Colonial Williamsburg – Coffee and Catwalk

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My family loves to travel! Anytime Jeremy and I have a day(s) off together, we hit the road. A couple weeks ago we decided to take a whirlwind trip, only 1 night, to one of our favorite Virginia destinations: Williamsburg. We LOVE it there! Of course, the history appeals to me and a trip is not complete until we take a stroll down Duke of Gloucester (DoG to locals) Street. I love ambling around the colonial area, petting the many dogs who are walking with their owners on the sidewalks, and ducking into the shops. Our favorite store is Williamsburg Craft House. They have modern and reproduction home decor, including vases, folkart, and Christmas decorations. You can’t go wrong with a stop in the Craft House! My daughter (and husband) love the Wythe Candy and Gourmet Shop. Guess what they sell? They have all kinds of pre-packaged candy, but the good stuff can be found behind massive glass counters: HUGE homemade marshmallow squares, chocolate covered cherries, strawberries, and blueberries, dark chocolate nut clusters, and black forest cupcakes are just some of the items offered at the candy shoppe. Ah, heaven! And, of course, I love the story behind the name of the shop. It is named after George Wythe. Wythe was the first American law professor, a lawyer, and a resident of Williamsburg prior to the American Revolution. The story goes that he loved candy and would walk up and down DoG Street with sweets in his pocket. Every time he passed a child on the road, he would hand them a piece of candy. I love a “sweet” story, haha! Ok, that was goofy…

My other favorite thing about Williamsburg is the shopping! The Williamsburg Premium Outlets are located on the outskirts of town. I could spend days shopping there, but my husband would have something to say about that! I always hit up Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and J Crew while I’m there. I also love the Ecco shoe shop. Ecco boots are the most comfortable shoes on the planet! Then of course I have to do some shopping for Bella! Gymboree, Osh Kosh B’Gosh, the Children’s Place, the choices are endless! Jeremy likes Eddie Bauer, Calvin Klein and Clark shoes. We always come back with a nice little haul from the outlets!

Let’s see, what have I forgotten? Oh, yes, the restaurants! There are tons of restaurants for a wide variety of budgets in Williamsburg, If you are looking for an upscale restaurant with colonial atmosphere, try The Fat Canary or The Trellis. Both are located on DoG Street. I highly recommend the “Death by Chocolate” torte served at the Trellis. The city also has many chain restaurants, including Olive Garden, Cook Out, Golden Corral, and Carraba’s. Lots of options around the town.

I’m including a few pics from our trip. Fall is my absolute favorite time to visit. It’s cooler (and bonus, no humidity), the leaves are all fiery red and blazing orange, and then of course, there’s the wonderful smell of smoke coming from the taverns. Love, love, love!!!

If you’re looking for a city that offers history, culture, natural beauty, and shopping, think about visiting Williamsburg. I promise, you won’t regret it.