Colonial Parkway
A 23-mile parkway linking Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, the Historic Triangle of colonial Virginia, along the James and York rivers.
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length23 miles[1]
- Drive timeAbout one hour[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsNot verified
- Start and endHistoric Jamestowne to Yorktown Battlefield, through Williamsburg[2]
- Fees and passesNo fee for the parkway; entrance to Historic Jamestowne and Yorktown Battlefield is $15 per adult, good for 7 days at both.[2]
- Best seasonNot verified
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesNot verified
- Seasonal closuresNot verified
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
The Colonial Parkway connects the three corners of Virginia's Historic Triangle: Historic Jamestowne on the James River, Colonial Williamsburg in the middle, and Yorktown Battlefield on the York River.
The National Park Service runs the sites at both ends. One $15 adult entrance, good for seven days, covers Historic Jamestowne and Yorktown Battlefield. In Yorktown, the Nelson House was the home of Thomas Nelson Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The drive takes about an hour; the sites can easily fill two days.
Stops along the way
-
Historic Jamestowne
Site of the 1607 English settlement.
Official information · 37.21122, -76.77707 · about 0.1 mi from the route line
-
Williamsburg
Colonial capital in the middle of the parkway.
Official information · 37.27071, -76.70746 · about 0.3 mi from the route line
-
Yorktown Battlefield
Where the British surrendered in 1781.
Official information · 37.23058, -76.50354 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Nelson House
Home of Thomas Nelson Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Official information · 37.23421, -76.5072 · about 0.3 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- Williamsburg Farmers MarketWilliamsburg, VA · about 0.3 mi from the route
- Sister Cities French MarketYorktown, VA · about 0.6 mi from the route
- Coleman Nursery and Farmer's MarketWilliamsburg, VA · about 1.8 mi from the route
- Pure Harvest MarketHayes, VA · about 5.6 mi from the route
- Surry Community Farmers' MarketSurry, VA · about 5.8 mi from the route
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
Sources
- America's Byways: Colonial Parkway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Colonial National Historical Park: fees (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).