Williamsburg, Virginia Attractions

Plan to spend all day at this theme park, a winning if somewhat odd combination of thrill rides, animals, faux European villages and well-tended landscaping. But it all works! For 18 consecutive years, Busch Gardens, has won quite a few "Most Beautiful Theme Park" awards.

Sesame Street Forest of Fun is a new attractions introduced in 2009. The furry television stars of Sesame Street sing and dance, then meet the kids for hugs and photos. A dancing water fountain anchors the forest so it's best if kids wear bathing suits. (Bring a change of clothes.)

Tweens and teens tend to go for the gut-wrenching thrills delivered by the Gardens' roller coasters. Griffon, among the world's tallest floorless coasters, drops riders from 205 feet at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. And Alpengeist, a tall, twisting coaster that flips riders six times, hurtles them forward at speeds of up to 67 m.p.h.

Bald eagles, Clydesdale horses and gray wolves live at the park, along with other animals. Also new are the park's Behind the Scenes tours, one of which takes you into the stables to get hands-on with the grand horses. At Wolf Haven, another program, discover how wolves learn, then help train them by delivering a command! When Kashmir, a savvy blue-eyed female, responded to our command to ring the bell, we were thrilled.

To make the most of your visit, take part in the Historic Area's special programs, some of which require additional fees or an upgraded admission ticket.

Participate in a trial at the courthouse, listen to Patrick Henry plead for revolution, witness Benedict Arnold and the British occupy Williamsburg, march with the militia, or learn about the town's spooks on an evening ghost tour (more of a good show than scary tale).

In 2009, Colonial Williamsburg commemorates the 30th anniversary of its African American programs. We especially like "In Their Own Words" (recommended for older children and teens). During the walking tour, we learn about slave life and discover what rebellion from England and "freedom" meant for the town's slaves. Imagining ourselves as "property" in Williamsburg, we realize, to our surprise, that we would opt to fight for the British since the governor promised freedom to those slaves who joined the Redcoats. All ages should like the African songs and dances at Great Hopes Plantation and the moral folk tales told by slaves in "Papa Said, Mama Said."

Much of the fun for children at Colonial Williamsburg is encountering historic personalities. Dressed in breeches and tri-corn hats or long dresses and bonnets, these characters put the "life" in living history. Our favorites are those who talk and act as if it really is the 1770's. By chatting with the shoemaker, apothecary, wigmaker and other tradesmen, kids learn about Colonial life.

Your kids can get in the Colonial spirit by renting period clothing at the Visitors Center ($19.95). Girls get a white dress and sash. Boys receive a shirt, toy rifle and a haversack. The rental comes with a $2 discount for either a girl's bonnet ($8.95-$12.95) or a boy's tri-corn hat ($15.95). Colonial Williamsburg offers ample ways to spend money.

Interesting buildings to tour include the Capitol, the Governor's Palace and, in summer, the Powell House, where an interpreter gives kids hands-on lessons in how to play with 18th-century puzzles, stick games and other period toys.

During Revolutionary City, the "locals" mass along Duke of Gloucester. Depending on the program, you can eavesdrop on brothers debating the pros and cons of rebellion, meet a farmwife hawking fresh eggs while handling a live hen or witness the governor arrive by horse-drawn carriage prior to delivering a proclamation. Older children mostly enjoy listening to the characters, but young kids may get bored. Even so, they like the spectacle of so many re-enactors. Arrive 15 minutes early for "Get Revved," the introductory segment geared to families. An interpreter explains events, and may introduce a singer or teach ladies how to curtsy and men how to put their best foot forward. Some programs require additional fees or an upgraded ticket.

Allow time to visit some museums. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Museum houses a superb collection of folk art. Young kids will enjoy "Down on the Farm," with its funky weather vanes and colorful carousel animals. Displays of carved ducks, cows and other critters illustrate a children's book about Prince, a fox terrier who meets farm animals. Kids are invited to draw their own scenes using the crayons and paper provided for them. Check the schedule for Wee Folk, stories and activities for kids ages 4 to 7.

The DeWitt Wallace Museum presents fine furniture, furnishings and period paintings -- not the most exciting stuff for children. To interest tweens and teens in both museums, the facilities created "Teen Takes: A New Angle on Art." Teenagers narrate the free audio tour available at the desk, directing listeners to 17 objects and commenting about them in ways to which adolescents can relate. For example, teens can discover why the tall case clock by Thomas Tompian was the technological wonder of its day and discover hidden clues in the portrait of George Booth that reveal his social class and sartorial savvy. After all, teens in any era want to look good.

Young kids may not find much of interest in Historic Jamestowne, but older children and teens interested in history will. Historic Jamestowne is the site of the first permanent English settlement in the New World, established in 1607, 13 years before the pilgrims landed in Massachusetts.

The film in the Visitors' Center provides some background. as you walk toward the river after watching the film, ignore the obelisk-like memorial and the statue -- and pretend that the charming brick church isn't there either. Concentrate on the wide James River, the two sides of the triangular palisade and the barracks under reconstruction. Those structures, and 104 men and boys helped launch the beginnings of America.

In summer, there may be an actual archeological dig to watch. More exciting are the dig's finds, displayed at the Archaerium, the site's small museum. Here, wine bottles, brass candlesticks, clay pipes, tailors' shears and stirrups detail aspects of the colonists' daily lives. A favorite item is J.R., the skeletal cast of a 19- to 22-year-old man that still has a musket shot embedded in its leg. Life wasn't easy in Jamestown. Since J.R. is on loan to the Smithsonian this year, a representation stands in for him -- but you can still see where the musket pierced his bone.

If Historic Jamestowne provides the outlines, then Jamestown Settlement fills in the specifics. The museum, with its engaging displays, focuses on the three cultures that met on Virginia's soil: the English, the Native Americans and the Africans (who first arrived 1619, possibly as indentured servants and later as slaves).

Among the many exhibits, kids can compare an English streetscape, a diorama of a Powhatan camp and an African village. Kids can look through an astrolabe, an early navigational tool, to find the north star; watch "From Africa to Virginia," a film about the slave trade; and also compare images of Pocahontas from early paintings to a cell from Disney's popular movie.

Your family can explore three outdoor recreated areas. At the Powhatan Indian Village, watch costumed interpreters tan animal hides, weave baskets or make pottery. Onboard the "Susan Constant," a replica of one of the ships that carried the English settlers, go below to see the bunks and come on deck to talk with the captain about the arduous four and-a-half month journey to North America. In the fort, tour the thatched roofed storehouse, guardhouse and church, and watch a blacksmith at his forge or a soldier fire a musket.

When your kids whine about the hot weather, or better yet, before they do, cool off at this water park with more than 30 get-wet attractions. Float down Hubba Hubba Highway, a winding river with sprays; see who glides to the end of Nitro Racer's slides first; brave the water curtains and dark section of Aquazoid, a water slide; and splash in the wave pool. Young kids can play with the fountains and sprays at Kritter Koral and everyone can enjoy Surfer's Bay, a zero entry pool.

Virginia's summers are steamy, so Water Country can be crowded, causing waits for the slides and other attractions. You can always get in the pools. Since shade is minimal, consider renting a cabana for the day if you or your kids burn easily. Along with a roof, cabanas come with a table, chairs and chaise lounges. Yeah, we wish the cabanas cost less -- and yes, we think they are overpriced at $200. But for those who need shade, chairs in a row and a little private space, a cabana can make a big difference.

The last significant battle of the American Revolution was fought at Yorktown. On October 19, 1781, British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered. For battlefield enthusiasts, this site is a find. For school-age children studying the American Revolution, the battlefield can be interesting. Check the schedule for guided park ranger tours, typically a 30-minute walk detailing the British defenses. At the Visitors Center, watch the introductory film and pick up a booklet of activities needed to earn a Junior Ranger patch for kids ages 6 to 12. For those who would rather drive, the battlefield offers seven- or nine-mile tours.

Some of the most interesting things for children at the Yorktown Victory Center are outside: the timeline of events, the re-created 1780's farm and the year-round Continental Army encampment. What you see depends on what the costumed guides demonstrate during your visit. After watching a soldier aim a musket, we asked him how many people it took to fire the nearby cannon. "About 15 men," he replied. Then he made do with our group of six, placing us in key positions to clean, load, ram the cartridge, fire the weapon and roll the canon back up to position. At the surgeon's tent, the doctor handed us a "bite stick." You guessed it! As anesthesia was in short supply, men, during surgery and amputations, bit down on the stick to deal with the pain until they passed out.

Inside the museum's galleries, browse the exhibits on the Declaration of Independence and listen to the tales of soldiers, a Mohawk Chief and a farmwife.