Things to Do in Eastern & Central Virginia
- Adam Garrett
- Aug 11, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
In this article, I'll be sharing some specific options of things to consider doing in central & eastern VA as well as steps to find some additional options.
Introduction Including Where to Find Things to Do
Look Online - Places Like TripAdvisor & Google Maps will be some of the best places to look. TripAdvisor & Google Maps have different systems, and I like TripAdvisor's ranking system, though it doesn't have as friendly of a map as Google Maps for those things to do closest to you. US News & World Report also has some options in some areas, but typically not for anything but very populous cities/counties
See my Virginia map Guides
Ask Your Neighbors - Whether you're considering purchasing in a location or whether you already live there, get to know your neighbors and ask them for suggestions for things to do in the area.
Ask Social Media - Ask on localized trash or treasure groups on Facebook (if not against their rules) and especially on 411 groups for your city/county on Facebook. You can also ask things on your profile directly if you're already connected with a number of people in your area on social media. Reddit & Quora are other examples of where you can ask people about what there is to do in the area.
Notation, Patterns Used Below, & Disclosure
6.25.21 in TA #'d order for traveler favorites in VA.
On the left is the "traveler favorites" rating for VA.
On the right is the "Traveler Favorite" rating for the city/county.
I am excluding some items that wouldn't be considered attractions by most, i.e. the Bay Bridge tunnel and anything rated <4/5.
Cities/Counties are listed in alphabetical order within region.
For cities/counties listed by region go to the bottom of my SE VA page.
Disclosure:
(Ranks as of 6.25.21; by their mention, I am not endorsing visits to all areas below for all people, but many have had positive experiences; for instance, you won't find me at the White House for the Confederacy, while someone that is really into history, a civil war reenactor, or otherwise might like it):
Locations Within Eastern & Central VA:
Greater Richmond
Above - Richmond waterfront view - image by Adam
Hanover County:
Henrico County:
#10 Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
#178 Mid-Lothian Mines Park #1 4.5/5
#253. Robious Landing Park #2 4.5/5
Richmond:
#4 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
#21 Virginia Capitol Building
#45 White House of the Confederacy (see caveat above)
#108 Science Museum of Virginia
#109 St. John's Episcopal Church
#141 Virginia Museum of History & Culture
#145 Virginia Holocaust Museum
(Glen Allen) #210 Lavender Fields Herb Farm #3 (GA) 4.5/5
#214. Agecroft Hall & Gardens #9 4.5/5
#215 American Civil War Museum- Historic Tredegar #20 4/5
#218 Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site #14 4.5/5
#221. T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge #38 4.5/5
Above - Gloucester Point free boat ramp - image by Adam
Gloucester Point Beach Park #3 4/5
The Gloucester Museum of History #5 4/5
That Damn Mary Brewing Company #2 5/5 (see caveat above)
Bridgewaters Salon & Spa #3 5/5
The Swamp Paintball Park #4 5/5
West Point
No Limits Skydiving 4.5/5
Peninsula
Above: City Center of Oyster Point in Newport News - image by Adam
Hampton:
#24 in VA Fort Monroe's Casemate Museum #1
#46 Virginia Air & Space Science Center #2 (pictured above)
#57 Fort Monroe National Monument #4
#127 Sandy Bottom Nature Park #6
#243. Hampton Coliseum #9 4/5 Arena
#32 The Mariners' Museum & Park #1 5/5
#48 Virginia Living Museum #2 4.5/5
#162 Newport News Park #4 4.5/5
#226 U.S. Army Transportation Museum #5 4.5/5
Poquoson
Messick Point Public Boat Ramp (4.8/5 on Google Maps)
Williamsburg :
#22 Jamestown-Scotland Ferry (free)
#27 Governor's Palace
#28 Busch Gardens Williamsburg
#80 Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center
#96 Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
#98 Bruton Parish Episcopal Church
#102 The College of William and Mary
#166 Colonial Williamsburg Capitol Building #10
#181 Williamsburg Premium Outlets #23 4/5
#209 George Wythe House #8 5/5
#219 Waller Mill Park #22 4.5/5
#220 Alewerks Brewing Company #16 4.5/5
#236. DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum #7 4.5/5
#241. Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg #37 4/5 Water Park
Yorktown:
#51 American Revolution Museum at Yorktown #1
#133 Colonial National Historic Park #6
#199 Yorktown Beach #3 4.5/5
South Side
Above - Battleship Wisconsin in Norfolk w Nauticus behind it - Image by Adam
Chesapeake:
#69 in VA Oak Grove Lake Park #1
Isle of Wight County (includes Smithfield)
St. Luke's Historic Church & Museum #1
Isle of Wight County Museum #3
Smithfield and Isle of Wight Visitor Center #5
Norfolk:
#8 Battleship Wisconsin at Nauticus #1
#20 Norfolk Botanical Garden #2
Naval Station Norfolk #6
Hampton Roads Naval Museum #7
MacArthur Memorial #8
Pagoda & Oriental Garden #9
#212 Children's Museum of Virginia #1 4.5/5
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum #3
Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve #4
Lightship Portsmouth Museum #5
The Railroad Museum of Virginia #6
#198 Riddick's Folly House Museum #1 5/5
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge #2
Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum #3
Surry
#1 Virginia Beach Boardwalk #1 4.5/5
#30 Military Aviation Museum #4 5/5
#47 Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center #5 4.5/5
#52 First Landing State Park #6 4.5/5
#77 Tarnished Truth Distilling Company #7 5/5
#91 Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge #8 4.5/5
#134 Cape Henry Lighthouse #10 4.5/5
#172 Mount Trashmore Park #11 4.5/5
#183. King Neptune Statue on the Boardwalk #12 4.5/5
#191 False Cape State Park #14 4.5/5
Beyond Eastern & Central VA:
Beyond Eastern & Central VA within 7.5 hr drive of Newport News
Above: The Salamander Hotel Outdoor Heated Pool in Middleburg, VA - Image by Adam
More to do within 7.5 hr driving distance (apx hrs drive from Newport News)
Delaware
Baltimore (direct flights)
New York (7 hrs drive to NYC; direct flights available to EWR, LGA, & JFK)
#1 in US The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum #2 Historic Site/Museum 4.5/5 7 hrs
North Carolina
#37 in US Biltmore #1 in Asheville - Historic Site/Museum 6.5 hrs -
Closest direct flight is to CLT >2 hrs away
Pennsylvania
#27. in US Eastern State Penitentiary #1 in Philadelphia 4.5/5 History Site/Museum 5.5 hrs
Direct flights available
Pittsburgh - 7 hrs - direct flights available
South Carolina
#24 in US Middleton Place #11 in Charleston (direct flights w/ Breeze) 4.5/5 7 hrs
#36 in US Broadway at the Beach (Myrtle Beach w/ indirect flights only #13) 4.5/5 5.5 hrs
Tennessee
#35 in US Titanic Museum Attraction 4.5/5 Specialty Museum 7.5 hrs
Washington DC
#14 in US Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History #3 4.5/5 3 hrs; direct flights available from ORF
West Virginia - indirect flights only
Great Falls Park near DC above - image by Adam
Direct flights out of SE VA
For more to do beyond 7 hr driving distance (with direct flights from SE VA (updated 10/11/21) out of RIC (Richmond) &/or ORF (Norfolk); PHF (Newport News) direct flights to CLT, PHL on AA, formerly ATL on Delta):
For the most up-to-date list, go here for Norfolk:
& here for Richmond:
Images courtesy Flight Connections
Newport News/Williamsburg airport fluctuates, sometimes only having 1 direct flight destination, but the most consistent flight is on American Airlines to Charlotte.
Here's a list of some options, but they aren't updated daily:
Arizona:
Phoenix
California:
Los Angeles
#4 The Getty Center 5/5 Specialty Museums
#12 USS Midway Museum 5/5 Specialty Museums
San Francisco
Colorado:
Denver
Connecticut:
Hartford
Florida:
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Myers
Jacksonville
#9 Wynwood Walls 4.5/5 Points of Interest/Art Museums
Orlando
#3 The Wizarding World of Harry Potter 5/5 Amusement & Theme Parks (see caveat above)
Punta Gorda
Tampa
Georgia:
Atlanta
Illinois:
Chicago
#5 The Art Institute of Chicago 5/5 Art Museums
Louisiana:
New Orleans (direct on Breeze Airways - not daily)
#7 The National WWII Museum 5/5 Military Museums
Maryland:
Baltimore
#10 Fenway Park - 4.5/5 Arenas & Stadiums
Michigan:
Detroit
Minnesota:
Minneapolis
Missouri:
Saint Louis
Nevada:
Las Vegas
#2 in US Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area 4.5/5 State Parks • National Parks
Ohio:
Akron (Breeze)
Cincinatti
Columbus (on Breeze)
Pennsylvania:
Pittsburgh on Breeze (seasonal)
Rhode Island:
Providence
South Carolina:
Charleston (seasonal on Breeze)
Tenessee:
Nashville (direct on Southwest)
#8 Grand Ole Opry 4.5/5 Theaters
Texas:
Dallas/Fort Worth
Houston
Related:
Overarching Related: