Highest-rated free things to do in Virginia by visitors

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Virginia.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Virginia using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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1 / 29

#29. Fredericksburg And Spotsylvania National Military Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (568 reviews)
- City: Fredericksburg
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#28. Torpedo Factory Art Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,232 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
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#27. Smith Mountain Lake

- Rating: 4.7/5 (334 reviews)
- City: Moneta
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#26. Cape Charles Beach

- Rating: 4.5/5 (480 reviews)
- City: Cape Charles
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5 / 29

#25. Manassas National Battlefield Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,156 reviews)
- City: Manassas Prince William County
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6 / 29

#24. U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,454 reviews)
- City: Arlington
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#23. Black Dog Salvage

- Rating: 4.5/5 (608 reviews)
- City: Roanoke
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#22. Tysons Corner Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (431 reviews)
- City: McLean Fairfax County
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#21. University of Virginia

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,280 reviews)
- City: Charlottesville
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#20. Carter Mountain Orchard

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1,233 reviews)
- City: Charlottesville
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11 / 29

#19. Old Town Alexandria Waterfront

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,317 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
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#18. Jamestown Glasshouse

- Rating: 4.6/5 (712 reviews)
- City: not available
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#17. Mill Mountain Star & Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,305 reviews)
- City: Roanoke
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#16. Virginia Capitol Building

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,088 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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#15. Carytown

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,170 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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16 / 29

#14. Jamestown-Scotland Ferry

- Rating: 4.8/5 (741 reviews)
- City: Williamsburg
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#13. National Museum of the Marine Corps

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,185 reviews)
- City: Triangle Prince William County
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#12. Chrysler Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,039 reviews)
- City: Norfolk
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#11. Hollywood Cemetery

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,444 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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#10. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

- Rating: 4.9/5 (4,124 reviews)
- City: Arlington
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#9. Virginia Creeper Trail

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,298 reviews)
- City: Abingdon
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#8. Virginia Beach

- Rating: 4.4/5 (3,131 reviews)
- City: not available
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#7. Old Town

- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,830 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
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#6. Sandbridge Beach

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,499 reviews)
- City: not available
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#5. Virginia Museum Of Fine Arts

- Rating: 4.8/5 (3,162 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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26 / 29

#4. Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (4,564 reviews)
- City: Chantilly Fairfax County
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#3. Maymont

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,108 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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#2. Virginia Beach Boardwalk

- Rating: 4.5/5 (8,013 reviews)
- City: not available
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#1. Arlington National Cemetery

- Rating: 4.8/5 (9,705 reviews)
- City: Arlington
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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