I’ve been living in Richmond, Virginia since 2019, which means I lived here during the “COVID times”. Obviously, this means I found every single free and affordable thing to do in this town when we were bored out of our minds. It’s safe to say that at this point I know this town backwards and forwards. Richmond is a surprisingly quiet city for how many people live here. It’s typically easy to find parking and doesn’t have a lot of traffic. There are a lot of different pockets in the city that are really different from each other; from the Fan to Church Hill to Scott’s Addition. Each area offers something completely unique and there is more to do here than meets the eye. I’m here to share all of my secrets and hopefully help make your visit to Richmond as fun as it can possibly be! So here are 10 Free or Affordable Activities in Richmond, Va!
1. Visit the VMFA
The VMFA, or Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, is a staple in Richmond. Not only is the main part of the museum entirely free, but the grounds are absolutely gorgeous and it’s the perfect place for a picnic. Somehow, visiting the VMFA never gets old. The restaurant there is delicious too! I always tell my husband that I feel like I’m in Paris when we sit at the tables outside of museum, sipping our coffee. The main exhibition does charge a fee, but unless it’s something you’re desperate to see, the main part of the museum has plenty for you to see. The gift shop is a great place to shop for friends and family too! Whenever I have visitors in town, the VMFA is typically always on the list. It’s especially perfect for rainy or hot days!
2. Take a Stroll through Maymont Park
Maymont Park is easily the most gorgeous park in the city. They often have events in the park too, including concerts, so I recommend checking the schedule to see if there is something fun going on there! The park is free to visit, and even has a zoo! There is a japanese garden, italian garden, and stunning flowers and trees throughout. It’s quite a large park so you could easily spend the entire day here. I’ve photographed countless weddings here and it never ceases to amaze me. It’s also a lovely place to have a picnic!
3. Explore Church Hill
If you’re visiting Richmond, you absolutely have to wander around Church Hill. It’s an incredibly historic area with beautiful homes and a gorgeous view of the city, especially from Libby Hill Park. I highly recommend grabbing a coffee and pastry from Subrosa (the absolute best in the city) and walking to Libby Hill Park. My husband and I do this often and it’s always such a lovely experience. Church Hill has a ton of amazing restaurants too, from Grisette to Alewife to sandwiches at Union Market, cocktails at the Emerald Lounge, and ice cream at Spotty Dog. It’s especially fun to visit during Halloween and Christmas because the decorations are epic. If you’re really into Halloween, you have to do the Halloween Lights Tour!
4. Hike the James River North Bank Trail and Buttermilk Loop Trail
First of all, I recommend downloading the All Trails app so that you can see all of the hiking trails in Richmond, but I especially recommend the James River North Bank Trail and/or the Buttermilk Loop Trail. If you combine the two, it’s a full loop around the River Bank area and you’ll see some gorgeous views. The Floodwall Trail is close by too if you want even more views! The All Trails app also helps so you don’t get lost. If you do the full trail, it’s about 6.1 miles. Obviously, you don’t have to do the full trail, and if you want a much shorter trail, I recommend the Pump House Park trail or Dogwood Dell trail.
5. Take a Ghost Tour
While the ghost tours aren’t free, they are super affordable and really offer you a taste of the history of the city. It’s a great activity for families and often puts you in a great area for grabbing dinner or drinks. I actually have a full review on my blog and YouTube video of the spooky Shockoe Bottom Ghost Tour, but I also highly recommend the Scott’s Addition Drink Richmond Walking Tour through Scott’s Addition. Scott’s Addition is known for their amazing, countless breweries and it’s just a fun, interesting area overall. The Hollywood Cemetery Tour is also fun and takes you through the gorgeous and historic Hollywood Cemetery. Personally, I love visiting cemeteries when visiting a new city because they are incredibly historic and often stunning. Plus, Richmond is an old city and is known for it’s spooky vibes!
6. Take a stroll in Carytown
If you’ve visited Richmond before, you’ve likely been to Carytown. It’s the main shopping area in the city and is filled with cute local shops and delicious restaurants. It’s also just a fun area to walk around because you’ll get to know the characters of Richmond and the vibe of the locals. A few of my favorite restaurants are Can Can Brasserie (French) , Lolita’s (Mexican), Sen Organic (Vietnamese), Mom’s Siam (Thai), Tulsi (Indian), and the Jasper (amazing cocktails). There are so many more I could list, but you really can’t go wrong! You could easily spend a day in this area. We also love Reveler, a unique sort of “oddities” bar and venue that has great jazz. You’ve never been to a place like this, I promise. It’s strange, fun, and has great cocktails and food. You can also check out the Byrd Theatre, a historic movie theatre (with affordable movie tickets) that plays the best movies in town and typically opens with an organist playing the “Mighty Wurlitzer”. Oh! And if you’re looking for coffee and pastries, Sugar & Twine is definitely one of our favorite cafes in the city! Carytown has festivals throughout the year as well, like the Watermelon Festival, so maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be visiting during one of those!
7. Bike the Capital Trail or Richmond Riverfront Phase Trail
Again, the All Trails app is definitely helpful in following the trail paths, but these are both beautiful bike trails. The Capital Trail is actually a 51.7 mile trail that runs through Richmond and can take you all the way to Williamsburg! Of course, you can bike for however long you want, but I highly recommend biking along the area near Rockett’s Landing and grabbing a happy hour drink at the Boathouse or Island Shrimp Co. to experience the gorgeous views of the James River.
8. Take a tour of the Poe Museum
The Poe Museum is a super affordable attraction, and such a unique place. It’s one of my favorite places in the city to bring visitors because it’s so quirky and strange. I’ve still never been to a museum quite like this one. I’ve photographed a handful of weddings here too because of it’s unique courtyard and black cats that stroll the grounds. If you like Edgar Allen Poe, you HAVE to visit. The tickets are only $12, which is a steal if you ask me. The gift shop is cute too! Plus, it gives you a great idea of the strange creative side of Richmond. Kids would love this museum too!
9. Visit Joseph Bryan Park or Forest Hill Park on a Farmer’s Market Day
If you’re visiting over a weekend, you have to go to either the RVA Big Market at Joseph Bryan Park on Saturdays from 8am-12pm or the South of the James Market in Forest Hill Park on Sundays from 10am-1pm. They are both lovely parks to stroll with gorgeous trails, especially during the spring and fall. It’s the perfect place to bring a pet too! The markets are filled with tons of amazing local vendors and you can definitely find some affordable food and gifts to take home with you after your visit.
10. Take a day trip out of Town
If you’ve already exhausted this list, I recommend taking a day trip to Ashland, Virginia Beach, Yorktown, Charlottesville or historic Colonial Williamsburg. These are all lovely cities and offer their own unique vibes. Ashland is fairly small but has some great local restaurants and a cute downtown area. If you’re looking for a place with more hustle and bustle, Charlottesville is known for it’s incredible wineries, restaurants, and walking trails. Virginia Beach, Cape Charles and Yorktown are great if you’re looking for a beach day, and Colonial Williamsburg is a WHOLE experience. Make sure to visit Jamestown and wander the area near William & Mary University. There’s really so much to do around here. There are also tons of wineries, cideries, breweries and parks surrounding Richmond, typically within a 20-45 minutes drive if you don’t want to drive quite as far.
A few bonus ideas that aren’t free, but are great ways to spend your time – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Science Museum of Virginia (perfect for kids of all ages), Agecroft Hall & Gardens, or events at the Altria Theatre, Allianz Amphitheatre, The Broadberry, the National, or catch a movie at the historic and beautiful Byrd Theatre (one of my favorite things to do in this city)!
I hope this list helps keep you busy while you’re in Richmond! Writing this post has made me realize I need to make a restaurant guide because there are so many great places to eat here. I’ll get to work on that. 🙂
Make sure to find us on Instagram or Facebook, and you can also see some of our travels on my YouTube channel, Cameras & Cats. I’m actually a full-time photographer so I love blending photography, travel, and blogging. You can find my photography blog here! My sister and I run this blog, C’est Le Brie, together and we love sharing our travel tips and tricks with all of you. Thank you so much for reading!
❤ Myles Katherine
C'est le Brie 