Our Rodeway Inn & Suites® Williamsburg Central hotel invites you to experience early America at an affordable price. Take a trip back in time with a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, a living 18th-century history museum conveniently located near our hotel. Its attractions include the DeWitt Wallace Museum, which features an extensive collection of early American and British artifacts. Revolutionary War-era sites in nearby Jamestown and Yorktown offer more gems for American history buffs. With easy access to Interstate 64 and other local travel routes, you’re also minutes away from family-friendly attractions in Williamsburg and Toano, including Busch Gardens Williamsburg, College of William & Mary, Water Country USA, Ripley's Believe It or Not and Alewerks Brewing Company. Shopping and dining options abound at the nearby Williamsburg Premium Outlets and Merchant Square.
Sign up for our newsletter!
THE HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
Prior to European settlement, the area around modern-day Williamsburg was settled by the indigenous American tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy. Williamsburg was first settled in 1638 and was originally referred to as Middle Plantation due to its location on the high ground in the middle of the Virginia Peninsula. In 1699, Middle Plantation was renamed Williamsburg in honor of King William III of England.
By the turn of the 20th century, Williamsburg was a quiet country village, and many colonial buildings, while still standing, were in disrepair. The Reverend Dr. D.A.R. Goodwin made it his goal to restore Williamsburg to its colonial spendor, seeking financial help from none other than John D. Rockefeller Jr., the heir to Standard Oil. It was due to the Rockefeller contributions that Williamsburg became what it is today: A living museum, with history preserved and on exhibit every day.