My daughter is a Jr interested in W&M, and we’ll be visiting for a second time during her Spring Break (week of April 15th).
We’re doing the info session and tour again, but she really wants to get the atmosphere and “feel” of the campus and students that was missing when we visited during the quiet summer months.
I wanted to know if guests (in this case, high school student and mom) could eat in one of the two residential dining centers (Commons or Sadler, right?) without being accompanied by a current student. Can we walk around the library without a host? And, where is the best location on campus to sit and people watch? Any other tips for a visit?
I had a nice time with one of my mine (who is at W&M) sitting on a bench at the main quad for another school. At W&M I suggest one of the buildings off the Sunken Gardens, like Washington Hall, or Tucker, directly across, which are also near admissions (and behind the Wren Building). If you get there by about 8:45 or 9:45, and stay until 10 or 11, you can watch a couple of class changes, to get a sense of the students on a typical school day. And I was mostly appreciative to be able to sit there and chat, since we were in public and all that. Really very nice.
Also, since students are outside a lot in April, check out the Sunken Gardens or Barksdale Field (around Lemon and Hardy Halls) in the afternoon. I’m guessing students will be around playing Ultimate, etc.
Yes, Swem Library is 100% open to the public so you can go by there. That might also be a good chance to see how students study together. The dean of libraries is amazing, and Swem has become a real campus hub. I went one evening about a week ago, and lots of students were there, many working together in groups.
Near campus, I recommend Aromas (coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, etc.) on Prince George Street (and one in Stem) And the Cheese Shop. If you go to the Cheese Shop, get the house dressing on your sandwich and order extra house.
Thank you for the fantastic tips and ideas! I pulled out our W&M map from the summer and found the places you recommended to people watch
I’m excited about visiting the campus again and getting a real feel for the atmosphere. At this point, my daughter is trying to determine if she wants to apply ED1 or Regular. Hopefully this visit will help her decide for sure!
The last time we were there, the cafeteria in campus center was open to anyone. In addition to the previously mentioned Cheese Shop, I’d recommend Paul’s Deli just off campus. It, and several other places next to it and across the street are college hangouts whereas Cheese Shop, while wonderful, is often full of tourists visiting Colonial Williamsburg. I would also check the events calendar: https://events.wm.edu
Thank you for the food suggestions. It’s always helpful to know good places to eat!
We might try the campus center cafeteria for lunch if it’s open to visitors so we can get the feel for campus food.
But, we’ll eat out and about for dinner.
I watched a couple of YouTube videos about the two residents dining halls, and they look amazing. It’s funny to me how college kids these days complain about how awful the food is at their schools. At my tiny college in South Carolina in 1998, we had a choice of two meats, two or three vegetables, and a starch. If we were lucky, there might be an ice cream machine in the corner. And now colleges have food courts at their fingertips. I would say they are pretty lucky!
Just to add, from admissions, it’s just a minute walk over to Merchants Square, the block of Duke of Gloucester (“DOG”) street between South Henry Street and Confusion Corner (point where Richmond and Jamestown Roads meet, in front of the the Wren Building). Prince George Street, a block over, also has a few student hangouts, like Aromas. Most hangouts are across from football field–Paul’s (above), College Deli, Green Leafe, Brickhouse, Culture Cafe.
Also, if you get a nice day, you might try a drive down the Colonial Parkway toward Jamestown. You can pick it up off South Henry Street, a little more than a mile from admissions. After about 2 miles on the Parkway, you hit the James River. There’s actually a small beach there at College Creek (very nice but swimming is extremely hazardous because of current in and out of the creek). It is very beautiful driving down the James.
Or, you can take the Parkway to Yorktown. There’s a popular little beach and restaurants right on the York River there.
From Williamsburg, it’s about 20 minutes on the Parkway to either end (Jamestown and Yorktown).
We did do the whole Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown trip a few years ago (before my daughter was old enough to be looking at colleges), and we had a wonderful time! We’re lucky to be living in Virginia with so many historical places and experiences.
I think our goal on this trip is to explore the campus of W&M and absorb as much atmosphere as possible, so we’ll probably spend most of our day there. We’ll pick a few park benches and do some major people watching. I’m pretty sure my daughter would fit in there, but she wants to see for herself
