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Highest-rated free things to do in Virginia by visitors

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Tint Media // Shutterstock
Tint Media // Shutterstock
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Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Virginia.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Virginia using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#29. Fredericksburg And Spotsylvania National Military Park

Tripadvisor

1 / 29

#29. Fredericksburg And Spotsylvania National Military Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (568 reviews)
- City: Fredericksburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Torpedo Factory Art Center

Tripadvisor

2 / 29

#28. Torpedo Factory Art Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,232 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial

Tripadvisor

6 / 29

#24. U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,454 reviews)
- City: Arlington
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Tysons Corner Center

Tripadvisor

8 / 29

#22. Tysons Corner Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (431 reviews)
- City: McLean Fairfax County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. University of Virginia

Tripadvisor

9 / 29

#21. University of Virginia

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,280 reviews)
- City: Charlottesville
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Old Town Alexandria Waterfront

Tripadvisor

11 / 29

#19. Old Town Alexandria Waterfront

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,317 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Mill Mountain Star & Park

Tripadvisor

13 / 29

#17. Mill Mountain Star & Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,305 reviews)
- City: Roanoke
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Virginia Capitol Building

Tripadvisor

14 / 29

#16. Virginia Capitol Building

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,088 reviews)
- City: Richmond
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Jamestown-Scotland Ferry

Tripadvisor

16 / 29

#14. Jamestown-Scotland Ferry

- Rating: 4.8/5 (741 reviews)
- City: Williamsburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. National Museum of the Marine Corps

Tripadvisor

17 / 29

#13. National Museum of the Marine Corps

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,185 reviews)
- City: Triangle Prince William County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center

Tripadvisor

26 / 29

#4. Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (4,564 reviews)
- City: Chantilly Fairfax County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Virginia Beach Boardwalk

Tripadvisor

28 / 29

#2. Virginia Beach Boardwalk

- Rating: 4.5/5 (8,013 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Arlington National Cemetery

Tripadvisor

29 / 29

#1. Arlington National Cemetery

- Rating: 4.8/5 (9,705 reviews)
- City: Arlington
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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