Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown: Historic Triangle practicalities
Of the three main sites, only Williamsburg is easily reached without a car. Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses stop at the Transportation Center at 408 N Boundary St, two blocks from the Governor's Palace. An airport shuttle from Norfolk Airport runs to Williamsburg for $34 (tel 757/857-1231). Once there, the Colonial Parkway makes an excellent cycling route to Jamestown or Yorktown, but there's no other transportation available; rent a bike for $15 a day from Bikes Unlimited at 759 Scotland St in Williamsburg (tel 757/229-4620). In Colonial Williamsburg, ticket-holders can use the hop-on, hop-off shuttle buses with an execrable recorded commentary that leave from the visitor center every ten minutes or so and stop at convenient points in the historic area.Considering the wealth of historic structures, it's surprising how few hotels or B&Bs there are with any character. All central accommodation is handled by Colonial Williamsburg (tel 1-800/HISTORY), which includes the range from motel to four-star luxury, and they even offer rooms in some of the restored eighteenth-century homes and inns within the historic area - for which you must reserve well in advance. Good-value packages are available, with meals, two nights' lodging and admission, from around $150 per person. Otherwise places to stay around the Historic Triangle are generally characterless and rarely cheap; to make your search easier, the Williamsburg Hotel/Motel Association (tel 757/220-3330 or 1-800/899-9462) can find you a bed at no extra charge. West of center US-60 is lined with endless motels, and there are several lower-end places just a few blocks east of the capitol, including the Bassett Motel , 800 York St (tel 757/229-5175; $35-50), and the recommended Quarterpath Inn , 620 York St tel 1-800/446-9222, ; $75-100). For a change of pace, the Duke of York Motel , 508 E Water St in Yorktown (tel 757/898-3232; $50-75), has reasonable beachfront doubles along the York River. Finally, there are several campgrounds along US-5 and US-60 west of Williamsburg that charge around $20 per tent.
The various old-style restaurants and taverns along Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg feature good (though ludicrously overpriced) pub food as well as strolling entertainment, and can be fun; all except Chowning's Tavern must be reserved well in advance (tel 1-800/HISTORY). West of the historic area, in the Merchants Square shopping mall, the excellent Trellis Café (tel 757/229-8610) serves international food in an upmarket setting. There is also a clutch of restaurants near the William and Mary campus, including the Green Leafe Café , 765 Scotland St (tel 757/220-3405), offering a solid dose of hearty fare and good beers.
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