Carry Me Back to Ol' Virginny

January 2, 2008 10:32 AM

A passel of museum geeks is headed to Virginia. Can you help us plan the trip?

Every year or so I take a road trip with some colleagues who work in history museums. This year we'd like to visit Williamsburg, the Jamestown sites, and the Mariners Museum. We will have three days to visit everything, and we generally run a pretty tight schedule. We try to plan most things ahead.

I'm writing to ask the following questions:
a - your tips for cheap accommodations near any of those locations?
b - your tips for eateries near any of those? Bonus points for regional specialities and unique places
c - any other things in the region not to miss?
d - any contacts or meetup possibilities at or near those institutions?

Thanks for any help you can give! Our DC trip worked out really well thanks to similar hints.

posted by Miko to travel & transportation (4 comments total)

a) The cheapest you'll find is the Comfort Inn (there are two, I think) or America's Best Inn. Typically less than $60/night, I'm told by someone in the industry, but not by someone who works there, so don't quote me on that.

b) Have the lamb at Le Yaca. For more casual dining, Pierce's Pit BBQ. Even more casual, one of the many many many pancake houses.

c) If you're staying on the Peninsula, then there really isn't anything else. If you decide to go to the Southside (Norfolk/Virginia Beach) then there's more to do. As far as museums, I'd check out the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach, or even Naticus in Norfolk if you're into maritime history.

d) A meetup might be cool, but not if it's at the Mariner's Museum. That place bored me to tears (perhaps because I was in fourth grade, perhaps because it was boring).

You might check out the local events calendar for other things to do in the area.
posted by sephira at 12:37 PM on January 2, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

You could visit the Edgar Cayce Visitors Center in Virginia Beach. I think a group of museum workers just might find it hilarious.
posted by box at 10:40 AM on January 4, 2008

Hi, Miko! I'll make a few suggestions, short of making actual recommendations.

If you'd like to stay within walking distance of the historic area, look at Colonial Williamsburg's Woodlands, which is right at the Visitor's Center. There's also a few walkable places on York St. (Rt. 60 East), like the Patrick Henry Inn. I haven't stayed at either, though, so caveat emptor.

I think the last few Williamsburg AskMes had good dining suggestions. I would second the recommendation of adding the Yorktown riverfront to your itinerary, if you have time. Maybe you'd be interested in the Watermen's Museum? The battlefield is probably pretty bleak in January-February, but they have a driving tour. CW's Rockefeller Library might worth a peek, and W&M's Swem Library also has a Special Collections archive with a few teeny (non-maritime) exhibits.

If you have specific questions, feel free to MeFi mail me!
posted by steef at 5:05 PM on January 4, 2008

Thanks, everyone!
posted by Miko at 8:00 PM on January 4, 2008