Recommendations for large family accommodations?

We are planning a trip in early June 2008 for a family of 6 (kids 13,11,7 %26amp; 21 months). Does anyone have recommendations for the best place to stay with a large family with young kids. We are purchasing the flex tix, so we will be catching most of the highlights of Williamsburg.

Recommendations for large family accommodations?

Have you considered staying in a timeshare? We have several that rent to individuals as well as owners. Try Colonial Crossings of Williamsburg, Powhatan Plantation, Fords Colony, Kings Creek, Williamsburg Plantation, Wyndham Kingsgate.

In addition to being more roomy that your standard hotel/motel, you can save on food costs by being able to store perishables, snacks, etc.

Recommendations for large family accommodations?

Marriott Ford%26#39;s Colony is very nice. We stayed there last February. You also might want to try Diamond Resort%26#39;s Greensprings Plantation. Their units are very spacious, but I did not find the beds to be comfortable. I have heard that recently, the new company that purchased this resort changed all the beds out to a more high quality mattress. Both are convenient to everything.

My family of 7 (I am the oldest child, now 23 yrs old) usually stays at the Williamsburg Woodlands- it is child friendly (great pool, mini-golf, etc) and has very large, suite-style rooms that can accomodate 4-6 in one room (Two double beds and a queen sized pull-out couch). Also, the visitor%26#39;s center is right on the property, so it has excellent access to the historic area, both on foot and by CW bus.

We have been vacationing in Williamsburg since I was 5 and will be back in May as a group celebrating my brother%26#39;s graduation from William and Mary- and will be staying at the Woodlands, with a couple of others staying at the Lodge. We highly reccomend staying at CW hotels.

The Point Plaza in Newport News has great suites, set up like apartments. Bedroom with choice of one king or two double beds, separate living room w/ pull out sofa, full kitchen (a TRULY FULL kitchen, not just a %26#39;kitchenette%26#39;) separate TV in bedroom %26amp; living room (important when you are traveling w/ kids!). And they are a full service hotel, w/ a really nice large indoor pool, restaurant, etc. They are in Newport News, which neighbors Williamsburg, just about a 20 minute interstate drive. But you will save $$ staying out of the peak Williamsburg tourist area, %26amp; save on the congested in-town Williamsburg tourist traffic.

We stayed at the Powhatan Plantation last year for the July 4 week, in a time share unit we ';won'; by bidding for it at our choir%26#39;s Silent Auction. We liked it so much we bid on it again this year %26amp; have won again.

The unit had 2 BRs, the smaller one with twin beds. There was a pullout sofa bed in the LR, and the large BR was big enough to add a cot for the little one. It had a queen bed -- depending on your preferences, you could even have the small one with you. The teens would be glad to have their own room. There is a full master bath %26amp; another one in the hall.

The unit was fully equipped, including a washer/dryer, but we did bring our own towels because P Pl has a rep for skimpy little ones. I will also bring a bottle of Fantastik this time -- they had dish liquid but nothing to clean spills etc with! While the place had been cleaned in a general way, the maid had missed a previous occupant%26#39;s tan colored ice cream (I think) dribbbled down the front of the kitchen cabinets -- I%26#39;ll be fair; it was nearly the same color as the wood. And I wanted to clean our own little messes too. A trip to a nearby grocery store fixed that.

With your family I would stay there or at a similar place, no question! You have room to spread out %26amp; the fridge %26amp; everything else you need to have at least some meals, and certainly breakfasts, in the unit. There are groceries nearby with everything you could want in the way of frozen dinners, etc etc %26amp; other supplies. Or if using the car, you could bring them yourself.

You will want to get at least one dinner takeout from The Jamestown Pie Company! Great pot pies! Also all kinds of fruit pies. It%26#39;s on the road coming back from Jamestown. You will probably go back for another, actually. There are loads of junk food joints all over in addition to the expensive Wburg places, but the Pie Co is unique.

Have everybody bring their own daypack %26amp; inside there will be water bottles! You know the freeze-them-the-night-before trick (slightly underfilled) -- so they thaw during the day %26amp; are nice %26amp; cold. Put them in a plastic bag so when they get condensation it doesn%26#39;t soak the rest of the pack. Also include loads of hard candy such as Lifesavers -- they really are -- and you want enough extra to slip to grateful interpreters %26amp; parents of (other) fussing children.

Make everybody wear sturdy sneakers with socks (a novel concept to some teens); they will moan %26amp; groan but they%26#39;ll be happy they did at the end of a long day on their feet. Hats with brims essential, bug repellant for the Jamestown portion too.

We needed 2 days for Wburg and one each Jamesburg %26amp; Yorkville. We visited the replica Jamestown %26amp; then the real one. Don%26#39;t forget to leave plenty of time for the wonderful new museum right next door to the archeological site-Jametown. Replica Jamestown has not only the copy village (v. gd for kids---gives a good idea of life then) %26amp; the ships but also another new exhibition hall upstairs with revolving exhibits -- which were excellent when we were there %26amp; in fact we returned on our last day so we could finish seeing everything. So it was a day %26amp; a half for Jtown. There is a decent lunch place downstairs.

The Commonwealth of VA has a program called Time Travelers (google it) in which you download ';passports'; in advance or pick them up at sites -- visit the website for a list of participants---and you get them stamped at the places you visit. Then you send in the passort %26amp; receive a free brightly embroidered patch each and you can also buy a handsome tee shirt for about $5. The cheapest souvenir tee you will see there, btw. It was cooked up to encourage visitation by Virginians to their own sites but it is great for tourist families too! Powhatan PL is one of the sites %26amp; you get it stamped in the little general store on site. Wburg is too, of course %26amp; you get it stamped at the central visitor help desk in the middle of the big lobby. You might have to ask more than one person about it. At imitation Jamestown you get it stamped where you buy your admission,and you also get it stamped at the NPS desks at Yorktown %26amp; Jamestown.

Hope all thisis helpful! Have fun!