Richmond Travel Information
Richmond, Virginia’s state capital, is a many-faceted city. This
historic city was burned and then rebuilt during both the
Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Once the headquarters of the
Confederacy, Richmond is now home to major universities and Fortune
500 companies. Flowing along the northern side of a bend in the James
River, it is a city of historic neighborhoods—each with a story to
tell. Capitol Square features the Virginia State Capitol,
designed in part by Thomas Jefferson, and the Executive Mansion, the
oldest continuously inhabited governor’s residence in the country.
Court End is home to the Medical College of Virginia and historic
homes including the White House and Museum of the Confederacy.
Jackson Ward is a center of African American culture and the place
where William “Bojangles” Robinson got his start. Other
neighborhoods include the Fan, home to Virginia Commonwealth
University and one of the largest Victorian neighborhoods in the U.S.
South of the Fan lies Byrd Park with lakes, trails and the Carillon,
a 240-foot, 56-bell tower. Carytown features the state Museum of Fine
Arts. Shockoe Slip has shops and art galleries along cobblestone
streets while Shockoe Bottom is home to the Edgar Allan Poe
museum. Each neighborhood has its own character reflected in
unique shops, dining and entertainment. Dining choices range from
soul food to sushi and everything in between. One example: The
Tobacco Company, housed in a former leaf warehouse, offers
“Contemporary American” cuisine, a dessert buffet and live music.
Nightlife runs the gamut from small jazz clubs to the Virginia Opera
and Richmond Symphony. Shockoe Bottom and Shockoe Slip are the city’s
centers for nightlife. Popular outdoor activities include canal
tours of the James River and Kanawha Canal, rafting, kayaking and disc
golf. James River Park is 550 acres of wilderness set aside in the
middle of Richmond. Follow the Canal Walk along the James River as it
passes through Tredegar Iron Works to see where Confederate ammunition
was produced. Richmond National Battlefield Park is
nearby. Richmond is located in Southeastern Virginia, just over
100 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. Interstates 64, 95, 85 all
lead to Richmond.
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