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You can never have too much candy, and it's all here at the Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop.
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I love exploring the vendors lining the streets, selling natural, handmade products and playing music at 2nd Sundays Art & Music Festival in Colonial Williamsburg.
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Mary Ellen Power Rogers (left) and her sister Cathy Power Pattisall run The Cheese Shop that was started by their parents. From the menu: Grilled Cheese (left) is popular with teens and the Turkey with cheese is an adult favorite.
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In Wren Yard, you’ll see my favorite tree. Its arm reaches out long and low, held up by a post, and there’s a bench in front of it where you can eat.
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A sailing tour is a great way to relax on a hot, breezy day. The Alliance is one of Yorktown Sailing Charters' schooners.
It’s true. As Williamsburg residents, we live in one of the most talked-about communities in the country. Tourists flock here. Magazine writers feature all the things to do here. Travel writers long to visit here.
But for us, the families and teenagers who live here, we know what makes them come.
I mean, right outside our front doors, many of us see the Busch Gardens fireworks over the trees, virtually nightly during the summer months. We hear the train whistle. We go to Colonial Williamsburg’s Duke of Gloucester Street and Merchant’s Square to grab dinner with our families and see tourists from all over the world.
I do love all of those sights, those sounds, those places.
But to truly experience Williamsburg in the summer in a personal—and super local—way, here’s where I go. Here’s where my friends go. Here’s where you should go too.
Join me on a tour of my favorite spots of Williamsburg, as seen from a local teenager’s perspective.
Start at the Beach
No, not Virginia Beach; Yorktown’s beach.
Yorktown beach, a short drive from Williamsburg, is a fun and historical way to see the York River. There are always college kids there, playing games, and families sitting along the edge of the water.
When I was younger, I would climb along the rocks that make up the sea wall, most likely only because there was a sign that said not to (sorry, Mom).
There are fairs and markets and cute shops.
And if you really want to experience the river, try Yorktown Sailing Charters. Last year, I took a trip on one of the sailboats and went out onto the river, under the Coleman Bridge, and beyond the military bases lining the river’s edge. It’s a great way to relax on a hot, breezy day.
Colonial Williamsburg
Tourists flock here, it’s true. But as a local teenager, when I head inland to Colonial Williamsburg, I go on the second Sunday of every month, to the art fair.
I love exploring the vendors lining the streets, selling natural, handmade products and playing music. 2nd Sundays Art & Music Festival, as it’s officially called, is a way to get in touch with the artistic community of Williamsburg and even be inspired for art classes once school starts up again in the fall.
Candy, Candy, Candy!
Since you’re in Colonial Williamsburg, anyway, on those Sundays, whether a tourist or a local, you must stop at the Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop. They make all sorts of candies there that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
The Cheese Shop
Be sure to save your candy for after lunch, though, and head to The Cheese Shop. Go a little before the lunch hour, or just after, to be sure to avoid the summer tourist crowd.
My favorite sandwich made to order at the counter in the back? The Grilled Cheese. The soft bread and gooey cheese will make your day complete.
Be sure to browse the shelves for The Cheese Shop’s fancy pastas while you’re waiting for your order. Then take your food and candy, and, maybe, you’ve got a wind chime from the art show by now, and head over onto William and Mary’s campus.
Wren Chapel and Wren Yard
With lunch in hand, head straight toward the Wren Chapel and, in Wren Yard, you’ll see my favorite tree.
Its arm reaches out long and low, held up by a post, and there’s a bench in front of it where you can eat.
Sometimes, on nice days, my mom and I go after school and read or do homework on a blanket. I like to sit on the branch and read my book, while she sits on the ground with her computer.
Be a Tourist, Too!
Living in Williamsburg, I can admit that I take the tourist spots for granted.
No matter where you are in Williamsburg, you’re always a short drive from Water Country, Busch Gardens, and Go Ape’s outdoor ropes course.
The reality is we do live in a museum (Colonial Williamsburg is a living museum), surrounded by amusement park fun, and next to one of the greatest bodies of water in the world. Locals should enjoy it as much as guests.
Make a pledge to see something new (or old) this summer in our backyard.
Visit the Williamsburg Scoop blog and read about more of Alexandra Haggerty’s favorite spots to visit.
