What’s New in Virginia 2025

RICHMOND – Today, the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) released What’s New in Virginia 2025, the agency’s curated guide to what is new and noteworthy for the travel industry for the coming year. The guide is produced annually and offers an overview of what’s coming to the Commonwealth in 2025.

To view the full What’s New in 2025 guide, visit pressroom.virginia.org/whatsnew.

Some of the new and noteworthy items featured in this year’s guide include:

Statewide News and Major Openings:

• The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the founding of our nation, and its ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union with a multi-year series of signature events, special exhibits, and interactive experiences that bring history to life for visitors.
  • The VA250 Mobile Museum Experience launched in January 2025, bringing key stories of Virginia’s rich history to schools, museums, local events, fairs, and more.
  • A signature “Give Me Liberty” exhibition opens at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond on March 22, 2025. The exhibit will highlight Virginia’s leading role in the American Revolution and explore the continental and global forces as well as the actions of both iconic and ordinary people that brought about a model of democratic government that changed the world.
  • March 23, 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech, which was proclaimed at St. John’s Church in Richmond, VA. Visitors can sit among the actors at re-enactments of the iconic 1775 speech in the room where it happened.
  • View the full calendar of VA250 events here.
• Get ready for a historic day of racing at the Virginia Derby on March 15, 2025 at Colonial Downs in New Kent. The Virginia Derby will serve for the first time ever as a Kentucky Derby qualifier race, with the winning horse securing a spot in the field for the 151st Kentucky Derby at historic Churchill Downs on May 3, 2025. All ticketed guests will receive a special commemorative keepsake to remember this momentous day in Virginia horse racing.

• This year marks the 100th Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim and Auction to be held July 30-31, 2025. Without a doubt, this centennial celebration will be one for the books. The annual event funds the care and protection for wild ponies that roam the marshes and maritime forests of the Eastern Shore. Established in 1925, activities include a sunrise beach walk, a nightly carnival, and a raffle to win your very own Chincoteague pony, but the signature event — the Pony Swim — is the biggest draw for spectators.

• Virginia’s Blue Ridge is set to become the capital of American mountain biking as it hosts the 2025 and 2026 USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships with seven days of racing events and over 1,500 athletes in July 2025 and 2026. The Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships will combine Cross-Country and Marathon Mountain Bike events, creating one exhilarating race week. Athletes will vie for gold on the formidable trails and stunning landscapes of Explore Park, Elmwood Park, and Carvins Cove, providing best-in-class racing while showcasing the natural beauty of Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

• Celebrating 50 Years of Thrills at Virginia’s Premier Amusement Parks

• • To celebrate its 50th anniversary season in 2025, Kings Dominion, the Doswell, VA amusement park, is welcoming a brand-new ride – Rapterra – the world’s tallest and fastest launched wing coaster. Standing at 145 feet tall and stretching 3,086 ft long, this incredible new attraction is inspired by the powerful Jungle Hawk, offering riders the sensation of flight through an unforgettable experience filled with heights, speed and exhilarating maneuvers.
  • Busch Gardens Williamsburg celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025 with the launch of a new coaster – Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge. An exhilarating adventure through the German countryside awaits guests when riders become the beast on Busch Gardens’ all-new family-friendly inverted roller coaster. Riders will experience over 2,500 feet of track traveling up to 40 miles per hour while bolting through the streets of an abandoned Bavarian village amid the sound of screams and the echo of a howling wolf.

• The Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront in Downtown Richmond will make its debut in summer 2025 with a variety of live performances including Dwight Yoakam and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. This first of its kind 7,500-capacity outdoor venue will offer a vibrant destination for live music and entertainment. Situated alongside the James River and Historic Tredegar, the amphitheater offers stunning views of the downtown skyline and the city’s natural beauty.

• Texas-based travel center and fan favorite Buc-ee’s is coming to Virginia! The first Virginia Buc-ee’s location is slated to open in Rockingham County in June 2025. Located at exit 240 off Interstate 81, the 74,000-square-foot travel center will offer 120 gas pumps and 24 electric vehicle charging stations. Best known for its clean bathrooms and elevated food, Buc-ee’s expects to bring over 200 jobs to the region.

• The Virginia Opera caps off its 50th Anniversary season with the highly anticipated world premiere of Loving v. Virginia. A young couple’s interracial marriage in 1958 sparks a case that leads to the Supreme Court and a victory for civil rights in the United States. This operatic retelling is based on the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving. Performances will be held in Norfolk, Fairfax, and Richmond on select dates from April 25 through May 11, 2025.

• Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville will host an LIV Golf tournament June 6-8, 2025.

Where to Stay in Virginia 2025:

• The Hotel Petersburg, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property, opened in December 2024 in the heart of Old Towne Petersburg. The newly restored 64-room upscale boutique hotel masterfully blends historical preservation with modern amenities. The hotel’s unique dining and entertainment options include Shirley’s, a full-service restaurant and bar serving seasonal fare; 20 West, a rooftop lounge with curated cocktails and sweeping city views; and The Boiler Room, a spirits bar with speakeasy vibes. An outdoor courtyard provides a green space for guests to relax.

• Slated for a February 2025 opening in Richmond, Shenandoah Mansions is a redbrick 73-room boutique hotel inhabiting a six-story historic apartment building dating back to the 20th century. Shenandoah Mansions will be the Fan District’s first boutique hotel, offering sweeping views of treetops and steeples as one of the tallest buildings in the neighborhood.

• Roman luxury meets southern charm at Caesars Virginia. Opened in December 2024 in historic Danville, the all-new destination resort brings the iconic Caesars brand to the heart of Southern Virginia. Caesars Virginia offers a luxurious experience, complete with a 320-room hotel, a casino, full-service spa, pool, world-class dining, upscale bars, lounges, convention space, and non-stop entertainment.

• Opened in November 2024 with an epic guitar smashing ceremony, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol blends Hard Rock’s signature style with the charm of Southwest Virginia. The resort features luxurious accommodations in its 300-room hotel, an expansive casino, world-class restaurants, bars and lounges, a Rock Spa®, and live music venue.

• The Virginia Guesthouse, coming to Charlottesville on University of Virginia grounds in late 2025, will replace the previous Cavalier Inn on Emmett Street (though in a new location). The hotel and conference center will feature 217 guest rooms, approximately 25,000 square feet of conference space, a full-service restaurant, a café, outside terraces, and a rooftop bar.

• Expected to open in mid-2025, the JW Marriott at Reston Station will be Virginia’s first JW Marriott and only the second in the Washington, D.C. region. The 28-story glass and concrete high-rise adjacent to the Wiehle-Reston East station on Metro’s Silver Line will feature a JW Club, fitness facility, fine-dining restaurant, a signature bar, and a café. The hotel will also offer 25,000 square feet of premier event space, including a 9,000 square foot main ballroom and multiple intimate meeting rooms.

• Hotel Burg, the first hotel to open in downtown Leesburg’s historic district in 60 years, is coming in summer 2025. The 39-room, seven-suite boutique hotel will offer upscale amenities, including a 70-seat restaurant called Huntōn, as well as a private speakeasy and a rooftop lounge and bar with stunning views of downtown.

Where to Eat & Drink in Virginia 2025:

• Ebbitt House, the first ever expansion of Washington, DC’s world famous Old Ebbitt Grill, is coming to Reston Station in 2025. Ebbitt House will feature a 300-seat indoor dining experience with two bars, along with 125 outdoor seats and a patio bar. The menu will include curated offerings of the American classics for which Old Ebbitt Grill is known.

• The owners of popular Richmond seafood market Yellow Umbrella Provisions are opening their first restaurant, Slack Tide Fish Co. at the Ballast redevelopment property in Scott’s Addition. The highly-anticipated global coastal restaurant and raw bar is expected to open in early 2025.

• Ripple Ray’s, a Grateful Dead-themed restaurant, opened in January 2025 in Richmond’s Carytown. The new bar and restaurant features Southern cuisine, “hippie hour” specials, a psychedelic vibe, and live music.

• The newly launched Harrisonburg Coffee Trail features 11 independent coffee shops in the Friendly City. Coffee lovers can download a “passport” and visit at least six coffee shops to redeem a free coffee mug.

• The French Magnolia opened in November 2024 in Bristol, combining Southern charm with French influences. At the hands of Chef Missy, the culinary brand of French Magnolia focuses on elevated food and wine experiences that bring the rustic elegance of the French countryside to life in Southwest Virginia.

What to Do in Virginia 2025:

• The Muscarelle Museum of Art at William & Mary will commemorate the 550th anniversary of Michelangelo’s birth with Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine, on view March 6-28, 2025. This exhibition marks the global debut of a long-overlooked drawing hypothesized to be Michelangelo’s first sketch in preparation for the Sistine Chapel ceiling decoration. Williamsburg also has the honor of hosting the U.S. debut of seven Michelangelo drawings, including two sketches of apostles long forgotten by scholars and the public.

• The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will host the Frida: Beyond the Myth exhibition from April 5 to September 28, 2025. This exhibition, which includes 60 works of art in a variety of media, will delve deep into Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits and imagery to reveal the specific incidents in her life that impacted her creativity and the construction of her identity.

• On track for a Spring 2025 opening, the highly-anticipated Atlantic Park is coming to the birthplace of East Coast surfing, allowing visitors to surf year-round in Virginia Beach. Set to open in tandem with Atlantic Park, new entertainment venue The Dome will overlook the surf lagoon. With its flexible design and option to open up to the outdoors, The Dome promises to be a popular venue for a variety of year-round shows, from music to comedy.

• Nauticus has undergone a major renovation. The $21.5 million Reimagine Nauticus project features new interactive exhibits, a planetarium, a maritime simulator, and a public plaza with stunning views of the Elizabeth River. These new exhibits focus on interactive play, teaching visitors about Norfolk’s history as a port city, how we impact our environment, exhibits that dive into the design of sailboats and more.

• Norfolk is on track to become a popular cruise destination. Starting in February, Carnival Cruise Line will offer year-round cruises to ports in the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas on the Carnival Sunshine, bringing a renewed sense of excitement for travelers to and from Mermaid City.

• Massanutten Resort welcomes the Mountain Mayhem Coaster in spring 2025. With a total length spanning 3,380 feet, Mountain Mayhem is an exhilarating downhill experience covering 2,156 feet of terrain with two 360-degree spirals along the track. An innovative design gives riders full control over their speed, granting a customized experience tailored to each individual’s preference. Whether seeking an exhilarating, heart-pumping ride or a more leisurely ride to take in the coaster’s breathtaking views, the mountain coaster can reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour.

• Bristol Motor Speedway, in partnership with Major League Baseball, is hosting the MLB Speedway Classic in Bristol on August 2, 2025. The Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds will play as history will be made at The Last Great Colosseum.

• In winter 2025, one of Alexandria’s last remaining historic waterfront warehouses will be transformed into Cooper Mill, a new upscale market and relaxed tavern space in Robinson Landing. The name is a nod to the former mill on the site which fabricated barrels for the Alexandria Flour Company.

Please note that openings, events, and other information on these pages may be canceled or postponed to a later date. Check with the individual location or business for more details.

Additional new events, attractions, restaurants, and more can be found in VTC’s What’s New in Virginia for 2025 Guide at pressroom.virginia.org/whatsnew.

About Virginia Tourism Corporation

Virginia is for Lovers is one of the most iconic and recognizable travel brands in the world. Using that powerful brand equity, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is charged with promoting the Commonwealth as a premier travel destination by showcasing all there is to love in a Virginia vacation. The dollars spent by travelers fuel the economy, provide jobs for Virginians, and improve communities across the state. Simply put, tourism helps make Virginia a great place to live, work, and visit. Learn more at virginia.org.