Virginia Capital Trail: Perfect 1-Day Itinerary

If you’re looking for the perfect Richmond day trip (or weekend adventure), the Virginia Capital Trail is a great choice (especially in the Fall). This 51.7 mile paved trail runs from Richmond all the way to Jamestown (or vice versa), mixing gorgeous James River views with some of Virginia’s most historic spots. And the best part? You can turn it into your very own food, drink, and history crawl.

🚲 My Virginia Capital Trail Itinerary:

10:00 a.m. – Rent bikes at The Kickstand We rented ebikes (highly recommend!), that extra boost made it so much easier to cover the mileage. Call them to reserve: (804) 372-7813

10:15 a.m. – Brunch at The Boathouse (0.5 miles | 5 min ride) This waterside spot has amazing James River views.

12:00 p.m. – Four Mile Creek Trail Stop (8 miles | ~40–50 min ride) Stretch your legs, refill your water bottle, use the new bathrooms, or snap a selfie with the giant bike sculpture. 🚲📸

1:00 p.m. – Upper Shirley Vineyards + Historic Shirley Plantation (4 miles | ~20 min ride) Sip wine, grab a snack, and soak in those dreamy James River views. You can also tour Shirley Plantation, Virginia’s very first plantation still in operation since the 1600s.

2:30 p.m. – Historic Westover Church (6 miles | ~30–35 min ride) Step inside this peaceful colonial-era church and take in a slice of early Virginia history.

3:30 p.m. – Cul’s Courthouse Grille in Charles City (3 miles | ~15 min ride) This restaurant has been around since 1872! I went for the black bean burger + hummus plate. Don’t miss the water fountain at the courthouse across the street for refills. 💧

👉 Total so far: ~30 miles from Richmond | 2.5–3 hours of biking spread across the day.

At this point, you can either call it a day and have someone pick you up (Lukas picked us up!) OR keep the adventure rolling another 20 miles down the trail…

At this point, you can either call it a day and have someone pick you up (Lukas picked us up!) or keep the adventure rolling another 20 miles down the trail…

If You Keep Going…

• Sherwood Forest Plantation (9–5) – Home of President John Tyler, and yes, it’s just as presidential as it sounds 🇺🇸

• Chickahominy Riverfront Park – Gorgeous water views + picnic spot

• Spoke + Art Provisions Co. Café (8–5) – Coffee, snacks, and bike gear all in one

• Billsburg Brewery (11–11) – Beer reward for all your pedaling 🍻

• Jamestown Settlement (9–5) – A living-history museum with ships, forts, and costumed interpreters
  

This trail is so much more than just a bike ride - it’s Virginia’s history, culture, and food scene all tied together by a smooth paved path along the James. Whether you stop after lunch or power through to Jamestown, the Virginia Capital Trail will leave you obsessed with Virginia and with a good workout, haha. I hope you found this itinerary helpful! There are more blogs on my website about Richmond travel tips.

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If you have any questions or comments, feel free to DM me on Instagram any time.

💚 Lauren