ShareThisBy CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT
Fine Living Network
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
A weekend of adventure, history and romance --without running up a big bill --may sound like a tall order. But that's exactly what Meg Ryan and Rob Wright found on a recent visit to Williamsburg, Va.
The couple stayed in an intimate inn, experienced the area's famous historical attractions and had enough time to get in a few thrills at a nearby theme park. Their budget: $900.
How did they do it?
Ryan and Wright have busy careers, so their choice of Williamsburg, which is within driving distance of where they live, made a big difference. It kept their transportation costs to a minimum and their hard-earned vacation time to a maximum. They also discovered other ways to get the most from their vacation when time and money are in short supply.
Take lodging, for example. Wright decided to go all out and bought a two-night romance package at the Cedars of Williamsburg Bed and Breakfast (http://www.cedarsofwilliamsburg.com/; 800-296-3591). That proved to be a smart buy because it included not only lodging at the award-winning inn -- it also came with a lot of extras, like dinner for two at the nearby Whitehall Restaurant, fresh-cut flowers, a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates and breakfast in bed. That was a well-calculated splurge. Price: $650.
"B&Bs are ideal because they're extremely romantic," said Ryan. "It's an experience that a regular hotel just can't offer you."
If you're not in the mood for romance -- or can do without the amenities of a special package - don't worry. A B&B in Williamsburg runs between $100 and $200 a night, but a hotel in town can cost about half that.
One of the major attractions in this Colonial-era town is the history -- and there's plenty of it, from buildings to museums. For more information on the city's historical attractions, visit the site of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation at http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/ or call 757-229-1000.
Only a 20-minute drive south you'll find another historic gem: the Jamestown Settlement (http://www.historyisfun.org/; 888-593-4682). The couple spent time touring the authentic settlement, where they could watch films, browse artifact-filled galleries and see outdoor living history in this real settlement. Visitors to Jamestown see a remarkable two centuries of the history of the United States, from the founding of America's first permanent English settlement in 1607 to the Revolutionary War victory in 1781. Admission to Jamestown is $12 per person.
Ryan and Wright also hopped aboard a replica of the Susan Constant, the ship that carried Captain Christopher Newport on the 1607 voyage that resulted in the settlement's founding.
"To be able to come here and actually physically touch the same things that passengers touched 400 years ago is pretty cool," said Wright. "You get a feel for exactly how they felt."
But there's more to this area than history. Ryan and Wright headed to Busch Gardens Williamsburg (http://www.4adventure.com/bgw/), a 100-acre amusement park with more than 50 attractions to thrill visitors. At $55 per person, admission to Busch Gardens was a bit of a splurge. Then again, it's not every day that you get to ride Apollo's Chariot, a 70-mile-per-hour roller coaster with an intimidating 200-foot drop.
"That was awesome," said Ryan. "That was definitely the best ride in the park."
How did this couple manage on their $900 budget? The romance package at Cedars of Williamsburg Bed and Breakfast set them back by $650. But remember, it included a lot of extras. That allowed them to budget only $150 for food. The total cost of fun on this romantic adventure weekend was just $134, which brings their total to $934 -- just a few dollars over budget, but well worth it.
Want to get the most from your vacation dollar? Tune in to "What You Get for the Money: Vacations" starting May 19 on the Fine Living Network.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
