Richmond/Downtown

By bus

GRTC operates route 52 and 53 loop in the central business district with stops at the Virginia Commonwealth University Hospital, the bus transit hub at 9th street and Leigh Street, the State Capitol, Amtrak Station, the Edgar Allen Poe Museum and Holocaust Museum. Their phone number is: +1 804 358-4782. Buses run every 25 minutes and the fare is $1.50.

• Byrd ParkThere's some fishing lakes, seasonal paddle boats, a fitness trail and the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater, home to the Summer Festival of Arts. The park abuts Maymount at the end of the Boulevard.

• Virginia Holocaust Museum

  phone: +1 804-257-5400
  address: 2000 E Cary St
  A museum dedicated to depicting the Holocaust as experienced by its victims. Exhibits include a recreation of the Dachau concentration camp, a cattle car, used for transporting Jews, a shower/gas chamber, a crematory, an exhibition of the ship Exodus 1947, the ship that helped launch the nation of Israel, and a rebuilt Nuremberg Courtroom.

• Virginia State CapitolThe neo-classical seat of local government, home of the oldest elected legislature in North America, dating back to 1619. The current incarnation was designed by Thomas Jefferson in 1785, after the Maison Carrée, a Roman temple in Nîmes, France.

• The Historic DowntownThe cobblestoned Shockoe Bottom area is rich in history, and well-worth the trip, if only to see one of the many Edgar Allan Poe houses in the Northeast. Though much of the area was washed out during Hurricane Isabel and Tropical Storm Gaston, the rebuilding continues.

• Maymont Park

  phone: +1 804-358-7166
  address: 1700 Hampton St
  A wealthy landowner donated his estate to the city, and Richmond turned it into one of the most beautiful urban parks in the nation. Fountains, Italianate gardens, and a Japanese tea garden are a pleasure to walk through. The nature center here is all-encompassing and free, and its exhibits on Virginia Wildlife include two otters who are glad to show off for visitors. Gray foxes, red-tailed hawks, and other exhibits are located outside. Kids like the farm area, where sheep, lambs, chickens, and other sundry animals are exhibited.

• Museum of the Confederacy

  phone: +1 804 649-1861
  address: 1201 E. Clay Street
  Three floors of galleries containing the world's most comprehensive collection of artifacts, manuscripts, and photographs from the Confederate States of America. The Museum also maintains and gives tours of the White House of the Confederacy.

• Egyptian BuildingThis was the first building and home of the Medical College of Virginia, which now surrounds the structure.

• Gallery 5

  address: 200 W. Marshall St
  This art gallery used to be an old fire station. In addition to art, they have an antique steam engine, a library, and a craft shop,

• The American Civil War Center

  phone: +1 804-788-6480
  address: 490 Tredegar Street
  The site of a Civil War era iron foundery which supplied ordinance to the Confederate Army. The site has long been the NPS headquarters and Museum of the Richmond/Petersburg Battlefield area and just recently ground was broken on the American Civil War Center, which aims to be the definitive museum on interpretation of the conflaguration from all perspectives. Also on the grounds are a statue of Abraham Lincoln and his son Todd.

• Black History Museum

  phone: +1 804-780-9093
  address: 122 W Leigh St

• Edgar Allan Poe Museum

  address: 11 North 18th Street

• The White House of the Confederacy

  phone: +1 804-649-1861
  address: E.Clay and 12th Street
  The White House of the Confederacy has been restored reflect its use as the executive mansion of Confederate President Jefferson Davis during the Civil War. Open to the public with regularly scheduled guided tours that are arranged and given by the Museum of the Confederacy.

• Hollywood Cemetery

  address: 412 S. Cherry Street
  Located between the neighborhoods of Oregon Hill and Randolph on a bluff overlooking the James, Presidents Tyler and Monroe have their final resting places here. So does the locally renowned Jefferson Davis, and it's worth the trip through winding roads to see reverent Southerns laying flags on his grave. Also in the cemetery are Confederate Generals George Pickett and J.E.B. Stuart and local authors James Branch Cabell and Ellen Glasgow. The lines of small headstones marking the mass graves of Confederate dead is truly an eerie and powerful sight.

• Lucky Strike Factory

  address: Tobacco Row
  The Lucky Strike Factory has recently been renovated into stylish loft apartments and condos. A good view of the painted smoke stack can be seen from nearby Libby Hill park, where the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors monument is located.

• Richmond City Hall Observation Deck

  address: 901 E Byrd St
  Free observation deck on the 18th floor of Richmond City Hall provides nice views of the city.

• Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site

  phone: +1 804-771-2017 ext 0
  address: 600 N 2nd St

At night, aside from bars and nightclubs, Richmond's downtown is relatively subdued as most locals live and remain in the extended suburbs. But on the first Friday of every month, you can get a pleasant experience of art, culture and people-watching at the First Fridays Art walk along Historic Broad Street, east of Belvidere Street and west of 9th Street as well as in Historic Jackson Ward and Monroe Ward. The hours are 5pm-9pm, rain or shine.

Live music

• The Canal Club

  address: 1545 East Cary Street
  Shockoe Bottom 500 capacity club, featuring large stage upstairs and smaller stage downstairs. Hosts internationally known mainstream acts as well as local acts, mostly rock.

• Carpenter Theater at Richmond Center Stage

  address: 600 East Grace Street
  The Fan Theater venue, hosting larger mainstream acts.

• Gallery 5

  address: 200 West Marshall Street
  Downtown Art gallery and performing arts center that hosts touring and local indie rock.

• Hat Factory

  address: 140 Virginia Street
  Shockoe Bottom Located in a converted factory building, hosts national, regional and local rock acts.
• The National 708 East Broad Street, Downtown. One of the newest venues on the scene, The National filled the much-needed absence of a large club venue in Richmond, and hasn't slowed down since. With a general admission capacity of 1,500, it hosts larger touring and local acts. Features seven full bars, 300 padded stadium seats with cup holders in the balcony, and a state of the art sound system. Attached is Gibson's Grill, which generally allows patrons to enter shows 15 minutes early with the purchase of an entree beforehand.

• 821 Cafe

  address: 821 W. Cary St
  This little restaurant offers great food at bargin prices. Serving breakfast till 5PM, it offers wonderful meat, vegetarian, and vegan options including biscuits with pork or veggie gravy, tofu scramble and breakfast burritos. If not in the mood for breakfast they have sandwiches, subs, nachos and pasta. The restaurant is full of young professionals, college kids, professors, and neighborhood regulars. The tattooed waitstaff is friendly and always ready to poke fun at the customer. The restaurant fills up fast on the weekends, so get there early and make sure you order their famous $3 mimosas; Champagne in a pint glass with just a hint of orange juice.

• Bistro Twenty-Seven

  address: 27 West Broad St
  Fantastic Mediterranean cuisine prepared by local favorite, Chef Carlos Silva. Dinner entrees range from Italian-sausage-stuffed quail to black-truffle marsala filet mignon to breaded flounded with shaved almonds.

• Capital Ale House

  address: 623 East Main St
  Over 40 beers on tap and over 200 beers available bottled. On Tuesdays, Capital Ale House does a special promotion called "Steal the Beer Glass Night" where they feature a different beer each week, and you get to keep the glass it comes in.

• King's Fish

  address: 12 E Marshall St
  Totally awesome fish place with lunch special under $4.

• Mojos

  address: 733 W Cary St
  A self-described "Philadeli," the items to try are the cheesesteaks, the wings, and whatever the special happens to be. Also have good breakfast and reasonably-priced drinks. They deliver.

• Peking Restaurant

  address: 1302 E Cary St
  Fresh, delicious Chinese food in a pleasant atmosphere.
• Penny Lane Pub, 421 E. Franklin St. Authentic British Pub. Come for "Football" and Rugby matches. Enjoy a pint.

• The Tobacco Company Restaurant

  phone: +1 804-782-9555
  address: 1201 E Cary St
  Highly acclaimed, considered one of the best restaurants in the area, full service happy hour.

• Bottoms Up Pizza

  phone: +1 804 644-4400
  address: 1700 Dock St, Richmond, VA 23223
  Amazing place for thick crust specialty pizzas including the Chesapeake, a white sauce pizza with crab meat. Friendly no rush atmosphere and free wi-fi makes it a great location to recharge from back packing in the Virginia heat.

• Barcode

  address: 6 East Grace Street
  Popular gay bar and restaurant. Karaoke on Sunday.

• Capital Ale House

  address: 623 East Main St
  Over 40 beers on tap, over 200 different beers bottled. Has a game room that is available to patrons 21 and over. Great atmosphere.

• Sin e' Irish Pub

  address: 1327 E Cary St (Shockhoe Slip)
  Even Irish regulars call this pub "authentic!" Located in a restored tobacco warehouse with architecture imported directly from the Emerald Isle. Delicious fish n' chips, shepard's pie. Live rock music on Fri & Sat.

Budget

• Hostelling International Richmond

  phone: +1 804 729-5410
  address: 7 N 2nd St
  Hostel offering dorms and private rooms. Lockers and internet access available.

Mid-range

Splurge

• The Berkeley Hotel

  phone: +1 804 780-1300
  address: 1200 E Cary St

• The Downtown Richmond Marriott Hotel

  phone: +1 804 643-3400
  address: 500 E Broad St
  Recently renovated hotel with a blend of luxury, functionality, and Southern charm.

• The Jefferson Hotel

  phone: +1 804 424-8014
  address: 101 W Franklin St
  Five star (Mobil), five diamond (AAA), this luxurious hotel is expensive but, if you have the money to spare, may well be worth it. There is considerable history in the place, from its founding in the 1890s by tobacco baron Lewis Ginter. Its expansive atrium once housed alligators, but no longer. Much of the space is decorated in red and green marble and the enormous main staircase inspired the famous scene in "Gone with the Wind." Lemaire, a five diamond restaurant, is attached.

• The Omni Richmond Hotel

  phone: +1 804 344-700
  address: 100 S 12th St