The Presidents Heads have long been on my radar. There was something about these decaying sculptures that attracted me. Unfortunately they were not open to the public. They were sitting, abandoned, on a private field, and I did not know how to access them – and no, trespassing was not an option. I was ecstatic to discover there are now “official” tours given by photographer John Plashal with permission of the owner. With our tickets in hand, we finally visited back in November 2019. With the increased popularity of the place, I thought I would share this complete guide to the Presidents Heads with you.
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Table of Contents
What are the Presidents Heads
The Presidents Heads sit on a farm field in the town of Croaker, just on the outskirts of Williamsburg. What are the Presidents Heads you might ask. The Heads are 43 large scale busts of our past presidents once part of Presidents Park in Williamsburg. Presidents Park went bust in 2010. The busts were later slated to be destroyed until Howard Hankins, a local contractor who helped construct the park, “rescued” them and moved them to his farm 10 miles away. Standing up to 20 feet tall and weighing about 22,000 pounds, they sustained heavy damage during the move (cracked heads, missing noses, etc. ) only adding to the eeriness of the place.
President George W. Bush was the last large scale bust created. The park went bankrupt during President Obama’s tenure and only a small statue of him was created at the time. It used to be on display as well but after someone stole it (it eventually was returned but not before the police got involved) the statue is now kept under lock only to be taken out on special occasions.
How to get to the Presidents Heads
Croaker, VA is about a 2.5 hours drive from DC and 1 hour and 15 minutes hours from Virginia Beach. It is the perfect day trip. Tickets vary in price and range from $23 to $125. They must be purchased online prior to getting there (tickets may be available for purchase on site if a session is not sold out) Youth tickets cost $9 (age 8-17) and kids 7 and under go in for free. Upon your purchase, you will receive a confirmation email containing parking instructions and other rules you must abide to. You will also need to sign a liability waiver when you check-in.
There are different kinds of tours available. You can choose between morning, afternoon, dusk, VIP, and nighttime sessions. Each session gives you a 2 to 3 hour window to visit. Nighttime events are mostly geared towards photography enthusiasts. If you can, definitely drop in in one of John’s guided tours. He shares interesting facts and stories and will nicely give you some pointers for taking the best pictures.
There is ample parking but as you will be on a farm, expect dusty and gravelly roads. If it rained recently, it is highly recommended to wear rain boots or even some hiking boots that can give you ankle support. Wear comfortable clothes and as you will be outdoors the whole time; don’t forget sunscreen, bug repellent and a water bottle. Be aware that there is no shade and no seating area. In the past some events featured a BBQ of some sort although I am not sure if this is still the case. There are portable restrooms on site, mostly near the parking and the check-in areas.
Things to know
- Do not trespass
- In recent months, people started visiting more local places, resulting in tours filling out quickly. Make sure to purchase your tickets early (new Spring dates will be released in February)
- Unless you are a photographer, I recommend visiting in the mornings. The tickets are less expensive and there might be a little less people. The downside is you will have to deal the sculptures being back lit on sunny days
- Leashed dogs are allowed. Also make sure to pick up after them
- Drones are allowed but cannot be flown during guided tours
- If you decide to spend some time in the area, you have options for lodging. I recommend staying at the Marriott’s Manor Club at Ford’s Colony or for a more fun stay, the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg. These two hotels are central to all attractions available in the Williamsburg/Jamestown area.
So there you go. Let me know if you end up visiting the Presidents’ Heads. I would love hear about your experience.
Thank you for reading xx
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