Your *Kid-Friendly* Spring Bucket List
If your family is anything like ours, you’re ready to enjoy the beautiful weather in RVA, pollen and all! From hiking by the river to seeing A Million Blooms, Richmond has plenty of springtime activities to keep kiddos and adults entertained and happy! Read on for six events and activities to add to your spring calendar.
— by Megan Ariail, Contributing Writer (and the brains behind The West End Mom. Follow her @thewestendmom!)
Attend Ashland Train Day
Ashland’s 19th annual Train Day is on Saturday, April 29. This free festival celebrates all things trains; explore freight and passenger trains, model trains, and even ride a kiddie train! The kid zone has a bounce house, obstacle course, and games. Adults will love the live music, festival food, and exploring this Virginia Main Street community.
Why we love it: For any train lover, Ashland is worth the 30-minute trek from downtown. You are guaranteed to see a train come through because over 60 trains travel through the town in 24 hours. The free festival makes Ashland even more fun with touch-a-truck thrills, scavenger hunts, the kid zone, and a lot of great eats!
Cost: Free
Stroller-friendly?: Yes
Date and time: Saturday, April 29; 10 am - 4 pm
Location: 112 North Railroad Ave (Ashland)
Explore Riverside Trail
Riverside Trail at Pony Pasture is one of the most popular trails by the James River. While multiple trails connect and intertwine by the river, walking Riverside Trail to Pleasants Creek Trail is especially good for families because of the wide, stroller- and bike-friendly paths. About half of the hike is by the river, and the second half is through the wetlands, a shallow creek, and a forest. During the spring, the trail has really good shade coverage, and if you hurry, you’ll catch the blooming bluebells!
Why we love it: This trail has so much for kids to see — you hike through a forest with unique plants and vines and by rapids, rocks, and lots of wildlife. The trail is flat, so it’s easy for little kids, and there are also plenty of spots to get in or near the water. I also appreciate the bathroom and trail kiosk at the parking lot.
Cost: Free
Stroller-friendly?: Yes
Location: 7200 Riverside Dr (Stratford Hills)
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Attend a Richmond Flying Squirrels Game
Richmond’s Minor League Baseball team just kicked off its 2023 season. Flying Squirrels games are lively and fun with happy hour deals, fireworks, lots of freebies, and, of course, baseball. Games play all week, but if you attend a Sunday game, the kiddos can play catch on the field and run the bases before the game starts.
Pro tip: sign your kids up for Squirrel Tails Kids Club, which gives kids free entry to all Sunday games.
Why we love it: The family-friendly atmosphere is electric. My kids love watching Nutzy and Nutasha — the team’s mascots — dance around the field. The Nutzyville Kids Zone has games and activities to keep kiddos entertained. It’s also such an easy and fun way to grab dinner as a family!
Cost: Tickets start around $19
Stroller-friendly?: Umbrella strollers and baby carriers are easiest.
Dates and times: Found here
Location: 3001 N Arthur Ashe Blvd (Diamond District)
Attend a Richmond Kickers Game
The Richmond Kickers just started their 31st season, which runs through the spring and summer. City Stadium has concessions and local food trucks, and the team hosts special theme nights that also include fan freebies, like hats and T-shirts. They’ve even got the Red Army — the most loyal fans — who cheer on the players with flags, red smoke, and drums.
Why we love it: All seating is general admission, so you can sit wherever you want. We really enjoy arriving early and grabbing seats as close to the field as possible, but you also don’t need to stay seated to watch the game. My kids love running in the grassy area during gametime. For evening games, the stands have complete shade coverage — a win on hot days!
Cost: General admission tickets are $16; kids ages 4 and younger are free
Stroller-friendly?: Yes
Hours: Schedule found here
Location: 3201 Maplewood Ave (City Stadium)
Visit Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
This local property has 50 acres of themed gardens that are ADA-accessible. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has wonderful educational programs for children and adults, like Storytime in the Garden on Fridays and Saturdays, and they host special events, like Butterflies Live! and A Million Blooms. Also, the Children’s Garden has finally reopened after refurbishment with new features like the two-story, ADA-accessible treehouse. Now the countdown is on for the opening of the brand new splash park!
Why we love it: This is the best multi-generational place to visit because of the ADA-accessible paths and special family programming. We particularly love Flowers After 5, a family-friendly concert series in the spring and summer.
Cost: $17 for adults, $14 for seniors, $8 for ages 3 to 12 (children under age 3 are free)
Stroller-friendly?: Yes
Location: 1800 Lakeside Ave (Lakeside)
Hours: Found here
Pick Strawberries at The Berry Patch
This 100-year-old family farm has a veggie stand, berry patch, and a pumpkin patch. Gallmeyer Farm is also famous for their sweet corn. In late April and May, the farm opens for strawberry season. The Berry Patch is at a different location than the Pumpkin Patch, so make sure to put the address below in your GPS before heading out. And follow @gallmeyerfarms on Instagram for the latest farm report and opening details!
Why we love it: Visiting, parking, and the picking containers are free. It’s also open every day — a huge plus for busy families.
Cost: No admission fee; produce pricing varies
Stroller-friendly?: Yes
Location: 3622 Darbytown Ct (East End)
Hours: Found here
For more family-friendly fun:
