What do you like about Richmond?
 

And tell me what areas around Richmond appeals to you the most and why?

I'd like to get an overall perspective.

Thanks

I am guessing Richmond VA? Are you considering a move here? I live in the suburbs of Richmond.
Tell me more about what you want to know and where you are coming from.

Richmond is a small city. The city itself has some neat history, but is nothing great. The burbs are a nice place to raise kids. It is located two hours frpm the ocean and one hour from the mountains.
If you are just looking for vacation ideas, let me know.

Richmond is a city of neighborhoods...and very much a small southern city. I like its quirkiness--the mix of modernity that you get with a university presence (VCU in particular) and insularity (with the continuing hagiography of all things Civil War).

I'm a Richmond native and realize I am partial to my hometown, but I adore Richmond. We have good restaurants, no serious traffic issues, decent shopping, affordable cost of living, all four seasons and the people are lovely.

I like downtown, Five Points, the Fan District, Monument Avenue, Shockoe Slip, Shockoe Bottom and the fact that Richmond is a southern city without the hickness.

There are a surprising number of good restaurants here. I llive in the Fan and love it--so many historic homes are in Richmond. I like Pony Pasture and Maymont parks. There's always a festival of some sort going on, and people are really friendly. They will talk your ear off!

The city of Richmond appeals to me much more than the suburbs, which are like any other suburb anywhere in America. The city itself: very little traffic, lots of things to do with children, benefits of living in a city (restaurants, theater, museums) without many of the drawbacks (aforementioned traffic), lots of parks, the river.

I love Richmond because it's so walkable! I frequently visited my husband (then boyfriend) while he was living there. He would leave me alone all day while he was at work, and I would put on a backpack and go walking. I always found great ways to fill my day... Maymont (which is a beautiful park); Carytown (a great shopping/restaurant district); VCU; Monument Ave; Museum Row; tons of little coffee shops/ice cream stands/diners; cozy independent bookstores. I always had these great little adventures without ever getting in a car. I love Richmond!

I work downtown Richmond Va, live between Richmond and Williamsburg. I prefer the east end, quieter and easy commute to anywhere around. I don't like the far west end which is actually western Henrico county, too built up and too much traffic. South of the river in the Stratford Hills neighborhood is lovely, some streets you have no idea you are in a city. The river is the best asset, you can hike or bike on trails across the river on Belle Isle, you can kayak or boat. We are very active in the large bicycling association. I like all the history around also. you can't throw a rock without hitting something historic, and probably the rock is historic too! Tell us more about what specific info you are looking for and why.

Visited for the first time last year for a get-together of some VCU Alumni (I was a plus one).

Hated it. Downtown was depressing with closed shops everywhere. It felt like the whole soul of the place had been sucked out. The only lively area we hit was around the campus. Maybe we hit it at a bad time - there was a bit of a rain storm that lasted a few days.

I did like that one big old historic hotel downtown.

There was some historical museum that I found a bit offensive when trying to incorporate Black history into the larger fabric of the city.

Once was enough for me.

Well, I finally got to visit the Richmond "area", and we are settling down in a small town 30 miles south of Richmond - Chester, very very nice, I couldn't be happier.

There are not alot of restaurants, but a brief drive toward Midlothian could solve that problem.

There is a beautiful state park 15 min. up the road off of 288, and a drive to the beach is about an hour away.

I haven't explored Richmond yet, but I will wait till my husband and I can do this together. So far, I have not been disappointed in our choice of moving there.

It's humid, but not as humid as Houston! And thank god!... I did not see one mosquitoe while I was in Chester even though I was surrounded by trees.

We found a wonderful home in Chester - and we leave Texas in a week.

The best way to see Texas, is in my rear view mirror.

Welcome to the area! I hope you enjoy living here! Our best time of year is the fall. Fall lasts until almost Christmas. We have warm days and cool nights.
If you have any questions after moving here, and I can help (not too familiar with chester), I will be happy to answer!

Send me an email if you want to get togther or need any info!

Carrytown and Shockoe Bottom!

I am from California And Washington, DC. I recently moved to the Richmond Area and it is probably the biggest mistake of my life, I am used to the big city feel of DC and Am planning on moving back there next month, I have only lived here for 5 Months. To me, nothing really happens here, the "quirkiness" of Richmond is entirely enappealing. The only area I actually "Fell in love" with was the area surrounding the University of Richmond. The rest is basic.

Well, did you have t o dig up a 6 year old thread to vent your disappointment?

The area around the University of Richmond is a lovely enclave for wealthy executives, a bubble, if you will, in which one can aim for the perfect suburban life, even Revolutionary Road or Stepford Wives style. It isn't even in Richmond, it is in Henrico County. It is essentially free of minorities and certainly free of poor people. Maybe you lived in Calorama or a similar enclave in NW Washington, and this pales by comparison.

If you liked Silver Lake in California or Adams Morgan in DC, of course you would be disappointed. There are areas in Richmond that are more similar to them, but they aren't in the County; they are in the City, and they are much smaller, as you would expect in a smaller city. Friends from Toronto found the Museum District and the Fan very much like home.

There are things I hate -- Short Pump being the most wretched -- but it is in the County, too. Public transportation is pretty terrible, being mostly designed to deliver domestic help to the burbs in the morning and get them back to the inner city at night, But Richmond has a wonderful collection of eclectic restaurants spread throughout the neighborhoods and a lively and growing art, music, and dance scene.

I am not going to tell you to give it a chance because you mind was closed before you posted.

There are things I hate -- Short Pump being the most wretched --
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Yep.

I grew up east of Short Pump (when SP was all woods and farms) in what used to be considered the West End of Richmond. I avoid Short Pump at all costs. My brother (who lives in the Manchester area of the city) drives there for Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, World Market and Tom Leonard's, but I go to Fresh Market and Ellwood Thompson instead.

I think DC has a mid-size city feel. Not big, not small.

I have to say I like Richmond more now than I did 6 years ago! LOL Richmond is a great little city with so many things to do. Downtown is still not that great in spots, but thanks to VCU, the downtown area is getting cleaner, and filled with college students and funky restaurants.

You really can't compare DC, anywhere in California, and Richmond. I love living in Richmond and would not want to live anywhere near DC or anywhere in CA