James City County is on the peninsula of Virginia and located 45 minutes from the City of Richmond. The county is made up of the town of Jamestown, Toano, Ewell, Grove, Lanexa, Lightfoot, and Norge. Williamsburg is often associated with James City County. In 1722, Williamsburg received its royal charter, but part of the city was still located in James City. To this day, people often get confused with the two areas, but for good reason, James City County and the City of Williamsburg jointly operate the local school division.
Shopping:
Major shopping occurs at the Williamsburg Prime Outlets and Williamsburg Pottery Factory. While they go by the Williamsburg name they are actually located in James City County. The pottery factory has been a long standing favorite of Virginians. The pottery factory covers 19 acres, including three separate buildings that encompass almost 160,000 sq. ft. of space. Williamsburg Prime Outlets were built in 1988 and have since grown double in size to contain over 135 stores including Burberry, Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, and J. Crew.
Recreation:
James City County is home to Jamestown, where the English first settled in America in 1607. At Jamestown, visitors can walk aboard three recreated ships, and explore life-size re-creations of the colonists’ fort and a Powhatan village.
Maybe thrill seeking is more your style, James City County is home to Busch Gardens Theme Park. Busch Gardens is home to seven roller coasters and numerous other rides and activities including Water Country USA.
Entertainment:
Busch Gardens host a large number of events for entertaining adults and children alike, including Howl-O-Scream, the Halloween event with haunted houses and live shows.
Education:
James City County and the City of Williamsburg jointly operate the local school division. The area contains nine elementary schools, three middle schools and three high schools. The three high schools are Warhill, Jamestown, and Lafayette.
