Colonial Williamsburg. Some shows are included with museum admission (or Good Neighbor Pass). Some holiday programming has a small ticket fee. This week of Dec 26th check out: Silent Night, A Toast to Christmas, Crystal Carols, A Gospel Christmas: Music for the Holidays, 40 Christmastides, Christmas Trees & Treasures (this one is in the Art Museum itself) and more… – See the whole list of programs here.
- Eat outside in Merchants Square under umbrellas and heated lamps. You are supporting local businesses, and celebrating one good thing that came out of the 2020 COVID pandemic – outdoor seating and heat lamps on DoG Street! Plus while you are there stop and shop! Right now, save 30% on seasonal merchandise online at Colonial Williamsburg Shops* with no code needed to save – the discount will automatically apply at checkout. Shopping locally? Shop the sale at Brick & Vine in Merchants square! Other favorite stores…Fat Face, The Shoe Attic, Scotland House, Ltd., Blink, Danforth Pewter, French Twist Boutique, J. Fenton, Penny and a Sixpence, The Precious Gem…actually they are all wonderful – see full list of shops & restaurants here.
- Ice Skating in Merchants Square – if you haven’t – it is really fun. And if you don’t want to skate you can always grab a hot chocolate in the snack shack and watch your friends and family skate from the benches that surround the rink. Live Like a Local: If you have a Good Neighbor Pass you get a discount on Monday – Friday! Call it DoG St. if you want to Live like a local or Duke of Gloucester if you want to Play Like a Tourist. And if you think you will be skating into the New Year – the rink stays open until February 26, 2023 so it might be a better deal to get a Seasons Pass.
- Visit the Virginia Living Museum – Not technically in Williamsburg but this museum is a favorite with families and is a short drive away. They have indoor animals but also a huge outdoor (stroller and small child friendly) walking trail that leads to a huge Dino themed park. During the week after Christmas come and enjoy their Holiday Science Shows that are part of your admission ticket running Dec 27 – 29! And get ready for their New Years Event too: Noon Years Eve 2022! Put visiting the VLM (how locals refer to the Virginia Living Museum) on your list!
- FREE Community Event on New Years Eve – Culture-Fix presents a (FREE) NYE event on the Lawn of the Art Museum of Colonial Williamsburg under the big tent! This is a really fun annual event with Live Music, a Ball Drop and food (available for purchase)! Learn More
- Christmas in Yorktown! Many of their big holiday events happen in early December but there are still many reasons to head over! Don’t forget to grab your camera to get a pic of your favorite family members with the holiday decorated LOVE Letters. You cannot miss them – they are on the waterfront. If it is a sunny day – stroll on the sandy beach. Make sure to visit the York Hall Gallery where local artists have wonderful items for sale, visit their great restaurants and boutique shops and check out Christmastide at the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown. If you are a Williamsburg, James City County or Yorktown Resident you get free admission (*here are the details/rules) Christmastide goes on daily from Dec 18 – Dec 31 (except on Dec 25th when they are closed) More info Winter Markets in Yorktown return in February so keep an eye out!
- Celebration in Lights at Newport News Park – We ride through every year and always enjoy the magic of the lights. There are over a million lights in the two mile drive.
- Evening Programming at Colonial Williamsburg – Are they for tourists, yes…but are they also for locals…a hard “Yes!” And if you are a local with a Good Neighbor Pass – evening programs are 25% off! Try Haunted Williamsburg, Ghost Walk Jr, (those two are the only official ghost tours of Colonial Williamsburg), To Hang a Pirate (a really good one), Cry Witch, and Revolutionary Points of View. Here is a list of evening programs at Colonial Williamsburg. Your Good Neighbor Pass gives you a discount on evening programs so make sure to have it when you book!
- Don’t forget our State Parks! York River State Park is a great place to walk, bike, fish, walk the dog and so much more. Chippokes State Park is a short ferry ride away and it is definitely worth the drive . You can find sharks teeth there too! Both Parks have a great way to welcome the New Year – 1st Day Hikes. Learn about York Rivers and Chippokes!
- New World VR – we absolutely love this place and it is right here in Williamsburg. It is a gamers dream and for newbies —eye opening! They have all the latest and greatest tech so that you, your friends and/or your family can play in the VR world together, or separate! You pick the game and go! And since it is right near the outlets – if some of you want to shop and some of you want to game…it makes it even easier! And yes…we found a GROUPON to save you some $$!
- Movies! Hop over to New Town Regal Theater and take in a new holiday block buster. Here is a Groupon affiliate link for a discounted ticket!
- Historic Jamestowne – this is the real deal, the actual location of Historic Jamestown! This museum is amazing. It is a museum and an active archaeological site. Come and see where it all began. This museum has indoor and outdoor exhibits and stunning views. It is great for all ages. See their daily programming here.
- Breweries, Distilleries and a Meadery – if you love sitting back with friends in outdoor patio style venues with great drinks…Williamsburg is your place. Visit them all:
Virginia Beer Company
Billsburg Brewery
Silver Hand Meadery
Joker Brewing
Alewerks Brewing Company
Copper Fox Distillery
Eight Shires Distillery
Frothy Moon Brewhouse - Take the Ferry! It is free and kids love it. When you get to the other side you can visit Chippokes State Park, Smithfield’s main street or just pull into the Surrey Seafood House and have lunch or dinner on the patio on the water! Here is a link to the Ferry Schedule
- Parks & Playgrounds – Rent boats, go fishing, hike, mountain bike, look for sharks teeth…if the weather cooperates head to one of our amazing playgrounds or parks in the area. Need to refresh you memory on all this area has to offer? Check out our Best Playgounds and Parks in Williamsburg area post.
- Visit the Zoo in Richmond. If you haven’t been then you probably don’t know that you can feed giraffes…yes, that is correct. You and your kids can walk up to them and feed them. It is a bucket list kind of experience. Kids will love how incredibly long their tongues are! They are offering both drive thru and walk thru – but check their site before you go for which day is which! If you are from the Burg this one is a Play Like a Tourist thing to do!
- Fireworks – Busch Gardens will celebrate New Years Eve with fireworks on December 30 & 31, 2022!
Cap off your night and celebrate the New Year with a spectacular fireworks show. If you don’t have a membership check discounts here. - Area Museums – These are two regional museums that if you have the chance to go to…definitely go! And the price is right! Chrysler Museum is FREE and the Mariner’s Museum is only $1 admission. Both are excellent and both have kids and family programming!
- Brick Fest Live: a Family Event for LEGO Fans (December 30–31). These are hands on, fun for the whole family events. This one is coming to the Hampton Convention Center – which is just a hop, skip and a drive away. If you want to have a really fun Christmas break memory grab some tickets…and yes, we found a Groupon – here is the offer.
Visit our Best things to Do in Williamsburg page that has a guide of things to do for every month!
Make sure to visit our Daily Calendar of Events in Williamsburg. That will give you an hour by hour guide of what is going on!
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