With spring around the corner, I am enjoying finding nature spots to explore with these bursts of…read morewarm weather. My best friend and I went to Pocahontas State Park a few weekends ago to do the Beaver Lake trail. This park is pretty big and they offer a variety of trails to explore. I love that you are able to walk, fish, bike, and even camp here. I just learned that if you are an REI member, you can take your receipt and use it as a payment to enter this park! It's usually $7 to enter with a car, but it was nice to be able to enter with a REI receipt. I've come twice this year and while the trees are not green yet, it's still a lovely park to explore. It's very family-friendly. There is a playground in the space. They also seem to have pools here. You can use All Trails to find a trail you want or ask the park ranger for recs on the map. They also have an information center and museum. If you live in the RVA area, I recommend checking out this park at least once.

Pocahontas State Park offers over 90 miles of trails, a large lake system, and a well-maintained…read morecampground. Time your hike for lunch at Swift Creek Reservoir. You might spot hawks, eagles, or herons. In spring, the path leaving the reservoir is often covered in tiny frogs. They have no self-preservation so watch your step. The park hosts concerts at its amphitheater, including touring acts like Dark Star Orchestra. Snakes are common, especially near water. They're native, and you're trespassing so leave them be. Or text a picture to the VA Snake Hotline (804) 617-7086 to confirm that you don't need to freak out. As for the paw prints in the mud: I've seen them. They look like mountain lion tracks. Officially extinct in Virginia, but the prints say otherwise. Leave no trash. Pack out everything. This place is awesome/wonderful/beautiful!!! Don't mess it up.

Love this park! Easy parking right near the trailhead. The majority of the trails are under a heavy…read moreblanket of tree cover, so nice & shady! The floating dock boardwalk takes you over the marsh area where you can see all the beautiful plant growth, butterflies, frogs & fish! Such a nice park for a Saturday afternoon hike!

Absolutely gorgeous park with a mixed paved, bridged and natural trail! The park has various…read moreentrances, but I would recommend parking by the playground and entering the trail that way. The beginning of the trail does consist of a winding descent so keep that in mind as the incline back can be hard for some. Once you get down you'll find yet another playground with a fun insect/nature theme. Making this a fun spot for kids and families. The amazing part of this park is the bridge that allows you to walk through the marshlands, the bridge does shake a little bit but overall felt pretty sturdy. It offers stunning views and is a lovely deviation from other nature trails. There are a variety of marked natural trails that vary in intensity/length making this place a great spot for all levels. Along the trails are also little lookouts so you can really enjoy the views. The trails are a bit secluded so you may want a trail buddy if you plan to walk past the marsh bridge if visibility is important to you. The trails are mainly wooded which offers a nice amount of shade which is great for the warmer months. There is also tons of parking available and multiple shelters for picnics or events. Overall, this is an amazing park and definitely worth a little drive to check out!

This is one if my favorite places in town. Quiet, restful, relatively clean, and visited by lovely…read morepeople (and their dogs). Excellent for an easy walk, the paved path stretches 1.5 miles, past some nice (and admittedly less than nice, but ostensibly safe) landscapes and locations. Bicycle friendly, plenty of space on the path for everyone.

Stunning park with gorgeous views. They have a lovely walking trail that allows you to view the…read morewater or access multiple fishing docks. The parking lot is decently sized and can accommodate a lot of people. They have a nice overlook bluff with picnic tables which is great for enjoying nature and having a scenic view. The walking trail has multiple offshoots that allow you to explore, get closer to the water and has benches sprinkled throughout. I absolutely loved my time here getting to just sit and relax in such a beautiful, peaceful environment. They also offer history reenactments here as well, while I have not checked that out yet I am excited to.

Henricus Park Go back into the past where the first…read moresettlers lived. Take one of the paths around the Jane's River and listen to the sound of birds and woodpeckers while getting your steps in. Walk or bike. Bring your fishing rod and see what bites Take the dog along too. Pavilions along the way to stop and relax.

The Malvern Hill Battlefield…read more The government shutdown blocked us from attending Petersburg National Park/Civil War Sites but Malvern Hill is owned by a private charitable trust. American Civil War 1861-65. This was the last of the Seven Days' Battles, which all came about from the Peninsular Campaign in which the Union, led by General McClellan, attempted to march toward Richmond to take the Confederate capital. Newsflash. It didn't work out for the Union. Most of the real battles were Union defeats and eventually the Union pulled back and Malvern Hill, with the Union gunboats and hill giving them an advantage. They had to win this or risk likely annihilation/capture. They won it. The Seven Days' Battles made or broke the fame of several leaders and even a brigade. The Irish Brigade made a big name for itself at Malvern. Overall, Robert E. Lee stood out for the first time and would go on to become a legend. Conversely, the Union would begin to doubt General McClellan and on the Confederacy a promising General Magruder was banished to a distant post for angering General Lee. Lesser-known soldier tales: Allegedly a sergeant from the Irish Brigade shot a Confederate officer and later found out it was his son. Likely a false but stirring story put together by a newspaper from the period. A lad of 17 named Phil Edwin Jemison took a cannon hit and died with an elite legacy. His photo made the front magazine page of And an unknown general with great promise, General Charles Sidney Winder, who rallied together five cobbled regiments and personally led them at an earlier battle of the Seven Days Battles. He died at the Battle of Cedar Mountain 39 days later. A novel about the Battle of Cedar Mountain followed by a movie made the place better known - Cold Mountain.

It's no Appomattox or Antietam, but if you're in the area, there is good signage about the battle…read morethat happened here and some cannons for reference. If you just like parks, there is plenty of parking and a path to walk along as well. It may not take up a lot of time, but it's still great this battlefield was preserved. The signage referred to a visitor center, but when we went to it there was some other establishment at that address. So it's just a park but a nice park.

Nice paved trail- especially good for runners. Nice to see Herons, geese, hawks, folks fishing and…read moreboating. Lovely place to walk/run. Mostly flat.

This park entrance is in such a sketchy area that my husband & I never got out of our car…read more You drive down a shared road by the Petersburg Regional Jail -next to a medium security facility...and there's low security right around the corner. Fort Lee practice fields are right across from entrance as well, but that doesn't seem any better when I can literally see bars & fences from a dinky "parking lot" which is really just a gravel spot for maybe 8 cars only...There are no clear paved trails from gravel lot. I'm hoping we missed another entrance that looks more presentable but if not, dont waste your time coming out to this dump.

I love to walk my dog around this park. It has lovely paved trails, totally under the trees in the…read moreshade. Saturdays are even better because of the Latin market! They have clean solid bathrooms on both sides of the park. ? I'm not sure what's happening with the ballfields?

Rockwood Park is such a gem in the area! The park is well-maintained with an area for walking, open…read morespaces for sports, and a great atmosphere overall. The tennis and pickleball courts are a fun spot for friendly games. There's also a dedicated dog park, which is perfect for letting your pup run around safely. One of my favorite is the Latino Farmers Market on Saturdays (running now through November) it brings such a vibrant, welcoming energy to the park and offers great local produce, food, and community connection. Whether you're looking to get active, relax outdoors, or explore something new, Rockwood Park has something for everyone!

Very well kept park & recreational areas in the Sandston (eastern henrico) territory…read more Building available for a great venue to have different events with good space, tables, chairs. That the renter decorates how they like! The past few years, some spring and summer festivals take place out there!

Dorey Park isn't too close to me, so my first visit was for the Richmond Renaissance Faire a couple…read moreof weekends back. I attended on the sweltering hot Saturday, and I would've loved more shade as I almost passed out around midday. The park itself is expansive with plenty of areas for parking. It seemed to be well-kept and had on-site facilities. I could see why this would be a good event venue. Just wish we could control the weather! I'd go back for future events.

Me, wife, and 2 daughters (16 & 11) went the last week of July '25 and it was a great time. I never…read moreknew there was rafting in Richmond but will def be going back for a quick trip on the water that is quite fun. Tom was our guide, Hailey, was the other rafts guide, and both were awesome. Tom knew so much about the area history and is very experienced guiding. Such an easy trip to make with fun rapids (III's and sometimes IV's). I'm sure all the guides are great, but we will ask for Tom and Hailey first next trip. Pretty impressed with this outfit. (Wish they had more merch to purchase though, just imo).

The experience was super thrilling and entertaining. The rapids were amazing on our Lower Rapids…read moreride!! Ty, our guide, made it more enjoyable and interesting -- but don't plan on staying dry!

Good service. Got my gear ready for an overseas trip. Replaced necessary parts. Kept me informed.read more

My go to dive shop. They go to Beaufort, NC every month. One of my favorite East coast areas to…read moredive. So many wrecks out there to see. They have everything you need for a great diving experience.