Whether you are planning to rough it camping in the region's backcountry or live large in a luxury hotel, historic inn, or vacation rental, eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland will gladly cater to the needs of your mind, soul, and budget.
Accommodations in Williamsburg, Virginia
It is possible to find hotels both within Colonial Williamsburg as well as just outside. Large national chain hotels can be found along U.S. Highway 60 and Kingsmill Road, but if you want something more “typically Williamsburg” you might want to try some of the hotel options within the historic area.
Colonial Williamsburg itself owns six hotels ranging from luxurious to value accommodations. The Williamsburg Inn on East Francis Street is by far the most elegant boutique-style hotel. Decorated as an 18th-century English Regency-style inn, the Williamsburg Inn regularly hosts important folks; J.D. Rockefeller stayed there in the past, and it is not unusual to run into a Head of State guest. The price per night at the Williamsburg Inn generally starts at around $480. It is also possible to stay at one of the official Williamsburg hotels for less than half that price, and the Governor's Inn offers a solid, budget stay beginning just over $100 a night.
A stay at one of Williamsburg's 26 Colonial Houses is an extremely popular option for travelers who want a total-immersion colonial experience right in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg. Decorated with period antiques and furnishings, each of the Colonial Houses is different both in size, décor, and history, but all offer the quintessential 18th-century lodging experience, complete with costumed staff. A night in one of the Colonial Houses usually costs just under $200. Notably, it is often possible to find seasonal package-deals for free or reduced-rate entrance admission to visit Colonial Williamsburg sites and events through these accommodations.
There are literally dozens of bed and breakfast establishments (B&Bs) and independent historic inns located in Williamsburg, both inside and near Colonial Williamsburg. B&Bs line Virginia State Road 5, but you will also find many wonderful options situated conveniently within walking distance of the historic district. These restored plantation mansions, Colonial homes, and refurbished Greek Revival- and Federal-style manors provide a comfortable and cozy Williamsburg stay; the cost per night usually begins at around $200.
If you are looking for a budget motel near Williamsburg, you won't have any trouble. Starting at around $60, a wide range of national chain motels are located within several miles of Colonial Williamsburg, particularly along Richmond Road and Bypass Road. You will find camping and RV parks open from spring-fall along Williamsburg's Newman Road and Maxton Lane; it usually costs under $20 to pitch a tent and $40 to hook up an RV.
Hotels in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
For people who want a traditional, reliable stay, a hotel getaway vacation is certainly an option. Generally, a night's stay at a hotel starts at about $200 during the peak, summer season.
On the Delmarva Peninsula you will find a smattering of national chain hotels, but the best bet for finding an upscale hotel in the area with a well-rounded package of amenities is along the boardwalks in either Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, or Ocean City, Maryland.
In eastern Virginia, solid hotel options (both restored historic hotels and sparkling, new constructions) can be found downtown in the larger towns and cities - Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond, in Virginia. The Jefferson Hotel on West Franklin Street, in Richmond, is probably the city's most famous historic hotel. Built in 1895, the Jefferson Hotel is a National Historic Landmark and a member of Historic Hotels of America. Antique furniture, a grand winding staircase, and a 70-foot-high ceiling with a dramatic stained-glass skylight are just a few of the hotel's highlights.
On the North Carolina shore, you will find hotels in New Bern, Wilmington (try the banks of the Cape Fear River), and along the waterfront in Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach. Hotels are far less prevalent in the Outer Banks communities.
Luxury Apartments, Vacation Rentals, and Cabins in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Throughout the Delmarva Peninsula, eastern Virginia, and North Carolina shore, usually within walking distance from the beach, you will find a plethora of fully-equipped condos, waterfront apartments and “sand front” cottages, vacation homes, and townhouses available for rent. As can be expected, vacation rental prices depend on the size of the property, number of bedrooms and baths, location (ocean views and proximity to the beach raise the price considerably), and amenities. Most vacation rentals come fully-furnished and include cooking utensils, linens, and even beach towels, as well as some luxury items like outdoor or indoor swimming pools, saunas, Jacuzzis, and flat-screen TVs. Nearly all rentals are available for a week, month, or season, while some owners also allow nightly rentals. Vacationers take note: prices in the spring and fall are nearly half of what they are in the summer.
The best way to an eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland region vacation rental is online - a helpful assortment of websites offer information about locations and photos, prices, and virtual tours for a wide variety of vacation rentals throughout the region. Also, nearly every eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland town has realty agencies that can help you find the vacation rental property that's right for you.
Historic Inns and B&Bs in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Perhaps the most common lodging option in eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, every community in the region has at least one historic inn or B&B in the form of restored seaside and riverfront estates, 18th- and 19th-century plantation homes, and Victorian mansions. If you want to look out your window and see sand and water, plenty of inns' and B&Bs' doors open onto the sea. Pampered, luxury inn stays are ubiquitous, but if you are looking for something more homey and down-to-earth, you'll find that too.
On the Delmarva Peninsula, B&Bs and historic inns can be found almost everywhere you turn, but you will find clusters along Chesapeake Street in Dewey Beach, Delaware, Baltimore Ave and Delaware Ave in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and scattered around town in Ocean City, Maryland. Eastern Virginia's B&Bs and historic inns are, likewise, in just about every community small or large. For B&Bs along the North Carolina shore, look along the coast (Wilmington, Edenton, and Beaufort have a particularly generous assortment) or in just about any community of the Outer Banks. Throughout the region, B&Bs and historic inns come in all sizes, colors, and price ranges; anywhere from $125-$200 per night. Notably, Williamsburg, Virginia's inns tend to be more pricey, particularly in the peak summer season.
Motels in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Wherever your travels take you in eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, a motel stay can be yours, should you choose. Mom-and-pop varieties as well as big-name national chain motels make their presence known in just about every community, often just a block or two from the sea.
On the Delmarva Peninsula, try Dewey Beach, Delaware State Road 1, or Ocean Highway. In Ocean City, Maryland you will find motels along the boardwalk or just a block in from the sea. On Chincoteague Island in Virginia, quaint motels are on Maddox Street and South Main Street. In eastern Virginia you will usually find motels both in town centers and on the outskirts of town. In Richmond, for instance, motels can be found in both sections of the city. Likewise, in the North Carolina shore, you will find motels in every community, including the more remote seaside villages of the Outer Banks.
Youth Hostels in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
If you are looking for a basic bed, something clean and simple, eastern Virginia has two hostels that may help you save some dough. Just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from the Rappahanhock River and the Chesapeake Bay, you can shack up in one of the dorm beds at Sangraal-By-The-Sea in Wake. Note that as this establishment is really not near the region's attractions, people usually go there as an experience/get-away, but not really to stay in a centrally-located place. And Angie's Guest Cottage and Hostel on 24th Street in Virginia Beach is just a block from the beach and within walking distance from the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. You can either stay in a dorm bed or request a private room, which costs a bit more.
Camping in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Whether you want to sleep in a sandy bed beneath the sparkling stars or in a densely-wooded forest, you will have plenty of camping options in eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. Most campgrounds are open from April-October, but if you're prepared to brave the cold, check with your campground of choice to see if winter camping is permitted. Nearly all campgrounds (with the exception of back country sites) have basic amenities and cost anywhere from $5-$20 per person per night.
On the Delmarva Peninsula you will find both private and state-run campgrounds. In Delaware try the Delaware Seashore State Park, Fenwick Island, or Rehoboth Beach campsites. Assateague State Park in Maryland has over 300 sites as well as backcountry camping available. Note that at Assateague Island National Seashore, camping is only permitted on the Maryland side. Chincoteague Island, in Virginia, has a handful of family and commercial campgrounds with choice spots near water and woodlands. In eastern Virginia you can find campgrounds in First Landing State Park and False Cape State Park, near Virginia Beach. You will have a healthy selection of camping sites on the North Carolina shore - Knotts Island, Wilmington, New Bern, Hammocks Beach State Park near Swansboro, and Carolina Beach all offer a couple of options, as do the Outer Banks areas of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Kitty Hawk. Ocracoke Island offers a canoe-in or backpack-in backcountry camping option.
Hotels in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, North Carolina's Outer Banks
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