Summer is a time for making family memories and many parents are planning family getaways now so they'll be ready when school's out.
Some venues prefer that you reserve tickets online in advance, so check each website before you plan your trip.
Check out 25 Cheap Ways to Enjoy Summer 2023 to Find Your Family Fun® in the Lynchburg area!
Find all of our faves in our Lynchburg VA Area Best of Summer 2023 Guide - coming soon!
Here are some of our favorite summertime day trips, weekend trips, and vacation week getaway sites.
Summer Staycation Top Picks
Find Your Family Fun® close to home with our favorite summer staycation picks! Click on each link to learn more about these Lynchburg area treasures.
Summertime Water Fun 2023: Lynchburg Area Pools, Lakes and Water Holes - Find Your Family Fun® this summer in the water with Lynchburg Macaroni Kid!
10 Reasons to Enjoy a Virginia State Park Staycation in 2023 - With 41 Virginia State Parks across Virginia, there's something for everyone! North, south, east, or west, there's a Virginia State Park for your family to explore. Enjoy hiking and biking, history and nature, greenways and waterways. Stay in a cabin, camp in a tent or RV, or make it a day trip!
10 Family Picnic Sites in Lynchburg and Central Virginia - Gather up bikes, balls, bubbles, and other outdoor playthings; pack a picnic lunch, load up the kids, and head to one of our family's top 10 picnic sites. It doesn't get any easier!
5 Water Holes in the Lynchburg Area for Kids to Splash In! - Check out these five Lynchburg area spots where your family can cool off and Find Your Family Fun® on summery spring days!
Enjoy a family bike ride day at one of these 10 Lynchburg VA Area Places to Ride Bikes. Whether you stay in town or visit a nearby bike trail, you'll all have fun while staying active.
Summer Staycation: 10 Things to Do at Percival's Island - Formerly a railroad bed, a paved hiking and biking trail travels the length of Percival's Island
25 Places in the Lynchburg Area to Walk or Hike - From paved trails to earthen pathways, Find Your Family Fun® in 2021 on one of these trails!
Close to Home Day Trips
Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke, Natural Bridge Zoo, and Virginia Safari Park (a drive-thru adventure) in Natural Bridge are all about an hour away. Visit the animals and let the kids see nature close-up. You can even feed the animals from your vehicle at Virginia Safari Park!
Learn about our country's history at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park in Appomattox or the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. If you want to stay closer to home, take a walking or driving tour of historic sites in Lynchburg.
Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a day trip to the Peaks of Otter near Bedford. Take a stroll around the lake on the Lake Trail or head across the road and take a short hike to Johnson's Farm.
Drive to Crabtree Falls in Nelson County and hike up to the waterfalls. A short hike from the parking area brings you to the first viewing area. Allow a couple of hours or more if you plan to hike the entire 2.5-mile loop.
Wade in the water or go for a swim at some of our favorite locations: Enjoy Maury River Fun at Ben Salem Wayside in Lexington and Otter Creek on the Blue Ridge Parkway are our two favorite water hole locations.
If you kids like hiking in the woods, head to the Appalachian Trail for an exciting family adventure. Hiking a short section of the 2,190 mile AT will bring you face-to-face with nature. The AT stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. With nearly one-quarter of the AT's miles located in Virginia, there are many AT access points within an hour's drive. Some of our favorite spots to jump on the AT are: James River Foot Bridge off Route 501 near Big Island, Tye River parking lot on Route 56 in Montebello, Thunder Ridge Overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and multiple parking areas on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive.
Center in the Square, located at One Market Square SE in downtown Roanoke, houses four museums and a theatre within a single building. The museums include: Roanoke Pinball Museum, Harrison Museum of African American Culture, History Museum of Western Virginia/O Winston Link Museum, Kids Square, and the Science Museum of Western Virginia with butterfly garden. Hours of operation vary and some museums also offer Sunday hours. Visit one museum or purchase Center Passes to enjoy the entire Center in the Square experience. Check the website for ticket pricing.
Head to Smith Mountain Lake State Park, located about an hour from Lynchburg at 1235 State Park Road in Huddleston. Smith Mountain Lake State Park is very popular with local families all year round. There are 13 hiking trails, ranging from half a mile to three miles long, including family favorites Turtle Island Trail and Lakeview Trail, both with great views of the lake. The swimming beach is open seasonally from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. The fishing is great at Smith Mountain Lake and the water is perfect for boating too.
Visit Natural Bridge State Park, located about an hour from Lynchburg at 6477 South Lee Highway in Natural Bridge. The 215-foot tall Natural Bridge was once owned by Thomas Jefferson and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are six miles of hiking trails in the park, including the accessible Cedar Creek Trail that leads from the bridge to the Monacan Indian Village and Lace Falls with its 30-foot cascade.
If your family enjoys biking on the Blackwater Creek Bikeway, you'll really love High Bridge Trail State Park. The former rail bed is 31 miles long and is wide, level and mostly flat -- perfect for kids of all ages. Kids will love the High Bridge, which is more than 2,400 feet long and 125 feet above the Appomattox River. It's the longest recreational bridge in Virginia and is among the longest in the United States. High Bridge, a Virginia Historic Landmark, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Check the Virginia State Parks website link above for parking information.
The Frontier Culture Museum, located in Staunton, is open daily. Exhibits include: a 1600s English Farm, 1700s German Farm, 1700s Irish Forge, 1700s Irish Farm, 1700s West African Farm, 1700s Ganatastwi (Native American exhibit), 1740s American Farm, 1820s American Farm, 1850s American Farm and Early American Schoolhouse. 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 Transportation is 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.
Danville Science Center, located at 677 Craghead Street in Danville, is open Wednesday through Sunday. There are many hands-on and interactive exhibits to teach kids more about science in a fun way. The Digital Dome offers a way to see the stars, travel underwater, and explore the universe on the big screen, while the Creativity Lab offers hands-on activities geared to children ages 8-13.
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. There are lots of hands-on exhibits for your children to enjoy. See the website for more information.
Greensboro Science Center is located at 4301 Lawndale Drive in Greensboro, NC. You can enjoy an outdoor zoo, aquarium, and lots of interactive exhibits all in one place at Greensboro Science Center. There's also a fun old school carousel to ride, shows in the OmniSphere Theater and Adventure Theater, and more. There's also FLYWAY zipline and SKYWILD ropes and adventure course, both for ages 8 and older participants in good health, and both require additional fees. Greensboro Science Center is open year-round from 9 AM - 5 PM daily and closed on major holidays.
Metro Richmond Zoo is located at 8300 Beaver Bridge Road in Moseley, about an hour and a half from Lynchburg and just west of Richmond. Virginia's Largest zoological park, the Metro Richmond Zoo is home to 2,000 animals from around the world. There's a children's petting area with barnyard animals. You can also feed the bigger animals and attend keeper talks to learn more about the animals, There are extra fees to ride the safari sky lift, safari train, jungle carousel, and penguin falls drop tower or you can purchase an unlimited ride band to enjoy on your visit. The Treetop Zoofari for ages 8 and older and the Junior Explorer Course for ages 4 and older will challenge the adventurous and both require additional fees. Metro Richmond Zoo is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 AM - 5 PM and closed on Sundays and major holidays.
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 on weekends. Admission to Maymont Park is free; however, donations are suggested and appreciated. Tickets for the Maymont Mansion tours and the Nature Center can be purchased online and admission is limited. 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.
Virginia Museum of Natural History is located at 21 Starling Avenue in Martinsville. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday. 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.
Head to Williamsburg and enjoy a day of family fun at Busch Gardens or Water Country USA. Enjoy rides and shows at Busch Gardens, hit the water at Water Country USA, or do both and enjoy summertime fun. Hours vary by season, so check the websites for more information.
Kings Dominion is located in Doswell, about 30 minutes north of Richmond. The park is open daily; hours vary throughout the season, so check the calendar before you leave home. Enjoy the thrills of roller coasters and other rides. Planet Snoopy has lots of rides for the little ones, family-friendly entertainment, and you can visit with Snoopy and the Peanuts gang. Soak City Water Park, located inside Kings Dominion, opens for the season in late May. Enjoy wave pools, waterslides, a lazy river, and a fun splash pad for the kids.
Virginia State Parks are among some of the best in the nation. The 41 parks offer outdoor fun at family-friendly prices. From the Eastern Shore to the mountains of Southwest Virginia, there's a park that's just right for your family's adventures. Two of the closest Virginia State Parks (and two of our family's favorites) are Smith Mountain Lake State Park and Holliday Lake State Park.
Weekend or Vacation Week Trips
Take a trip to Washington, DC and visit the monuments, museums and memorials. With lots of memorials and museums from which to choose, there's something that will please everyone in the family. When kids see these famous memorials for the first time, the looks on their faces are priceless. The Lincoln Memorial is a favorite of many children. The words of the Gettysburg Address and other famous speeches are engraved on the inner walls of the memorial. Everyone in the family will want to pose in front of the statue of President Lincoln. Favorite kids' museums include the Natural History Museum and the Air and Space Museum. The Metro is the best way to get around in Washington DC. Your kids will quickly learn to follow the stops using metro guide maps.
Gather the family and head to Historic Jamestown. Although it's only a few hours from Lynchburg, you'll feel you've stepped back in time when you arrive. Explore the history of the Jamestown Settlement and learn about early America with your family. There are lots of hands-on learning activities for kids. Jamestown was founded in 1607. Your kids will love boarding replicas of the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia. You can also explore in the life-size recreations of the colonists' fort and a Powhatan village. Historic Virginia comes to live at Jamestown.
Head to Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach, or the Outer Banks for a beach getaway week or long weekend. The sun, the waves, the memories! Take a morning walk on the beach gathering seashells. Watch the sunrise each morning. Bring bikes and go exploring. Be sure to pick up souvenirs for your landlocked friends.
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is the ultimate spring break vacation for some families. From Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, from a stroll down Main Street to the beauty of Cinderella's Castle, you'll enjoy the shows and the rides. You'll feel like a little kid yourself as you enjoy the perfect world that is Disney. Enjoy favorite classics like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, It's a Small World, the Mad Tea Party and Space Mountain. And of course, no trip to Disney is complete without enjoying the Main Street Electric Light Parade. Is it any wonder that Disney World is among America's favorite vacation destinations?
Head to Gatlinburg TN for a Great Smoky Mountains getaway. With many places to stay within a short walk of the tourist area, there's a lot to see and do. You’ll find an excellent aquarium, mini golf and mountain coasters, museums and arcades, and many other attractions for families to enjoy, right on the Parkway. If you enjoy heights and views, plan a visit to Gatlinburg Skylift Park while you're there. The Gatlinburg SkyBridge is 680 feet long and the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.
Check out these articles about some of our favorite summer day trip destinations:
Summer Day Tripping: Smith Mountain Lake State Park
Summer Day Tripping: Mill Creek Lake in Amherst County
Summer Day Tripping: Wayside Park in Hurt
Summer Day Tripping: Holliday Lake State Park
Summer Day Tripping: English Park in Altavista
Summer Day Tripping: Maury River Fun at Ben Salem Wayside in Lexington
Summer Day Tripping: Crabtree Falls
Summer Day Tripping: Rockfish Valley Trails and Spruce Creek Park
Summer Day Tripping: Pocahontas State Park
Summer Day Tripping: Douthat State Park
Summer Day Tripping: Otter Creek on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Visit the Blue Ridge Parkway with Your Family
Keep the kids busy on day trips and family road trips with kid-friendly audio books! Listening to books can improve learning ... and is a great distraction on long car trips!
Pump Up the Volume: Mom-Approved Audiobook Recommendations for Kids
Stay up to date with local and virtual family-friendly activities and events in the Lynchburg area this summer with the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid event calendar. Like us on Facebook for plan ahead event information, happenings around town and more. Find Your Family Fun® this summer with Lynchburg Macaroni Kid!
