# Visiting Richmond with toddlers and little kids: the plan

> Richmond’s Museum District does a lot of the work: the Children’s Museum and the Science Museum are neighbors on Broad Street, and VMFA is close by. Here’s how we’d spend one or two days with nap built in.

- Last checked: 2026-10-18
- One- and two-day plans with a nap in the middle
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/visiting/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/index.md
- City guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/guide/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/llms.txt

## Top 5 can’t-miss spots

- **Children’s Museum of Richmond** (Downtown and Chesterfield): Start here at opening. The downtown museum is next to the Science Museum, so you can add it if they’re still going. Cost: $12 per person. Site: https://www.childrensmuseumofrichmond.org/
- **Science Museum of Virginia** (Museum District): A great after-nap stop. Under-3s are free, and preschoolers get a lower price. Cost: $16 kids, $19 adults. Site: https://smv.org/
- **Maymont** (Byrd Park area): Go for the Maymont Farm animals and the Robins Nature Center. The grounds are big, so bring the stroller. Site: https://maymont.org/
- **Metro Richmond Zoo** (Moseley (about 30 minutes)): Plan a morning and remember it’s closed on Sundays. Cost: $20.95 kids, $27.95 adults. Site: https://metrorichmondzoo.com/
- **Virginia Museum of Fine Arts** (Museum District): Free admission means you can do a short loop and leave whenever you need to. Cost: Free. Site: https://vmfa.museum/

## If you have one day

1. **MORNING**: Children’s Museum of Richmond (Go at opening · Downtown and Chesterfield · $12 per person). https://www.childrensmuseumofrichmond.org/
2. **LUNCH**: Burtons Grill & Bar (Kids’ menu · Richmond · Kids’ meal $8.95–$10.95). https://burtonsgrill.com/menus/va/richmond/
3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
4. **AFTER NAP**: Maymont (The farm and nature center · Byrd Park area). https://maymont.org/

## If you have two days

Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2:

1. **MORNING**: Metro Richmond Zoo (Not on Sundays · Moseley (about 30 minutes) · $20.95 kids, $27.95 adults). https://metrorichmondzoo.com/
2. **LUNCH**: Mexico Restaurant (On the way back · Mechanicsville and other area locations). https://www.mexico-restaurant.com/
3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
4. **AFTER NAP**: Science Museum of Virginia (Free parking · Museum District · $16 kids, $19 adults). https://smv.org/

## Where to stay

- **Museum District** (best for first-timers): Close to the Children’s Museum, the Science Museum and VMFA, with Maymont a short drive away. Near Children’s Museum of Richmond, Science Museum of Virginia and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
- **Near Byrd Park** (for parks): Next to Maymont, with the James River trails nearby. Near Maymont and James River Park System.
- **West End** (for shopping and easy parking): Near Short Pump and Firebirds, with a drive into the Museum District. Near Firebirds Wood Fired Grill.

## Easy restaurants near the big stops

- **Burtons Grill & Bar** (Grill, Richmond): kids’ meal $8.95–$10.95. https://burtonsgrill.com/menus/va/richmond/
- **Mexico Restaurant** (Mexican, Mechanicsville and other area locations): . https://www.mexico-restaurant.com/
- **Firebirds Wood Fired Grill** (Grill, Short Pump Town Center): kids’ meal $9.95–$14.95. https://firebirdsrestaurants.com/richmond-short-pump/

## Rainy-day backup plan

- **Children’s Museum of Richmond**: Hands-on play, all indoors.
- **Science Museum of Virginia**: A huge indoor science museum.
- **Virginia Museum of Fine Arts**: Wide, free galleries for a wet day.
- **Richmond Public Library, Main Library**: A free indoor stop downtown.

## Practical tips

- Parking, Science Museum of Virginia: Parking in the museum’s deck is free.
- Parking, Metro Richmond Zoo: Parking is free.
- Parking, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: The VMFA deck is $6 per car during museum hours, and there’s an elevator. Free street parking may be available nearby.
- Strollers and accessibility, Metro Richmond Zoo: Single strollers are $7 and doubles are $12.
- Two museums, one spot: The Children’s Museum and the Science Museum sit next to each other on Broad Street, so park once.
- Plan around Sunday: The Metro Richmond Zoo is closed Sundays. Make Sunday your museum day.

## Free and cheap wins

- **Virginia Museum of Fine Arts**: Free general admission every day.
- **James River Park System**: Free riverside parkland.
- **Richmond Public Library, Main Library**: Free.

All free things to do in Richmond: https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/guide/#free


## Happening this week

- **Garden Glow at Maymont** (6–10pm (last entry 9pm)) at Maymont. Standard nights: adults $25, kids 1–16 $21, infants free (members $20/$16); seniors $10 on Tue, Oct 20. https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/#e-garden_glow_at_maymont
- **Pumpkin Patch at Gallmeyer Farms** (8am–dusk) at Gallmeyer Farms. Free activities; pumpkins priced separately. https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/#e-pumpkin_patch_at_gallmeyer_farms
- **Pay-What-You-Will Day at the Children’s Museum of Richmond** (Tue 9:30am–5pm) at Children’s Museum of Richmond – Downtown and Chesterfield. Pay what you will. https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/#e-pay_what_you_will_day_at_the_children_s
- **Storytime in the Garden** (Sat 10–11am) at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Included with Garden admission; free for members. https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/#e-storytime_in_the_garden_oct_24
- **Pre-K Costume Dance Party (Libbie Mill, Henrico)** (Sat 10:30–11:15am) at Henrico County Public Library – Libbie Mill. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/#e-pre_k_costume_dance_party_libbie_mill_he

Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/index.md

## Holiday pages

- [Santa in Richmond: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/santa/index.md)
- [Christmas lights in Richmond for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/christmas-lights/index.md)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
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- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Is Richmond kid-friendly?
For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our Richmond guide lists 14 places we checked for little kids, plus 3 free places and 2 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 3 easy restaurants near the big stops and free storytimes at 4 library systems. This week’s list has 30 dated outings for ages 0–6. See [free things to do in Richmond](https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/guide/#free) and [this weekend’s list](https://littlesweekly.com/richmond/).

### Where should we stay in Richmond with little kids?
The Museum District or downtown. The Children’s Museum, the Science Museum and VMFA are close together, and the Zoo is about 30 minutes south.

### Is the Metro Richmond Zoo open on Sundays?
No, it’s closed on Sundays, so plan your zoo day for another day of the week.

### How many days do you need in Richmond with a toddler?
Two days: one in the Museum District and at Maymont, and one at the Zoo.