Free travel destinations in Virginia

From free museums and free bike trails to free history tours and concerts, Virginia boasts exciting and affordable travel destinations from the Chesapeake Bay to Big Stone Gap.

Some of the best include:

• Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. The cemetery is the resting place of American presidents John Tyler and James Monroe -- and Confederate President Jefferson Davis -- six Virginia governors, two Supreme Court justices, 22 Confederate generals and more than 18,000 Confederate soldiers.

• Crabtree Falls in Nelson County. The falls tumble 1,200 feet down the Blue Ridge. A 3-mile trail offers stunning views of the falls and the Tye River Valley.

• Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum facility displays the space shuttle Enterprise, the Gemini VII space capsule and the Boeing B-29 "Enola Gay" in its collection of air and space craft.

• Hanover Tomato Festival in Mechanicsville. Hanover County celebrates its most famous fruit July 11 at Pole Green Park with live entertainment, children's games, arts and crafts, contests and lots of tomato delicacies.

• National Museum of the Marine Corps at Triangle. Take part in the Marine story through interactive displays, videos, realistic environments and priceless artifacts.

• Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History in Danville. Housed in the Sutherlin Mansion on Danville's "Millionaires Row," the museum features art exhibits and historical displays.

Pony Pasture Rapids in Richmond. The James River stretch is perfect for swimming, hiking, tubing, snorkeling, fishing, bird watching, biking and canoeing. -- Peter Bacqué