Colonial Williamsburg, VA

[marissaj]

Any chance of Kosher food/ restaurants if we go to Colonial Williamsburg next month? What are local supermarkets etc like on kosher food?

[AdinaA]

Price is always an issue. Baltimore is great because the downtown hotels are less expensive than downtown hotels in Cambridge, New York, Philadelphia or Washington.

[cappucino]

Please see my post about this. The restaurant in Virginia Beach has closed. As of this past summer, the Richmond JCC was kosher dairy. Nothing to write home about, but a warm bite. Bottom line: Bring your own food, Williamsburg was worth it. The Monitor Museum was excellent and right next door is an art museum with a hands on art room for kids. Much more. Lots to do.

[marissaj]

Cappucino- if u dont mind me asking, how old are your kid/s? My son is two, and we are thinking of going with my parents when they come in from the UK... do you think there's anything for him to do?

[cappucino]

two is a bit young. our youngest is 6. i can't really think of anything we did that a 2-year old would enjoy. to be honest, when our kids were that young, we kind of stayed close to home base and just did a "please touch me" type museum and some playgrounds. one of ours hated the sand at the beach at that age so i can't even recommend that. do something the grown ups would enjoy.

[marissaj]

thanks! sorry everyone for the non-chow question! i really dont like having to bring my own food or just 'managing' with supermarket stuff when im on vacation, so im starting to think maybe colonial willamsburg is not the right place for us....

[cheesecake17]

What about the Brooklyn Children's Musuem? A friend went recently with her kids and they loved it. Lots of restaurants in Brooklyn that are kid friendly that would be enjoyable to adults too.

[skipper]

And your comment has to do with Williamsburg, Virginia, how?

[queenscook]

If you spent more time on the kosher board, I think you would see that sometimes threads here morph; as long as it refers to kosher food, the post seems fine to me.

[cheesecake17]

" so im starting to think maybe colonial willamsburg is not the right place for us...."

marissaj has mentioned in other posts that she's in the ny area. I figured it would be helpful to point out a destination close to home where there's lots of options in regard to food.

[berel]

Waterbury Ct. is another option, Kosher pizza and Kosher Deli, shul and yeshiva minyonim. Hartford Science musem 35-40 minute drive was great for the kids

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&...

[craigcep]

For the same effort, might as well stay in West Hartford.

[bagelman01]

not if she wants restaurant food, taking the kids to eat in the cafeteria at the Hebrew Home and Hospital is not a great idea. And even little kids will enjoy the Timex museum

[JudgeMaven]

Bagelman01, there is now a kosher deli in Bloomfield under the local Orthodox hechsher (same as Hebrew Home).

[AdinaA]

marrisaj, If I understand this, you want a fun place to go on holiday with your parents and a 2-year-old where good kosher food is readily available. My advice is to think urban.

The Baltimore waterfront is great. Lots of wonderful museums and indoor winter spaces - like the two waterfront malls where a toddler can run even in winter weather. One of the two downtown nineteenth century synagogues preserved as a Jewish Museum still has a regular, Orthodox congregation with regular services (Shabbat not weekdays) Hotels in every price range. Acquarium, art museums, and the kosher places will deliver downtown.

Manhattan is another obvious destination. There's an eruv, so you're mobile.

Ditto for Washington D.C. eruv, downtown shul, one downtown restaurant, more in the suburbs.

And if you're into history, Philadelphia. Again, downtown museums, 2 active downtown Orthodox shuls, restaurants downtown and in the suburbs (though I would not say the calibre of the food is great.)

If you want a family Shabbat in Boston, stay in Cambridge. Eruv covers both the minyan and the natural history museum where a toddler can go nose to nose with a buffalo or a tiger. And You can get takeout to eat in the restaurants, again, not New York quality, but a solid deli and a great falafel place.

You should have the amenities that make it a vacation for you. And, really, all a two year needs is attention and the supervised freedom to explore new spaces.

[marissaj]

thanks everyone for the suggestions! lots and lot of great advice and i will forward to my parents so they can help with the decisions!

[vallevin]

Unless there is very new information... I am 95% sure there are no longer any kosher restaurants in Virginia

[chazzer]

I googled the restarnat and it looks like it closed a couple of years ago, there are options for food though.

[rockycat]

According to the Tidewater Vaad, the Little Israel Kosher Market and Restaurant in VB is under their supervision.
http://vaadoftidewater.com/establishm...

[rockycat]

This link may be of some help to you. While the largest Tidewater Jewish community used to be in Norfolk, much of the community has moved to Virginia Beach. Still, many of the kosher resources are in Norfolk. The Jewish community there predates Independence (American, not Israeli). While Williamsburg does have a Jewish community it is not as large as Norfolk or VB.With a little effort, you should be able to manage just fine. Enjoy the visit.

http://www.jewishva.org/IR/community-...

[chazzer]

Look for places in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, there was a Kosher restaurant in Norfolk not sure if it is still around, and the area has a vibrant Jewish Community. Also you can contact Chabard in Norfolk for recommendations.

Not all the south is a Kosher waste land

[shoelace]

probably your bext bet is to stop in fairfax at shoppers food and trader joes on your way down