STAYING
The Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg; 800-447-8679, colonialwilliamsburg.com; from $309. The best nearby lodging can be found at this historic hotel, twenty minutes from Stonehouse and a half-hour from Royal New Kent. Another option is to rent a condo at nearby Kingsmill Resort & Spa (800-832-5665, kingsmill.com).
DINING
Fox Hunter Grill (Italian), Lanexa; 804-966-8333. With a Sicilian for a chef, this country place along the Chickahominy River between Richmond and Williamsburg is as authentic as Italian food gets in the South. Blue Talon Bistro (French), Williamsburg; 757-476-2583. Upscale comfort food is the focus here, including grilled swordfish and braised duck.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Although its name sounds more like that of a quiet tea shop, the Green Leafe Café (757-220-3405), across the street from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, is a beer lover's dream, with thirty kinds of brew on tap and 150 more in bottles.
