Palace Gardens — Attraction in Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is very nearly an indescribable place. The authenticity is impeccable. The attention to details is unparalleled. You are walking around in the 18th century. The streets, the buildings, the actors--right down to the shoes on their feet (which are made by a shoemaker by hand on the grounds) are authentic. It is for history what living in a foreign city is for language. You submerge yourself into the history and live it firsthand. The Palace Gardens have a hidden little maze in the back of the palace. My son, 9, enjoyed guiding me out of the maze. Truly...

We skipped the inside tour and took in the awakening gardens. You must have tickets even for outside at the Governor's Palace. There is going to be a light show with gardens throughout the area lit up. We may be back for that. It was crowded today but the area is still in COVID-19 lockdown. Had food outside at a tavern. It was good but slow to get seated and get food. Be prepared to wait for tours and food service. Anxious people should be...

The gardens are not as well cared for as they formerly were. LOTS of mature, structural, evergreen plants have been removed, but these have never been replaced, changing the garden's appearance rather dramatically (especially the former bowling green areas, to the east). Overall, it is a sad (but still a gradual) decline from this garden's former, seasonal, Colonial...