Free Things to Do in & Around Virginia
- Adam Garrett
- Mar 24, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 20
In this article, I share my map of over 1500 free things to do in & around Virginia, with a small % of those #s even around the globe. It's one of the unmatched resources I offer buyers. The heaviest concentration of where I've mapped things out is in SE VA, followed by the DC area. I also include some additional free maps for certain niches, including museums, parents, active duty military, pet owners, disabled, low-income, & more.
The map:
Map Basics
The list I've created is by no means exhaustive but is a step in the right direction of over 1000 free things to do mostly in and some around VA (especially DC), going beyond adjacent states more rarely. I've attempted to exclusively include either free areas or areas that would be free or extremely low-cost for a large segment of the population.
For instance, with DWR free hunting areas, as well as some free freshwater fishing areas, a VA hunting or VA freshwater fishing license (whether annual or lifetime) means that you don't need to pay the $4 permit. I also included those areas with other parks due to the low annual cost & some lifetime options at low cost.
I included high population density areas with parking fees at times, but excluded those often in rural areas where most people would be driving in.
More rarely, I include options that are only free one day a week, or certain months of the year, but will typically include that information in the title to make it stand out.
The map is divided into 9 free categories and 1 paid category, w #s below increasing over time as I add (& more rarely subtract if pricing changes or if someone reports something inaccurate):
Map Sections for Map Above
#s as of date of this publication or as of the date of a more recent update:
238 Free Boat Ramps & Launches (including some w/ kayaks/canoes/rowboats only)
266 Fishing Free &/or Free Beaches (fishing license required typically, but free for some even in those cases, i.e. saltwater fishers 65+ where no license is required as long as access is free, or $5 at places like some DWR sites that require a permit to access)
437 Free Parks, Natural Area Preserves, Wildlife Management Areas ($4/day for permit, $23/yr), & Historic Sites
78 Hunting Free for those w/ Hunting License or Very Low Cost (i.e. $25/yr) (WMAs & Wildlife Refuges)
113 Free Camping & Free Overnight Shelters (or w/ WMA, $4/day for permit, or $23/yr as part of a hunting/fishing license, or less if lifetime hunting/fishing license)
80 Playgrounds
252 Trails/Hiking
124 Free Sports & Community Centers Freely Accessible to Residents (& sometimes those who don't reside in the city/county)
343 Libraries, Museums, Ferries, Areas with a wide variety of options, Memorials, & Other Free Amenities
How to Use the Maps
You can select what options you'd like to see by selecting them on the left side of the map.
If wanting to exclusively look at the free things, be sure to deselect the paid options from the map that's located at the bottom:
How to Help with the Maps
Especially for that which is not free (including parking fees in places that don't have great mass transit), please let me know if you find anything that needs adjustment in comments below.
If you'd like to add to the map below, please share the website that clearly points to the site appearing free for locations in VA & adjacent states only that aren't present on Tripadvisor (or present with barely any reviews) but that are highly rated elsewhere with a high volume of reviews (i.e. Google Maps). Some of the 3rd party sites I found said something was free but it wasn't actually free when I looked into (i.e. low cost, parking fees in areas not prone to parking fees, & areas within larger fee based areas), making my job more difficult.
Free for Active Duty Military
Keep in mind that some of these options have additional requirements, i.e. acquiring a pass freely that can be used annually. Not all are for the military, but many are. Select the appropriate categories on the top left that apply to you.
Free for Pet Owners
See the sections on "Dog Park Free" & "Dog Treats Free" here:
Free for Birthday
Keep in mind that many of these require you to join a free restaurant club of some sort & that these should be verified prior to seeking them out.
More birthday freebies:
Free Museums, Zoos, & Art Galleries
Free or Heavily Discounted for Disabled &/or Poor
Tripadvisor & Similar Best Free Things to Do
Some of the items on my list above came from Tripadvisor's List of the Best Free Things to Do in various locations, i.e.
Best Free Things to Do in United States
Best Free Things to Do in Virginia
SE VA Locations Per TripAdvisor
Ask Google
Even when Tripadvisor is coming empty on free things to do for a location, it's a good idea to ask Google, which now has AI responses, i.e. the below for Mathews where Tripadvisor doesn't have any free options listed:
Peninsula
Middle Peninsula
Mathews (no free options listed)
South Side
Greater Richmond
Charles City County (no free options listed)
Henrico County (no Tripadvisor free things list but Google has options)
New Kent County (very limited and partially not truly free)
Best Free Things to Do in Delaware
The Highest Rated Free-Entry Attraction In Every Country And State (Casago)
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) (free for a number of people, i.e. holders of VA freshwater fishing or hunting licenses)
Warning: Verify
Be Sure to Verify Prior to Going Somewhere
Related:
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