Nightlife
Grammy Award–winner Bruce Hornsby is, without a doubt, one of Williamsburg’s favorite sons. But if your timing isn’t right to catch Hornsby on a Williamsburg stage, don’t despair. Although this isn’t a rowdy, rocking kind of town, there is enough variety for just about everyone to find something fun to do once the sun goes down.
While now and then you still can find DJs who spin loud, throbbing dance music, the local bar scene these days is decidedly more low-key. Rock ’n’ roll has taken a backseat to the jazz and blues, and taverns that offer a quiet, restful place to sip microbrews and enjoy friendly conversations have elbowed out nightclubs. Fewer nightspots have live music, but there are sports bars and other unusual diversions—from candlelit walking tours to rowdy dinner theaters to18th-century-style concerts.
If you’re in the mood for Broadway or opera and have the whole night to spare, you might plan a trip to Norfolk, about an hour’s drive east on I-64. Or, if you’re looking for big-name musical acts, check out the schedules at the coliseums in Hampton and Richmond or the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Virginia Beach. We give you the information you need to map out your itinerary in our Out-of-Town Nightspots section near the end of this chapter. For ticket information and availability, call the numbers listed or contact Ticketmaster at (757) 872-8100 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.
The best way to find out what’s happening in and around Williamsburg is to check the Virginia Gazette (published Wed and Sat) or the Daily Press (particularly Friday’s “Ticket Weekend,” featuring entertainment news, and the “Sunday Ticket” section, which offers a guide to arts and leisure activities). Or you can visit the Daily Press’s entertainment Web site at www.hrticket.com.
Other sources for entertainment news include Williamsburg Magazine (a free monthly publication you can pick up just about anywhere) and Colonial Guide (a seasonal publication available free at numerous locations around the greater Williamsburg area). The Richmond Times-Dispatch (published daily) lists happenings and entertainment in the greater Richmond area. To find out what a particular evening’s offerings include in and around the Historic Area, consult Colonial Williamsburg This Week, available at the visitor center.
1. The Corner Pocket
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 220-0808
Address: 4805 Courthouse St.
Description: This upscale billiards parlor has terrific food and a great atmosphere. Thirteen tables including three nine-foot professional tables with great lighting and plenty of room offer the best facility for billiards around, making the Corner Pocket a frequent host to area tournaments. Occasionally, however, they cover the tables and install a stage, bringing in blues, jazz, and zydeco acts for live performances. Check the Web site for more upcoming shows.Dinner is served here till midnight, making this one of latest places to get a full tasty meal. Closing time is 1 a.m. Sun through Tues, 2 a.m. Wed through Sat.
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 765 Scotland St. at Richmond Rd.
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 4854 Longhill Rd. (Old Towne Square)
4. Paul’S Deli Restaurant & Pizza
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 229-8976
Address: 761 Scotland St.
Description: A popular destination of the college crowd, Paul’s occasionally offers a variety of progressive, alternative, and acoustical music on Wednesday nights. Call ahead to find out who’s on the agenda when you’re in town. For those who like a little armchair (or barstool) quarterbacking, nine television screens will take you to the action. This lively spot is open until 2 a.m. and serves some of the best pizza in the ’Burg.
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 515 Scotland St.
6. Haunted Dinner Theater
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 258-2500, (888) 426-3746
Address: 5363 Richmond Rd.
Description: Offered from June through the end of December, this two-and-a-half-hour hair-raising experience combines an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner of snow crab legs, prime rib, broiled chicken, manicotti, fried shrimp, seafood casserole, BBQ ribs, and clams with a full-length play complete with music and special effects. The 2010 show is titled “Shipwrecked in Williamsburg.” Even though this dinner theater bills itself as “haunted,” its low-key spookiness is family friendly. Tickets cost $44.50 for adults and $28.95 for children ages 5 through 12. Tickets may be purchased online at the Web site. Shows start at 7 p.m. on various dates.
7. Mystery Dinner Playhouse
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (888) 471-4802
Address: 5351 Richmond Rd.
Description: If you’re a sleuth at heart and are in the mood for a good “whodunit,” check out this lively dinner theater option. While enjoying a delicious meal, audiences can chat with the play’s characters and look for clues to solve the mystery. At the end of the show, everyone gets a chance to take a “stab” at fingering the bad guy. Those who guess right win a prize. Performances are Wed, Fri, and Sat at 7:30 p.m., with Monday and Thurs shows added sometimes during the busy summer months. Tickets for dinner and the show cost $41.95 or $31.95 for children 12 and under. Senior citizen and group discounts are offered.
8. The Original Ghosts Of Williamsburg Candlelight Tours
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Description: When can the past make you gasp? At 8 and 8:45 p.m. every night Mar through Dec, if you choose to participate in a “ghosts” tour offered by a local tour company. Based on the book by L. B. Taylor Jr., the one-and-a-half-hour tour introduces you to legendary ghosts, folklore, and legends of the colonial capital. It actually is great fun and a nice alternative to the club scene. Cost of the tour is $11; free to children six and younger. Group rates are available, and reservations are required. Tickets can be purchased online at the Web site listed above.
9. Kimball Theatre
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 565-8588, (800) HISTORY
Address: 428 Duke of Gloucester St.
Description: This restored, 583-seat theater, owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, has a full schedule—lectures, concerts, and art films and documentaries. Current offerings can be heard by calling the local number listed above; advance tickets can be purchased by calling the toll-free Colonial Williamsburg reservation line. A second, 35-seat theater inside the building—dubbed the screening room—shows films, too.
10. Movie Tavern
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 941-5362 (box office)
Address: 1430 Richmond Rd. (High St. Shopping Cen
Description: Sure you can get popcorn here, but you can also have a burger, a beer, or a sandwich wrap and a glass of wine brought to your table as you watch first-run films. At 9 a.m. Sat, “Flapjacks and a flick” offers all-you-can-eat pancakes and a kid-friendly film. Some of the screens are reserved for art house films and documentaries. Call the recorded movie line listed above for current movies and showtimes, or visit the Web site.
11. New Town Cinemas 12
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 645-0440 (recorded movie
Address: 4911 Courthouse St.
Description: The 12 screens at this Regal Cinema offer first-run movies in a shopping and entertainment district.
12. Harrison Opera House
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 877-2550, (866) OPERA-VA
Address: 160 East Virginia Beach Blvd.
Description: The Harrison is home to the Norfolk-based Virginia Opera, which was formed in 1975 and performs regular series in Norfolk, Richmond, and northern Virginia. Recent Norfolk operas have included La Bohème, Don Giovanni, and Porgy & Bess. Check the Web site for current offerings and ticket information.
13. Norfolk Scope And Chrysler Hall
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 664-6464
Address: 415 St. Pauls Blvd.
Description: When big acts come to Southside Hampton Roads, these two venues are where you’ll find them. Just a few blocks from the waterfront, the 13,800-seat dome-shaped Scope (it sort of looks like an alien spaceship, too) houses sporting events (home ice of the Admirals hockey team) and big-name musicians. The more majestic Chrysler Hall is home to the Virginia Symphony (www.virginiasymphony.org), and the Broadway Touring Company productions, usually beginning in October. Norfolk has aggregated schedule and ticket information for all its cultural attractions at one Web site, called “Seven Venues.” To see the full listing, visit the Web site listed above.
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 317 Monticello Ave.
15. Virginia Beach Amphitheater
City: Williamsburg, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (757) 368-3000
Address: 3550 Cellar Door Way
Description: It may be a bit of a drive (at least 90 minutes when traffic cooperates, which it usually does not, given all the tunnels and bridges between Williamsburg and the ocean), but this amphitheater is a regular stop on the outdoor summer music tours of many popular acts. There’s seating under the pavilion or on the lawn—but go early if you’re sitting on the grass and be prepared to brave whatever elements are in play at the time. The amphitheater has 7,500 reserved seats, with room for about 12,500 on the lawn. Two giant screens on either side of the stage provide a view for those in the back. Refreshments are available at every show. To purchase tickets call (877) 598-8698 or visit the Live Nation Web site listed above.