While You're Here

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Best rates can be found at www.daysinn.com and www.expedia.com

Below you'll find information on hotels and restaurants closer to Williamsburg and the Peninsula...  Only about 30 to 40 minutes from the festival.

Hotel Accomodations

 American

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill

Applebee's has a festive atmosphere appropriate for families and friends of all ages. Tiffany-style lamps hang over the tables, hanging pots of artificial plants help divide the seating areas and prints of movies like "Casablanca" and "101 Dalmatians" and movie stars like Marilyn Monroe and Tom Cruise fill the walls. Average entree under $10. Hours: Lunch, dinner daily.

Cheddar's Casual Cafe

Full-service restaurant with upbeat atmosphere and pleasing ambiance. Cheddar's offers a strikingly different menu from other American style restaurants. A full bar and quick turnover are both pluses. Especially enjoy their Tortilla soup and Chicken Pot pie. Hours: Lunch, dinner daily.

Cities Grille & Wine Shop

We take pride in the fact all our food is cooked fresh to order, and there is no microwave. Our menu features foods enjoyed in cities throughout the country. The preparation of these foods may include a region's style of cooking and indigineous ingredients. Our open kitchen is the backdrop for the bustling, bistro-style atmosphere you will enjoy at Cities Grille. Average entree $15-20. Hours: Lunch, dinner daily.

County Grill & Smokehouse

A hangout for barbecue and brew lovers. Table toppings include butcher paper and six varieties of barbecue sauce. Beef and pork barbecue in sandwiches and platters, ribs and several seafood selections. Corn bread, traditional desserts and a short list of microbrews on draft complete the roundup in the pleasantly open and cheerful setting. Average entree $10-15. Hours: Sun-Thurs 11-11; Fri-Sat 11-2 a.m.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

12357 Hornsby Ln, Newport News

Breakfast served all day. The closest thing to home cooking around, including daily specials. Also, has country store selling candles, knick-knacks, dishes, Virginia souvenirs, games and plenty of toys. Hours: breakfast, lunch, dinner daily.

IHOP

IHOP has a wide variety of mouthwatering selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From pancakes, omelettes and egg breakfasts to burgers, chicken and steak, we've got something for just about everybody. Located on Jefferson Avenue across from Oyster Point business park. Hours: Open 24 hours.

Manhattan's New York Deli & Pub

Manhattan's cool interior offers diners a relaxed setting. Sandwiches come piled high with Boar's Head meats and cheeses. An extensive soup selection and salads round out the lunch menu. For dinner, choose from grilled tuna and fish, steaks, pasta, ribs and chicken entrees. Live entertainment Tuesday through Thursday from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. There's also a small dance floor. Other entertainment includes a darts league at this pub-style deli. Patio dining. Average entree $10-15. Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday; closed Sunday.

Mike's Place

Ruby Tuesday

Seafood

Bill's Seafood House

The line keeps forming for seafood in a full-service fast-food format. Fried seafood and hush puppies are the staples at the family-friendly restaurant. Several rooms divide up the space, and a back room with long, bare tables is ideal for diners with small children. Alternatives to seafood are steak, chicken, and pork barbecue. Drinks come with unlimited refills; no alcoholic beverages are served. Average entree under $10, no credit cards. Hours: lunch Thurs.-Fri.; dinner Mon.-Sat.

Captain George's Seafood

A behemoth of a restaurant, Captain George's in Hampton is more than mature by restaurant standards. After two decades in business, the 250-seat-plus eatery appears as popular as ever and a veritable patriarch with three offshoots from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach. The large buffet should please everyone. Average entree $15+). Hours: Dinner daily; lunch on Sundays only.

Crab Shack Seafood Restaurant on the James

A few years back, the Crab Shack Seafood Restaurant transformed from a genuine shack near the base of the James River Fishing Pier to a light, bright casual spot to eat, drink and be merry. The dining room is full of blond wood and sunshine, with a cheerful but not excessive noise level. There's a bar at the end that's just as light and cheery. An enclosed deck stretches the length of the restaurant. In warm weather, that's the place to sit. Open a window and you can catch the cool, salty river breeze. Average entree $10-15. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. seven days a week.

Harpoon Larry's

Steak

Artie & Toni's Steak House

This restaurant has some of the best and most affordable hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and steaks found in town. Don't forget their Greek salads topped with feta cheese and olives, all drenched in the house's secret Greek dressing. Average entree $10-15. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. seven days a week.

Outback Steak House

Outback features consistently high quality food and service, generous portions at moderate prices, and a casual atmosphere suggestive of the rustic Australian outback. They feature high quality, uniquely-seasoned steaks, prime rib, chops, ribs, chicken, seafood, and pasta. Some of their specialties are "Aussie-Tizers" featuring the signature "Bloomin’ Onion" and delectable desserts. Average entree $10-15. Hours: lunch Sun.; dinner daily.

Pizza/Deli

Anna's Pizza

Pizza, Italian dishes, and great subs. Casual atmosphere. Average entree under $10

Danny's Deli Restaurant

Customers could almost make a meal of the sliced dill pickles served free when they sit down at Danny's Deli Restaurant. Save room for Danny's plump sandwiches and, if possible, a slice of the moist cheesecake. Lunch items include sandwiches, knockwurst and beans, pickled herring, and assorted cold-cut platters. Danny's has mastered the deli formula with food that is unpretentious and delicious; it recently added full-scale seafood dinners to its offerings. Average entree under $10. Hours: lunch, dinner (until 7 p.m.) Mon.-Fri., breakfast and lunch Sat.

Schlotzsky's Deli

Besides serving pastrami or turkey sandwiches, the deli also serves individual sourdough crust pizzas. Average entree under $10

German

Das Waldcafe

Inexpensive, honest-to-goodness German food in attractive, unpretentious surroundings. Specialties at the restaurant, which is more than two decades old, are from the Rhineland region, where owners Traudel and Jim Hollingsworth grew up. Beef, pork and veal make up most of the dishes. Traditional dishes include spaetzle, rouladen, and goulash. All the desserts are made in-house. Specialty sausages are brought in from New York, and beers from Germany. Lounge in the back. Average entree $10-15. Hours: Lunch and Dinner Tues-Fri, Sun.; Sat 4-10.

Italian

Al Fresco

Fazoli's

Fazoli's Italian Restaurants bring together two of America's most popular dining concepts - the Italian family restaurant and the fast-food outlet. With reasonable prices, quality food and quick service, we've got something for everyone at Fazoli's. It's Real Italian, Real Fast.

The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Asian

Golden Palace

Golden Palace's striking decor sets the stage for a visual Asian feast. Sunlight streams through windows decorated with etched-glass murals of birds and fish. Intricately carved keyhole archways invite diners to the long, spacious dining room. Golden Palace also draws customers because of its friendly service and elaborate, inexpensive buffet. Because the buffet is replenished frequently, the food was hot and fresh, and the fried dishes stayed crispy. Its dazzling decor and copious buffet offer a nice combination for a meal out. Average entree $10-15. Hours: 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., Fri-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. noon-9 p.m.

Japan Samurai Steaks & Seafood

Kappo Nara Seafood & Sushi

Nara of Japan Steak and Seafood Restaurant

At most dinner theaters, the show begins after the dishes are cleared. But at Nara of Japan Steak and Seafood Restaurant, the meal is the entertainment. Soup, salad and appetizer are included in the meal, and the menu isn't complicated. Nara offers beef, chicken or seafood. The chefs prepare the meals on tabletop grills, or hibachis, while you watch. Average entree $15+). Hours: dinner daily.

Nawab Indian Cuisine

Delicate Indian-style music and the aroma of exotic spices greet you at the door when you enter. Atmosphere is brightly lit and pleasant. Meal opens with complimentary papadum, a thin chip-like wafer made with lentil flour and black pepper corns. Lunch buffet, combination platters and vegetarian entrees available. Average entree $10-15.

Mexican

El Mariachi Mexican Restaurante

Icy margaritas, chunky salsas and sizzling fajitas are starring attractions along with dozens of dinner combinations. Large helpings of mild-mannered Mexican food and swift service make this eatery a good lunch or dinner choice. The dinner special, from taco to tamale, is a good way to sample five items along with beans and rice. Don’t forget to save room for dessert … the fried ice cream is refreshingly delicious. A children’s menu offers economical family dining. Average entree $10-15. Hours: Lunch and dinner daily.

Specialty

Starbucks

Williamsburg

Christiana Campbell's Tavern

This historic tavern, George Washington's personal favorite, today specializes in seafood. Grilled seafood dishes are balanced with regional favorites such as Clam Chowder, Crab Cakes, and Muddle - a tomato-based stew of shrimp, scallops and fish fillets. Chicken Imperial and Filet Mignon are also offered. The entrees are complemented by long-time tavern favorites: Campbell's Cabbage Slaw, Spoon Bread, and Sweet Potato Muffins. Average entree $15+). Hours: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; dinner (done in three seatings) 5-9:15 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (summer days Monday-Saturday, additional days during holidays).

James Shields Tavern

The tantalizing dishes served at Shield's Tavern are inspired by recipes in classic 18th and early 19th-century cookbooks. The menu and daily specials reflect seasonal changes, incorporating the freshest ingredients available from the Chesapeake Bay, nearby rivers and local farms throughout Virginia's tidewater area. Reservations at the taverns are essential, especially during the tourist season. Average entree $15+). Hours: Breakfast Monday - Saturday; Lunch and dinner daily 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday brunch; Closed Wednesday (seasonal).

Josiah Chowning's Tavern

At night, Chowning's takes on an even more spirited atmosphere with Gambols, the tavern's popular evening program. Visitors drink ale and learn colonial diversions such as "Hazards," an 18th-century gambling game in which players wager roasted peanuts. Backgammon, colonial card games and music by balladeers complete the lively scene. Average entree $10-15. Hours: Colonial continental breakfast 8-10 a.m. Monday - Saturday; Lunch 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; Dinner 5-9 p.m. daily; "Gambols" community seating 9 p.m. nightly.

King's Arms Tavern

The Trellis Cafe, Restaurant & Grill

Many visitors to Colonial Williamsburg consider dinner at The Trellis a required stop. Chef Marcel Desaulniers has brought national attention to this bustling restaurant on Merchants Square with his award-winning cookbooks, television appearances and guest chefs. The accomplished kitchen turns out top-quality regional fare on its seasonally changing menu. Leave room for dessert, one of Desaulniers' specialties. The restaurant usually offers several kinds of homemade ice cream and decadent chocolate concoctions. Major renovations have opened up the restaurant and given it a whole new look this year. Average entree $15+). Hours: 5-9:30 p.m., dinner; 11 a.m.-3 p.m., lunch.

 Fast Food

Arby's

 Pizza Delivery

Domino's (757) 599-3003

Anna's Pizza (757) 380-1480

Papa John's (757) 599-0102

Pizza Hut (757) 595-3822

Where can I go for some fun?

There's no shortage of things to do for fun in the Hampton Roads area. Here are just a few suggestions.

  Theaters

AMC Hampton 24

(757) 896-2330

Virginia Air & Space Ctr IMAX

(757) 727-0900

Regal Kiln Creek Cinema 20

  Major Attractions/Museums

Busch Gardens

This Anheuser Busch owned and operation amusement park offers great fun and delicious foods to sample, plus live entertainment and shows! Call for all day and evening ticket prices. Hours are seasonal.

Water Country USA

Route 199, James City County

Another Anheuser Busch owned park, water adventure awaits visitors at the Mid-Atlantic's largest water park. Hours are seasonal.

Colonial Williamsburg

Jamestown Settlement

Yorktown National Battlefield

Help at the visitor center will get you started on a tour of the exhibits, film and points of interest relating to the battles and subsequent British surrender in October 1781. Stops include remains of British entrenchments around the small Colonial port town, the Victory Monument, the site of Gen. George Washington's headquarters, the surrender field and several structures in old Yorktown. Information about other Yorktown sites and Civil War sites in the park is available at the visitor center.

Virginia Air and Space Museum

Come see exhibits of NASA's over 75-year history, as well as displays of Virginia's rich ancestry from colonial times to modern Hampton Roads.

Mariner's Museum

One of the largest maritime museums in the world. Check out the collections and research programs, or look into educational activities.

Virginia Living Museum

A spectacular combination of the best and most enjoyable elements of a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve, and planetarium – all in one inspiring and beautiful setting. Hours of operation vary by season.

Chrysler Museum of Art and Historic Houses

245 West Olney Road

The Chrysler Museum of Art combines, under a single administrative umbrella, one of America's great fine arts museums and two significant historic houses. In addition to maintaining a distinguished permanent collection, the Chrysler offers a comprehensive program of changing exhibitions and education activities for visitors of all ages. Our goal is to bring people and original works of art together. We believe that a visit to a museum should be both educational, providing visitors with a chance to learn more about themselves and their world, and fun.

Shopping

There are too many malls, department stores, and speciality shops to list. Here are just a few that are convenient to the Festival site.

Malls

Patrick Henry Mall

Anchor stores: JC Penny, Hecht's, Dillard's

Prime Outlets

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Last modified: July 06, 2010