Looking for rich experiences that don’t strain your wallet? Virginia’s Cultural Region is the answer you’ve been looking for.
Scenic rides and vineyard picnics. It costs nothing to enjoy the region’s beautiful landscape and charming streets.
- Take a bike ride down the 45-mile Washington & Old Dominion trail to enjoy the scenic beauty of the region. You’ll pass through historic towns on this car-free path, with stops for refreshing craft beer along the way at numerous breweries just minutes off the trail.
- Stop at South Street Under café or Stoneybrook Farm Market to pick up sandwiches and snacks for a picnic in the vineyard. Many Loudoun wineries offer free live music, so sing along as you enjoy lunch and delicious Virginia vino.
- Hop on the free King Street Trolley to find chef-driven restaurants, bustling boutiques and intimate museums tucked into 18th and 19th century architecture of Old Town Alexandria.
Pay tribute, not entry fees. American history is always within your budget in Virginia’s Cultural Region.
- Free parking and admission to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Prince William County are an added bonus – this fully immersive tribute using sight, sound, touch and movement is a truly valuable experience. Housing a massive Leatherneck Gallery, displays depicting pivotal conflicts and vital contributions to the preservation of America’s freedom, the museum’s magnificent architectural design rises 210 feet at a tilted angle inspired by the flag raisings at Iwo Jima.
- Visit the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington to honor those who lost their lives on one of America’s most fateful days. Admission is free.
- From the opium wars of the 1850s to fighting current day drug trafficking, you’ll learn about the history of the war on drugs at Arlington’s DEA Museum and Visitors Center, where admission is free.
- Take a scenic horseback ride or join the park historian for a guided hike along the trails where the first and second battles of the American Civil War were fought at Manassas National Battlefield Park. The park now offers free entry to all visitors as of January 1, 2016. Whether you want to pack a relaxing picnic to enjoy among the bluebells or plan a fun-filled afternoon orienteering, this is a must see on your next visit.
Big experiences, little prices. From the first presidential home to the first journeys into space, there’s major history ahead.
- It only takes a few bills with his portrait on them to walk in the shoes of the first president of the United States at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Admission ranges from $11 to $20.
- Picnic and hike at Great Falls Park, the beautiful National Park Service destination that overlooks the falls of the Potomac River. Admission is a bargain at $15 per car.
- Marvel at the largest collection of original air and space craft in the world at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Museum admission is free, but parking runs $15 per car.
- For only $15, nine historic sites are yours to explore. Alexandria’s Key to the City Museum Pass gives you access to unique history remarkably preserved by a city dedicated to its past, with insight into Civil War, civil rights, founding fathers and more.
Exercise your freedom of expression. In a region that’s as dedicated to new ideas as it is to preserving its past, creative pursuits are a bargain.
- Join a myriad of local artists for gallery viewings, performances and art demonstrations at a restored historic prison, now known as the Workhouse Arts Center in Fairfax County. Admission is free.
- Immerse yourself in art among the 82 artist studios at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, where the creativity is priceless but admission is free.