Things to Do at Maymont

Maymont is one of those places that feels almost too good to be true - a 100-acre Victorian estate in central Richmond that's been transformed into a public park where you can spend an entire day without getting bored. The Dooley mansion sits at the center of it all, a Gilded Age showpiece that gives you a real sense of how Richmond's wealthy lived in the 1890s, complete with swan boats on the James River and formal gardens that live up to the hype. What makes Maymont special is how it manages to be both educational and quite fun. You've got wildlife exhibits with native Virginia animals, a working farm where kids can pet goats and watch blacksmithing demonstrations, and gardens that change dramatically with the seasons. It's the kind of place where you might find yourself watching otters play while your kids are mesmerized by the mansion's original Tiffany glass - everyone tends to find something that clicks.

Maymont sits just 10 minutes from downtown Richmond at 2201 Shields Lake Drive. Free parking spreads across several lots throughout the property, with the main Spottswood Road entrance being your safest choice. City buses reach the park too-though a car gives you better options. Walking or biking from downtown works well. You'll pass through some of Richmond's better neighborhoods on the way. Those hills will test you though.