Amaravati 
This Small town is situated around 68kms from Vijayawada on the south bank of the Krishna river. Amaravati is considered the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage center in South India. It is best known for the Great Stupa or Maha Chaitya, believed to have been 32 meters in height and 32 meters diameter, larger than the one at Sanchi, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The dome was faced with intricately carved marble slabs. The origins of the stupa goes back to the 3rd or 2nd centuries BC. The excavations by Col. Colin Mackenzie in 1797 recovered the magnificent railings and sculptured friezes. Almost all these excavated items are now displayed in the museums at Chennai and Kolkata. It is locally known as 'Deepaladinne' or 'Hillock of lamps'. Amaravathi is also well known for the Amaralingeswara Swamy Temple. The temple built during the period from 10C - 11C by the eastern Chalukyas was largely renovated in 18C by a local chief Venkatadri Nayudu and the presiding deity is Lord Shiva.

Amaravati Museum
The Archaeological Museum at Amaravati houses mainly Buddhist relics. The antiquities found here include collections from Buddhist sites in Andhra Pradesh which belong to the period between 3rd century BC to 12th century AD.  It contains panels, chakras and caskets containing relics, broken railings and sculptures etc. The exhibits are arranged in different galleries. Gallery I exhibits inscribed relief of Buddha from Gummadidurru, Image of Buddha, Terracotta, Coins, Beads, Dome-slabs, Pillar fragments and Miscellaneous Sculptures. Gallery II exhibits relics of 2nd century BC, inscribed pillars, drum and dome slabs, stone-wheel from Lingarajapalli and Buddha images form Alluru. The museum is open  from 0900 to 1700 on all days except Fridays.

Chandavaram
It is an important It is an important Buddhist site located at a distance of 50 km from Vijayawada. It has a unique double terraced stupa on a hillock known as 'Singarakonda' (beautiful hillock). Excavations at this site have revealed beautifully carved limestone panels which would have supposedly decorated the dome, drum and railings of the stupa. Besides, 'chaityagrihas'and 'viharas', other minor stupas have also been found on the hilltop. Chandavaram is easily accessible from Vijayawada by state buses and taxis.

Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi is a village situated 60km from Vijayawada. It is the birthplace of Siddhendra Yogi, the creator of the famous classical dance form Kuchipudi. There is a full fledged dance school in memory of the originator, for imparting training in Kuchipudi dance form to students and for promoting the art.

Hamsala Devi
Hamsala Devi, is an important religious centre in the district, situated at about 85-km from Vijayawada. It is considered a sacred place of pilgrimage being the confluence of the river Krishna. The Shrine of Venugopalaswami, constructed during the rule of the Chola Kings, is an important place of worship. A festival is celebrated in honour of this deity for eight days from Magha Suddha Navami to Bahula Padyami (January- February) which attracts thousands of pilgrims even from other states. 

Machilipatnam
This port town earlier known as Masulipatnam, is located 70km southeast of Vijayawada. It is renowned for its cotton textiles, especially the finely woven muslins and brightly coloured prints. Products include Hand printed silk and cotton saris, upholstery, sling bags and dresses. This was once the principal port town in the Krishna Delta, but now little can be seen of this port town's mercantile past. There are Dutch tombs with carved instructions and coats of arms bearing dates from 1649 to 1725, a reminder of the colonial history of Machilipatnam.

Ghantasala
Situated around 90km from Vijayawada, Ghantasala was once a flourishing Indo-Roman trade as well as an important religious centre. The Buddhist relics and the Hindu structures at the place reveal its past glory. Carved limestone columns belonging to pillared halls associated with 2C-3C Buddhist monastic establishments have been discovered. The ruined Maha Chaitya or stupa that was excavated here is of a unique design. A cube of solid bricks is set in the centre, inscribed with 12 constellations of the zodiac. Some of the carved slabs have found their way to museums in Paris.

Jaggayapetta
It is a town 77km northwest of Vijayawada on NH9. It was once an important Buddhist centre. Numerous excavations have brought to light a rich Buddhist heritage which include stupas made completely out of bricks and earth. Maha Chaitya is what the stupa is referred to in the 3C-4C inscriptions and consists of a ruined pillared hall immediately south-east, and a few inconspicuous mounds in the vicinity. Some of the finds of the excavation have found their way to Government Museum, Madras. There are frequent buses from Vijayawada to Jaggayapetta and one can also avail private transport.

Kolleru Lake
The lake is situated at a distance of 95km from Vijayawada. It is a large freshwater lake spread over an area of 300sq. miles. It is home to migratory birds in the months of October and November every year, the most common visitors being Pelicans from Siberia and Fiji Islands. It is a great picnic spot and a paradise for birdwatchers. It has religious significance as well, the famous Peddinti Amma/ Jaladurga temple being situated here.

Manginapudi Beach
Located at a distance of 65kms from Vijayawada, the scenic beach is breathtakingly beautiful. A unique feature of this beach is that it has black soil instead of sand. On the occasion of Magha Poornima lakhs of pilgrims gather here to take a holy dip in the sea. An old light house is one of the tourist attractions. A number of beach resorts are coming up to cater to the tourist crowd.