The Story
Tribe Vibe: Local Locals
This article is the latest in The DoG Street Journal's weekly series of opinions pieces, "Tribe Vibe." Tribe Vibe discusses the most important aspects of William and Mary, the Tribe and life in Williamsburg.
Yes, I’m one of those - a dreaded “townie.” I grew up in Williamsburg and attended elementary, middle and high school here, and even though it was originally the last thing I ever planned, but now college now too. However, there are many perks of coming to school at William and Mary and already knowing the area. A lot of College students aren’t even aware of some of my favorite places to go in town, so here are my top five favorite places to go around town to rest and relax.
Tip 1: Waller Mill Park
Waller Mill is the City of Williamsburg's 2,705-acre park situated around its reservoir, and it opened to the public in July 1972. The lake is open for fishing, boating, pedal boating, canoeing and kayaking, and you can rent these boats inexpensively (rowboat, canoe or kayak $5/hour and pedal boat $8/hour). This location is a great place to go if you enjoy hiking and biking, and there are numerous trails around the park for that.
It's easy to be caught up in Swem, so take a break from the library, get out and soak in some rays. Take some friends and pack a picnic lunch or even take your reading and head out to Waller Mill to enjoy the sun.
Tip 2: Five Forks Cafe
Every town has a great greasy spoon diner, and this is Williamsburg’s. This diner has been around since the 1980s, and although it has gone through name and ownership changes, it has retained its fabulous food and small town feel. Offering a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner selections the cuisine is absolutely delicious and worth the drive from campus. Located at 4456 John Tyler Highway, The Five Forks Cafe is a great stop for brunch with friends after a busy weekend.
Tip 3: Sno 2 Go
Sno-To-Go began in the summer of 1997 in Williamsburg and has been packed ever since. Sno-To-Go is essentially water ice but what makes it "sno" is the ice cream center of the water ice. It is closed for the fall and winter, but come every April, locals and students flock to Sno-To-Go in hoards for this delicious sweet treat. Sno-To-Go has a flavor for everyone, and can be found at their website. They even pander to the College with their W&M Tribe flavor (Mango poured in the middle, Granny Smith Apple on the outside). Take a break during finals, but be prepared for long lines!
Tip 4: The Williamsburg Regional Library
I know, I know, what a TWAMP (Typical William And Mary Person) answer. BUT! The local library is a clever little secret. While all students love Swem, our campus library, sometimes you just want to get off campus and find a new study nook in which to bunker down. While Swem has every educational text you could ever want, the Williamsburg Library, two blocks from campus, has an excellent selection of fiction and nonfiction books for your reading pleasure. In addition, the Williamsburg Library has a large selection of CDs and movies that you can borrow for a longer time than you can from the Swem library.
The library also offers a program called Mango Languages, which similar to other popular programs like Rosettsa Stone can help aid in the learning of languages. It can be used at the library or on a personal computer with a library card and is a great asset.
Tip 5: College Creek
Another favorite of locals, College Creek is a beach off the James River on the Colonial Parkway, which was created for the 350th anniversary of Jamestown. Don't be confused -- William and Mary students call it Jamestown Beach, but everyone in Williamsburg knows it otherwise. This is a great place to go and catch some rays and do a little swimming if you feel like braving the brackish water. Not that I would ever recommend skipping classes, but come spring semester, a day at the beach becomes a nice respite on a sunny day.
Kellie O’Malley is Managing Editor and an opinions contributor for The DSJ. Her views do not necessarily represent those of the entire staff.