Local trip series - Williamsburg

When you think of a local city, Williamsburg may not be the first one to come to mind. Recently I got to spent a short two days in Williamsburg as a final Girl Scout trip with lifelong friends and troop mates. It is safe to say we had a phenomenal time and covered many angels of the town. This city in southern tidewater Virginia transports visitors to the past and to another place. These are two things that make it such a great city to visit because even though it is one place, it encompasses so many great time periods and places. Two areas we will specially discuss include downtown Williamsburg and Busch Gardens.

Williamsburg is part of the “historical triangle ” of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg. Walking through the streets is a blast from the past and every shop (yes even the luluemon) is housed in a building that replicates what historical Williamsburg would feel like. Instead of getting a pass to tour inside each building I suggest walking around the premises. The small touches of Southern charm, such as the tour guides in historical garb, the flickering lanterns, and horse drawn carriages cross every box to make it feel as historical as possible.

Williamsburg can get stuffy and humid in the summer but to avoid this, try taking a night walking tour or ghost tour. Icees were also are best friends. Our troop went on the historical ghost tour which fit both the thrill seekers and historical geeks. The tour gave background on past residents and current ghosts that are often spotted. The ghost tour is kid approved although be prepared to see stuff you were not expecting too.

Busch Gardens is a dream location for travel lovers because you can instantly experience a small taste of different hamlets or destinations in one trip. Of course we will not distract from the other attractions such as the food, rides, and shows, but overall the entire park gives a glimpse of the country.

Upon entering the park, one is greeted by old red telephone booths, English flags, and a clock tower. This area is called Banbury Cross or England. The architecture reminds me of the city Stratford upon the Avon which I had previously toured on a Girl Scout trip in England. The old time feel brings guests back in time as a great entry point at the park. Continue the tour of the UK by visiting Scotland or Heatherdowns. It hosts a train station that allows guests to be transported between the hamlets while also getting a tour of the park. For animal lovers it also is home to the Highland Stables with sheep, Clydesdales, and border collies.

Step over the bridge into the streets of Killarney or Ireland. Step into Grogan‘s Grill for Irish cuisine or watch the performance group “Celtic Fyre” in the Abbey stone Theater. Pass by Jack Hanna‘s trail to see bald eagles, wolves, and an aviary.

France or Aquitaine houses small boutiques, countless cafes, beautiful painted murals, and the scariest coaster “the Griffon.” The Griffon has a ninety degree drop that onlookers can watch in horror or fascination. The 205 foot drop brings riders plunging down making the effect of ”going to crash“ into viewers. It was a freaky encounter even when not on the ride. New France or French Canada has log cabins, a painted wooden grizzle bear, and most of our troops favorite ride “Le Scoot Log Flume.” Of you take the train out of Caribou Station in New France you can cross over a bridge overlooking the “Rhine river.”

Here houses Rhineland Germany. It has a ski resort feel and is supposed to replicate Alpine Germany. A short walk away is Oktoberfest or Bavarian Germany.

In Germany you can sit in an air-conditioned beer garden with pretzels, bratwursts, and live entertainment. The hall is ordained with many fixings and reminds me of a German festival (take it from someone who has been to Germany as a Girl Scout). Obviously the Busch Gardens version is a lot more tourist friendly with English as the primary language and a bit more lavished with German decor. It even has a giant cuckoo clock .

All of the German rides take German names such as Der autobahn (bumper cars), der roto baron (Red Baron), and der wirbelwind (waveswinger/swings). Italian eats such as gelato and pizza are all available at Busch Gardens.

Just visit San Marco. This hamlet replicates the renaissance era with sculptures, art gardens, and other sights. You can even ride the mini water coaster “Escape from Pompeii.”

This was my favorite ride because it took riders into an old dilapidated city with fire gushing out of the ceiling and a plunge into the water. If you are more into carnivals check out the hamlet Festa Italia. It contains less coasters and more stand still rides such as Turkish delight (teacups) and Tradewinds. Overall, the park gave just a taste of Europe with the added experience of rides. Even for a troop that does not seek out coasters, we enjoyed the architecture, food, shows, and shops that depict each country. Although it is not the “real deal“ and we did not actually get to travel to each country, we got a taste of each culture and sparked interest for further travel. Busch Gardens may not be Epcot or actual Europe, but for somewhere in the middle of Virgiana I think it did an excellent job of allowing us Scouts to travel.

If your troop is considering a local travel destination I strongly suggest Williamsburg. It will both transport your troop to the past and to another continent. As a smaller troop with a reasonably small budget, we were able to manage a trip to Williamsburg and had a phenomenal time.

Here is a video montage of my troops Busch Garden's experience.