That’s where I will be living, starting next week. I know nothing of the city other than what I saw during my short interview downtown. I will be living in the Museum District, close to Carytown.
Any Dopers live in the Richmond area? What’s the city like, cost of living-wise? What’s the public transit system like? What are the cool cultural attractions? What should I look out for?
Richmond is an interesting city. I went to college near there 1993-1997 and it was pretty decrepit and fairly dangerous. Kind of like a southern Detroit. (And I grew up in NYC in the 80s)
But I have a friend who lives there and last year I visited her and found the city completely changed – lots of new, nifty retail, seemingly thriving arts community, plenty of cool, inexpensive restaurants… basically everything looking spiffed up. Go Richmond! Good job!
If you get a chance this summer you might check ou the Virginia Shakespeare Festival (hosted at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA). Its about an hour’s drive.
Also, may sure you drive on the Powhite Parkway. Not for any particular reason, only because it makes me laugh. 
I grew up in Richmond, and desperately want to move back. You’re moving into a great area - Carytown is fantastic. The Fan has tons of little independent restaurants, most of which are excellent. Also, my brother’s restaurant is in downtown, and it’s AMAZING:) - it’s a soup and sandwich place (not fast food). Not that I’m bragging or anything, but they were named in the top new restaurants last year.
Public transit - probably not the best unless things have changed. It’s probably completely safe during the day, but I would avoid it at night.
Things to do - there are always tons of things to do during the summer places like Innsbrook, Brown’s Island, and Belle’s Island - lots of live music. Stuff at the fairgrounds - expos, etc. There’s Kings Dominion nearby, if you like amusement parks, and Busch Gardens an hour or so away. Comedy clubs, bars, etc. The Richmond Zoo out in Chesterfield County is fairly new, but it’s a nice zoo.
The outer counties are typical suburbia, unfortunately, but you can still find some nice stuff out there - there are some good non-chain restaurants.
Cost of living - I’d say it’s fairly average. Supposedly, I live in a lower cost-of-living area in Ohio, but I don’t really notice much of a difference aside from housing prices.
Good luck!
ETA: The Powhite really just is a funny name for a highway.
How do you pronounce that? I need to know, so I don’t go around offending people!
Thanks for the info! Keep it coming!
At the risk of offending someone, think “po’ white trash.”.
There are some people who pronounce it “Pow-white”. They are not locals.
I’ve lived here since 1982 and have seen quite a bit of change. Downtown was, at one time, in really sorry shape. Now, there are big civic building projects going on and downtown is making a comeback. Lots of old buildings being renovated for condos/lofts/apartments. The old tobacco warehouses and industrial buildings on the river are being fixed up and condos are going for 750K and up. Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom are full of restaurants and some dance spots. You’ll get to know and love Bottom’s Up Pizza.
The Museum District is a nice place to live, but, like in any city, you have to be careful at night. You’re very, very close to Carytown, which is the best place for strolling the street, windown shopping, and people watching. The Watermelon Festival is held there every year and they block the entire street off and have big street fair. From funky vintage clothing to really chic stuff can be found there (plus lots of restaurants).
Public transport is a bit spotty, but coming around. Buses run regularly to most of the City, but service to the suburbs is slight. I can’t remember the last time I rode the bus, but I used to commute downtown via bus every day and I never had any problems at all. There is no light rail, and taxis are practically non-existent. If you can, get a good sturdy bike (AND A LOCK). You’ll be in a good, central location for tooling over to Carytown and down to the Fan (the Fan District is named for the fan shape of its streets - it is full of homes built between 1910 and 1925 or so. Lots of college students, young professionals, and families, too. Again, restaurants out the whazoo. Get to Joe’s Inn and have a plate of Spaghetti Joe).
The cost of living is very reasonable. Weather is beautiful in spring and fall. Summers can be long, hot, and very humid (I love it - lots don’t). Winter is pleasant and doesn’t usually get very cold until January. A couple of good snows a year and the entire City shuts down. Ukrops is the local grocery chain and there’s always a run on bread and milk. It’s a standing joke.
Culturally, you’re in the heart of it in the Museum District. The VA Museum of Fine Arts is right there, and they’re undergoing an expansion. They also host an outdoor music series in the sculpture garden. The Carpenter Center, the Landmark Theater, the Richmond Coliseum, and a whole slew of new music venues have concerts all year. Richmond is a bit of a second tier city for rock tours, but you’re close to VA Beach and not too far away from Northern VA if you have to seem the latest group first time out.
Richmond is a southern city (actually, it is much more like a very big town than a City). You’ll see lots of the same folks nearly everywhere you go (depending on event to some extent, but you’ll soon go “Damn, I just saw that guy at X.”) There’s a certain conservative air here in lots of ways, but there’s also a big gay community and a bohemian element as well. VCU is here, and there are lots of art students etc that add to the mix. If you’re looking for a community, the odds are pretty good you’ll find it here. It may not be very big, but it’s going on.
As to what to watch out for - again, you’re in a city. Use your head. Be aware of your surroundings. Crime happens here (mostly drug related, but also petty stuff). On New Year’s Day 2006 a family of 4 (mom, dad, two little girls) were brutally murdered in a completely random robbery/attack. It threw the entire city for a loop. Muggings and robberies happen. Like I said, use your head, pay attention.
I love living here. The pace isn’t too frantic, but there’s plenty to do if you’re looking for it. You’ll be 1.5 hours from the mountains, 1.5 hours from the ocean. Kings Dominion and Bush Gardens are close enough to get your roller coaster fix if that’s your thing You want to be left alone? The James River Park System is one of the best in the country and is right in the heart of the city. You’ve got Class V rapids downtown, tons and tons of trails, rocks to climb, the Pony Pasture, Maymont (Victorian mansion and grounds that are a park), the Xterra Games are held here, … I could go on.
Welcome to Richmond. Let me know when you get here and I’ll be happy to show you around. We’ll go to Bill’s for a barbecue and a lime aide, catch a Braves game (Atlanta’s Triple A farm club plays here), go to the river and sun on the rocks, or wander through the Modern Art galleries at VMFA.
Oh, and it’s pronounded “Po - white,” just like someone mentioned earlier. The Powhite Parkways runs north and south of the river and mostly carries folks commuting from Chesterfield County.
Don’t worry, everyone will know you’re not from here. As long as someone doesn’t say “Well, bless your heart,” you’re OK. “Bless your heart,” is a particularly southern way of sayiing “Fuck you.”
I’ll note that local businesses and news teams refer to it as “POW-hite,” but most citizens call it “Po’white.”
I classify Richmond as a college town that desperately wants to be a big city. While they desperately tried to turn Richmond into NE Atlanta, the city was a pit. Now that they’re angling more toward “college town” there have been, as stated, a lot of improvements.
I’ve lived in the Detroit suburbs and in the Richmond suburbs and have never seen the kind of environment that Hello Again described.
Also, I have found Richmond to be cliqueish - and that’s without having gone to school here OR having joined any organizations. I can’t describe it.
Museum area/Fan district is gorgeous and I have wanted to live there for years, but the schools suck ass and Husband hates cities - even those as small as Richmond.
Damn you, plnnr. You’re going to have me craving Bill’s all weekend now 
- no one makes good Southern barbecue out here, and I’ve never seem anything resembling a limeaide. And the Akron Aeros will never measure up to the Richmond Braves.
I know all about this! I’m originally from Atlanta.
There’s a really cool looking old brick or stone building you can see from I-95 (I think it’s on the right side going north). Anybody know what it is?
What is the Main Street Train Station? (I will now take Historic Structures for $400, Alex…)
I have lived in Richmond all my life. Finally an OP I can answer with AUTHORITY!
Richmonders pronounce it both POW-hite and Po-white. I hear it both ways all the time. No one will care either way.
I lived just off of Boulevard, in the Museum District until recently.
The dowtown and Fan/Carytown area are greatly improved over the last decade. VCU has played a major role in the improvements.
Richmond has character. If you like, I can put together a list of restaurants, some popular and some off the beaten path, that you should try. I am too far removed from the club scene to be of much help.
Lots of Civil War history here. Acknowledge it and move on. Many people would have you believe that nothing else ever happened here.
If you let me know some of your more particular interests, I can give you some pointers.
Richmond Area Dopefest, anyone? 
Yay. Good folks live in Richmond!
I checked out my place on Windows Live Maps (which is so much cooler than Google Maps). I can’t wait to move in!
I’ve been here for a week, and I’ve just got to say…Richmond is a wonderful, beautiful city.
I want to live here forever and forever.
That is all.