The unofficial end of summer is officially here.
Why it matters: Unofficial fall starts Tuesday with its months that end in "ber," pumpkin spice everything and the expectation that one will regularly report to work for a full week.
- Basically, it's the seasonal end of joy.
Yes, but: We compiled a list of eight ways you can squeeze out the last dregs of summer this weekend and beyond.
🚤 Rent a boat
There's a flotilla of charter and rental options around Richmond at every price point, including this season's new option, self-captained retro boats docked at Rocketts Landing.
😵💫 Alter your mind
With some sips of kava, the psychoactive and mildly intoxicating tea, at Virginia's first kava bar, KavaClub , which opened in May.
- Kava is a Polynesian plant root ground into tea that's said to give drinkers a mild euphoria.
- Pro tip: Get the chaser shot with a mocktail, take a few sips of the mocktail and then pour in the kava, which is bitter-tasting on its own.
🎢 Find a thrill
Kings Dominion , Busch Gardens and Water Country USA are still open for the season if you're looking for some roller coaster and water park fun.
- Advance tickets for KD start at $49.99, $54.99 for Busch Gardens and $51.99 for Water County. Or get a two-day pass to both Busch Gardens and Water Country for $99.99.
- KD will be open most weekends through the end of the year; BG will be open most weekends though early January; WC will be open weekends through Sept. 22.
- Pro tip: You can rent a cabana at KD's Tidal Wave Bay, starting at $129 for eight people for the day if booked online in advance. It's part of KD's Soak City, which closes after Labor Day.
👙 Play pool
Richmond's outdoor public pools and splash pads are open through Labor Day.
- And they're all free, all the time.
- Fun fact: Pocahontas State Park and its water park are also open daily through the holiday. Adult swim passes start at $8.
🐐 Go wild
With a trip to Maymont's farm or the Metro Richmond Zoo in deep Chesterfield.
- Adult Richmond zoo tickets start at $25.95; Maymont is always free.
- Fun fact: The zoo also has a zip line, rides and the chance to feed the giraffes from the palm of your hand.
🏞️ Visit the best park ever
We mean the area's newest, Taylor Farm Park , which opened last month with a skatepark, playgrounds, spray park, cycling pump track, bike dirt skills course, mist mounds, treehouse and a zip-line.
- In the five weeks or so since it opened, Taylor Farm's racked up nearly perfect reviews * across the internet (even Redditors love it!).
- Fun fact: Two ladies on Google want to give it a perfect review, but the park allows dogs and they'd prefer it did not, per their reviews. A third loved it and found nothing negative to say, but still only gave three stars.
🦦 Find a spot on the river
The James is once again mostly poop-free , so head down for a dip while you can.
🐡 Eat an invasive species
Ready your palate to feast on the invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish , possibly the trendiest Bay seafood.
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