Didn't eat but the scenery was absolutely beautiful!!!!! Worth the visit!!! Would suggest everyone to visit read more

Maymont - Parks Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

So it's a gorgeous Saturday and I decide to walk through Maymont and enjoy the weather. I had been there once before, but couldn't remember what to put into my GPS so I went with "Maymont Parking" and hit the road! When I pulled in, I knew that I was a different area than I had been before but decided I was there already and up for an adventure! I figured I'd get some sun and walk among the giant, beautiful trees. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled right upon the PETTING ZOO!!! I was smiling ear to ear petting alllll the animals and loving every second! They have pigs, goats, chickens and cows!!! I was just tickled! I walked through the winding pathway, soaking in the beauty. They even have a bald eagle sanctuary! I am definitely coming back here. It's free to enjoy the animals, but there's a $5 suggested donation to enter, and I think that's well worth the amazing joy you get being around all of those cute animals! read more

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What a heavenly place! Maymont is beautiful, all throughout the year. I came here with my family when they were visiting me from California and we were all in awe by the beauty here; every corner has its unique attraction. And as an added bonus, we got to see a couple around the Japanese garden, taking wedding pictures. read more

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Maymont is a beautiful place. It shows off stellar design and it preserves history, both natural and architectural. One of my favorite things to do on a warm spring day is to visit with my friends and tour the petting zoo. I also love the Dooley mansion tours and will typically go on one every time I'm showing Maymont off to someone who hasn't been before. The only setback is, unfortunately, not fixable. The property is not very accessible for mobility aids and strollers because it is so hilly and maintains a lot of the original cobblestone paths and stone staircases. If you are taking young children for a day out, make sure they are old enough to walk on their own most of the time. read more

Beautiful, historic, fascinating any season of the year. Enjoy the beautiful gardens, visit the historic house.

I find it hard to believe that I haven't reviewed maymont before because it is such a staple. I have been now about 3-4 times and it's always such a wonderful experience. It is such a beautiful park and there is so much to see. I really enjoy that you can see as much or as little of it as you would like. Parking is easy and there are a lot of different entry points which makes it easy to access. I also enjoy that it is free of course! The Italian gardens probably are my favorite when in bloom and the Japanese gardens are a close second. I love all of the variety that Maymont has to offer for people of all ages. read more

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Beautiful. Pristine. Peaceful. An amazing space for kids on either side. Great hike. Incredible bamboo forest. Well kept. And calming.

Amazing place, and the mansion tour is for sure worth a visit ! It's a great place for all audience, whether you wish to go for a park picnic, or educate yourself with history or the flora and fauna around James river or pet animals it's all here on 100 acres to enjoy. There is suggested donation fees like 5 $ for the house-tour and 4 $ for the aquarium / nature center but it's really worth it and the park and animals are there for free. Enjoy this place and a heads up you can get a golf cart one hour tour of the place but this place has a lot of hills, so it may not be so wheelchair friendly or for people with issues walking. Enjoy your time at this amazing place, it's for sure one of a kind! read more

A beautiful free park in Richmond that must be seen. My heart melted as we walked through here. It's absolutely gorg with all the rolling hills, vistas, and wildlife that roams through here. I also enjoyed visiting the historic buildings within the park as well. I don't need to say a ton here. Just go and reminisce in its serenity. Oh yeah, check out my pix too! read more

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This park is huge and gorgeous. I had never been here before, however, I did go for my family member's engagement photo shoot. If you go, wear sneakers because there is a lot of walking that you'll be doing. There are lots of other groups taking photos as well. With the park being so huge, there is plenty of space for everyone. read more

Maymont - Down the path heading towards the botanical gardens. - Parks Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We just went to the glow exhibit, it was really lovely. We were fortunate to go on a beautiful fall evening. My only complaint is around parking. We made it work but I felt awful for the people that live in the surrounding neighborhood. read more

"beautiful Japanese/Italian garden. small ponds, gardens, bridges, mansion and zoo, greenery will mesmerize you" spreading over 100 acres... though I am not a big fan of a park and all, still. and glad I chose to come here. The main entrance is through Visitor centre [as I was lost and thought area nearby lake is Maymont park]. it's very beautiful, unlike typical parks. USP is its greenery. (check out my pics). it has 3-4 miles of a loop which will cover your whole park. Take the map at the visitor centre and try to stick with it and in this fashion, you ll complete whole tour. The mansion is not that big but beautiful. it has one small garden for wedding purpose and it's beautiful. Sitting in the gazebo and overlook the mountains, quite q view. it has 2-3 Japanese/Italian gardens and it's amazing. fishes swim in small ponds. one small bridge is there and one fall is coming through mountains make it a picture book. they have a small zoo. Vulture-Eagle-Owl-Bison-Bear-Bob cat is there properly caged. for us, it was raining, and after rain, it becomes more beautiful. definitely recommended... read more

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Beautifully manicured grounds housing a lovely estate. Great for a leisurely picnic, stroll or picturesque background for gorgeous photos. Kids will love petting the goats and cows. I think there are more animals but I ran out of time. Loved the Italian gardens. Next time I look forward to discovering their Japanese Gardens. read more

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I stopped by during easter weekend so it was a bit tough to find parking. Other than that, it's a beautiful and spacious garden! I would love to stop by when the garden is at its peak. The Japanese Garden did not look like it was maintained. It was a bit dry and dead. The other areas had fresh flowers and grass. I look forward to making a stop here again in the near future. read more

Maymont is a beautiful mansion, gardens and grounds that are free and open to the public. Major and Mrs Dooley who built this estate more than a century ago left it to the public to become a museum. You can spend the day just walking around on the trails and through the gardens, and you can also tour the mansion. Since this was our first visit we wanted the tour. You start in the basement, where the staff lived and worked. You sign up for a tour, which is free but there is a suggested donation, but they aren't pushy. While you wait for your tour to start you can view the work spaces of the staff- the kitchen, the laundry room, wine cellar, etc. there are videos, audio recordings from descendants, and plenty of museum labels telling you what would have happened in this part of the house back then. When your tour starts, you walk outside and around the front of the house to be greeted as a guest of the Dooley's would have been. As you make your way through the mansion you see different types of architecture, as well as all kinds of interesting furnishings. These rooms are very ornate and fascinating to learn about! Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the Maymont history with us. I would say this tour would be difficult to do for anyone who has mobility issues, or doesn't like to stand for the better part of an hour. Kids probably also wouldn't be too interested, and they mind want to touch things and end up getting scolded by the guide (plenty of adults did on our tour, as a matter of fact!). You have to stand in a tight group and remain in eyesight of the tour guide at all times. There's also strict fire code rules so no showing up late or joining an already full tour. In general this is a must-do for anyone who likes history. I honestly enjoyed Maymont Mansion more than the Biltmore because it was flashy but still livable- Biltmore was just obscene in its extravagance. Walking around the gardens was also fun, although on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in October the place was absolutely mobbed with people taking pictures- there were some really loud and really obnoxious people visiting, although I certainly don't hold that against Maymont. I also enjoyed the herb garden, which we looked at on the way out. Oh, final note is that there's plenty of parking and fine public restrooms. read more

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While I'm updating, I just have to give mad props to Maymont for the lighting. Whoever is in charge of this is just phenom! Keep getting better. If I'm traveling to Richmond, I always love to grab a picnic lunch from a new pop up restaurant in the fan and eat at Maymont. read more

Absolutely gorgeous! We went for the Brandi Carlisle show the other night and I was instantly in love. Great views, good photos, and great music! What beats that? read more

This review is specifically for the GARDEN GLOW EVENT. First of all I love Maymont. It is one of my favorite places to walk. I don't get there often right now but I love it. My mom is 85 and does not get to go many places right now especially during this pandemic but we saw the Garden Glow Event on the website. It said they had ADA access and so we decided to take mom. Last night was a pretty warm night. We paid $15 a ticket (it says $12 but by the time they add the fees . . .) it was four of us. First, the parking was horrendous. I know that most parking for Maymont is on the street but once again, we have an 85 yo mom and in a wheelchair. We were offered no help whatsoever and there were places blocked by cones that could have been easily given to us. They allowed us to get her out at the entrance then go find a place to park. Once we got into the park, they directed us to a handicap "overlook". That was so lame! Mom got to see maybe 5 items from there. They then directed us to the main walkway to get around the mansion to the other side. Some of the trees lit with color were pretty and the lights aimed at the mansion but several of the lights were off their mark and aimed at the grass. We wheeled mom around the mansion and along the walkway with the lanterns (very pretty) and then out of the park. That was it. We wheeled her all the way back up to the entrance. Now, we expected to do a lot with the wheelchair, so I am not in the least talking about that. The Maymont people were friendly enough but not helpful at all. We came home so disappointed. read more

Now that the weather is warming up, I have no more excuses to not go out and explore Richmond. I decided on Maymont for this weeks adventure. I arrived 1:45ish on a Saturday afternoon. I parked at the parking lot right by Children's Farm. It was crowded and packed but luckily I found a spot right away. There are also two other parking areas I believe and I also saw cars parked across the street in the park parking lot. Maymont consists of 100 acre of land can be split into 6 sections: children's farm, wild animal, Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, Maymont Maison, and the visitor center. I started my exploration at the Children's farm. You can purchase feed for the animals. I think for a few dollars you get a small bowl. Some animals were more people friendly and not afraid of people. I saw people petting the cows and the sheep out in the fields. However there were some that were not fond of getting touched. I continued my way to the wild animal section and was lucky to be there just about time for the bobcat training, which was as 2pm. It might not be a bad idea to visit the website for the visitor center first to see if there are special events happening that day. I enjoyed the tulip filled Italian garden since tulips are my favorite flower, but the Japanese garden truly is something! I immediately felt zen once I saw it! Furthermore the garden was a pretty good size too. There were plenty of various elements such as waterfall and bridges for people to explore. The mansion itself was also eye opening. To visit the inside, you need to sign up for the guided tour, which can be reserved at the basement of the house. The tour itself is free, but they do ask for a donation. I am really glad that I went on the tour. All the furniture inside the house were actual units. From walls decorated with gold paint to Tiffany stained glass, it was impressive to say the least. You also get background history about Maymont on the tour. My visit took about 3 hours, but it's definitely somewhere you can easily spend a lot more time. There are a lot of open fields where you can have picnics or just hang around reading a book. A great place for everyone. I think everyone will be able to find something to enjoy at Maymont. Definitely check it out if you haven't! Also you can host private events there. There was a birthday party going on while I was there. The kids dressed up in their princesses gowns and got a horse drawn carriage ride around the house! read more

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It's lovely but not a very attractive venue The museum buildings were closed so I didn't get the whole experience read more

Great place to forget work and walk away the worries of the day. Awesome location for a date/picnic. One of best parks in all of Richmond.

What a beautiful place. We started at the animal petting area and walked from there. We only made it to the Japanese garden but will be back to see more. The animals are so tame and well cared for and the grounds were pristine. Definitely a place for family, couples or someone just wanting a nice place to take a stroll. Make sure you wear comfy shoes because there is a lot of walking if you are not just going for a picnic. read more

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Maymont was fascinating. A historical step back in time. The staff members were friendly and the mansion and gardens were very well kept. A very enjoyable day. read more

Maymont is amazing. I highly recommend coming here at different seasons of the year, which brings out a new experience. I have been coming here for the past 4 years and I have experienced Maymont in all four seasons. I especially enjoy watching the koi swim under ice in the winter time. read more

Maymont - Buffalo - Parks Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This property was absolutely beautiful the flowers were in bloom and it was such a nice day out for a stroll. It also is FREE to visit the park. There is a $5 suggested donation for the park. It took us about 2 hours to walk about the park at a leisurely pace. We enjoyed our time through the Italian and Japanese gardens and took our time looking through the animals as well. The park is very well maintained. The grounds are clean and the plants/trees are very well kept. It has multiple spaces for one to enjoy a picnic with their significant other or family. It also has multiple areas that would be beautiful for a wedding- there was even a wedding taking place in one of the gardens when we went. There is a lot of informational boards set up. Plants and trees were labeled the wildlife stations had information about the animals and the bottom floor of the maymont mansion is set up as a museum to learn about life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The location is family friendly and even has a children's farm area. read more

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A really great place to tour whether you like history, admiring elaborate gardens, observing animals, or just walking around. The grounds are breathtakingly gorgeous. They have free tours with suggested donations which is used to maintain the property. It is about a three mile loop around with hills and stairs in some places. They offer horse carriage rides but I'm not sure how to gain access to that. This is a great place to take the kids. I would recommend bringing a picnic basket style meal while visiting because you will spend more time here that you anticipate. read more

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Wonderful place for everyone. It's a must visit place in Richmond. A real treasure right in the state capital. Petting zoo nice gardens nice walking paths and a super cool old house. read more

Maymont - Parks Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We here in Richmond are so very fortunate to have this wonderful estate park and all the marvellous amenities it offers. This is a year round place to visit. All kinds of special events are held in and around the grounds and facilities . There is even a small family favorite Zoo just right for walking. A barn with farm animals and a petting zoo make for a wonderful family afternoon. read more

Absolutely love this place! On a beautiful day this is the place to be! Nicely maintained, a lot to see. Very family friendly. Japanese Garden is our favorite part of the park in any season, but Italian Garden is a must in the spring or summer. read more

Beautiful historical mansion with elegant furnishings! Nice gardens and scenery, the entrance fee is reasonable and the parking space is available and for free! :) I enjoyed my time at Maymont parks and gardens. read more

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Public park and wildlife reserve that's very walkable and family friendly. We spent at least 2 hours here and walked at least a few miles between seeing the coy fish, eagles, bears, and the outside of the Maymont Mansion. It looks like there are a lot of advertised public events too if you're local to the area. Great place to hang out and bring friends visiting! Beautiful! read more

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I really enjoyed my visit. Then again I love nature and animals, and goofy fun . I have been here before and this was for Mothers Day...I have a pet rabbit. So my boyfriend and I parked outside of Marymount and there weren't too many people. Sure there were lots of folks but Maymont is a very large park. It is also kind of a preserve...they also have a few animals and some larger animals in more of a natural habitat (horses, fox, buffalo--Tatanka! (Ok if u haven't watched Dances with Wolves, it's a classic n that's from that movie, lol), a couple of cows, rabbits, goats...and otters are now back. They've done away with the small eatery/cafe they had but there are several soda pop/ water machines, along with jobs ice near the Italian garden. Beautiful gardens and great place for a picnic. read more

Another Richmond gem that you can enjoy for FREE (although they do ask for a donation). From the children's petting zoo, to the manicured gardens, there is something for everyone. Bring your walking shoes and be prepared to do a lot of walking. The park is very hilly - I repeat....LOTS OF HILLS. Pack yourself water and a picnic as there's not normally food vendors and the water in the vending machines is overpriced. read more

This park is great for what it is - a park. If you'd like to go on walking on a plain trail with beautiful landscapes, come here! If you'd like to do more, look elsewhere! To be frank, I was a little disappointed in the Italian and Japanese gardens. Maybe it's the season I visited in, but the Japanese garden was essentially a big pond and the Italian garden was a couple different flowers. I wouldn't come here for sightseeing in the city, but it definitely is a nice getaway from the city buildings. read more

Maymont is an absolutely perfect place to go on a beautiful day. If you're going for a stroll alone, an outdoorsy date with someone, or taking the whole family, you're going to love it here. I came here with a lady friend who had never been here before, and so we made the rounds of the park. It was a gorgeous day, and many of the trees were blossoming, and the rest of the foliage was looking spritely as well. There are plenty of open, grassy areas to enjoy a picnic, throw a football or frisbee, or relax and soak up some rays. The paths are winding and allow you to have a bit of an adventure as you randomly decide which ways to go. We made the whole round of the park, and got to see the farm animals, birds of prey, Japanese gardens, and other colorful areas. Speaking of animals, the zoo-ish area of the park is great fun for kids and adults alike. Always worth stopping by! While we didn't go in on this particular trip, Maymont House is as beautiful inside as it is outside, with a huge variety of antiquities and impressive furnishings, as well as excellent tour guides who are able to give you every detail of every room's item. If you have time, or happen to go on a day where the weather takes a turn for the worse, stop on in and be amazed at the decadence of it all. There are bathrooms conveniently located throughout the park, and a few places for refreshments as well. Still, why not bring something of your own and dine al fresco? Cheap, fun, and effective sound like good adjectives to me. Overall, this is a must-see for anyone coming to or living in the Richmond area. Make sure to keep an eye out for their special events! Fun fact: you might be surprised to see skirts on some of the trees here. This is a fashion project where local students design and make a skirt for their assigned tree, with the prize being scholarship money. My lady friend is actually one of those students, so wish her luck! Overall: 5.0 stars --------- Pros: -Everything there is beautiful. Inspiration for the artist and a sensation-filled experience for the layman. -The park is designed to have something for everyone, and delivers spectacularly. -The occasional fun events (like costumed individuals wearing period attire) definitely make certain days even more enjoyable than others. -Bathrooms/food/drinks are conveniently located. Cons: -The nicest days bring the biggest crowds, so parking may challenge you. However, my tip: don't drive all the way to the lot if you see cars prowling around it, just pull in on one of the side streets and park there. There are no time limits there and you'll still be able to walk to the park in under 3 minutes. read more

Maymont should be on everyone's destination list. It is unique in many ways and this is why it deserves to be a top destination for both native Richmonders and those coming in from out of town. Situated on a bluff above the James River on 100 acres, the focal point of the park is a house that was built on what was an old dairy farm of about 100 acres. The house is of Romanesque style and was finished in 1893. The home was built by James Henry and Sallie Mae Dooley at a time before income taxes which allowed for their fortune to freely build what is now a unique, intact, gilded-age estate. The house has daily tours and is especially pretty at Christmas when it is decorated in Victorian finery. The tours also highlight the unusual furnishings ( the famous Swan Bed) and the fact that this was one of the first houses with electricity and rudimentary "air conditioning" in Richmond. The house is most unique in that it remains very original as the Dooley's left it and all of its contents to The City of Richmond. The house was never lived in after the Dooley's passed away thus leaving a very unique imprint on the home and gardens. Upon Mrs. Dooley's death in 1925. The estate is part of The National Register of Historic Places. A must see is the tour that recently opened showing the servants quarters and the history of the loyal staff that worked for the Dooley's. The servants quarters are open and a tour is given showing the lives of "below stairs". The house is just a small part of the estate. There is a petting zoo, carriage collection, Italian Garden, Japanese Garden and Arboretum ( a must see) and this place is a tree lover's paradise! Mrs. Dooley imported exotic species of trees from all over the world and had them planted at Maymont (over 200) and Maymont was recognized in 1986 as having one of the finest collections of exotic and native trees in the United States. Please note that there are many activities happening on a daily, weekly and monthly basis with different times and costs such as tours, tram rides, petting zoos etc. Use the web site to plan your visit! read more

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I know Maymont Park is Richmond's best park. Anyone living in the Richmond area, or visiting, should definitely stop by there. Being that the location is in the city, you would never know once you step into the 100+ acre park. It has everything a park should have plus more. Very family oriented. Depending where you park your car (there are 2 parking lots for Maymont), you'll either start with the petting zoo or the Nature's Museum. I always seem to end up parking in the front where the petting zoo is at. Where ever you start, there are paths everywhere. Just follow one and you'll end up seeing the bears, bald eagles, foxes or the Japanese garden! Yes, not only does Maymont have a zoo, there is a man built Japanese garden. The pond at the garden is equipped with Koi fish and stepping stones. I don't want to give too much away, but you should bring your camera. The bamboo forest is another thing I love. There are little paths through the bamboo forest, but BE CAREFUL!!! There is a waterfall as well! I never seem to be there when it's running, but it's still beautiful. Once you are done walking around and seeing all the sites of gorgeous Maymont park, you have plenty of room to lay down your blanket and relax. I love it because you can bring a big group and there is plenty of room for another 20 groups. Or you can just bring your significant other for a romantic time. Just writing about this park makes me want to go now! I think Maymont is the most beautiful in the Fall and especially the Spring. Oh not to mention there is no admission!! There are multiple places in the park where donations are accepted. I've been there enough that I would love to have Maymont here for decades after me, so I put $5 here and there when I visit. You can count on Maymont to have a lot of foot traffic on a beautiful day, but don't be scared of the crowd. There is enough room for everybody! read more

Some parts look like a regular park. Then you're in a garden. Then you're on a farm. Then you're in a zoo. Then it looks like a college campus quad. Then you're frolicking on a mansion's estate. Then you're hiking; (wear comfortable shoes.) Next thing you know, you've completed the entire park....maybe. They definitely need some directories throughout to guide you. So I don't know that you can see all that Maymont has to offer in just one day. But pick a great day, start early (if just to find a parking space because it is extremely limited), and explore. It is the best park ever. read more

Maymont - Parks Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Lovely! This is a pleasantly surprising place to visit. The entire place has different routes and markers to help you navigate. Much of the paths are shaded by trees providing a nice walk despite the heat. The entire place has several exhibits like the Japanese Garden, the mansion (where tours are offered), the Nature exihibit, etc. The place is free to visitors but some of the exhibits require a small fee and it is recommended visitors contribute about $5 to help maintain the space. read more

Beautiful park! We spent the day in Richmond and ended our day here. We strolled around the small zoo to the Japanese gardens. The landscaping was well done and just felt very tranquil. The park is deceptively large and the day that we went was quite humid. We didn't get to see everything but from what we did see, I would recommend those to check it out. read more