Known as the Historic Triangle, Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, VA are all great places to visit with kids.
They offer a combo ticket for the Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum, but we did the two sites a year apart.
The American Revolution Museum was not very crowded on a Monday around 11:00. That may have had a lot to do with the fact that it was 91 degrees and 85% humidity. The museum is air-conditioned and was a perfect escape from the heat.
A story-teller shares the memories of people he interviewed 40 years after the American Revolution in a short movie. It was very engaging and gave a very quick overview. The take away was that the Siege of Yorktown was not the end of the Revolution, but just the beginning.
Several exhibits show the timeline of the battles, history, biographies, period weapons, clothes, etc. There were also several interactive exhibits that the girls really loved. They tried on military uniforms (and had real empathy for the men who wore wool in high temperatures) and they could write what liberty means to them. The Liberty Tree displayed their digitized words.
Encampment and Farm
We went outside to a replica Continental Army Encampment and Virginia farm halfway through the museum. We wanted to be able to come in and cool off after seeing the outside exhibits.
In the camp, we met a soldier who showed us how to load and fire a musket (in 15 seconds). We also met the camp cook, who explained that everyone took turns cooking. All of the food was so terrible, no one always wanted to be responsible for it. We spent the most time with the camp surgeon. He taught us how disease was more deadly to the army than wounds.
Camp Kitchen 
Encampment 
Soldier Firing Musket
The replica farm had a house, kitchen, slave quarters, tobacco house, several outbuildings and gardens. We were able to get more information and ask questions of the staff. If you want to see what a “middle” farm (of which 80% of Virginians were at the time of the Revolution), this is a very informative attraction. It was WAY better than the Great Hopes Plantation in Williamsburg (imho).
Replica 18th Virginia Farm
Back inside the museum, we finished up the last of the exhibits and watched a 4D movie about the Siege of Yorktown. It was really amazing, complete with wind, smoke and smells.
The museum does have a cafe, but they also have outdoor seating if you want to bring your own lunch (which we did).
Yorktown Trolley
Yorktown, VA offers a free trolley between the different sites, so we took advantage of that. We hopped on and got a tour of the town, the beautiful riverfront beaches, the Victory Monument, the courthouse and the York Co. Museum. Each of these sites had a stop, but we took it the whole way to the National Park.
Yorktown Victory Monument 
Yorktown Riverfront Beach
Yorktown Battlefield National Park
There is a nominal fee to visit the National Park, but we were able to visit for free, thanks to the Every Kid in a Park program. The entrance fee includes the museum, a ranger tour a film and a driving tour. We got there just in time for the last ranger tour, followed by the last film of the day.
The film is pretty old. I could have skipped it since we just saw the 4D film at the American Revolution Museum. They covered the same main points, but Justin really liked this film.
The museum features a quarter-size replica of a French ship that helped to block the York River during the siege. We were most amazed and impressed to see George Washington’s actual sleeping tent and headquarters tent. They are thought to be the only Revolution-era tents still in existence.
French Ship 
George Washington’s HQ 
George Washington’s Sleeping Ten
The gift shop sold a CD for the driving tour for $$4.95. The tour takes an hour to 1.5 hours. Unfortunately, we took the trolley over and didn’t have our car to do the tour. Your ticket is good for six days, and the driving tour is open until sunset (the museum closes at 5). So, we had to to take the shuttle back, and then drive back for the battlefield tour.
TIP: If you plan to use the trolley, start and leave your car at the National Park. That way, you can do the driving tour at your convenience.
Downtown Yorktown
We didn’t have time to stop downtown, but it looked beautiful. There are several riverfront beaches, a monument to the victory at Yorktown, VA and the cave where the British Cornwallis supposedly his during the siege.
