Long weekends were made for family getaways.
From Richmond, there are several places to visit for a two or three-day expedition; but, there is one that offers a variety of family-friendly experiences and getting there and returning home is less than a tank of gas! Known as the “Hill City,” Lynchburg, VA provides a slew of affordable activities that are both parent and kid approved!
During a recent visit we spent two nights in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, enjoying all Lynchburg had to offer.
Photo credit: Amazement Square Lynchburg / Facebook
Lynchburg, Virginia Itinerary
Our first activity in Lynchburg was Amazement Square, a top notch, hands-on museum in the heart of downtown Lynchburg.
Amazement Square has 4 floors of interactive activities: painting the walls, climbing Amazement Tower, using a crane, floating a boat down the James River and more!
Exhibit highlights for our family:
- Big Red Barn – milking a cow, putting the cogs together on the tractor to make the engine go.
- Raceways & Voltage Village – using a hairdryer to keep a ping pong ball in the air, sending golf balls down a series of slopes and trying to land them at just the right time!
- Once Upon a Building – using imaginations, teamwork and STEM skills to build and construct
We spent over 2 hours at Amazement Square, and never once did our children stop moving, learning or creating. Learning through play was evident, as healthy habits, Native American lifestyles, and even gravity were takeaways from Amazement Square.
Next, Aji Ramen and Sushi served up a delicious lunch, with enough fried rice to fill the kids’ bellies after a full morning of play. Another affordable Lynchburg eatery: $30 for our (hungry!) family!
As an afternoon treat we grabbed ice cream from MayLynn’s Creamery while exploring downtown and stopped to eat it at the Bluff Walk, a walkway with beautiful views of the James River and Blue Ridge Mountains.
Walking around the city, we admired the Hill City Keys, seven different pianos, each painted with its own theme, tuned and ready to play.
Then, we headed to our second activity: SeaQuest, a hands-on zoo aquarium. SeaQuest fully exceeded all expectations! It provides much more than simply watching the animals; it is a full petting zoo experience in the 20,000 square feet facility.
Not only did we get to feed stingrays, koi fish and trout; we also got to feed and touch wallabies, iguanas, chickens, tegu lizards, armadillo, capybara and more! Cam, our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable, even knowing each animals’ name – I am partial to the ones named for Friends characters…Rachel, the wallaby is dramatic just like her namesake!
There are several ways to save on admission or feeding tokens, including: teachers and their families have free admission; foster families have free admission. Free tokens for checking in on Facebook upon arrival and doing a Google Review.
To wrap up our evening, we had dinner at nearby Shakers. One of the more pricey meals of our trip at about $45, but the kids (and grownups, I’ll admit) ate, and enjoyed every morsel!
We began our third (and last) day in Lynchburg at the Lynchburg Community Market. We have frequented farmer’s markets for years; but this one is unique as it has both indoor and outdoor vendors as well as an outdoor seating area with live music.
We admired the intricate work of the artisans in everything from knitted winter hats to hand painted holiday ornaments and purchased some local products, like honey.
Photo credit: Lindsay Garrison
Our last food stop in Lynchburg was truly the grand finale: Mama Crockett’s Cider Donuts. A donut experience like no other! You are not simply ordering donuts here, but rather there is a process, including choosing the coating and dip for your donuts!
Luckily, we purchased a dozen and were able to sample each flavor! Favorites were Sticky Pow Pow and Berry Basket.
The Garrisons document their trip to Lynchburg at the bicylcing and hiking-themed LOVE sign at Percival’s Island. Photo credit: Lindsay Garrison
We spent the end of our Lynchburg journey on the trails! We explored Percival’s Island, a 1.5-mile-long island where bikers, walkers and runners can see wildlife of all kinds. Bikes Unlimited is directly across from Percival’s Island with bike rentals available.
We were fortunate to have Lynchburg Parks & Recreation staff on hand before we started our walk. They taught us about some of the animals we might see and the kids even got to touch a snake!
View of Percival’s Island in Lynchburg, Virignia. Photo credit: Lindsay Garrison
Lodging tip:
We stayed in the peaceful and quaint Acorn Hill Lodge, a cozy bed and breakfast. The family suite was ideal.
We appreciated the full size refrigerator and microwave, as well as the tranquility of the balcony.
Each morning we admired the ducks in the small pond out front, enjoyed breakfast at the bistro (Early Bird special is a must!).
We arrived in the evening and grabbed dinner from JoJo Pizza, less than five minutes from the Acorn Hill Lodge.
Pizza was a perfect meal for hungry kids after being in the car for a while! A meal for the 4 of us was less than $30! And, we had leftovers (remember our appreciation for the aforementioned fridge and microwave?!).
With a blend of indoor and outdoor activities, affordable dining, and unique offerings, Lynchburg is a paradise for families. Creating these special memories in a new city made our three-day weekend exceptional. Our visit was incredible; we’re already planning a return trip!
Richmond on the Cheap publisher Lindsay Garrison is a Richmond, Virginia based mom to two young children. A graduate of Chesterfield Schools and Randolph-Macon College, Lindsay is proud to call Richmond home. In the years prior to planning activities and outings with her own children, she was a French teacher. During her tenure she earned accolades for her creative teaching style and ability to connect with her students. Lindsay now applies the skills she learned when she was planning student trips to France, to her own family adventures. She can’t wait to take her own children to France one day! You can follow her adventures at: @rva.familyfun
Need to get out of town or entertain the kids? Check out more posts that focus on travel in our region or fun with kids around Richmond.
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