Fun Sunday Activities To Do With Kids In Williamsburg

Williamsburg is a spectacular city for families to explore, rich with history, culture, and beautiful scenery. Whether you and your little ones enjoy outdoor adventures and thrilling theme parks, or historic sites and intriguing tours, Williamsburg holds plenty of fun activities for kids to make that lazy Sunday more eventful.

See a Spookier Side of Williamsburg on a Ghost Tour

For kids who love all things spooky and strange, a Williamsburg ghost tour can be the perfect blend of spell-binding and spine-tingling. Upon the Ghostly Whispers of Williamsburg Ghost Tour, you’ll descend down the Colonial Capital’s darkened streets, unearthing peculiar tales and chilling histories scattered across this history-laden town.

These nightly walking tours aren’t all ghastly tales and gruesome beings. They combine Williamsburg’s past with ghostly legends, bringing history to life in spectral form. Guests pay stops at places like the George Wythe house, which played a critical part in the American Revolution, in addition to housing many odd spirits.

The tour lasts only an hour and offers discounted prices for those under 18, with no charge for kids under 6. If you need something to keep children occupied along the tour, you can even rent an EMF detector — a tool used by actual ghost hunters to detect the presence of ghosts! Photos are also welcome. You may even capture a photo of something otherworldly along the way, as many guests have.

Immerse Yourself in a Unique History Walking Tour

Walking tours are an ideal way to use up those little ones’ bountiful energy, keeping them occupied by showing new sites and compelling stories. If you’d prefer your walking tour to highlight history rather than spooks, there are plenty of more informative walking tours one can embark on in the Colonial Capital.

The Williamsburg Black History Experience recounts the rarely-told tales of less-recognized heroes that made their mark in American history. Here, the whole family can explore the figures left out of history books as you listen to stories of bravery and resistance woven through Colonial Williamsburg.

Another spectacular excursion, the Secrets of Colonial Williamsburg Hidden History Walking Tour transports tour-takers from one legendary Williamsburg locale to another, stopping by points known for astonishing figures and strange secrets. It’s a fascinating tour for detectives in the making, including tales tinged with crime and mystery.

These adventures are an exceptional way to delve below the surface of Williamsburg’s history, giving you a more tailored tour experience. Both tours operate daily with discounts for those under 18. Free for children aged 0-6 years old.

Be Enchanted by Busch Gardens

If your little ones are all historied out, consider a visit to somewhere slightly more modern for Sunday fun-day. Unlike many standard amusement parks, Busch Gardens is truly magical. The park contains themed areas modeled after different countries, like Germany, home to rides like the family-friendly Kinder Karussel, as well as France, Italy, and Ireland, to name just a few.

Younger kids will enjoy realms like the Sesame Street Forest of Fun and the Land of Dragons, where more kid-friendly rides and attractions can be found. Older children and teens can seek out the many high-thrill rides and rollercoasters spread throughout the park. It’s a spectacular place for those young and old, teeming with visual delights and electrifying experiences.

Experience the Outdoors

While Williamsburg may be best known for its authentic re-creations, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its share of recreational activities as well. Biking, hiking, paddleboarding, and more can fill your lazy Sunday with more movement.

Consider renting a bike at Spoke + Art Provisions Co and descending down the scenic Virginia Capital Trail. Families can rent a variety of bikes and toddler wagons, ensuring no one gets left behind on this outdoor adventure. Refreshments are available at the outdoor deck and dining area, along with live music, before or after your excursion.

You’ll find plenty of hiking opportunities around Williamsburg as well, including the Powhatan Creek Trail, a paved trail with a nearly 700-foot-long timber bridge, and the Greensprings Interpretive Trail, which is also great for bird-lovers. Another great stop is Freedom Park, which is also home to the Williamsburg Botanical Garden.

Discover Colonial Williamsburg

It’s not a true visit to the Colonial Capital without visiting the city’s 300-acre historically preserved area. While the setting might seem gimmicky to some, it’s actually steeped in historic authenticity, perfect for kids to explore. And if you have an Annual Pass, you can return weekend after weekend.

Within Colonial Williamsburg, kids can feel and touch history, directly interacting with costumed presenters and enjoying hands-on activities. Here, the entire family can see historic trades in action from tailors, wigmakers, and blacksmiths, be delighted by costumed performances, and roam guided sites.

Kids love the hedge maze and gardens behind the Governor’s mansion, along with the many costumed characters throughout the area. A single-day or multi-day pass must be purchased to enter this immersive world, but discounts are offered for kids, and those 5 and under are free. Numerous experiences are included with the price of admission, although some events and activities require a specialty ticket.

Explore the Jamestown Settlement

Another sensational place for history and allowing kids to explore is the Jamestown Settlement, found about a 10-minute drive from Colonial Williamsburg. While adults may be drawn in by the exhibits and displays inside, the kids will love what’s outside.

Beyond the walls of the museum, outdoor re-creations stun and delight. Historical re-interpreters illustrate early life in Jamestown, allowing younger generations to step back in time. Kids can interact with history by roving a 17th-century fort and Powhatan village, known as Paspahegh Town, seeing how the indigenous tribe lived, farmed, and cooked amongst re-created reed-covered houses.

If that isn’t fascinating enough, youngsters can also ramble about a re-creation of one such early ship that first brought settlers from England to Virginia. Aboard this fascinating vessel, both adults and children can discover what maritime life was like before these settlers made it ashore.

Cool Down in the Water

Williamsburg can get pretty humid in the summer months, but luckily, there are plenty of kid-friendly adventure to keep you and your family safe from the sweltering heat. Families can visit places like Water Country USA from May through September, refreshing themselves in the wave pool, watery playground, or many waterslides.

Found about 30 minutes from downtown Williamsburg, Yorktown Beach is another wonderful spot for building sandcastles and dipping your toes in the water. Swimming, sunbathing, and boating make for a lot of fun at this beach in Historic Yorktown, keeping everyone refreshed and relaxed.

Visiting Williamsburg in winter? If your little ones love the water, summer isn’t the only time to get wet in Williamsburg. Great Wolf Lodge is a year-round indoor waterpark spanning 55,000 square feet, where the waters are kept at a pleasant 84 degrees.

From Williamsburg ghost tours to history tours, Williamsburg is a hidden gem when traveling with kids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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