Day trips are a great way to break up the summer without breaking the bank. Whether you're going on a big family vacay this summer or spending the summer in Lynchburg, these 10 day trips will keep the family busy and you'll still be home in time for dinner.
Virginia Safari Park is located in Natural Bridge and is Virginia's only drive-thru safari adventure. Your admission fees include both the safari drive-thru adventure and and the Safari Village walk-thru adventure. The kids will have a blast seeing the animals close-up. You can even feed the animals through the car windows.
Virginia Discovery Museum is located at 524 East Main Street on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. Kids must be accompanied by an adult and little ones under 1 year old are free. Virginia Discovery Museum is open Monday through Saturday. There are lots of hands-on exhibits for your children to enjoy. See the website for more information.
Maymont Park is located at 1700 Hampton Street in Richmond. The 100-acre Victorian estate of Maymont was gifted to the city of Richmond by James and Sallie Dooley to be preserved for new generations. The grounds, gardens, farm and wildlife habitats are open daily. Maymont Mansion and the Nature Center are open Friday through Sunday. Donations are suggested and appreciated for admission. Tickets for the Maymont Mansion tours and the Nature Center can be purchased online. Pack a lunch to enjoy on the grounds, stroll through the gardens and enjoy a day of family fun.
Belle Isle is a treasure among Richmond parks. Located in the middle of the James River near the Canal Walk in Downtown Richmond, Belle Isle is reached by pedestrian footbridges crossing the river from Tredegar Street and near 22nd Street. There's a walking path that circles the island. In the summer, many people enjoy sunbathing on the large flat rocks surrounding the island or wading in the James; however, the water is rough and children should be supervised at all times. There are also wooded trails, a mountain biking skills course, historical sites, accessible fishing at the quarry pond, and a granite rock climbing wall.
Amazement Square was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor. How lucky are we that Amazement Square is located right here in Downtown Lynchburg at 27 Ninth Street. Spend a few hours or all day with hands-on learning activities that kids of all ages will enjoy. The museum is open from Wednesday through Saturday. Amazement Tower is one of the tallest climbing structures in the nation, connecting all four floors and extending into the roof. Slides, ladders, tunnels and a zip line will keep your kids busy for hours. When the climbing's done, visit the other exhibits, including special areas just for the little ones.
Mill Mountain Zoo is located in Downtown Roanoke, atop Mill Mountain. Open daily, Mill Mountain Zoo can be accessed from I-81/581, downtown Roanoke and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of the animals you'll see at Mill Mountain are: the Red Wolf, Eurasian Lynx, Red Panda, Snow Leopard, other mammals and a variety of reptiles and birds. Kids ages 2 and under are free. While you're on Mill Mountain, check out the Mill Mountain Star. You've seen it from a distance, but it looks much bigger close-up.
Virginia Museum of Transportation is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on major holidays; hours vary by season The museum's collection includes 2,500 transportation items, including the largest collection of diesel locomotives in the South. Children ages 2 and under are admitted free. In addition to a number of rail transportation exhibits, kids of all ages will also enjoy road transportation exhibits, air and space exhibits, a maritime gallery, transportation-themed playground and much more.
The Frontier Culture Museum, located at 1290 Richmond Road in Staunton, is open daily. The museum interprets the contributions made by settlers from England, Germany, Ireland, and West Africa that pioneered our Western frontier in the 1600s and 1700s. Numerous outdoor exhibits teach visitors what life was like for the thousands of people who migrated to colonial America, both in their homelands in in America. Kids under 6 years are free and school-age kids receive discounted admission. Kids and adults can learn a lot about the history of thousands of people who migrated to Colonial America at the Frontier Culture Museum.
Virginia Museum of Natural History is located at 21 Starling Avenue in Martinsville. is open Tuesday through Sunday. Your children will enjoy exhibits of all types of nature, including creatures ranging in size from butterflies to dinosaurs. The Discovery Reef play area is a hands-on, interactive play and discovery area for children and adults of all ages. Admission is free for children under 3 years and discounted for school-age children.
Danville Science Center, located at 677 Craghead Street, is open Tuesday through Sunday. Digital Dome Theater showtimes vary each day, so check the website before you go. There are many exciting exhibits and hands-on activities to enjoy, including a special hands-on learning area for younger children. Kids 3 years and under are admitted free.
Choose one or more of these day trip destinations or have fun around Lynchburg at Nature Zone, Tiny Town Golf, Bounce About, Get Air Lynchburg Trampoline Park, FunQuest, Putt-Putt Fun Center, Rise Up Climbing, Snowflex or one of the many parks or trails in Lynchburg.
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You'll find family-friendly events to last you all summer in the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid calendar of events on our website. Subscribe to receive a FREE weekly listing of events and activities, as well as articles and guides about local family fun. If anyone tells you that there's nothing to do in Lynchburg, don't believe them!
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