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What to Do in Virginia 2026

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What to Do

Central and Southern Virginia

  • Richmond’s Brown’s Island will reopen in October 2026 after undergoing a major renovation. The riverfront space will feature river terraces, play areas, shaded seating, restrooms, accessible pathways, and potable water.
  • The former Nordstrom location at Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County will become House of Sport in 2026. The experiential concept from Dick’s Sporting Goods will include facilities like batting cages, rock climbing walls, and fields.
  • The Conservatory at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is reopening in Spring 2026. The reimagined Conservatory will be double the size of its predecessor with four distinct climate zones, a permanent home for butterflies in the Subtropical House, and new exhibits.
  • The Richmond Region’s first official LEGO Store began welcoming customers at Short Pump Town Center in November 2025. LEGO is also building its first North American manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County, slated to begin production in 2027.
  • Chesterfield locals and visitors will be able to catch waves at a new, six-acre surf park in 2026. The Lake will be part surf park, part retail hub, complete with a 13-acre artificial lake for wakeboarding, kayaking, paddleboarding, and more.
  • Lynchburg’s new amphitheater at Riverfront Park is set to open in Spring 2026. The venue seeks to attract national touring acts and host 10-20 performances annually.
  • The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will usher in a new exhibit in November 2026. The Impressionist Revolution: Money to Matisse will remain at the museum until March 2027.
  • Get ready for high-level lacrosse action over Memorial Day Weekend at Scott Stadium. The NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships will return to Charlottesville for the first time since 1982.
  • The Virginia Scenic Railway will expand its offerings in 2026 to include themed excursions from the renovated Louisa Depot. New events include a Sunday Brunch Train, Sip & Savor Wine Trains, and a potential Murder Mystery ride.
  • A new historic attraction, the Skipwith–Roper Cottage, will open during Jackson Ward’s Founding Week in Richmond in April 2026. The site will be the permanent home of the exhibit “House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History.”
  • Valley Arts Studios, a new ceramic and painting teaching studio, will open in downtown Stanardsville in January 2026. The studio will offer classes led by artist Adrianna Taylor.
  • Atwell Place, a creative retreat in Orange County, will open in Fall 2026. The space will offer a variety of classes including cooking, art, and gardening workshops.
  • The Historic Downtown Clarksville Flower Crawl is a self-guided shopping event taking place Saturday, May 2, inviting visitors to explore downtown while collecting a bouquet one stop at a time. Participants check in at Town Hall to receive a map and flower holder, then visit participating shops and restaurants for flowers and special offers along the way.
  • Expected to open this spring, Riverfront Park in Danville is a new public greenspace along the Dan River. The park will feature river overlooks, a playground and splash pad, open lawn areas, and connections to the Riverwalk Trail, designed as a central gathering space within the River District redevelopment.
  • Major upgrades have been completed at the Hopewell City Marina, including rebuilt boardwalk decking, renovated boat ramps, and structural improvements to enhance safety and boater access.
  • Live! Casino opened its temporary facility in Petersburg, VA, in January. The 75,000-square-foot casino features 900 slot machines and 30 live table games, with the permanent casino and resort expected to open in 2027.

Coastal Virginia – Chesapeake Bay, Hampton Roads, Eastern Shore

  • A multi-year expansion to Norfolk Botanical Garden, called “Garden of Tomorrow,” is set to be complete in Spring 2026. The project will add a new visitor’s pavilion, skywalk, and conservatory featuring Chihuly glass art.
  • The Greater Williamsburg Sports and Events Center is on track for an August 2026 opening. The over 200,000 square foot complex will include systems for basketball and volleyball courts, an indoor turf field, spectator and event spaces, and concessions.
  • The Williamsburg African American Heritage Trail is set to debut in 2026. When complete, the trail will guide visitors through more than three centuries of the city’s Black history over 2.5 miles with interpretive markers, public art, and digital storytelling.
  • The new Colin G. and Nancy N. Campbell Archaeology Center at Colonial Williamsburg will give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how the practices of archaeology and history are linked. The center opens with a weekend celebration in April 2026.
  • A new exhibit at Mathews County History Museum will open in Spring 2026. The experience will take visitors through the history of underwater photography and exploration in the Chesapeake Bay region. An Aquascope and two submersibles will be included in the display.
  • Tappahannock and Essex County Museum are introducing the Rise & Fall Festival, a three-day celebration of Tidewater culture, history, and creativity, in September 2026. The event will include live music, a book and arts fair, poetry readings, and more community fun.
  • The Virginia Aquarium will have several changing exhibits in 2026, including an outdoor installation exhibit called Wildlife Rescue. Opening in June, the exhibit will have 12 detailed sculptures of animal species which faced extinction. Spot a burrowing owl, toad, leatherback sea turtle, bald eagle, and more along the Nature Trail.
  • The Shipwreck Festival will fill Mill Point Park in Hampton with waterfront fun on April 4, 2026. The new event will feature performers such as stilt walkers and fire breathers, kids activities including a scavenger hunt and Pirate Training Camp, food trucks, and craft beverages.
  • Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Super Girl Surf Festival makes its Virginia Beach debut over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5–7, bringing the world’s largest female surfing competition to the Oceanfront. Free and open to the public, the event features more than 4,000 female athletes across multiple sports, plus live concerts, fitness classes, and celebrity speakers.
  • The circa-1805 Francis Land House reopened to the public in November 2025, inviting visitors to explore the restored former plantation home of Francis Land VI and its grounds. The experience includes artisan demonstrations, hearth cooking, music, and new exhibits covering the site’s layered history, including its Indigenous roots, the lives of enslaved individuals, Prohibition, World War II, and its time as the Rose Hall Dress Shop, along with free guided tours offered weekly.
  • Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art is set to open its new home on Virginia Wesleyan University’s campus in spring 2026, expanding its exhibition space and accessibility, with an inaugural solo exhibition by Nina Chanel Abney, The Pursuit of Happiness, on view April 18 to August 16, 2026.
  • The Palace of Pickleball, an 18,000-square-foot indoor complex opening in early 2026 in Virginia Beach, will offer seven dedicated courts, amenities and year-round clinics, leagues, tournaments and events for players of all ages and skill levels.
  • The Military Aviation Museum has added a rare World War II Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon, known as “Island Doll,” to its collection, with the aircraft undergoing final restoration before going on public display later this year.

Virginia Mountains

  • The Harrison Museum of African American Culture opened the doors to its new location in Northwest Roanoke in November 2025. The new museum will have a rotational programming model with new exhibits every six months.

Northern Virginia

  • A too-sweet immersive experience is coming to Tysons Corner in Fairfax in March. The Hershey Super Sweet Adventure will be a family-friendly affair with interactive experiences, hands-on activities, and plenty of chocolate.
  • Check out the first Mid-Atlantic location of Level99, dubbed “a playground for grown-ups” and known for mental and physical challenge rooms, arena duels, and art installations, at Tysons Corner Center.
  • Play Skee-Ball, pinball, and more arcade games at Continues Arcade, Bar and Restaurant in Alexandria, which opened in September 2025. Don’t miss the full-service restaurant from “Iron Chef” alum Brian Lacayo and Chef Advisor Spike Mendelsohn from “Top Chef.”
  • A new meeting and events venue is coming to Arlington’s National Landing neighborhood. Concorde will have a total capacity of more than 470 attendees, with a 300-guest presentation hall and five additional event rooms as well as an on-site culinary program.
  • Goodstone Inn & Restaurant is adding a fitness center and a new on-site gift shop in 2026 in addition to its expanded spa offerings and immersive experiences.
  • Alexandria unveiled the Pendleton Street Promenade in Old Town North in fall 2025, creating a riverfront space that blends innovative design, environmental protection, and community enjoyment with enhanced waterfront access and scenic swings.
  • Alexandria debuted its first ADA-accessible Potomac River paddling access late last year with the opening of a kayak launch at Four Mile Run Park in the Arlandria-Chirilagua neighborhood.

Shenandoah Valley

  • Middletown’s historic B&O train station is being rebuilt. When it opens again, the station will include a museum of local railroad history, a model train display, and space for the Winchester & Middletown Model Railroad Association to hold meetings.
  • Get ready to fly along an exhilarating downhill ride at Massanutten Resort, Mountain Mayhem. The mountain coaster covers 2,156 feet of terrain and includes two 360-degree spirals while giving riders full control of their speed for a customizable experience.
  • Buena Vista is opening a new Visitor Center in April 2026. Located at the Virginia Innovation Accelerator, the center will provide information for guests about the greater Rockbridge area.
  • Mark your calendar for June 13, 2026, when the first Rockbridge Outdoors Fest will take place at Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista. The day will include showcases of outdoor recreation, live music, local vendors, guided hikes, and food trucks.
  • A new independent art gallery opened in Woodstock in November 2025. Stop by Colloquia art to see contemporary and fine art exhibitions and attend special events.

Southwest Virginia – Blue Ridge Highlands and Heart of Appalachia

  • The first phase of improvements at historic Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg will be unveiled when it reopens in March 2026. The project includes refurbishing the auditorium, lighting, and sound system. In the future, improvements will be made to the building’s lobby, exterior, and accessibility.
  • The Spa at Mountain Lake Lodge opened in October 2025. The Blue Ridge retreat sits atop Salt Pond Mountain and offers massages, skin care treatments, and nail and foot care.
  • The 165,000-square-foot Pulaski County Sportsplex is anticipated to open in November 2026. The state-of-the-art facility will enhance the region’s capacity to host tournaments, events, and athletic programming.
  • The Virginia Creeper Trail segment from Whitetop Station to Damascus is anticipated to be rebuilt and ready for use by November 2026. The project will restore a key portion of this popular outdoor recreation corridor in Southwest Virginia.
  • Pulaski wrapped up its Main Street Streetscapes project in October 2025, adding a new mural, several local businesses, and ecological and accessibility improvements. There’s more public art on the horizon — another mural will be completed in June 2026 through a partnership with Round the Mountain and the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley.
  • Virginia’s latest state park, Hayfields State Park, was dedicated in October 2025. The 1,034-acre property in Highland County is nestled between Bullpasture and Jack Mountains and features four miles of hiking and biking trails, fishing access, and an 1800s farmhouse.