Free & fun activities in Ashland

So many things to love about Ashland, which is also known as THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE! AND, most of it is walkable, so you don’t have to keep loading and uploading the kids in and out of the car. Also, since Ashland is directly off I-95, this is a good meeting spot for friends who are traveling.

Find unique murals and eclectic shopping in downtown Ashland. (Photo credit: Lindsay Garrison)

PLAY

1. Randolph-Macon College campus: So many paved paths make this a PERFECT spot for scooters, bikes, strollers, or a walk. You can just scoot right into downtown Ashland from campus!

2. Carter Park: This playground offers options for all ages, and little bits of learning infused throughout! Two big kid, and one baby swing are to the side of the play equipment, and there are slides that are appropriate for toddlers, and bigger side-by-side slides for older kids. Gus (4) loved riding down the slide with new friends! There’s a wall with a clock and moveable hands (love this for introducing telling time/skip counting by 5s) to young children – yes, learning to tell time is still an important skill – make your kids learn it when they’re young, or else they’ll struggle when they get to the “telling time” unit in their world language classes later wink).

There is a sandbox, but no sand toys are in it. There are benches around the play equipment, and you can see the entire area from the bench. The playground is shaded, so this is a great option for summer play dates! Behind the park is a trail that leads to downtown Ashland.

EXPLORE

Ashland is the perfect place for train spotting. (Photo credit: Lindsay Garrison)

1. Downtown Ashland: We love to sit outside and watch for trains. Scan the QR code outside of Tiny Tim’s Trains & Toys to see the Amtrak and CSX train schedules. Don’t forget to stop by the Visitor Center , the library, and Homemade’s by Suzanne (the chocolate cake is too good)!

Lindsay Garrison, your RVA on the Cheap editor

Lindsay Garrison loves Richmond and is proud to raise her own family here. As a teacher for 12 years, she learned how to save, budget and stretch every penny. Additionally, she led groups of students to Europe annually, and took great pride in planning affordable, fun-filled trips. She transferred those skills to her daily life and shares them with readers of RVA on the Cheap. Lindsay utilizes RVA on the Cheap to make enriching life experiences accessible to all. Check her instagram: rva.familyfun for more affordable family adventures!

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