You can find entire sections in the library dedicated to preserving the history of the American Revolution. But in Williamsburg, Virginia, you’ll find an entire city that actually brings those books to life every day.

Colonial Williamsburg is the world’s largest living museum, documenting the American Revolution. Explore and experience 35 exhibition sites, 16 colonial trade shops, and 15 site tours. You can even participate in daily live performances that capture and recount famous events leading up to the Revolution.

Colonial Williamsburg features dozens of restored homes and buildings ranging from quaint taverns and inns to government buildings. Throughout the colonial area, you’ll find buildings reconstructed to the smallest details.

Combining with nearby Jamestown and Yorktown to form the “Historic Triangle,” the historic Williamsburg area features more than 500 original and carefully reconstructed public buildings, 40 exhibit buildings, private homes, quaint inns and taverns, shops and 90 acres of public parks and gardens. 

History aside, Williamsburg is also home to Busch Gardens, regularly voted the world’s “most beautiful theme park.”  You’ll also find a refreshing water park, fabulous shopping and dining, outstanding golf courses and a variety of unique entertainment venues that help make Williamsburg the ideal vacation spot for every member of the family.

For information on Williamsburg attraction tickets and resort accommodations at Westgate Historic Williamsburg Resort, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Beware of the Dark Side of the Gardens.Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream event is sure to bring plenty of horrifying terror to those visiting the Williamsburg theme park for its annual Halloween event, now in its 13^th year.

Those who dare to enter will find new bone-chilling scare zones, terrifying live shows, mazes and myriad gruesome creatures lurking around the park beginning at 6 p.m. on event nights. Howl-O-Scream begins Sept. 23 and continues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 30.

Younger guests can enjoy less fearsome Halloween events at the park’s Sesame Street Forest of Fun.  In addition, Count Von Count’s Dining Spooktacular provides a special Halloween dining experience that includes a delicious meal and a Halloween-themed Sesame Street performance featuring the Sesame Street gang dressed up in Halloween costumes.

For information on all Howl-O-Scream activities at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, visit www.howlosream.com/va. Or go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for discount theme park tickets and discount Williamsburg vacation packages.

Don’t miss the last week of IllumiNights at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, running now through August 21.

The annual event celebrates summer with a nightly extravaganza featuring live performances, music and special effects that culminates in a park-wide fireworks display.

Each country within Busch Gardens celebrates IllumiNights in its own unique way, with multiple performances throughout the evening. Nightly fireworks cap off the park-wide excitement.

Another upcoming event at Busch Gardens is the popular Wild Days: The Ultimate Animal Adventure. On Sept. 10-11, creatures from around the world will fly, slither, creep and crawl through the theme park in a series of fun animal shows, educational opportunities and hands-on demonstrations. Guests can learn about native animal habitats, enjoy conservation tips and experience more with renowned animal experts Jack Hanna and Julie Scardina.

For more on Williamsburg attraction tickets and discount Williamsburg vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is ready to light up the nights with the summertime celebration, IllimiNights: A Busch Gardens Encore.

The park’s celebration is a combination of live performances, music, special effects and fireworks that occurs over the course of 56 evenings throughout the summer.

Each country inside the European styled theme park celebrates IllumiNights in its own way. For example, guests can enjoy larger-than-life puppets in Ireland, see the world’s largest cuckoo clock in Germany or witness amazing acrobatic feats in Italy.

IllumiNations culminates with a full-scale fireworks show.

Voted the world’s most beautiful theme park 21 consecutive years, Busch Gardens Williamsburg provides exciting thrill rides, award-winning shows, and special attractions for the entire family.

From the Sesame Street Forest of Fun kid’s attraction to pulse pounding roller coasters like Griffon, Curse of DarKastle, Alpengeist and Apollo’s Chariot, Busch Gardens keeps the thrills coming for all ages.

New in 2011 is the Mäch Tower, a massive psychological thrill ride that lifts riders 246 feet above Oktoberfest. After rotating at the top of the tower and getting a few seconds to take in the view, riders drop at a breathtaking speed.

Go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for information on discount theme park tickets and discount Williamsburg family vacation packages.

With Independence Day just around the corner, there’s no better time for a visit to Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area in Virginia.Perhaps no place better defines the making of America and the process of defining America’s values and beliefs. And while that process began in Colonial Williamsburg more than 200 years ago, much of the Historic Area still remains much as it did back in the 1800s.

More than 500 restored and reconstructed buildings remain amidst 301 acres of land where Williamsburg was settled. So what better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than by taking a step back in time to experience the ideas, the dreams and the ideals that were developed in Williamsburg and led to the American Revolution.

While the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area offers up the nation’s largest living history museum, nearby Busch Gardens Williamsburg is the perfect place to start making exciting new memories.

The family thrill park provides dozens of rides, roller coasters and attractions, not to mention a wide variety of annual events.

Visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for information about discount Williamsburg family vacation packages and discount tickets.

Construction on the all new Mäch Tower ride at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is nearing completion. Just how high is this towering thrill ride? Well, the flag at the top of tower, sits at nearly 240 feet.

Mäch Tower is scheduled to open in late May and guests will have an opportunity to head to the top of the tower and enjoy breathtaking views not to mention some pulse-pounding drops!

Busch Gardens is also the place to be this summer for exciting concerts. The theme park stage will feature performances from some of the most recognizable names in pop and rock including Colbie Caillat, Miranda Cosgrove, Pat Benetar and the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll with performances by Neil Sedaka. Caillat takes the stage June 4-5.

All concerts are included with regular theme park admission and will be presented at the Royal Palace Theatre. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For information and hours of operation for Busch Gardens Williamsburg, voted the world’s most beautiful theme park 21 consecutive years, go to http://buschgardens.com/Bgw/.

Also opening soon is nearby Water Country USA. The Williamsburg water park is slated to open for the 2011 season on May 21.

The park features almost 600 feet of body slides, a 700-foot lazy river and plenty of other refreshing water attractions for kids of all ages.

Water Country USA offers more than 30 state-of-the-art water rides and attractions, but construction is almost complete on the park’s newest adventure, Vanish Point. Daring guests on Vanish Point will experience a drop of nearly 300 feet and reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour.

By now, the news should come as no surprise.Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Virginia was recently named by theme park enthusiasts as the nation’s most beautiful amusement park. The honor marks the 21^st consecutive year the park was voted most beautiful, based on an annual survey by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.

Although Walt Disney World Resort finished second in beauty for the 6^th straight year, Disney World was voted the nation’s favorite theme park, finishing ahead of Disneyland and Busch Gardens Europe.

With resort properties in both Williamsburg and Orlando, Westgate guests have ample opportunity to visit both Busch Gardens Europe and Walt Disney World Resort.

One of the most anticipated moments at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is the spring 2011 grand opening of the new ride, Mach Tower.

As you enter the park’s Oktoberfest area and pass by of Das Festhaus, you can see the ride pointing high into the sky. The massive spire will lift you 240-feet into the stratosphere, offering a spectacular view of the park and surrounding countryside. But don’t get too caught up in the scenery before, suddenly, in a rush of wind and screams, you’ll drop with adrenaline-pulsing thrills.

It’s all part of the 2011 fun at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, voted the world’s most beautiful theme park for 20 consecutive years for its European themes and lush landscaping. You can enjoy dozens of rides and attractions, live shows, special events and even animal interactions.

For a complete list of fun at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, visit http://www.buschgardens.com/Bgw/. Or go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for details on discount Williamsburg vacation packages and theme park tickets.

They’re working at mach speed to get the newest thrill ride ready for a scheduled late spring opening at Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park.Mäch Tower is destined to be Busch Gardens’ newest and tallest ride. Upon completion, the ride will stand taller than any other attraction in the park. It will take taking riders approximately 240 feet above the Oktoberfest Village, then drop them at breathtaking speed.

Currently closed for the season, Busch Gardens officially opens on March 26. Voted the most beautiful theme park in the world for each of the last 20 years, Busch Gardens will again be in full bloom with hundreds of thousands of flowers. But guests will also enjoy an entirely new Oktoberfest village, complete with a delicious new baked pretzel shop and a beer garden.

For complete details on Busch Gardens Williamsburg, including open dates and operating hours, visit www.buschgardens.com/bgw/

For more on discount Williamsburg, VA vacation packages and resort accommodations such as Westgate Colonial Williamsburg Resort, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Christmas Town: A Busch Gardens Celebration returns to the Williamsburg, VA theme park this week. The special Christmas theme offers up holiday shows, unique dining and gifts, a 50-foot tall Christmas tree, millions of twinkling lights, a dazzling fireworks show and a variety of Christmas happenings throughout the park’s European zones.

In Scotland, you’ll find the Highland Stables where you can travel back to simpler times and explore the Scottish countryside under a star-filled winter sky and come face-to-face with Scottish blackface sheep, border collies and Clydesdale horses.

In the Germany area, you can visit Mistletoe Marketplace to find holiday cheer and merriment amidst the busy local artisans and craft makers in a traditional outdoor German market. There’s no better place to find unique hand-made gifts. You’ll also find a great live show in Germany… O’Tannenbaum. This spectacular light show features a 50-foot Christmas tree lighting up the night and dancing to a holiday musical score. Meanwhile, in Germany’s Das Festhaus, there’s a live musical tribute to Christmas traditions called Deck the Halls.

Wander over to France and you’ll find an enhanced ice-themed world featuring sparkling lights, snow and even an up-close encounter with live penguins along the Polar Pathway.

You’ll find the jolly one himself - Santa - in the country of Ireland. Santa’s Fireside Feast is held in the grand dining room of Castle O’Sullivan as Santa and Mrs. Clause host a special meal. Guests gather around the castle as Santa offers up a classic Christmas story which is followed by a buffet prepared by expert elves and Mrs. Clause.

Meanwhile, at the North Pole, you’ll find Santa’s Workshop. Get a sneak peek of Santa through the snow covered windows of the workshop or peer through a paned window into Santa’s study situated between reindeer stables. Children will be greeted by elves and led inside for a chance to sit on Santa’s lap and pose for a special photo.

In Ireland, the holidays are celebrated with a live show, Rejoice, an emotional Christmas performance told through moving imagery, choral harmonies and a full, live orchestra delivering classic Christmas tunes in an age-old form of Gregorian music with a modern and contemporary flair.

Children will love, A Sesame Street Christmas, performing in the England section of the park. Head to the Globe Theatre and see Abby Cadabby as she learns about giving and sharing with friends and family during the holidays. The show is filled with high-energy song and dance and even Santa makes an appearance.

Busch Gardens will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout December. The last day of Christmas Town will be Friday, December 31, 2010. Christmas Town will also be open Monday, December 20 through Friday, December 31, 2010. Christmas Town will be closed on Christmas Day.

The park will be open for Christmas Town from 3 pm through 10 pm on most days. However, on Sundays through December 12, 2010 and on Christmas Eve, the park will close at 9 pm instead of 10 pm.

For information about Williamsburg discount vacation packages, please visit http://www.historicwilliamsburgusa.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.