The Best Park In Virginia Is...

WASHINGTON, DC — From small but beautiful local parks, to popular community hubs, Money magazine has identified the best park in each state. The report also included travel costs to get to the parks — factoring in average flight, hotel, car and food prices. With help from a Yelp algorithm, the magazine named Meridian Hill or Malcolm X Park as the top park in the District of Columbia, while Maymont Park in Richmond earns top honors for Virginia.

The algorithm included the number of positive park reviews and its business star ratings. In Washington, D.C., Meridian Hill Park was lauded as the best spot in the city. A three-day trip to the region to visit is estimated to cost: $1,313; admission to the park itself is free.

"Meridian Hill Park, often called Malcolm X Park, is a gorgeous 12-acre green space in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C.," the magazine says. "The most dramatic feature of the park, which is designed to resemble formal Italian gardens, is a 13-tiered sprawling fountain that spills into a large reflecting pool."

In Virginia, bragging rights for top park go to Maymont in Richmond. According to the report's data, a three-day trip for two people to visit should run $1,151. There is no admission fee to the grounds, but there is a $5 suggested donation for wildlife exhibits.

"Just a stone’s throw from the James River, the Maymont has plenty to offer outdoor lovers, from Japanese gardens to live black bears and bison at the wildlife exhibits. History buffs will revel in the Maymont Mansion, a Gilded Age compound that was completed in 1893 and owned by local businessman and lawyer James Dooley. And should the mood strike, you can tour the grounds in old-school fashion by renting a horse-drawn carriage," the magazine writes.

SEE ALSO:

• DC, Virginia Cities Make Best, Worst Staycations List
• Here Is The Most Beautiful Place In Virginia, Conde Nast Says

Some of the biggest parks mentioned on the Money magazine list were Acadia National Park in Maine, Glacier National Park in Montana and Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in California.

See the full list of the Best Park In Every U.S. State here.

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