Richmond's New Reality

From its cobblestone streets to its high-tech food hall, Richmond, Virginia, is full of fascinating contrasts. The city is a foodie destination, a museum hotspot, a beer-lover’s paradise, a street-mural bonanza, a history aficionado’s dream, and an outdoor buff’s delight. Richmond offers it all.

Book a room at the Quirk Hotel, conveniently located just a quick Uber ride away from Richmond’s numerous neighborhoods. Instagram-worthy at every turn, the Quirk is a modern, stylish destination with whimsical artwork throughout, an on-site art gallery, and a rooftop bar with a 360-degree view. For a more traditional stay, around the corner is the venerable Jefferson Hotel, which has been serving travelers since 1895.

Quirk Hotel Richmond rooftop. Photo provided by Quirk Hotel

Richmond as a city has squarely faced unpleasant parts of its past and has forged a new direction, as evidenced by the removal of Confederate monuments that once stood along Monument Avenue and now belong to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in Jackson Ward. Schedule the Walking the Ward tour with historian Gary Flowers for an in-depth education, and hear the story of pioneers like Maggie Walker, the first Black woman in the U.S. to found a bank.

A stroll through the lush, tree-shaded neighborhood known as The Fan shows off late-nineteenth-century row houses on the way to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Newly renovated, it’s bursting with artifacts and exhibits that address Virginia’s importance to the founding of this country. Next door is the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which boasts the largest public collection of Fabergé and Russian decorative arts in an American museum. Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, The Poe Museum houses Edgar Allen Poe’s poems, manuscripts, and memorabilia in the city’s oldest house (c. 1730). Richmond has dozens of other museums, from antiques at The Valentine Museum and the 1812 Wickham House to boundary-pushing art at the Institute of Contemporary Art.

When you get hungry, head for Hatch Local Food Hall, a new space featuring seven vendors. Buttermilk and Honey’s buttermilk fried chicken and the crabcake patty melt at Odyssey Fish are two tasty options. Next door, sleekly casual Benchtop Brewing serves up foeder lagers aged in oak barrels, along with unusual custom brews. Beer lovers can also partake in the Richmond Beer Trail, then head to ZZQ for mind-blowing Texas barbecue and sides. Among the city’s standout chefs, Mike Lindsey is creating a stir at his new high-end diner Jubilee—don’t miss Southern sweets like the buttermilk pie with Chantilly cream.

Richmond’s streets are vibrant with colorful murals that have popped up all over town, and the Mending Walls public art project helps inspire conversations about social justice with a self-guided tour. Walk the blocks of Carytown, where a terrific mix of independent shops, restaurants, coffee bars, and boutiques along Cary Street bear witness to Richmond’s quirky charm.

The James River runs through downtown, and Brown’s Island is the perfect urban park for activities from picnicking, biking, and kayaking to attending music festivals and art shows. Horticulture fans will enjoy the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, less than 15 minutes away.

Whether you go for a solo vacation, a family adventure, or a romantic getaway, a visit to Virginia’s capital city will not disappoint.