Free Stuff to Do!
A 100-acre Victorian estate in the heart of the city, complete with mansion, gardens and animals. The perfect place for a picnic on a lovely day. Self-pay donation kiosks are available if you'd like to support the park.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The VMFA is home to more than 33,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years of world history. Highlights include Faberge objects, Art Nouveau and Art Deco collections, Asian and African art, and paintings ranging from French Impressionist to modern and contemporary American. Admission to the museum's main collection is free (special touring exhibits have a ticket fee).
Want something more modern? The Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University "presents the art of our time and provides an open forum for dialogue and collaboration across the region and throughout the world." The ICA is a non-collecting institution that showcases an ever-changing slate of exhibitions, performances, films, and special programs.
Belle Island
Enjoy hiking, rock-hopping and other outdoorsy things? Visit Belle Island, Richmond's favorite place to play on a beautiful day.
Adjacent to the parking area for Belle Isle, you can also access the North Bank hiking & biking trail. We totally met a groundhog on this trail.
Hollywood Cemetery
Designed in 1847 by noted architect John Notman of Philadelphia, Hollywood Cemetery is a beautiful, park-like space to walk and explore. Today, it is the 2nd most-visited cemetery in the US, and serves as the final resting place for two American presidents, six Virginia governors, two Supreme Court justices, and other notable figures.
Canal Walk
Extending about 10 miles through the city, the Canal Walk is a great place to get some exercise. The Kanawha Canal was constructed to allow river shipping to bypass the falls of the James River and reach further into Virginia's interior. Today the Canal Walk is popular with joggers and site-seers alike. (Boat tours also available for fee)
$12 or less
The Byrd Theatre
Experience Richmond's landmark movie palace! This theater was built in 1928 and is one of the few remaining true movie palaces of it's kind. Catch a 2nd run flick for $8 and bask in the faded elegance.
Agecroft Hall
Brought piece by piece to Richmond from Lancashire, England, Agecroft Hall is a carefully re-assembled Tudor mansion. $12 for house+ gardens or $6 for the gardens only.(Check website for times. Closed Mondays.)
Richmond has tons of fun mural art, from the inspiring to the cute, to the just plain weird. How many can you find on your travels around the city? These make great photo ops with friends!
Hollywood Cemetery
Designed in 1847 by noted architect John Notman of Philadelphia, Hollywood Cemetery is a beautiful, park-like space to walk and explore. Today, it is the 2nd most-visited cemetery in the US, and serves as the final resting place for two American presidents, six Virginia governors, two Supreme Court justices, and other notable figures.
Canal Walk
Extending about 10 miles through the city, the Canal Walk is a great place to get some exercise. The Kanawha Canal was constructed to allow river shipping to bypass the falls of the James River and reach further into Virginia's interior. Today the Canal Walk is popular with joggers and site-seers alike. (Boat tours also available for fee)
$12 or less
Experience Richmond's landmark movie palace! This theater was built in 1928 and is one of the few remaining true movie palaces of it's kind. Catch a 2nd run flick for $8 and bask in the faded elegance.
Agecroft Hall
Brought piece by piece to Richmond from Lancashire, England, Agecroft Hall is a carefully re-assembled Tudor mansion. $12 for house+ gardens or $6 for the gardens only.(Check website for times. Closed Mondays.)
Did you know that Edgar Allan Poe grew up in Richmond? Now you do. Do an audio-guide tour of the collection and meet the resident cats. $10
Patterson Golf Park
$15 and up
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Offers year-round beauty on a historic property with more than 50 acres of gardens. A classical domed Conservatory is the only one of its kind in the mid-Atlantic and the views from the large treehouse are not to be missed! $17 admission.
Hotel Greene
Have you always wanted to play indoor mini-golf on a Wes Anderson movie set while sipping some adult beverages? This is basically exactly that. $16/round
Circuit Arcade Bar
Video games & adult beverages! :)
The Valentine Museum
Learn about Richmond at the Valentine, an institution that has been collecting and archiving local history for more than a century. Admission includes a tour of the Wickham house, constructed in 1812 as a residence for the family of notable lawyer John Wickham, who defended Vice President Aaron Burr in his treason trial.
Vintage Shopping!
Richmond offers a wide variety of vintage & antique stores, but here are our two favorites for swing-era clothing.
Patterson Golf Park
Do you love tacky mini golf? We do too! Putt around unicorns, dinosaurs, and more at this utterly kitschy locally-owned mini-golf course. $8/round.
$15 and up
Lewis Ginter Botanical GardenOffers year-round beauty on a historic property with more than 50 acres of gardens. A classical domed Conservatory is the only one of its kind in the mid-Atlantic and the views from the large treehouse are not to be missed! $17 admission.
Hotel Greene
Have you always wanted to play indoor mini-golf on a Wes Anderson movie set while sipping some adult beverages? This is basically exactly that. $16/round
Circuit Arcade Bar
Video games & adult beverages! :)
The Valentine Museum
Learn about Richmond at the Valentine, an institution that has been collecting and archiving local history for more than a century. Admission includes a tour of the Wickham house, constructed in 1812 as a residence for the family of notable lawyer John Wickham, who defended Vice President Aaron Burr in his treason trial.
Vintage Shopping!
Bonus: they are having their annual rummage sale during I Heart Bal!
Bygones
Vintage plus lots of great reproduction pieces. Right next door to the Byrd Theatre.
Breweries
Maybe craft beer (or cider!) is more your thing? Well, you are in luck: Richmond has several great craft breweries in town.
Bygones
Vintage plus lots of great reproduction pieces. Right next door to the Byrd Theatre.
Breweries
Maybe craft beer (or cider!) is more your thing? Well, you are in luck: Richmond has several great craft breweries in town.
Triple Crossing
Final Gravity (right next door to RVA Swing. Hosting Oktoberfest on Sunday)
Strangeways
Final Gravity (right next door to RVA Swing. Hosting Oktoberfest on Sunday)
Strangeways
