Discover Bon Air

Bon Air combines a village character with traces of its resort history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Bon Air, local themes offer several ways to plan your trip: the Bon Air Historic District represents Victorian streetscapes and local history, while the Bon Air Library and its Pollinator Garden add literary and nature themes to the picture. Which of these aspects you prioritize during your stay depends on whether you’re mainly interested in historic architecture or also want to explore nature and cultural offerings.

Victorian streetscapes in the Bon Air Historic District

Buford Road in the Bon Air Historic District is lined with richly ornamented Victorian cottages. The district preserves Bon Air’s village character, and the street offers a tangible architectural perspective on it. Many properties listed on the register are visible from public paths. At the same time, many are privately owned and not open to the public. For architecture enthusiasts, the focus is therefore on the streetscapes; being able to see a property does not mean you can enter its interior.

Founding, buildings, and historic rail service

Bon Air was founded in 1877 by the Bon Air Land and Improvement Company in a wooded part of Chesterfield County. The Bon Air Christian Church building was originally constructed in 1882 and served as Bon Air Union Chapel. Five years separate the founding of the community from the construction of the church building: the dates refer to different historical milestones. This church building is one of only two public buildings that have survived from Bon Air’s resort era. The area’s historic transportation history also includes convenient rail connections between the Bon Air Historic District and downtown Richmond.

An annual event in May

Bon Air’s Victorian Day Parade and Festival takes place annually, usually in May on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. Unlike the streetscapes that define the Historic District, the festival takes place on a specific date. If you’d like to plan your trip around it, check the date for the year you’re traveling.

Library offerings and the Pollinator Garden

The Bon Air Library offers book discussion groups and storytimes. Each format has a different focus: book discussions center on books and conversation, while storytimes focus on reading aloud. The library’s Pollinator Garden brings in additional educational and nature themes. Designed as a teaching garden for learning and interaction, it provides habitat for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. This means literary offerings and a garden with its own educational and habitat functions sit side by side at the library. For travelers who want to include local nature and cultural themes in their plans as well as historic architecture, this offers another way to experience Bon Air.

Discover more destinations: Midlothian, Chester, Moseley

For the broader travel overview: Chesterfield.