Journey to the Historic Triangle, the Cradle of the United States of America

This is a journey into the heart of the United States of America , where it all began. What we've explored and what we're offering you in the state of Virginia , on the East Coast, is an itinerary to discover places still little-known to Italian tourists, who often prefer to visit classic American destinations, and which, we're sure, will leave them incredibly surprised.

The cradle of the USA is known as the “ Historic Triangle ,” and includes some towns where the first British settlers settled when they came to the New World 400 years ago.

It is located within one of America's national parks, Colonial National Historical Park. The "triangle" includes three towns worth visiting, allowing you to retrace the events that shaped the United States of America as it is today: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. The "historic triangle" is just over a two-hour drive from the capital, Washington, DC , and is connected by the scenic Colonial Parkway, perfect for a road trip with a difference from the typical United States.

Jamestown, America's First Capital

Jamestown was the birthplace of the first American colony in the 17th century. The city, named after King James I of England and located on the James River, was also the first capital of Virginia (now Richmond). The first British expedition, led by the London Company, reached the coast of the United States near Chesapeake Bay, but because the location was very exposed, the sailors sailed upriver and stopped at a more sheltered spot, which later became Jamestown.

Among the city's heroes is a "certain" John Smith, a mercenary who had the merit of establishing excellent relations with the Native Americans, in particular with an Indian named Pocahontas , whose story inspired the famous Disney cartoon.

Today, the town has been rebuilt as a sort of theme park and is known as the Jamestown Settlement. Inside, in addition to a large museum housing over 500 original artifacts, there is a reconstructed Paspahegh Indian village, an English fort—James Fort—and the harbor with replicas of the three sailing ships that brought the first settlers to Virginia in 1607. Performers help visitors relive the era, and like a living museum, visitors can interact with the characters as if they were real locals, from the Native Americans (the first inhabitants of this area) to the British colonists who expelled them, to the slaves brought from Africa. Every year, May 13th marks the anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, with cannon fire, water shows, and many other events.

Colonial Williamsburg, an open air museum

Williamsburg, on the other hand, is considered the world's greatest living history museum. It was here that figures like Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and others who began to build the United States of America lived. Williamsburg was the capital from 1699 onward.

Even today, in the oldest neighborhood, Colonial Williamsburg, it's like stepping back in time. The old wooden and red brick houses built between the 17th and 18th centuries were inhabited by the first settlers, and even today, they are depicted in period costumes. Regulars who enjoy wearing traditional dress wander the streets as if they were still in the 1600s.

There are approximately 300 historic buildings in the colonial city, around ninety of which are still original, while others have been restored or even rebuilt exactly as they were thanks to funding from John D. Rockefeller Jr. in the 1960s. They overlook dirt streets, whose names evoke historical figures of the era such as Queen Street, Duke of Gloucester Street (considered the most historic street in America ), North England Street and so on, traversed by horse-drawn carriages.

Some of these old buildings house bed and breakfasts with period furnishings, offering a romantic glimpse into colonial America, while others are taverns and restaurants. The most famous is Christiana Campbell's Tavern, a regular haunt of George Washington .

One of the most evocative times to visit Williamsburg is the Christmas season, when the entire historic district is illuminated in the festive style of the eighteenth century and the numerous shops selling objects from the period abound with every curiosity.

Yorktown and the Revolutionary War

Finally, the town of Yorktown is where the first battles for independence concluded and saw the birth of the new nation. Only a few houses remain of the original historic settlement, some now privately owned. It was here that British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington in 1781, thus ending the American War of Independence.

Recommended tours include a visit to the battlefield. Yorktown also played an important role in the American Civil War as a major port for unloading supplies.

In Yorktown, you can also visit the American Revolution Museum, which tells the story of the country's founding. Again, part of this museum is indoors, with permanent exhibitions, while another is outdoors, featuring a reconstructed military camp and retracing the stages of the revolution. Every year on July 4th , American Independence Day, Yorktown holds the Liberty Celebration to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Colonial Parkway Scenic Byway

The three cities of the "triangle" are connected by a splendid scenic road, the Colonial Parkway, a stretch of one of the National Scenic Byways, those roads that, for the beauty of their natural landscapes or for their historical, archaeological, and cultural significance, are worthy of being traveled in the United States. There are 184 of them, including the legendary Route 66 (which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026), and this is one of them.

The road, 37 kilometers long and almost entirely tree-lined, making it beautiful in any season—imagine it with autumn foliage—runs along the James and York Rivers, crossing brick bridges and tunnels, like the one that runs under Colonial Williamsburg. It feels like a true colonial-era road, one traversed by carriages and mounted soldiers (trucks are prohibited). Some stretches are even unpaved. Every now and then, you'll find information points and scenic spots where you can stop for a break. The Colonial Parkway begins in Jamestown, where the Virginia colony was founded, on the banks of the James River, and passes through Williamsburg, just 12 kilometers away, before ending, after 23 kilometers, in Yorktown.

How to get to the Historic Triangle

To visit the Historic Triangle, you can purchase a single ticket that grants access to all the sites. The ticket is valid for seven days and provides unlimited access to the three historic sites: Colonial Williamsburg, including the shops and house museums, Jamestown Settlement, the American Revolution Museum, and the Yorktown Battlefield. For those passionate about the United States, history, and a vacation combining history and nature, this is the perfect trip.