Williamsburg flights and travel guide

“The future may learn from the past”: That’s Williamsburg’s motto, and the city’s mantra comes as no surprise to its visitors. Virginia’s colonial capital is an educational haven that informs as well as it entertains the masses of tourists, students and history buffs who pass through the town each year with its lively reenactments and expertly preserved colonial surroundings. Those booking flights to Williamsburg will find themselves in a unique city that treasures tradition while embracing the here and now. 

Though tour guides and actors in colonial costume relive the glories of the American Revolution amongst immaculately preserved 18th century buildings, Williamsburg is also home to a thriving social scene courtesy of the local institution of higher learning, the College of William and Mary, and Busch Gardens, an amusement park that’s sure to thrill every member of the family. With museums, activities, and a packed cultural calendar offering entertaining events throughout the year, it’s easy to see why visitors from around the world are booking flights to Williamsburg for a fresh take on a step back in time.

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Williamsburg climate

Located in Eastern Virginia, Williamsburg experiences four distinct seasons. Summers in Williamsburg can reach a smoking 88 degrees Fahrenheit but tend to stick around comfortable temperatures of 75 degrees, and its during this time that flights to Williamsburg tend to fill up. Winters in Williamsburg have their harsh days, but the snowy season brings about temperatures that usually dip no lower than 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Best Time to Fly to Williamsburg

Whether you’re watching the leaves fall while walking through the historic district in autumn or listening to caroling in the winter snow, there’s no wrong time to book your Williamsburg flight. Virginia’s distinct seasons provide stunning backdrops for a trip to Williamsburg any time of year. 

Peak Season: 

Though winters in Virginia can chill you to the core, flights to Williamsburg are packed for the winter holidays with tourists looking to scope out the 18th century homesteads and churches all decked out in festive decorations. Williamsburg flights also fill up in the summertime, when the gardens of the Governor’s Plantation are in full bloom and the bustling streets are basking in the sun. 

Off-Peak Season: 

Cheap flights to Williamsburg are easy to come by in the transitional seasons of autumn and spring. If you book your trip to Williamsburg during these time periods you may need to pack an umbrella on the off-chance that you’ll see a raincloud or two, but the weather is pleasant overall and the added bonus of fall foliage or blooming spring flowers only enhances the picturesque landscape.

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Getting around Williamsburg

When your cheap flight to Williamsburg lands, you can get downtown by bus, taxi or rental car. You won’t need transportation to get around the town. The colonial community is meant to be seen on foot. If you’re tired of walking, rent a bicycle downtown. Amtrak trains run regularly to Washington DC, Richmond and New York City.

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Williamsburg Travel Information

• Duke of Gloucester Street, the main drag of Colonial Williamsburg, is an ideal first stop after your flight to Williamsburg lands. Many of the city’s main historic sights are located here or close by, including the former Capitol building of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Governor’s Palace, and the Raleigh Tavern, which was a former haunt of Thomas Jefferson and other Revolutionary patriots. 
• After Jamestown, the first British settlement in North America, and Yorktown, where the final battle of the American Revolution was fought, Williamsburg rounds out the trio of Virginia’s Historic Triangle. Visitors booking flights to Williamsburg often include Jamestown and Yorktown in their trip itineraries as travel between the three towns is easy by way of free shuttles that go back and forth, and several admissions packages are available that grant entry to all three sites for a discounted price from the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation. 
• Williamsburg’s own College of William and Mary is the second-oldest university in the United States after Harvard University. The students of the university inject a vivacious pulse into the town’s antique surroundings, and a tour of the funky coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques that have sprung up amidst the buildings make for an excellent mosey before your return Williamsburg flight. 
• If you find the charm of colonial Williamsburg tiring after the first few days of your visit, head out of town to Busch Gardens for an energy burst courtesy of the amusement park’s thrilling rides. Whether you’re looking forward to the plunging drop of Apollo’s Chariot, the park’s sky-high rollercoaster, or a chance to pose for a picture with the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses that reside here, Busch Gardens offers up hours of fun for the whole family. For those booking Williamsburg flights between the months of November and March, keep in mind that the amusement park is closed: Busch Gardens reopens each May, and is open for much longer hours in the months of July and August during the peak of its season. 
• Don’t be surprised if you see a golf bag or two making the rounds in the luggage claim after your flight to Williamsburg lands. To accommodate the huge numbers of tourists coming each year to check out the landmarks and revolutionary relics, a collection of fine hotels, restaurants, spas and golf courses have sprung up in Williamsburg to keep visitors comfortable and busy when they’re not being fitted for tri-corner hats. Since opening to the public in 1963, the Golden Horseshoe Club has hosted several golf tournaments on its three pristine courses.

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Williamsburg airports

Though there are no direct flights to Williamsburg, there are three airports that lie within close proximity of the historic town.

Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport (PHF): Most Williamsburg flights touch down at this airport given that it’s the smallest and closest airport to Williamsburg. The airport is just a 20-minute drive and about 20 miles from downtown

Williamsburg. Richmond International Airport (RIC): The airport is located about 45 miles outside of Williamsburg.

Norfolk International Airport (ORF): The airport is located 50 miles southeast of Williamsburg.

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