History is at the heart of Williamsburg, from the restored 18th-century town
that was the capital of pre-Revolutionary Virginia to the country’s
second-oldest college. The history even extends to the golf—the area is home to
one of the first island greens. But there’s far more to Williamsburg than the
past: Lodging options like the newly renovated Williamsburg Lodge and the
full-service Kingsmill Resort & Spa provide plenty of modern amenities for
the amateur historian and golfer alike.Centrally located along the eastern
seaboard at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Williamsburg continues to attract
visitors—just as it did 400 years ago, when it was a New World
destination.
Golf
Robert Trent Jones Sr. referred to his tight, testy Gold Course at
Golden Horseshoe Golf Club (goldenhorseshoegolf.com) as “my finest design.” All
four par 3s play over water, including the 169-yard 16th, one of golf’s first
island greens. The Blackheath Course at Ford’s Colony (fordscolony.com/golf)
took a cue from Jones with an island-green 18th. Highlighted by the par-3 17th
hole alongside the James River, the Pete Dye-designed River Course at Kingsmill
Resort & Spa (kingsmill.com) received a 2004 makeover and hosts the LPGA
Tour’s Michelob Ultra Open. Halfway to Richmond is The Tradition Golf Club at
Royal New Kent (traditionalclubs.com), one of the state’s best public
tracks.
Dining
Don’t miss The Dining Room at Ford’s Colony, the only
country-club restaurant ever to earn AAA’s Five Diamond rating—and it’s done so
eight years running. In the Historic Area, try the pan-fried stuffed rainbow
trout at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern, a favorite meeting place of George
Washington’s. Hearty postround appetites are also satisfied at The King’s
Arms, an 18th century-style chop house.
Accommodations
The
Williamsburg Lodge and Williamsburg Inn (colonialwilliamsburg.com) are the
choicest spots in the area. The former, built by John D. Rockefeller in 1939, is
adding 130 guest rooms. The English Regency-style Inn offers a more intimate
setting, with 62 rooms and suites. A 25,000-square-foot luxury spa opens in
September. Lodging at Kingsmill consists of 420 one-, two- and three-bedroom
suites.
Activities
Colonial Williamsburg contains 88 original
buildings and more than 500 reconstructed homes, government buildings, shops and
taverns. Nearby is Historic Jamestowne, the site of America’s first permanent
colony, settled in 1607. Merchant Square is a brick-lined shopping district with
more than 40 shops and restaurants. Only Harvard can boast a longer history than
The College of William and Mary, founded in 1693. The highlight of the Historic
Campus is the Sir Christopher Wren Building, named for the renowned English
architect.
