Merchants Square

A twelve-acre commercial district built from 1928 in colonial revival style, and one of the first planned shopping centres in the United States — created by Rockefeller to move the town's shops and services out of the historic area so it could be turned back into the 1770s.

The design deliberately hides everything modern: wiring, air conditioning and service access were buried or concealed from the outset. Today around forty independent shops and restaurants occupy it, plus a Saturday farmers market and the Kimball Theatre. It sits exactly between Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William & Mary, which makes it the natural pause between the two.

No ticket, no gate — this is where you eat, buy things and drink coffee before going back into the 18th century.