Here is some insider's information on getting the most out of your trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, one of America's top family destinations and the largest living history museum in the world.

  Best time to visit:
 The least crowded period is January through March but the weather can be cold and damp. The worst crowds are during the school holidays from June through August, and in December, when the historic area is decorated for the Christmas holidays.

The best weather in this part of Virginia, where flowers bloom and leaves turn color, occurs in Spring and Fall

Best way to get around:  This is a large but compact area with something to see everywhere you turn. One of the best ways to tour the Historic Area with kids is by bicycle. Try Bikes Unlimited at 757/229-4620; rental shop closed Mondays.

A free shuttle bus from parking lots is included in the price of a Historic Area admission ticket.

 Best family itinerary:  Allow at least two days to visit the Colonial Williamsburg living history museum, and two more if your history buffs want to see Yorktown and Jamestown as well.  Two days will also give you enough time to experience both parts of "Revolutionary City," a dramatic, walk-through living history show.  If you have time and a little extra money to spend on your experience, enroll the kids in the "Apprentice" program, which allows them to visit three trade shops, see demonstrations, collect momentos, and "choose" a future trade. Other "must see" sites in the area include Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center, Burton Parish Church, the College of William and Mary, DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Gallery, and the Governor's Palace.

 Best admission ticket options: Ticket rates vary according to length of stay and privileges.  A special Hotel Guest ticket, valid for guests of official Colonial Williamsburg hotels, includes "The Revolutionary City, a Colonial Williamsburg adventure", length-of-stay admission to Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area and the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, 50% discount on evening Colonial Performances tickets, regular daytime programs, Colonial Explorer activities, the film "Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot", free parking at the Visitor Center, Colonial Williamsburg shuttle buses and an Orientation Walk.

The Freedom Pass provides unlimited access for one year. The Independence Pass is like the Freedom Pass but with most of the hotel guest privileges noted above in addition to evening performance tickets and other special activities. It is valid for one year.  

Best celebratory family event:.
 Be sure to sample an historic tavern meal with the whole family. Call 800/Taverns or 757/229-2141 to make a dinner reservation at King's Arms or Christiana Campbell's, which accept only reservations at dinner time. Lunch crowds can be daunting, especially over the school holidays. Another popular tavern, Chowning's, a reconstructed 18th century alehouse at 100 Duke of Gloucester Street, only serves lunch and don't accept reservations at all, so be sure to arrive early.

 Best experience with teens: Ghost tours are especially popular with school-age children and teens. Contact the Original Ghosts of Williamsburg candlelight walking tour at (877/62-Ghost); the Hauntings of Williamsburg (800/378-1571) or the Ghosts of Yorktown (757/253-1058) in nearby Yorktown to check on seasonal schedules. 

Best information sources: Some handy phone numbers to keep in mind are the Williamsburg Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (800/368-6511) and the Colonial Williamsburg Reservations and Information Center (800/447-8679).