Heidi's Head

Come see what's going on in Heidi's Head

Step Back in Time at Jamestown & Yorktown

As a blogger, I may be compensated in some way (either pay, product, or experience) for sharing the post below All opinions are my own. ~Heidi

Jamestown-Yorktown National Parks

Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Peach Loop. Today, to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, we’re sharing some of our favorite National Parks.

24 years ago, my husband Brian and I honeymooned in what is considered the “Historic Triangle” of Virginia – Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown.  One of my fondest memories of that trip was standing and watching the Glassblower at Jamestown. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I purchased a piece of green glass on that trip.  And, each time that we’ve visited the area since, I love taking my kids to watch the Glassblower as well.  Often, we pick up little trinket items to bring home.  

I love history, so visiting this area is a perfect fit!  We visited again this past September.  Fortunately, for us, Ian was a 4th grade student, so we were able to take advantage of the free (and discount) passes that the National Park Service was offering to 4th grade students and their families. 

Let me share a bit about these National Parks (which work in conjunction with one another) and why I think you should visit them.

Historic Jamestowne

Walk in the steps of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas where a successful English colonization of North America began.  Despite early struggles to survive, the 1607 settlement evolved into a prosperous colony.  As the colony expanded, the Virginia Indians were pushed out of their homeland.  In 1619, the arrival of Africans was recorded, marking the origin of slavery in English North America. ~from the National Park Service website

One of my favorite things to see in the park is the statue of Pocahontas. 

Pocahontas statue Historic Jamestowne

Of course, we are always intrigued to find out about the latest discoveries at their excavation site.  Each time we go there, I reconsider my old desire to become an archaeologist. What a fascinating job that must be!

Historic Jamestowne archaeology

Kids can pick up a Scavenger Hunt to complete as you stroll throughout the grounds.  This definitely helps to keep their interest, and is fun for the whole family to help with.  Once they complete it, they are given a prize (Ian got a nice red string backpack, which he still uses!)

Of course, as I stated above, a trip to Historic Jamestowne is not complete – for me – without a stop at the Glassblower!

You can see more about our visit to Historic Jamestown in Digging Up the Past at Historic Jamestowne.

Yorktown Battlefield

Discover what it took for the United States to be independent as you explore the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.  Here at Yorktown, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, besieged General Charles Lord Cornwallis’s British army.  On October 19, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the war and ensuring independence. ~from the National Park Service website

The Visitor Center at the Yorktown Battlefield has a really nice museum.  My kids love anything hands-on, so they enjoyed strolling through the exhibits.  Ian even had a nice conversation with a lady in the gift shop about a game.  I love when adults engage children in conversation! 

We picked up a brochure and did the driving tour of the battlefields.  I wish we had paid $4.95 for the audio tour CD, as it would have been nice to have some commentary (other than my own!).  It’s fascinating to drive by the fields where battles took place and imagine what that period in history must have been like. Nowadays, it’s much more serene.

deer at Yorktown Battlefield

Ticket Prices

At the time of this writing, ticket prices are $14 for a 7-day pass that gets you into BOTH of these wonderful National Parks.  It’s free for ages 15 and under, so it’s a very affordable field trip destination, even if you’re just going for a day or two.  

My recommendation, if you’re going to the area for a family vacation, is to consider the Historic Triangle Pass. This pass is $89 (for ages 16+), and includes unlimited admission for seven consecutive days to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Victory Center and the National Park sites at Historic Jamestowne and the Yorktown Battlefields. 

I didn’t even touch on the many things to see and do at these other sites, but you can read more about them in these posts:

It’s not even been a year since our last visit, and I’m ready to go back!  

Here is the map of our Blogorail Peach | Family Adventure | National Parks

More from my site