Richmond, Virginia

Virginia's capital and the former capital of the Confederacy, with a free art museum, Hollywood Cemetery, Maymont estate and James River rapids right in the city.

Richmond is the capital of Virginia, set on the fall line of the James River, with a population of about 230,000 (around 1.3 million in the metro area). It is one of the oldest cities in the United States: in 1775 Patrick Henry declared "Give me liberty, or give me death!" here, and during the Civil War it served as the capital of the Confederacy. In recent years it has drawn young travelers with its food, craft beer, murals and outdoor activities. The climate is humid subtropical: Apr–May and Sep–Oct are the most pleasant, Jul–Aug are hot and muggy, and winters are mild with occasional snow. Main areas to explore: downtown's Capitol Square (Virginia State Capitol), the Canal Walk and the American Civil War Museum at Tredegar; the Museum District to the west, with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (free), the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Monument Avenue, The Fan and Carytown; Hollywood Cemetery and Maymont on the north bank of the river; and Church Hill to the east, with St. John's Church, Libby Hill Park, the Poe Museum and the Shockoe Bottom dining district. The James River runs through the city, and around Belle Isle you can hike, rock climb and raft urban rapids. Day trips: Kings Dominion theme park about 40 km north and Petersburg National Battlefield about 40 km south; for Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, about 80 km southeast, see the Williamsburg destination, and for Monticello to the northwest, see Charlottesville. Getting there: Richmond International Airport is about 12 km from downtown; Amtrak takes about 2–2.5 hours from Washington, D.C.; and Interstates 95 and 64 meet here. Downtown has a bus rapid transit line, but sights are spread out, so driving is easiest. Plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) – A large state art museum with free admission to its permanent collection year-round. Its Fabergé egg collection is the largest outside Russ…
• Virginia State Capitol – A state capitol designed by Thomas Jefferson after the Roman temple Maison Carree, housing Houdon's life-size marble statue of Washington…
• Hollywood Cemetery – A garden-style cemetery on hills overlooking the James River, the resting place of two U.S. presidents and Confederate President Jefferson…
• Maymont – A 100-acre Victorian estate with a mansion, Japanese and Italian gardens, and an animal farm. The grounds are free to enter.
• American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar – Set on the former site of the South's largest wartime arsenal, telling the Civil War from Union, Confederate, enslaved, and civilian perspe…
• Belle Isle & James River Park System – A city-center stretch of river rapids and an island reached by suspension footbridge. Hiking, rock climbing, and in summer, whitewater raft…
• St. John's Church – The white wooden church where Patrick Henry gave his “Give me liberty, or give me death” speech in 1775, in the historic Church Hill neighb…
• Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden – A renowned botanical garden with a glass conservatory, rose garden, and children's garden. Its winter light festival is very popular.
• Richmond Canal Walk – A roughly 2-km walkway along a 19th-century canal, linking Brown's Island, river views, and historical plaques, with flat-bottom boat rides…
• Monument Avenue & The Fan – A historic tree-lined boulevard and Victorian row-house district. Only the statue of tennis champion Arthur Ashe remains after the Confeder…
• Carytown & Byrd Theatre – Known as the “Mile of Style,” a strip of independent boutiques. The 1928 Byrd Theatre still screens affordable films.
• Science Museum of Virginia – Housed in the grand old Broad Street train station, with interactive exhibits and a giant dome theater that are great for families.
• Virginia Museum of History & Culture – A state museum telling Virginia's 16,000-year history. Permanent exhibits are free, and it sits right next to the Museum of Fine Arts.
• The Poe Museum – The museum with the largest collection of Edgar Allan Poe manuscripts and relics, beside the city's oldest stone house, featuring an Enchan…
• Agecroft Hall & Gardens – A 15th-century Tudor manor dismantled in Lancashire, England, and shipped over whole, with gardens overlooking the James River.
• Virginia Holocaust Museum – A Holocaust memorial housed in a former tobacco warehouse, telling its story through survivors' personal experiences. Admission is free.
• Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site – The former home of America's first woman to charter a bank, telling the story of Jackson Ward, the “Black Wall Street of the South.”
• Libby Hill Park – A hilltop viewpoint in Church Hill overlooking the bend of the James River. The view is said to be what gave the city its name, Richmond.
• Petersburg National Battlefield – Site of the longest siege of the Civil War. Drive the battlefield loop to see the earthworks and the famous “crater.”
• Kings Dominion – Virginia's largest theme park, with more than a dozen roller coasters and a water park. Famous for Intimidator 305.

Where to eat

• LoPossum – Chef David Shannon's whimsical, opulent French restaurant in Oregon Hill, a long-time Richmond top pick that is very ha…
• Perly's – A retro Jewish deli downtown, known for brunch and updated Eastern European Jewish home cooking, and considered Richmon…
• Mama J's Kitchen – A family-run soul food spot in the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood, where fried chicken and fried catfish are the di…
• Sub Rosa Bakery – A wood-fired bakery in the historic Church Hill neighborhood that mills its own organic heritage-grain flour, with Euro…

Itineraries

• Virginia Mountains & Founding History – Travel east from Shenandoah through Charlottesville, Richmond, and the Historic Triangle to the coast.