Tourists in Williamsburg?

<p>So I'm going to WM next fall, and I was wondering generally how much of a nuisance or inconvenience the tourists in the Williamsburg area are to students?</p>

<p>My experience was that this was not an issue. Maybe if you have a class in the Wren Building one or two lost tourists may accidentally poke their heads into your class, but that is about it. Most classes are in the new campus to which tourists rarely venture. Be a little careful crossing to DOG street. The tourists (and locals alike) can get confused and forget that whole not running you over thing.</p>

<p>I think the W & M students (or members of particular frat, at least) are at least as much of an inconvenience to tourists. Several years ago, it was accepted practice for these guys to give tourists the wrong directions if they were stopped on the street. My general advice to tourists is not to ask guys in Greek letter shirts where the bookstore, Wren Building, or Crim Dell is. </p>

<p>Having been both a tourist many times, and a W & M parent for many years, my impression is that tourists don’t find their way onto campus much, with the exception of Ancient Campus, which is adjacent to Merchants Square. I caution tourists and students alike to be cautious crossing Confusion Corner in that area.</p>

<p>My DD and her friends have been asked to be in pictures with campus buildings in the background. “Are you students?” “Will you get in the picture?” Odd, but harmless.</p>

<p>From a current student, almost every tourist you see is either on an official campus tour or wanders over towards the Wren building. It’s kind of cute really. You virtually never see tourists (who are not alumni or parents) elsewhere on campus. If you study over in the College Yard (between the President’s house, the Brafferton, and the Wren Building you will see people wander by and read the plaque by the Botetout Statue and wander towards the Wren Building where the student led Spotswood Society is in charge of giving tours.</p>

<p>frazzled, I’m assuming you had a bad experience with some greek students? I plan on joining a frat and I can assure you I wouldn’t ever misguide a tourist…</p>

<p>I noticed on the admitted students day that tourists sometimes wander onto ancient campus, I actually saw some kids with 3-cornered hats posing in front of the cannon in front of the Wren… It was pretty cute.</p>

<p>What if someone were to talk a stroll around Williamsburg town? Are tourists saturating every corner?</p>

<p>No bad experiences here! My d dated a member for a few years and still sees several of the brothers every week or so. I’ve met them and thought they were nice guys, cute (in a somewhat geeky but charming way), and that they all had good manners when meeting an old lady. But my d tells me that it was accepted practice to misguide the tourists. I hope it was just this frat, which was in trouble for lots of stuff while she was a student. </p>

<p>Walking around Williamsburg town - well, depends what you mean here. Tourists tend to congregate in CW, the outlets, attractions like Busch Gardens, the new shopping center on Monticello, and on Richmond Road. There are definitely restaurants favored by locals where tourists don’t usually go. The delis are primarily for the W & M community, and if someone gets in and out of the Cheese Shop efficiently, that’s a local.</p>

<p>But if you want a run on DoG street, you are going to see tourists. Go early if you’d rather avoid them. :)</p>

<p>I would say they are zero inconvenience. They usually don’t make it past the Wren building, but sometimes they come around to the other side and take a look at the sunken gardens.</p>

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<p>colonial williamsburg? Yes, there are tons of tourists. But they do not bother you. If you are going to the candy shop or the bakery or wherever, you just go about your business. I mean, it is not like, packed and you can’t move, but yes, there are tourists. Especially when the weather is warmer.</p>

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<p>last Sunday the registers were broken at the cheese shop and they had to take credit card info by hand… it was a disaster.</p>

<p>For the most part, tourists go no further into campus than the Wren Building so they are really not a presence on campus. Living so close to Williamsburg definitely has its advantages (great academic and research opportunities, great restaurants, picturesque, etc) but the tourists are virtually unnoticed by students on a day-to-day basis.</p>

<p>Like GSharp said, tourists universally have no clue how to drive through confusion corner. Fearing for your car or your life whenever you approach this intersection is about the only real nuisance tourists bring.</p>

<p>I loved being next to Colonial Williamsburg in school. I couldn’t get enough of it. I didn’t do the tours really and couldn’t afford to shop or eat there, but just spent lots of time riding my bike there and walking - especially at night. I wish I could walk there right now. </p>

<p>When I was an English major there - many years ago - the English Department was housed in the Wren building so I had lots of classes there. I remember running up the steps to class a little late one morning so there weren’t many other students around and practically running into an elderly couple coming down the stairs. They were so cute. I’ll never forget her pointing and saying “Look Harvey - a student!” - as if I were a rock star.</p>

<p>Tourists aren’t really a problem, although I did once get stopped outside of Yates (opposite side of campus from CW) and get asked for directions to Yorktown (about 15 miles away). It was more funny than annoying.</p>

<p>Being a williamsburg resident of 18 years… Tourists are never a nuisance here. Everybody who visits are mainly respectful and nice and many are just bored to tears walking around Colonial Williamsburg. The only time you will have a problem with them is at “Confusiion Corner;” its a busy 3 way intersection without any stop lights and nobody ever knows who has the right of way and people get fiesty and rude there. There have also been some bad crashes there but stop lights just dont fit the Colonial Williamsburg regulations (so dumb!!!). So watch out for that…</p>

<p>In addition, the local are very nice. However, the old people here are very snobby because they think they are the bomb living in Kingsmill. But, Williamsburg loves William and Mary and we see it as an honor to get into W&M as its VERY hard to get into! Have a good time!! Busch Gardens and Water Country are really really fun- Im still not tired of em after being here all my life. Summers are HOT and some winters can be very cold but usually are mild</p>

<p>I walk across Williamsburg and confusion corner everyday (I’m off campus); maybe I’ve gotten used to them, but tourists really are no “inconvenience”. And as others said, they usually don’t make it passed the Wren building.</p>