The crisp fall weather was invigorating, but I caught a mild cough. I walked into the pharmacy and requested a remedy. After asking me a couple of questions — is it a dry cough or with phlegm, the ticklish sort or a hacking cough — the pharmacist pulled open one of the many drawers behind her and handed me a liquorice root. "What is this, the 18th century," I wondered. But the apothecary's long-skirted emerald green bodice and ruffled linen cap should have been a clue, as well as the Latin labels on the antique drug jars behind her. I was at the Pasteur-Galt apothecary shop on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, Virginia. It is a faithful reconstruction of the 18th-century pharmacy that once stood here and is built on its excavated foundations.
Spread over 301 acres, Colonial Williamsburg is touted as the world's largest living history museum. It is dotted with restored or reconstructed 18th-century houses, taverns, and shops where guides in colonial costumes will tell you about life in the former capital of Virginia. I expected it to be some sort of a Disneyland but was pleasantly surprised with the engaging storytelling and the meticulous period detailing — the history nerd in me was utterly delighted. If you enjoy Jane Austen (or perhaps the current rage, Bridgerton), Colonial Williamsburg is right up your alley.
I began my day with a 15-minute ride around its historic area in a horse-drawn carriage. The sky-blue open-air barouche carriage was perfect for the cool, sunny morning, and the coachman cut a rather dashing figure in his indigo coat. We set off at a leisurely pace, admiring the houses and shops, with the coachman pointing out a few important sites on the way. While the ride offers a basic orientation, I decided to sign up for a guided 'Secrets of Williamsburg' tour for a more historical deep dive. Led by a student of the nearby College of William & Mary (the second oldest higher education institution in the United States), the tour was a great way to hear stories about the people and places that made this town.
I found the George Wythe House on Palace Green the most fascinating. It belonged to George Wythe (pronounced "with"), a leader of the patriot movement in Virginia and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The house served as General George Washington's headquarters just before the British siege of Yorktown, and in 1776, Thomas Jefferson and his family lived there. Built in the 1750s, the two-storey brick mansion is certainly the most handsome of all the houses in Colonial Williamsburg and one of the few still-standing originals. Later, as I explored the town on my own, I dropped inside to admire its immaculately restored rooms (complete with period furnishing), and to explore its gardens and outbuildings, such as an external kitchen, smokehouse, poultry house, stables, and more.
Other notable buildings include The Capitol, where independence was declared before all other colonies, setting the stage for the American Revolution; the 3,380-sq-ft Georgian-style Governor's Palace with a formal garden and natural park; and the Courthouse, where I watched the reenactment of an 18th-century trial in progress. There's also The Magazine, or arsenal housing a collection of muskets and a cannon, which is fired at periodic intervals, along with militia drills and band performances. It was not just the grand houses and the pageantry that held my interest but also the chance to see various tradespeople go about their business using real 18th-century tools and techniques. Other than the aforementioned apothecary, I also visited the jeweller's shop, the cabinetmaker's atelier, the shoemaker, the silversmith, and many more. As a writer, I most enjoyed watching the printer at work and was particularly fascinated to see how he set type and used a reproduction printing press to produce newspapers, political notices, pamphlets, and books.
Continuing with the colonial theme, I dined at King's Arms Tavern on S Waller St. Built on the site of a tavern frequented by George Washington himself, the restaurant is rather atmospheric with exclusively candle-lit interiors, servers in 18th-century clothes and dishes like Virginia peanut soup, a reference to the state's peanut legacy. Sign up for the 'Haunted Williamsburg' tour if you're keen on some after-hours hijinks. On this hour-long tour, a costumed storyteller will take you on a walk around Colonial Williamsburg, regaling you with 18th-century ghost stories and some creepy modern-day encounters. Visiting the historic houses at night is a surreal experience, made even more eerie by the candlelight-wielding storyteller — whether you believe in ghosts or not, a few goosebumps are guaranteed!
Williamsburg is easily accessible from Washington DC; it takes just under 3 hours by road, or you can take one of the daily train connections. Colonial Williamsburg is open 365 days a year, and most historic houses, trades, and sites are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A single-day ticket costs $49.99 for adults (13 years plus) and $28.99 for youth (6-12 years). This includes access to select guided sites, historic trades, gardens, and select staged performances. The ticket also gives admission to the two world-class art museums in Colonial Williamsburg and free parking at the visitors' centre. Horse carriage rides are priced at $75 for the carriage (for up to 4 passengers), while the Haunted Williamsburg tours are priced at $19 per person (8 years and above). Tickets can be booked online at colonialwilliamsburg.org or purchased at the visitors' centre.
A few hotels in Williamsburg offer complimentary or discounted tickets to guests. The Colonial Revival-style Williamsburg Inn is a great choice with 62 suites done up in Regency décor, an elegant tearoom, and a refined bar lounge. Alternatively, the sprawling Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection has 323 rooms that blend 18th-century style with modern amenities, plus it offers a spa and outdoor and indoor pools (marriott.com).