Williamsburg is a place where what’s old feels new again. Home to the second oldest college in the United States, The College of William and Mary, the historic city’s heart is in its Colonial downtown, where actors (many of which are students) in period costume perform the rituals of daily Colonial life. Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia until 1780, and together with nearby Yorktown and Jamestown makes up Virginia’s Historic Triangle, visited by more than four million tourists a year. Other than the historic old town, most of the city’s inhabitants are college students or faculty, giving the entire town a charming old-made-new-again feel.

 

Students can expect to find housing a bit more affordable, as Williamsburg’s greatest industry is tourism and its population still relatively small. Recent years have seen an increase in new student housing developments as students look for off campus options beyond historic homes (which are restricted to no more than three unrelated tenants and infamous for attracting noise violations).

 

Richmond Road skirts the east edge of campus and offers a plethora of housing options, starting right next to campus and continuing on to the north part of town.

 

The nearby Delaware Avenue neighborhoods are popular with students looking to work downtown as they straddle the divide between the college and Colonial Williamsburg. Further north along Richmond Road students can get some distance from campus life while maintaining easy access to downtown.

 

Jamestown Road runs southwest of campus and boasts many student living facilities in the Berkeley Hills area. It’s a great option for those with a car as it connects directly to the Humelsine Parkway, which loops around town.

Governor’s Square is another popular spot for off campus housing. It sits just south of campus and is an easy walk to class.