Maymont

A must-visit spot in Richmond, Virginia! We were on a road trip and had just an hour to spare, and I’m so glad we chose to stop here. The gardens were lush, peaceful, and incredibly photogenic from every angle. The air was fresh with the scent of trees and flowers - such a refreshing change from the road. Bonus points: entry is free, there's convenient parking, and clean restrooms are available in the gift center. Even with limited time, it felt like a little pocket of calm and beauty. Highly recommend!

I can’t believe this is free! Beautiful park! There’s a farm area, Japanese garden, and Italian garden. The indigenous animal area, nature center and mansion were closed when we were there, but we really enjoyed everything else. There are a few parking lots if you aren’t able to walk everywhere. It’s a large area.

What a beautiful place! Be sure to wear comfy shoes to enjoy walking around. The mansion was closed for renovation when we visited in April, but we definitely enjoyed the Japanese and Italian gardens. I would love to visit this place again and explore the areas we didn't get a chance to see.

Beautiful expansive park and gardens. Love the Italian and Japanese gardens. Summer flowers were just planted but it will be lovely when they’ve grown a bit. Big private event this afternoon so park closing to public at 3pm. Still had time to walk around. Great day.

Water fountain next to the entrance, ample parking, free admission with an option to donate. Lots of hidden gems (gazebos and such) and benches to rest on. So much wildlife as well! We were about 20 feet away while a heron caught a fish. We also saw turtles sunbathing and a herd of deer. Phenomenally landscaped gardens make you feel like you're in another world. This is one of the most beautiful green spaces I've ever seen!

Have been here several times and it’s just as beautiful as ever. The grounds are meticulously maintained. I can’t wait for the mansion to open back up once they complete the restoration. The waterfall is also running again after undergoing maintenance!

Omg this place is absolutely gorgeous!! Was visiting my cousin in Fredricksburg and decided to come and check this place out. We were not disappointed one bit! The Japanese gardens were so pretty, didn’t realize they have so much wildlife around! And it was free, we couldn’t believe it!! The estate was under construction so we couldn’t go in but that was totally okay! We really loved walking around this beautiful estate!

Nice big park. The different gardens are neat. The Italian garden has pretty neat construction. And the Japanese garden has lots of neat stuff. Not tons of flowers though.

My family visits Maymont in every season of the year. Springtime flowers and vibrant green and natural aroma are spectacular. Summertime is filled with a huge collection of native and non-native plants and trees. Don't miss the Italian gardens. The gardens are a great place for special event photos in the spring and summer. We recently visited Maymont to experience the Merry Marketplace which offered decorative and useful crafts for holidays by local artisans. For many years Maymont was the perfect host for the Victorian Christmas experience. The rich history of the Dooley mansion provides insight into Richmond in the late 1800's. It was so wise to preserve this area to share the beauty for all to experience with future generations. Paved walking paths provide a scenic walk through the rolling hills on which you will see many types of birds and other wildlife. The park is truly a gift to all generations of RVA.

Recently visited Maymont for Garden Glow, and it was such a great experience. The garden was decorated beautifully and our toddler absolutely loved it. It took us about an hour and a half to walk through, with tons of points of interest along the way. Highly recommend for families with young children. There were some areas that might be difficult to navigate for older patrons, young toddlers or patrons with disabilities, especially a particularly steep hill, but I did see that there was assistance set up that it looked like people were waiting for.

If we were local to Richmond, I could absolutely see us coming to Maymont more regularly. There are people having picnics, taking pictures, and coming here in large groups everywhere, and we came on a cold day so I can't imagine how busy it must be when the weather is nicer. You're able to just walk in without buying tickets for the main grounds, but for some attractions, you may have to purchase tickets. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to really maximize our visit, and for whatever reason they had some power outage so we weren't able to do the Maymont mansion tour. Be prepared to walk a LOT to see everything, it's pretty spread out and while the walk is beautiful, we had to prioritize particular areas due to the limited time we had and we were powerwalking for the majority of it. We opted to see the Italian and Japanese gardens - which I absolutely recommend if you're short on time. We also visited the aquarium which was fairly small but we enjoyed looking at the various animals. Overall, I'd recommend visiting here! Just plan to spend a half day to a full day if you really want to see everything.

Love Maymont! The gardens are always so beautiful. I've gone during the summer, Christmas, Garden Glow. The only bad time is during prom/homecoming/graduation season cause everyone is getting photos in all the good spots.

Maymont is renowned as a stunning park, but it also serves as a unique concert venue. I recently attended a Lake Street Dive concert there with my dad. A heads up on parking: unless you opt for the VIP package, you're left to navigate the adjacent neighborhoods for street parking, which can be a bit stressful. On the plus side, the venue offers a solid selection of beers from Starr Hill and a variety of tasty food trucks, though we chose to dine out beforehand. The acoustics were impressive, and the sound quality of the concert was great. However, if you buy general admission tickets, be prepared to stand the entire time if you want a view of the band. A note for pet lovers: only service animals are allowed at the concerts, so you'll need to leave your dogs at home. Exiting was a bit hectic. After the concert, we found ourselves in a standstill for nearly 10 minutes, waiting to make our way through the crowd to the exit. Witnessing Lake Street Dive live was fantastic, but due to the logistical challenges, this will probably be my last concert at Maymont.

Maymont is great for many things. Tonight we went to see the Summer Kickoff Concert. There were 2 different bands playing from 6:00-10:00 on Friday. Then on Saturday there were multiple bands all day. Like most other activities in Richmond they had beer and wine for sale. When you enter you need to show an ID to get a wrist band. Then you have to buy token a that are exchanged for beer. They were pretty packed for a Friday night. Last year we went on a Saturday and there were a lot more people. You can bring chairs or blankets to have a place to sit. There were 2 different locations with multiple port a potty's. This year there were more food trucks than last year. It is a little bit of a wait for food so get on line before you get too hungry. But last year there was less of a selection so the wait was longer. Definitely lots of fun.

Maymont is an amazing treasure in the heart of Richmond. This can't miss jewel of RVA has something for the entire family to spend a beautiful day. Better yet bring a picnic and really enjoy your time. Something I really enjoy are the festivals of Maymont. They have so many. We enjoy the concerts and Garden Glow should never be missed! You could visit 100 times and always see something new.

I've been to the park on three separate occasions , all years apart. Once for a friend's wedding eons ago which I recalled was lovely. The second time I visited with friends to check out the mansion. It's very beautiful & elegant inside and the tour is very informative & interesting. It has to be one of my favorite historical mansions I've visited. I have no idea why I get a kick out of seeing the swan bed. But it's pretty cool. My most recent visit was for Glow 2023. A friend of mine had asked if I've ever been, which led me to searching on IG for more pics to investigate what else it entailed other than colorful lights aimed at trees. **It's a decent priced activity at $16 pp which meanders down a one way path through the Italian & Japanese gardens. It's a visual feast for the eyes, as well as a euphonious delight with ethereal music piped in the background. It's a mesmerizing outdoor immersive experience, fun for the whole family. They do have some accessibility via a trolley for those who are mobility challenged for certain areas which is nice so everyone can enjoy the event to a degree. As mentioned on Maymont's website, 90 minutes is a sufficient amount of time to enjoy walking through the event. Food trucks are on site. It is recommended to purchase tickets online in advance for the weekends, as it was crowded and "sold out" this Friday. The last day for the event is NOV 12 for 2023. Parking can be challenging, but on the website they list numerous free parking options. Maymont's website is very detailed re: event info. The path is a series of hills and unlevel terrain with dimly lit areas. Wear sneakers or shoes with good grip.

I can't believe I never heard of this place driving through Richmond so many times over the years. One Google search of things to do in Richmond changed all of that. My kids and I spent four hours walking around and walked over 6 miles seeing the gorgeous grounds of this incredible historical paradise. Can't wait to go back!

Not sure where else to post this. This will have to do. The Garden Glow event was extremely unenjoyable. Parking was probably the worst parking experience of my life. It was so insane that folks, myself included, ended up parking along the lake - a whole 15-20 minute walk away. Compounding the negative experience, I couldn't even eat food. The food trucks were so over worked, it was projected that I would need to wait nearly 2 hours for my meal. This was an absolute disaster. The clear solution would be to heavily limit ticket sales. Something tells me though that the pursuit of increased sales will overshadow the desire for improved visitor experience.

If you haven't checked out GLOW IN THE PARK when it comes around you need to. It was beautiful and the lights were so fun. Walking through the grounds and how they had everything set up was so much fun! We did try a couple food trucks as well which I forgot the names of the ones we tried but nonetheless it was yummy and we enjoyed our time.

A beautiful place to visit! I am new to Richmond and decided to visit this past Sunday. I toured the gardens, and although it's fall, there were still spectacular colors in the Japanese garden. I did the paid self guided tour of the mansion and thought the inside was stunning. I'd definitely come back in the spring/summer to appreciate the flowers. It's a great place to walk, have a picnic, and just enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

Richmond loves Maymont! It's such a staple of the city, you have to visit. If you like gardens, history, and animals, this is the spot for you. It's a huge space. It's good for children, picniking, photoshoots, and more. I love how you can feel like you're in completely different places within the park. The Japanese Garden feels like a different world from the petting zoo, the same as the Italian Garden and Maymont Mansion. The best part about Maymont is that it's completely free to visit! You'll have to pay to take a tour of the mansion, but besides that everything else is free. You could spend hours here wandering through all they have to offer. You won't want to miss on visiting Maymont because there is something for everyone here. I love visiting especially in the springtime when all the flowers have bloomed, it's so stunning. I also love visiting the farm. At the start of April 2023, they've brought in five new baby goats! If you love animals, be sure to look into their "adopt an animal" at maymont.com/adopt. You can help provide care for Maymont's farm and wildlife animals, and get cute merch in return!

I'm rating the PARK and Visitor's Center. We have been here a couple of times and we have had such a great experience at the park. Entering via the Robins Nature Center is easy peasy. Now walking the park is not necessarily for the faint of heart. Some of the walking is steep and some paths are stone or natural and one must take a modicum of care. That said there are definitely ways to get to the Japanese Garden via a longer and relatively flat pathway that is paved with blacktop. The trails are beautiful and other than an occasional train one can forget about being in the middle of the city. We are interacted with the staff at the nature center who were very friendly and helpful. Overall this is a beautiful place to spend a few hours, even bring a picnic lunch (please throw trash in the park bins not on the ground). Not being judgmental just reminding as we had to pick up some wayward things. I know not our job. Great place!

We were in Richmond for a day and we were looking for a place to visit for Sunday cloudy morning and decided to visit Maymont which was one of our the must visit place in Richmond. Maymont was such an amazing place to visit with friends and family to visit the palace as well as visit botanical gardens and Japanese gardens and also view different birds in Maymont. Maymont is also a beautiful walking place as place is covered with trees all around. We loved our time at Maymont as it was a beautiful time.

When we were visiting Richmond for a weekend, we decided to visit Maymont since there is so much to see and do in one place. We did a tour of the mansion, which was nice but not something I think is a must see in Richmond. The gardens were okay - some areas seemed really dry and brown. It was a nice place to walk around and stretch our legs, but it wasn't a place that stood out to me!

[Pandemic review - 2020, 2021] I can't believe this place is free (for the most part)! See pics for how gorgeous this place is. You can't visit Richmond without visiting Maymont. This place has gardens, zoo animals, lake, picnic areas. The Japanese garden in particular is just gorgeous. It has those stone walkways and water lilies. Though the highlight is the waterfall. There is a bridge in front that is a popular tourist photo spot. There is also plenty of green space to throw a frisbee or football or simply lie down to stare at the clouds. You can also take a stroll, walk your dog around the lake. A few places were closed when we went because of the pandemic (Maymont mansion, nature center). But all the outdoor attractions were open. The only thing is that depending on what you want to see, it may be difficult to find parking near that particular attraction. Overall: great place for tourists and locals alike to enjoy the scenery.

What a nice find! I moved from South Florida a few months ago and was missing the parks there. I did a quick Yelp search and saw this not so hidden gem! This park is great for walking and running. So many things to see and some many places to explore. I think I found my new favorite park here. Can't wait to return with friends.

After 3 years of hearing about Maymount I finally got to go. Many of my friends go there to lay on a blanked and read a book but I decided to do a more active exploration of the area. When I first entered I didn't expect to see animals, it was a huge surprise when I met the eyes of a bison. I really liked the farm animals and variety. There were two bears which had a huge area for them to roam. The Japanese and Italian garden were beautiful. It was nice that there was plenty of shading and seating to admire the florals or to take a break. My friend and I walked the whole of Maymount, there are some big hills that if I had bad knees would be troublesome to get over. Luckily there seems to be many paths through it that don't seem as treacherous. Very happy I finally got to explore Maymount after all this time.

My wife and I love Maymont, and have been several times. It's one of our favorite picnic spots in the Richmond area! Both Coppola's Deli and Sally Bell's Kitchen are nearby and offer boxed lunches perfect for an impromptu picnic. There's a lot to explore, but our favorite area is the Japanese Garden. We also love any sort of holiday lights, so we knew we couldn't miss out on the Garden Glow they do every year. It's absolutely worth it, but be prepared for crowds and get there a little earlier than your ticket time, as parking during Garden Glow can be a challenge.

Numerous marked walking trails, cute bridges, waterfalls, sculptures representing different countries, towering trees and magnificent flowers. One important note. There is no butterfly garden. There's a butterfly bush. We'd anticipated seeing them even as we planned the trip. We were informed by an employee upon entering in search of this specific spot.

This place definitely is a must visit when you are in Richmond. Definitely one of the largest and best kept parks I've been to. With a huge mixture of different gardens covering different styles (Italian Garden, Japanese Garden, etc.), you feel like you are stepping into different worlds and cultures when you are moving through the various gardens and areas. Going in spring is especially beautiful when the various Cherry Blossom Trees are in full bloom. You see a variety of vivid whites and pinks from the cherry blossoms. This park also has a great area set aside for kids with their large petting zoo. Overall, fantastic park. I would definitely come back again :)

Very pretty gardens. Also went to see mansion and nature bldg. mansion closed until late 2024 (not on webpage) nature bldg closes at 415 again not on webpage. If you want just a nice walk and see nature it's nice. But mansion closed all summer and nature bldg closed early the reason we went there.

Maymont is one of my favorite spots to visit in Richmond and has so much to offer. Their gigantic grounds are home to a very cute farm and they also have some other local animals spread out throughout their park. Not to mention that all of this is free to visit so makes an amazing spot to go if you're looking for an activity, especially with kiddos! Their Japanese gardens are also not to be missed. So beautiful. They host some incredible events and I'm always wowed by how they do up the gardens for those too!

Absolutely beautiful gardens and cute farm petting area. There are other things to do there like visit the mansion and other wildlife centers but we did not have enough time that day. Definitely want to bring some decent walking shoes. Will definitely do again!

Beautiful Park! Conveniently located in Richmond, this park is a great outdoor activity. There are lengthy trails that allow you to really see nature and enjoy the beauty of the landscape. There are a few animals in captivity here including a couple of black bear and some beautiful hawks and majestic Bald Eagles. My favorite parts are the Italian gardens and the waterfall. If you're in the area and looking for some outdoor recreation for only the cost of a donation, be sure to check out Maymont Park. Enjoy!

Maymont is a special place for the city of Richmond. This park is over 100 acres and has so much to explore. The property was originally an estate owned by James Dooley and his wife. It was gifted to the city upon their death and has since remained a public space for the people of Richmond to enjoy. The park is not maintained by the city and relies on donations to operate. The suggested donation amount is $5. It's a great price considering how much tMaymont has to offer. There are plenty of trails to walk, multiple gardens, a nature center, a farm, and wildlife exhibits to see. You can also see the original Victorian Mansion that was built on the estate, but there is an additional charge to tour it. This is probably the most beautiful and well-maintained park to see in Richmond. I love grabbing food and hanging out here for a picnic after walking the trails.

Very nice, love the variety the grounds offers. The animals were a great touch. The zoo was great, and the Japanese garden was stunning. Saw a lot of people struggling with strollers but the path were nice.

We came here on a Saturday and parked at the nature center parking lot. Plenty of parking here, nice little hike to the other side where the coy pond and the mansion is. I just love this place, it is a nice place for a relaxing walk and has open spaces for a picnic, to get some Vitamin D while you are walking around. So peaceful

The family wound up here looking for something new and family-oriented in Richmond while we were down there to pick up some beer from Hardywood. This place was pretty much just the ticket with the only problem being that it was pretty hot when not sitting still in the shade. We brought a picnic lunch we picked up at a local sandwich place, then we walked in until we found a nice bench with view of the stream running through the center of the park below us and at while we watched a few Canada geese graze nearby. Then we walked along a little path by the stream and up the other side of the hill to the petting zoo, where we saw cows, sheep, goats, and ponies that made the kids happy. We also got a few moments of rest in the shade while the kids played on the (small) playground in the middd of the petting zoo. We walked back over the stream visiting a little tree with a hollow near the ground on the stream that was big enough for the kids to sit inside and a bridge worth a photo op before heading back up toward the house for a stop at the flavor-ice truck that was set up to give some respite from the heat. We sat near the elegant fountain and ate the flavor ice with an occasional breeze blowing some fountain spray on us.

Beautiful. Amazing. Serene. What an awesome surprise. I found it accidentally in Byrd Park. I am not from Richmond so it will be a staple for me. This park is for a leisurely day....even.possibly romantic if ur with the right person.

Living My Best Life...is about doing the things I enjoy, with the people I love, and creating beautiful moments that bring a lifetime of memories! Last weekend, I had the opportunity to spend quality time with my family aka "the squad" sightseeing. One of the places we checked out was the Maymont, a Victorian estate and park in Richmond, VA that contains the Maymont Mansion. We had a great time running around the park, giggling, and taking pictures. I will definitely be back because the Maymont Mansion closed early; so, we were unable to tour it. Also, the park is picturesque and a great spot for picnics in the spring. Note: The Maymont Mansion has an exhibit in the basement I want to check out called, In Service and Beyond dedicated to the African Americans that staffed the home. Also, a docudrama was released last year sharing their experiences called, "Stooping to Stand: Stories of the African American Staff of the Dooley Mansion."

Don't not rent from Conrex/ Maymont Homes these people are thieves we being charged fees for a property that already had the maintenance issues when we moved in. They keep your deposit and give you a remaining balance. Charging people for damages that were already in place when you moved into their property. You may keep may deposit but, I will NEVER recommend you and your company to anyone!

Lovely green space with room to roam, be surrounded by nature, and meet some critters.

This was a nice place to spend a Sunday afternoon. The grounds cover several acres and include a nature center, the mansion with garden, and a wildlife exhibit. There really is something for all ages and interests. I was mostly interested in the mansion and gardens. I was disappointed to find out that the mansion tours were not available on the day I visited. The few pictures and associated text were interesting. I would have liked to do the tour and learn about the family who inhabited the house. There was no indication when tours would resume. The Italian garden and Japanese garden area were not what I was expecting. There were several fountains in the Italian garden but none of them were filled with water and operating. I could not tell if that was because they were just turned off or if they never worked. They would be pretty amazing if they were functional. The Japanese garden was nice but the water fall indicated in several of the maps was not on or working. The rest of the area was nice to walk through but not as impressive as if the water parts had been working. The day was not a total waste of time. I did like walking around the property. The bald eagle exhibit was pretty impressive and there was a bear exhibit which was interesting.

This is a great place to go for a walk and look at some animals you wouldn't expect to see in a city! There are tons of walking paths. When we went everything was closed, but it was still nice to walk around. We also could look at the animals. A very unique place to visit in Richmond. I bet it would be beautiful to see in the fall or spring.

This magisterial edifice and the grounds that surround it are open to the public. It is free to enter, though they do ask for a donation. If I was local, I'd probably get a membership. One can roam slowly up the paved road or take the hill; it is a very hilly area. The mansion is presently closed for COVID, but the gardens surrounding it have plenty to offer. A nature center is open a couple of days a week for a price. The area is not far away from downtown Richmond, but is totally quiet, and large enough to accommodate its demand for visitors. It'll be nice when the history and tours can resume, but for now, outdoor spaces like this are the way to go.

We have visited Maymont during three seasons now, and it's been amazing each time. Cliff notes: wear comfy shoes, bring your camera, and be sure to visit the Japanese Garden. There are multiple ways to enter the grounds, all which bring a unique perspective to the beautiful nature all around. The farm area has well kept barns and animals. The mansion area, where the house and grounds are located, draw the biggest crowd. The Italian and Japanese gardens are our favorite. Be sure to wear comfy shoes and bring a bottle of water. The winding paths and stone stairs lead to so many adventures! Flowers and trees make up the gardens areas and surrounding, and the mansion grounds are beautifully kept up. We prefer to park at the top, historical lot to enter. To get here, turn right out of the nature center lot and turn right at the next two stop signs. The views are breathtaking, and a perfect spot for a picnic lunch!

Thank to Yelp Richmond Community Manager, Lauri W for leading me to this gem! We were on a road trip back to DC and decided to stop by to help break up our day and stretch our legs. I wasn't expecting much but wow, I was completely blown away by the massiveness of the place (and we didn't even get the chance to check the whole place out because it was so hot!). We saw massive waterfalls, bald eagles, brown bears, colorful koi fish, blue dragonflies, owls, hawks, train tracks and more! The Japanese garden was just as beautiful and there were so many little wonderful sitting spots in the shade so you can just sit in solitude in nature and soak it all in. Based on the amount of children in wet clothing, it looks like the waterfall is a popular spot to cool off as well. The whole garden is over 100 acres so it is easy to socially distance as well. I probably could have stayed for four more hours and thoroughly be entertained. And did I mention that this was all the cost of free? What a perfect day!

Mansion closed for renovations til late 2024. Gardens and nature center open. Beautiful grounds. Great day trip stop.

Great spot for an outdoor activity. Very affordable. Mansion was not open for tours but could view everything else!

Lovely spot to walk around and enjoy the outdoors, as well as some cool historical sights

Maymont did not disappoint! The gardens were beautiful! The home has been kept true to its time period and allows you to step back in time. The wildlife habitats are natural and plenty of space. I can't wait to come back for the glow event.

If you're a history buff, or even remotely entertained by random shows on the History story, you'll enjoy Maymont. Audio toggles make the house tour an immersive experience to remember.

I came to Maymont Park's Garden Glow on 10.31.2021. My husband and I booked our tickets online for 7 P.M. We just recently moved to the area so I wasn't familiar with parking or how to get there. Google Maps provided good directions to the historic entrance. Though the parking lot was full, there was plenty of street parking available and we didn't have to walk very far at all. The lights were beautiful and the music playing was soothing. It felt like a nice break from the day to day activities. There were a couple food trucks available and there were alcoholic beverages available as well if you purchased drink tickets. Fire pits were available with seating, too. I took off one star from what was otherwise a perfect evening only because I do not think expectations were set on the difficulty of walking up and down to the Japanese garden after a few days of rain and what was a relatively crowded event. The grass was slick and due to two lanes of traffic on one pathway, it was a bit difficult to maneuver around with stable footing. I would not recommend the path down if you are not physically capable of walking downhill on uneven ground at night. There are, however, golf carts to drive you down and take you back up if you aren't able to make the walk.

Great activity for all ages! The park is huge and has a Japanese garden, lots of walking paths, animals and more. There was parking available and it was easy to find.

This is a beautiful park in downtown Richmond and there's way more here than I expected. We had a great time walking around with the kids and exploring all of the different areas. They loved exploring the flower gardens, bamboo forest, and animal exhibits. Definitely stop by and plan to spend a few hours here.

Was short on time, but was able to spend about 1-2 hours here, and got to check out the Japanese Garden, Italian Garden and walk around a bit. Didn't get to check out the zoo, unfortunately. The Maymont is huge, so clean and so beautiful. Most of all, I can't believe it's FREE! The Maymont is a true Richmond treasure.

Maymont is a fantastic place for everyone. From the children's farm to black bears and bald eagles. It is beautiful and fun.The Italian gardens are lovely with flowers and a trellis. This is a clean, beautiful, serene setting. You could easily spend a day or two just to see it all.