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Richmond is the capital of Virginia, set at the falls of the James River where the rocky rapids mark the end of navigation from the Chesapeake Bay. English colonists explored the falls in 1607, just weeks after landing at Jamestown, and the city was founded in 1737 by William Byrd II, who named it after Richmond upon Thames in England. It became Virginia's capital in 1780, and at St. John's Church in 1775 Patrick Henry delivered his famous "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech. During the Civil War, Richmond served as the capital of the Confederacy.
Today Richmond has about 230,000 residents and is a city of layered history and fresh creativity. The Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson, still houses the oldest elected legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, and Monument Avenue is lined with grand homes. The Jackson Ward neighborhood, once called the Harlem of the South, was home to banker Maggie L. Walker, the first woman to charter a bank in the United States. Richmond is also known for its excellent food and craft beer scene, its street murals and the energy of Virginia Commonwealth University.
The James River is the city's natural centerpiece, with Class III and IV whitewater rapids running right through downtown, a rarity for an American city. The James River Park System offers trails, rock-hopping, swimming and kayaking, and Belle Isle can be reached by a footbridge hanging beneath a highway bridge. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is free and holds a famous collection of Fabergé eggs, and Maymont, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, the American Civil War Museum, Hollywood Cemetery and the bohemian Carytown shopping district are all worth a visit.
One of the largest art museums in the US, with a collection from ancient Egypt to contemporary art, Fabergé imperial eggs, American and European paintings and a sculpture garden. General admission is free and it is open every day of the year. Allow at least two hours.
Designed by Thomas Jefferson and completed in 1788, the capitol is modeled on a Roman temple in France and still houses the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere. Free guided tours start daily and show the rotunda with Houdon's marble statue of George Washington.
A hilly garden cemetery above the James River where presidents James Monroe and John Tyler, Confederate president Jefferson Davis and thousands of soldiers are buried. Paths wind among old trees and monuments. Grab a map at the office; walking tours run in warmer months.
A string of riverside parks covering more than 600 acres along the James River, which has Class IV whitewater rapids right in the city. Hike the Buttermilk Trail, sunbathe on rocks at Pony Pasture or join a rafting trip. Watch river levels and safety signs before swimming.
An island in the James River reached by a suspended footbridge under the Lee Bridge, with trails past the remains of a Civil War prison camp, an old hydroelectric plant and a quarry pond. Flat rocks along the rapids are a popular spot on warm days. Parking is on Tredegar Street.
A 100-acre Gilded Age estate with a furnished 1893 mansion, Japanese and Italian gardens, a waterfall, a nature center with river otters and a farm with goats and other animals. The grounds are free to visit, and the mansion is open for guided visits on certain days.
A garden north of the city with a glass-domed conservatory, rose, Asian and children's gardens and about 50 acres of themed landscapes. The GardenFest of Lights in winter is one of the region's biggest holiday displays, so buy tickets in advance for that season.
The 1741 church in Church Hill where Patrick Henry gave his Give me liberty or give me death speech in 1775. Short guided tours run most days, and reenactments of the speech are held on summer Sundays. The surrounding Church Hill neighborhood has many restored historic homes.
A museum at the historic Tredegar Iron Works site on the riverfront, telling the story of the Civil War from Union, Confederate, enslaved and free Black perspectives. Exhibits include flags, uniforms and personal objects. The Richmond National Battlefield Park visitor center is next door.
A walkable strip on West Cary Street with nine blocks of independent boutiques, vintage shops, bakeries, restaurants and the 1928 Byrd Theatre, a restored movie palace showing cheap second-run films. It is busy on weekend afternoons and hosts the Carytown Watermelon Festival in August.
A small museum near Shockoe Bottom set around an enchanted garden, holding one of the world's largest Poe collections, including manuscripts, letters and personal items. Poe grew up in Richmond. Resident black cats wander the garden, and Unhappy Hour events run in warm months.
Housed in the domed former Broad Street Station, a grand 1919 railroad terminal, this museum offers hands-on exhibits on physics, the human body and the environment, plus the Dome theater for films and planetarium shows. It is a good choice for families on rainy days.
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