For no particular reason, my wife and I are thinking about going to Richmond, Virginia from May 11 through May 15. We have some time off, and Richmond looks like a good distance for a short trip. I know it as a historical city, but otherwise I don’t know anything about it. What should we do there?
Some information that might be helpful:
We are 35 and will be without children (as we have none).
We generally don’t do much hiking, biking, or other serious outdoorsy stuff. We tend to lean more toward cultural/historical things – Civil War sites, museums, arts and crafts, theatre, etc.
Dining is usually a big part of a vacation for us. Going to the romantic local place for dinner is usually a high point. We are both vegetarians, so Richmond’s finest steakhouse is not going to do much for us. (Random aside: Charleston, SC is full of romantic places. What a great city!)
So, what can you tell me about Richmond? I know, of course, that “Virginia is for lovers.” I will be there with my lover. What should we do besides, uh, love?
Richmond has some awesome museums. The Science Museum of Virginia is fun if you like that kind of thing, and the VMFA (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts) is very good.
For something really different, check out Agecroft Hall, a 16th-century Tudor mansion that was shipped to Richmond and reassembled in the 1920’s.
If you go to Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown are also well worth investigating. Jamestown is really two separate things-- Jamestown Settlement, which is a recreation of the original 1607 fort (plus a Native American village and such), and Jamestown Island, which is the actual location of the fort (you can see the ongoing archeological work, and they have a new museum from the quadricentennial two years ago). For full disclosure, I worked on the dig in the 1999 season, so I have a special interest in the place.
Maymont Park is wonderful for strolling on a lovely day. Monument Avenue is gorgeous, with broad streets and dazzling older villas.
Restaurants: The Fan district is jam-packed with terrific little restaurants. The very best is Zeus, on Belmont. It’s tiny, reservations are heartily recommended, on the pricy side, and has the most extraordinary food. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, the wine list is special, every bite is memorable. It’s the perfect place for a romantic dinner.
Also to recommend: The Tobacco Company has an interesting setting and atmosphere. The bar at the Jefferson serves killer gin and tonics, as I recall.
How timely! I have a conference there from May 3 to May 8 and was looking for Richmond recommendations!
A colleague and I are hoping to ditch the conference one afternoon and go to Colonial Williamsburg. Not sure yet if we’ll decide the drive there & back is too far for an afternoon trip. We’d want to have time to actually see the place!
If you like that kind of thing, the James River Plantations are very close. The museum of the Confederacy is there, and many Civil War battlefields are close if you are into history.
Richmond is sort of a small town at heart. The parts you want to see are not that far apart anyway. A lot of good ideas so far.
For food, go to Shokoe slip. There are lots of nice places in the old warehouse district - I’m sure there is some Veg somewhere.
The Fan is also a good place to find restaurants except they aren’t clustered as nicely. My take is, tourists eat in Shokoe, residents eat in the Fan or maybe nearby Carytown - easy to find on, drum roll …, Cary street.
Gotta see the art museum - it’s on Boulevard, you can drive down monument Ave on the way. Not a large museum but I think a very nice one.
Edger Allen Poe’s grave? His grave is in some church I can’t remember. They will tell you a spooky story about flowers being left there every Halloween.
If the weather is hot, go down to the river and hang out on the rocks with the locals.
I would second the Maymont Park suggestion. Take the tour of the house. It’s small but a pretty cool ultrarich person’s house. The gardens are the real draw though.
If you are at all interested in the “War of North Aggression” then your going to have to make a plan. Just the city could take a couple of days to see the good stuff. Outside the city are Petersburg, Cold Harbor and so many more.
Belle Isle is a pleasant island in the middle of the James River. Nice for a leisurely stroll along the water.
The Landmark Theatre (known to locals as “The Mosque” because of it’s architecture is a great place to see a show. The building itself has as much character as anything that’s on stage.
Patrick Henry’s famous “Liberty or Death” speech took place at St. John’s church in Richmond.
If you like beer, the Capital Ale House has an impressive variety. The food menu is a little meaty, but we always just get a fruit/cheese/sausage tray and a couple of the big soft pretzels to share for the table and I know you can get just a fruit/cheese tray.
People come to Richmond for vacation? Who knew? Don’t get me wrong, I love my city but I always thought of it as a great place to live, not so much a great place for touristy stuff. On a weekday you’ll likely be the only people at many of the places mentioned (not that that’s a bad thing).
Since nobody mentioned it yet, they now have ferry rides up the James river in the Canal Walk area. I haven’t been on one yet but I’m sure the guide offers plenty of historical anecdotes. And since you’re considering Williamsburg, it couldn’t hurt to stop by Colonial Downs horse race track on the way.
Thanks, everyone, for the great recommendations. I will definitely try to work in as many as we can.
Any suggestions for lodging? The Jefferson looks absolutely gorgeous, but it might be outside the budget. Any ideas on someplace more interesting than the Courtyard Inn, but not quite as wallet-stretching as the Jefferson?
Oh, what a pretty park, especially in spring. Maymont is an old plantation converted to a park, with truly lovely gardens. Make a point of seeing the Japanese gardens. Bring a picnic.
I was told upon a visit there that he didn’t just stand in one place – that he paced back and forth at the front as he spoke. That made much sense considering the content of his speech. It gave me chills to imagine that speech in this small church.
The baptismal font at the church was the one used to baptise Pocahontas. I don’t know how it came to be there.
Poe’s mother is buried in the churchyard. It’s small so she is easy to find. I believe that Poe himself was buried in Baltimore. If you walk a bit down the street and turn a corner, you’ll have access to a house where Poe lived. They should be able to tell you. And if there is someone at the church, they will tell you which corner to turn.
We loved Richmond! The museums are special!
Unless things have changed, take cash for toll roads into the city. We don’t run into that much in the South.
Williamsburg is a MUST. You really need two days though. Be sure to eat at the restaurants that are in the restored area itself. You may need reservations, but the food at the King’s Tavern was really good.
If you’re interested in downtown, there are two places I can think of. The Crown Plaza is right on the river (get a southside room for the view) and within walking distance of the Hollywood Cemetery, Belle Isle, the Canal Walk. I’ve never stayed there, but I park there for work every day and it seems a nice place. There’s also the Omni at the James Center just a few blocks further into the city and closer to Shockoe where all the nicer restaruants and clubs are. I have no idea what either of these would cost for a room, but certainly cheaper than the Jefferson.
Most of our family stayed at the Commonwealth Park Suites Hotel for our wedding 5 years ago, and they have since remodeled. We spent our wedding night there, and it was very nice. It’s also much more cost-effective than the Jefferson.
You’re coming to my town! My brother owns a restaurant downtown that I can recommend - I know I’m biased, but he’s very well-known around town, and the restaurant is popular. It’s got a good array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups, sandwiches, and entrees (he started out as a tiny little soup-and-sandwich place across the street, and has grown to a regular sit-down), and they are very reasonable. I’d be happy to give you the name - just PM me. Also - the Edgar Allen Poe Museum is right around the corner.
You’ve gotten some really good suggestions - the only thing I can really add is the Valentine Richmond History Center for the Wickham House - they do guided tours and it’s absolutely beautiful.
Do you like ghost tours or anything? There’s a group that gives them downtown from May - April (a friend of mine is a guide), and they give them in various parts of the city. I’ve never taken one (although I plan on taking one to become a guide), but I’ve heard very good things about them. The one that goes through the old railway station is supposed to be especially fun.
For dinner, go to Millie’s Diner. Menu changes pretty often. Get there early, 5:45. Mamma Zu has excellent food. Get there early too. Tell your waiter that you’re looking for vegetarian or vegan, and they’ll recommend. The brocolletti and grilled Portabello are both good vegan choices. If you can have cheese, the gorgonzola penne or orchietti…mmmmmm.
Lodging: here’s a second recommendation for the Crowne Plaza. The location is very convenient, the rooms are nice, the view is lovely, and it likely has lower rates than the Omni or the Jefferson or the Marriot, because it’s 2 or 3 blocks away from the center of hubbub.
Nitpicks:
The locals say there are three presidents buried in Hollywood Cemetery. Please do not forget Jefferson Davis! His grave is probably the best-maintained. Jeb Stuart is also buried there.
There is a Poe Museum in Richmond in a very old, small house in Shockoe Bottom, but Edgar Allan Poe’s grave is in Baltimore.
