Looking to keep your travel budget low? Whether you enjoy the outdoors or want to stay indoors, there are plenty of free activities and events to check out in Williamsburg, VA.
Vacation packages in Williamsburg bundle accommodations with freebies like gift cards and tickets to local attractions. These deals keep your overall costs low while also giving you access to entertaining activities for free.
Some of the most affordable things to do are actually the most fun! Your family will love checking these deals listed below.
Seeing More For Less
Mini vacation bundles through Vacation Village Deals include short stays in condo-type suites with valuable bonuses! Not only can you save money by staying in a resort-like Vacation Village at Williamsburg with complimentary parking, multiple swimming pools, sports courts, and nature trails, but you can also use the gift cards and tickets to check out local attractions for free!
For an almost free vacation to Williamsburg, check out these top packages:
- $149 – 4 days & 3 nights plus $150 Visa gift card or 2 local attraction tickets
- $169 – 5 days & 4 nights plus 2 local attraction tickets
- $199 – 5 days & 4 nights plus $200 Visa gift card
Use the tickets and gift cards to see local attractions for free. Then, keep your trip affordable by checking out the 10 free things to do in Williamsburg.
1. Take a Ride on the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry
The 15-minute boat ride across the James River is a free, fun way to see a bit more of the area. Kids love looking out onto the water as the ferry moves from one shore to the next. Since you do not need a reservation and the boat runs 24 hours a day, you can take the ride whenever your family wants.
2. Free Colonial Williamsburg
You can experience colonial America by walking through the most extensive living museum at no cost! Your family can still enjoy the complimentary performances by costumed, re-enactment actors. Plus, you can use your gift card for the fees to go into the restored buildings.
These interpreters dress, speak, and work as Williamsburg residents did in the 17th century. It will feel like you stepped into the past while walking alongside a woman wearing an apron, a bonnet, and buckles on her shoes.
Re-enactments make history fun for all ages! Explore the past in the original capital of Virginia and check out how colonists lived hundreds of years ago.
3. No Cost Concerts
Check out free music concerts in Williamsburg on Friday nights! The town hosts a series of outside concerts from April to October.
From Motown to Pop favorites, there are events for all tastes in music. The complimentary live shows are a budget-friendly way to entertain the whole family.
4. Greensprings Greenway Interpretive Trail
Walk on the same trail as the earliest colonists! The Greensprings Greenway Interpretive Trail is 3.5 miles and wraps around the landscape naturally, passing by ponds and wetlands.
A portion of the trail includes a wooden boardwalk and signs with information about historical events, area wildlife, and the environment. The route is excellent for birdwatchers since more than 200 species fly through the area.
5. Be Frugal and Visit Freedom Park
Where can you find a battle site from the Revolutionary War, hiking trails, and a botanical garden all in one place? At Freedom Park, your family will love all the free outdoor activities and wildlife.
The park has walking and biking trails, picnic areas, a playground, and restrooms for your convenience. It is also the site of an authentic 17th-century home and an 18th-century cemetery. You’ll also be able to explore recreated cabins.
Pack a picnic and have a full day of fun at no cost! There is no way to do everything in one day, so you can come back to Freedom Park multiple times to minimize vacation expenses.
6. Watch a Movie in a Park
The McReynolds Athletic Complex, New Quarter Park, and Charles Brown Park each show family-friendly movies free of charge. The parks play one film each month during the summer, which means you can check out three different movies monthly.
Concessions are available, but you can keep your experience completely free by bringing snacks as well as some blankets or chairs to sit on.
7. Spend Some Time Outdoors at Veterans Park
Let your kids burn off some energy at the 19-acre park, formerly known as Mid County Park. The park has a 30,000-square-foot playground called Kidsburg, which features a replica ship, zip line, and swings.
You can also shoot hoops on the basketball courts, try your backhand at the tennis area, and spike the ball on the sand volleyball courts. Veterans Park also has Wi-Fi connectivity so you can stay connected.
8. See Naval Boats
While you won’t be able to go inside the Norfolk Naval Base, you will be able to enjoy watching the boats and aircraft carriers that maneuver around. Some transportation types that come into the base include large amphibious ships, destroyers, submarines, cruisers, and logistic ships.
9. The Williamsburg Botanical Gardens
Download or pull the map up on your smartphone for a self-guided tour of the Williamsburg Botanical Gardens that’s completely free! Walk down paths to see the 20 different sections, including the Bulb Garden and Wetlands.
Along with plants and flowers, your family will see different types of beautiful butterflies. The Williamsburg Botanical Gardens offers a list of which butterflies prefer what flowers.
10. Spend the Day at Yorktown Beach
Nothing says fun and affordable like a day at the beach! From tanning to swimming, there’s plenty of free fun with sand and sun. The fishing pier is open all year, and you do not need a license to fish.
Yorktown Beach complimentary trolley service from its free public parking lots make it easier to bring all your favorite beach gear. Make sure to pack a lunch and eat outside at the great grassy picnic spot, which is open year-round.
