New to Chesterfield, Virginia? Spending the day in Chester? I have you covered! We've tried everything from Chesterfield playgrounds and nature trails to touring a chocolate factory and playing in the newest indoor play space for kids in RVA. And I have all the tips and tricks for visiting these places in Chester, Virginia with kids!
Never been to Chester, Virginia? Here's a little background:
Located in Chesterfield County near the Tri-Cities area, Chester is a historic city on the south bank of the James River. You'll find a lot of historical markers and places that includes both the American Revolution and the Civil War. You will also find plenty of free things to do, restaurants, indoor play spaces, places to see things that go, and more!
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THE BEST INDOOR PLACES FOR KIDS IN CHESTER, VIRGINIA
1.Toddling Around: This indoor play space for children 0-6 is brand new to Richmond! Toddling Around VA opened in April 2024, and they host open play time, classes for little kids, and birthday parties. While you can book your playtime in advance online, you can also drop-in for play time!
This 1,500 square foot play area in Chester, Virginia has a cafe, gift shop, reading nook and two play spaces. The cafe serves coffee and drinks and dye-free and nut-free muffins, scones, and snacks - prices are between75 cents and $3.
In the largest play area, the play equipment and toys include climbing areas, slides, toys for imaginative play, and more! Children can play with the wooden train set, ride on push toys, or build with giant, soft bricks. The play space has a turf surface so it's soft for babies, new walks, and toddlers. I love that the play space is completely open, so if you have a baby and a toddler, you can all enjoy the same play area at the same time. The second play space is only open when classes aren't in session, but I love it for a quieter, sensory experience. You'll find Montessori style toys, a tent, and a play garden house.
Toddling Around hosts 3 classes right now. Music class meets on Mondays and Fridays in the classroom. You'll need to grab your place in advance on Toddling Around's website. Tumbling Tots is a drop-in style gymnastics class. You can also purchase a 4-week pass for a discounted rate. On Saturdays, Toddling Around hosts 3 speech classes. All classes are parent and me style, and the play area is open during all classes.
Location: 12260 Branders Creek Drive, Chester, Virginia 23831
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9am-3pm
Cost: $9 per kiddo (no end time)
2. Chesterfield County Libraries: With 10 different locations around Chesterfield, Virginia, you and your family could hop around to each library for a free, indoor space to play. Each library location also offers free story time classes and programs for children. You can even check out toys!
Enon Library
Location: 1801 Enon Church Road, Chester, Virginia 23831
Cost: Chesterfield County Libraries are open free to the public. You don't have to be a Chesterfield County resident to visit.
Chester Library
Location: 11800 Centre Street, Chester, Virginia 23831
Cost: Chesterfield County Libraries are open free to the public. You don't have to be a Chesterfield County resident to visit.
3. Taylor Made Chocolate Factory: This local chocolate store offers factory tours on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10-6. Tours are about 30-45 minutes, and they are drop-in style if your group is less than 10 people. Tours cost $12.00 for adults, $8.00 for children 7-18, and children under 6 are free You get two free chocolate bars per adult, too. This tour is a great add-on after visiting Point of Rocks Park or eating at Saucy's in Hopewell.
These educational tours are designed for children 6 and older. I only took my 3.5 year old son on the tour, after skipping 5 minute educational video on cocoa beans. Once the tour started in the factory, my son loved seeing the big machines and learning about chocolate making process. Mr. Hawkins was engaging and kind. During our 30 minute tour, we were the only ones in the group and my son got to sift chocolate beans, work the machines that grind the beans, help operate the chocolate spinner and taste locally made chocolate.
This tour is a great add-on after visiting Point of Rocks Park or eating at Saucy's in Hopewell.
Location: 241 East Hundred Road, Chester, Virginia, 23836
Cost: Tours cost $12.00 for adults, $8.00 for children 7-18, and children under 6 are free You get two free chocolate bars per adult, too.
WHERE TO SEE ANIMALS IN CHESTERFIELD, VIRGINIA:
1.Shoofly Farm: This family-owned farm offers FREE farm tours on Saturdays. They also operate without reservations, so you can just drop in while they are open to visit with the animals. During a self guided tour, you can meet pigs, goats, bunnies miniature horses and more. You can also purchase a pony ride or hayride. In addition to farm experiences, Shoofly Farm offers private tours, horse boarding & birthday parties, and they host special events.
Shoofly Farm is an animal sanctuary and animal rescue. Donations greatly help their mission!
Location: 5031 Treely Road, Chester, Virginia
Hours: April through May, you can visit between 10am-2pm, and June through September, you can visit between 9am and 1pm.
Cost: This Chesterfield County farm is FREE to visit.
*Check here for my full review.
THE BEST PARKS FOR FAMILIES IN CHESTER, VIRGINIA
1. Dodd Park at Point of Rocks: Located on the banks of the Appomattox River, this 176 acre park has a lot of space to explore. The upper area of Dodd Park has athletic fields, picnic areas, a large play area with 2 play structures, swings & exercise equipment. The lower area has a play space, 2.7 miles of trails & a floating boardwalk over tidal marsh
Location: 201 Enon Church Rad, Chester, Virginia 23836
Cost: This Chesterfield County Park is FREE to visit.
*Check here for my review.
2. Goyne Park: This Chesterfield County park has two playgrounds, lots of swings, a picnic shelter and open green space. You'll find the parking lot directly in front of the playground, and it's really easy to get back and forth between your car and the play area. There is a playground for big kids with a swirl slide and monkey bars. Little kids will also enjoy the ride on bouncers - a grass hopper and bumble bee. These playground structures remind me of the ones at Dodd Park, but on a smaller scale. Goyne Park is located between athletic fields (baseball and football) and Ecroff Elementary School.
Goyne Park also has a picnic shelter available for party rentals. You will find 3 trash cans, 9 tables, a grill, and 9 picnic tables. It's less than 800 feet from the playground, and it's next to the bathrooms. Rentals cost between $40 and $85. Chesterfield residents also receive a discount!
*This park is located less than 5 minutes from Toddling Around!
Location: 5300 Avenue, Chester, Virginia 23831
Cost: This Chesterfield County park is free to visit.
3. Harrowgate Park: Located on 35 acres, this Chesterfield park is directly across from Harrowgate Elementary School. It has a large, new play area with climbing features, slides, and two smaller play structures. The climbing structure is the largest I've seen around RVA! The bathrooms are next to the play space. You'll also find a large grassy lawn, picnic shelter, and paved walking trails.
Heads up: This park has full sun - the slides get hot.
Location: 4001 Cougar Trail, Chester, Virginia 23831
Hours: dawn to dusk daily
Cost: This Chesterfield County Park is free to visit.
4. Henricus Historical Park: If you love learning about history, this is a must visit in Chesterfield, Virginia. Henricus Historical Park takes visitors back to 1611 to the City of Henricus, the second successful English settlement and the side of Arrohateck of the Virginia Indians. Henricus Park recreates historical events that took place over 400 years ago - Sir Thomas Dale's arrival in Virginia, the first hospital in North America, the charter of the first English college, and more. This living history museum provides excellent preK-12 and adult educational programs through hands-on learning and creative storytelling (the staff will use kid-terms if there are little ones in your group!). This RVA historical park reminds me of Jamestown Settlement and Colonial Williamsburg.
Henricus Historical Park also offers camps for children 6 years old to 12 years old. Camp Pocahontas is geared towards children 6-9 years old, and they explore the culture of the Powhatan people. James River Camp is geared towards children 9-12 years old, and children get to learn about the environmental and features of the James River and Colonial settlers. These camps are hands on, and children get to kayak the river to study different aspects of the James River!
Location: 251 Henricus Park Road, Chester, Virginia 23826 Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Cost: It costs $12 per adult, $8 per kiddo (ages 5-12 years old), and children 4 and younger can visit for free. Museums for All participants visit for free, and both active & retired Military personalel & their families receive $1 discount.
THE BEST PLACES TO SEE THINGS THAT GO IN CHESTER, VIRGINIA
1. Chesterfield County Airport: This airport is located at 7511 Airfield Drive in Chesterfield County. We like this airport because you can watch the activity on the 5,500-foot runway from inside the airport or outside of the airport. King's Korner restaurant is also at the airport, and you can enjoy your meal while watching the planes!
Richmond Executive Aviation: Located at Chesterfield County Airport, REA provides aeronautical services, aircraft storage & rentals as well as flight instruction. If your children aren’t ready to participate in their flight school, they can still meet pilots & see airplanes up close. On our free tour of Richmond Executive Aviation , we were able to walk across the runway, visit the airplane hangar, watch mechanics work on small aircraft & meet pilots. The highlight of our visit was sitting in a 2007 Diamond D 40 aircraft & chatting with Maggie & Nick, our pilots & tour guides.
Location: 7511 Airfield Drive, North Chesterfield, Virginia 23237
Cost: Chesterfield County Airport is free to visit.
*Check here for my full review.
WHERE TO SEE LEGOS IN CHESTER, VIRGINIA
1.RVA’s Lego Factory's Visitor Center: Did you know you can visit the Lego Factory in Chesterfield, Virginia right now?! The Visitor Center at the future Lego plant is open to visitors every day from 10am to 4pm! This Lego shaped building has a Lego model of the future plant, information about everything you can expect to see at the plant, and it has the history of Legos!
👀 ICYMI - LEGO is building a 1.7 million-square-foot facility in Chesterfield, Virginia. It will sit on 340 acres — approximately the size of 260 football fields. They are hiring 1,761 people too!
After visiting Dodd Park, we drove 5 minutes to check out the Lego Visitor Center. My kids were so excited to see the future site & we learned that there will be a PLAY SPACE for up to 100 kids. Can’t wait to visit in ~18 months!
Location: 1400 Meadowville Road, Chester, VA 23836.
Cost: The Lego Factory's Visitor Center in Chester is free to visit. It's open 24 hours a day with surveillance.
Looking for more things to do with kids south of Richmond? Check out this guide on things to do with kids around Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights.
things to do with kids in RVA, things to do with kids in Chester, Chesterfield parks
Did your favorite things to do with kids in Chester make my list? If not, send me an email at megan@thewestendmom.com . I love trying new places!
For more details on these getaway spots and more Richmond adventures, follow our family on @thewestendmom on Instagram!