Best Things To Do in Richmond, Virginia

Are you looking for what to do in Richmond?

  • Virginia State Capitol: This is the oldest legislative body in the united states. A recent refurbishment and expansion has seen a new gift shop, food courts, exhibit display and guided tours introduced. A good choice for the history buffs.
  • Maymont: This 100 acre Victorian era mansion has 33 rooms and was a gift to the city of Richmond by Major & mrs. Dooley. It is now a 33 roomed museum which details the luxurious life lived during the Gilded Age and is open all year around for visitors. The barn and farm lands also contain rare domesticated farm animals that are a delight to all the children who visit it.
  • Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens: With a beautiful lake included in the 50-acre gardens, this botanical garden is themed in different sections like the Asian Garden, Rose Garden, Victorian Garden etc. The garden café serves lunch in a beautiful setting which overlooks the lake.
  • Virginia Museum of fine arts: Just having undergone a massive re-haul and expansion, this museum contains the largest Faberge collection outside of Russia as well as upwards of 22,000 other pieces of art such as American Art, Himalayan Art, African Art and also boasts an astonishing collection of English Silver, English Sport Art etc.

Below we have a list of things to do in Richmond and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Richmond getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Richmond with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Richmond

Here is the list of things to do in Richmond and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Virginia Museum Of Fine Arts

    Art And Culture, Art Museum, Art Gallery, History Museum

    The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, with its recent multi-billion dollar expansion, easily makes it to the top ten comprehensive museums of the nation, if not higher! Richmond’s pride and joy showcases exhibits that span over 5000 years of mankind. Getting down to listing the museum’s permanent displays is an exhaustive task; some of the famed displays however, include the second larg...Read more
  2. Hollywood Cemetery

    4.8 (540 Votes)
    Hollywood Cemetery

    Garden, Walking Area, Cemetery

    The Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond is not the burial place of Hollywood stars. In fact, the eminent personalities of Virginia like the Confederate President and generals and the past President of the United States like John Tyler and James Monroe are buried here. Built like a garden along the banks of the river James, the cemetery makes for a nice afternoon walk as you walk past the graves of t...Read more
  3. Virginia State Capitol

    Statue, Architecture , Heritage Building

    Not many know this, but the Virginia State Capitol is the second oldest functioning capitol in the United States. Designed 1785 by Thomas Jefferson, he based the structure of the capitol on his inspiration, a Roman temple Maison Carree. The architecture of the capitol is indeed a thing of beauty and worth ogling at. The busts of the seven Virginia born presidents grace the hall along with a lif...Read more
  4. Monument Avenue

    Walking Area, Monument, Statue, Neighborhoods

    Like the name suggests, Monument Avenue is one of things you have to experience on foot, especially if you’re a tourist. Monument Avenue is the only street in all of the United States that has made it to the list of the National Register of Historic Places. The statue of Robert E.Lee was the first one to be erected here; between 1920 and 1925, the neighbourhood was slowly and gradually sh...Read more
  5. Science Museum Of Virginia

    4.7 (417 Votes)
    Science Museum Of Virginia

    Science Museum, Educational Site, Planetarium , Theatre

    Regardless of whether or not you like science, the Science Museum of Virginia is sure to guarantee a fun time. The Science Museum has something for everyone- children enjoy the Ethyl IMAX Dome and the Planetarium while the adults prefer the Solar Decathlon House, something like what a green house should look like in the future. Covering all the aspects in the field of science, astronomy, physic...Read more
  6. Poe Museum

    4.6 (410 Votes)
    Poe Museum

    Specialty Museum

    Apart from having a politically rich history, Richmond was also the hometown of one America’s most celebrated and renowned writer (posthumously as it might be), Edgar Allan Poe. The oldest building in Richmond has been turned into a museum, dedicated to one of the best authors linked to the Romantic Movement. The building surrounding the Old Stone House were added later to amass and displ...Read more
  7. Children's Museum Of Richmond

    Children Museum

    Although the name states that it’s a museum for children, people from all walks of life will enjoy a visit here! The one thing children are told at museums is not touch anything…well, this changes at the Children’s Museum of Richmond. Children are encouraged to touch, climb and explore anything that catches their fancy. For infants under the age of 3, there’s a special ...Read more
  8. Maymont Park

    4.8 (338 Votes)
    Maymont Park

    Park, Landmark, Estate, Mansion

    The Maymont Estate is a historic landmark in Richmond. Prior to it being declared a public park, it was a 100 acre mansion belonging to James and Sallie Dooley. In 1925, the Maymont estate was gifted to the government, turned into a public park and is now the most visited attraction in Richmond. Apart from the grand 33 room house, the property also sports a Japanese Garden, wildlife exhibits, C...Read more
  9. The Valentine Richmond History Center

    History Museum

    No other museum celebrates Richmond as accurately as the Valentine Richmond History Centre. Chronicling over 400 years of Richmond’s history through everyday articles, the museum has the largest collection of exhibits all of and from a single city. What is now a museum was previously the residence of the Valentine clan. The last occupants of the mansion, businessman Mann Valentine Jr. and...Read more
  10. Richmond National Battlefield Park

    Park, War Memorial

    During the days of the Confederacy and the Civil War, Richmond was the political and social centre of it all. In and around there are a string of battlefields where invaders have tried to capture Richmond but have settled for Petersburg and the neighbouring cities in an attempt to isolate and surround Richmond. Before you begin your tour of the battlefields, the first order of business is getti...Read more
  11. Richmond Slave Trail

    Trail, Walking Area

    For all those of you interested in America’s history with slavery, the Richmond Slave Trail will be a fascinating experience. The trail starts from the Manchester Docks and follows the path of the slave trade path past houses where they were placed and auctioned, including Lumpkin’s Jail. Between the years 1830-1860, Richmond received the largest shipment of slaves, which were eithe...Read more
  12. The Museum And White House Of The Confederacy

    Museum, Heritage Building

    Any history buff, self proclaimed or otherwise will and should not miss on this museum. Housing the largest collection of Confederate artifacts and memorabilia during the years of the Civil War, the exhibits of the museum were in fact, personal belongings of many of the war veterans and Confederacy leaders. The biggest Confederacy museum in all of the United States, the exhibits tell a riveting...Read more
  13. Richmond International Airport Image
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    Richmond International Airport (RIC) is a public airport located in Sandston, Virginia, about 7 miles southeast of downtown Richmond. It is the busiest airport in the state of Virginia, serving over 3 million passengers annually. The airport is owned and operated by the Capital Region Airport Commission.The airport was originally established in 1927 as Richmond Municipal Airport, and was later ...Read more
  14. University Of Richmond - Museums Image
    ©
    The University of Richmond - Museums, Marsh Gallery, Richmond was started in 1978 by the University of Richmond. It was founded by the university's president, E. Bruce Heilman, and art professor, Richard Waller. The museum was established to provide a space for students, faculty, and the community to engage with and learn about art and culture.The Marsh Gallery, which is housed within the Unive...Read more
  15. Jefferson Planetarium Image
    ©
    The Jefferson Planetarium, located in Richmond, Virginia, was founded in 1971 by the Science Museum of Virginia. The planetarium was created to provide educational programs and activities to the public, as well as to serve as a research and teaching facility for the museum. The planetarium was named after Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, who was a strong advocate for ...Read more

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  • activities to entertain 2 7-year old boys

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    • Children's Museum of Richmond, Richmond Metro Zoo,  Kings Dominion, and The Children’s Theatre of Virginia are a few of the best places to visit in Richmond with kids. 

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