Stand at the corner of Broad and Boulevard in Scott's Addition and you can count the taps without moving your feet: breweries, cideries, a meadery and a distillery sit within walking distance of one another. That concentration is a good introduction to how Richmond works — the city rewards travellers who pick a district and stay in it for an afternoon rather than chasing a checklist across town.
Richmond suits people who like their history outdoors and their evenings informal. The river runs right through the middle of the city, the museums are substantial rather than crowded, and the music and brewing scenes are locally driven. This guide covers the sights and experiences the sources describe, with practical notes on how to combine them.
Top things to do in Richmond
1. The James River
Richmond sits at the fall line, which means the James River has rapids right downtown. Those downtown rapids are class III and can reach class IV in the right weather conditions; without an experienced guide they can be quite dangerous. Slightly upstream there are smaller rapids that can safely be run in a raft or an inner tube, at a lazy pace, stopping to repeat rapids or swim.
To run the river this way you need two cars — park the first at the bottom exit point and the second at the entry point. The Pony Pasture section of the James River park is an excellent place to begin a few hours on the rapids; pull out when you see a sign on the right side of the river with an arrow directing you to do so, or you will have great difficulty on the larger rapids. The water is quite clean and mostly surrounded by woods here, and there are excellent trails through the woods on both sides.
2. Pony Pasture
Many people simply swim around between the smooth rocks at Pony Pasture without leaving that section at all, which makes it the easiest way to spend time on the river without committing to a full run. It is also the put-in point for a few hours on the smaller rapids upstream of downtown.
Treat the river with respect: currents, sudden drop-offs and large, sometimes hidden rocks have caught out people with years of experience, and locals have stories about someone they know getting into trouble just a few feet from the bank. Wear a life jacket when rafting or tubing, do not wade or swim outside areas known to be safe by locals, and watch the weather — the river is prone to severe flash flooding during rainstorms, which changes conditions rapidly and without much warning. Try the rope swing under one of the railroad bridges.
3. Virginia Museum of History and Culture
This is the museum to build a history-focused day around, and it pairs naturally with the other downtown and Museum District stops. Give it a proper block of time rather than squeezing it between other sights.
Combine it with Monroe Park, named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, which sits in the same part of the city.
4. Richmond National Battlefield Park and Tredegar Iron Works
These two sit together on Tredegar Street downtown, which makes them a single stop rather than two separate trips. The battlefield park covers the city's Civil War ground, and Tredegar Iron Works is the downtown anchor for it.
Pair this with the rest of downtown while you are already there, and save it for a morning when you can walk the site rather than rush it.
5. Science Museum of Virginia
The Science Museum of Virginia is in the Museum District, which puts it in easy reach of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and Monroe Park. It is a good choice for a mixed group or a rainy afternoon.
Because it shares a district with the history museum, the two work well as one outing rather than two separate days.
6. Scott's Addition Beverage District
Head to the Scott's Addition neighborhood, at the corner of Broad and Boulevard, for twelve alcohol producers within walking distance of each other — breweries, cideries, meaderies and distilleries. The breweries are Ardent Craft Ales, Bingo Beer Co., Isley Brewing Company, Strangeways Brewing RVA - Scott's Addition, Three Notch'd RVA Collab House, Vasen Brewing Company and The Veil Brewing Company; the cideries are Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider and Courthouse Creek Cider; the meadery is Black Heath Meadery; and the distillery is Reservoir Distillery.
Because everything is within walking distance, this is an afternoon and early evening rather than a quick stop. Plan your route so you finish near where you started.
7. Live music
Richmond has a substantial music scene, largely thanks to the arts scene associated with and around Virginia Commonwealth University. Clubs offer a diverse selection of genres — rock, indie, metal, punk, hardcore, alternative, blues, jazz, jam, country and bluegrass — alongside international and national touring acts.
The local scene is vibrant and often fiercely independent, so it is worth checking what is on locally rather than only looking for touring names. An evening of live music pairs well with an afternoon in Scott's Addition.
8. Monroe Park
Monroe Park is named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, and sits in the Museum District among the city's larger institutions.
Use it as the breathing space between the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and the Science Museum of Virginia rather than as a destination on its own.
9. Richmond Railroad Museum
The Richmond Railroad Museum is in Southside, which puts it apart from the downtown and Museum District cluster. It is worth the trip if rail history interests you.
Because it sits in Southside, treat it as its own outing rather than trying to fold it into a downtown morning.
10. Arthur Ashe Statue
The Arthur Ashe Statue is one of the artworks on Monument Avenue, on a stretch that also holds several other monuments. It is an easy stop while walking the avenue.
Combine it with the other statues along the same route rather than visiting it alone.
11. Bill Bojangles Robinson Statue
The Bill Bojangles Robinson Statue is another of the monuments on the avenue, and it sits close enough to the others to be seen in the same walk.
Walk the avenue in one direction and take in the statues in sequence; the group reads better together than individually.
12. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
This artwork is part of the same collection of monuments along the avenue, and is best understood in that context.
See it as part of the same walk as the Arthur Ashe Statue and the Bill Bojangles Robinson Statue.
13. James Monroe's tomb
James Monroe's tomb is the burial place of the fifth president, and it connects naturally to Monroe Park, which is named for him.
Pair the tomb with Monroe Park and the Museum District museums so the Monroe thread of the city runs through one part of your day.
14. Chloe
Chloe is one of the artworks in the city's public collection, and it can be seen as part of the same circuit as the statues.
Add it to a monuments walk rather than making a separate trip for it.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start downtown on Tredegar Street at Richmond National Battlefield Park and the Tredegar Iron Works, then walk to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Break the morning in Monroe Park, which is named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States.
Afternoon: Move to the Museum District for the Science Museum of Virginia, then head to Scott's Addition. At the corner of Broad and Boulevard you have twelve alcohol producers within walking distance — breweries, cideries, meaderies and a distillery — so pick a handful rather than trying to reach all of them.
Evening: Stay in the city for live music. The clubs cover rock, indie, metal, punk, hardcore, alternative, blues, jazz, jam, country and bluegrass, with a strong local scene alongside touring acts.
Frequently asked questions
Is the James River safe to swim or raft in?
Not everywhere. The downtown rapids are class III and can become class IV in the right weather conditions, and they can be quite dangerous without an experienced guide. The smaller rapids slightly upstream can safely be run in a raft or inner tube. Always wear a life jacket, do not wade or swim outside areas known to be safe by locals, such as between the rocks at Pony Pasture, and be aware that the river is prone to severe flash flooding during rainstorms.
What do I need to run the rapids myself?
Two cars — park the first at the bottom exit point and the second at the entry point. Begin at the Pony Pasture section of the James River park, and pull out when you see a sign on the right side of the river with an arrow directing you to do so.
Where can I find several breweries, cideries and distilleries close together?
Scott's Addition, at the corner of Broad and Boulevard. Twelve alcohol producers sit within walking distance of each other: breweries, cideries, meaderies and a distillery, collectively known as the Scott's Addition Beverage District.
Which museums should I prioritise?
The Virginia Museum of History and Culture and the Science Museum of Virginia are the two large museums, with the Science Museum in the Museum District. The Richmond Railroad Museum is in Southside, so plan it as its own trip.
Pick your district, check the river conditions before you go near the water, and start mapping out your days in Richmond.