Why Richmond, Virginia?

Richmond is the second post on the Omar Masood blog. I was at Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety for less than a month when we visited last year so I teleworked my first full day in the city and the remainder of our time was devoted to wedding-related activities. As a result, I did not have a chance to explore the city. We wanted to come back this year so we could do so.

Richmond, the capital of Virginia, has gotten a lot of attention lately. CNN named it the #1 city to visit among cities with a population less than 250,000.

Travel by Train

We traveled via Amtrak. Whenever possible we use Amtrak. The train is the best way to travel short to intermediate distances. Amtrak travel within Virginia is very affordable, even business class, so that is another bonus as is avoiding congestion on Route 95. Last year we traveled to Richmond Main Street Station. This is a majestic, historic train station in downtown. However, it is a secondary station for Richmond and therefore has only a couple of trains per day. The primary station for the region is Richmond Staples Mill Station (Staples Mill), which is 15 minutes from downtown. Staples Mill is Amtrak’s busiest station in the Southeast and has many trains across multiple routes so you can pick the times most convenient for you.

Great Views

We went to Kabana Rooftop, which is at the top of the Homewood Suites/Hampton Inn building, and the Byrd House, which as at the top of the Graduate hotel. Both provide excellent views from different vantage points.

Kabana is higher being on the 20^th floor while Byrd House is on the 16^th floor. Kabana is right in the heart of downtown, so you see the center of the city up close and bright lights right in front of you. Byrd House is farther away and provides a better overall view of the skyline due to the distance. Byrd House also has the advantage of being much quieter, but both are good places to go in order to get great views of the city and skyline.

Great Dining

Richmond has a much-touted food scene. Three restaurants we went to stuck out. These were, in no order, Parterre, the Tobacco Company Restaurant, and Lemaire.

Parterre at the Linden Row Inn

Parterre is the restaurant of the historic Linden Row Inn. It has a nice patio area where you can soak in the unique architecture of the building, including its New Orleans style balconies. Plus, the hotel has a resident tuxedo cat named Annabelle (so named because of the location’s connection to Edgar Allen Poe).

The food is very good, but the primary benefit of Parterre is the ambiance, especially if you plan to dine outdoors. The charm is not only at Parterre but the surrounding area with historic architecture and beautiful tree lined Franklin Street nearby.

The Tobacco Company Restaurant

The odd name is due to the building’s origins as a tobacco manufacturer. It now is a multi-floor restaurant. It features an old 19^th century style elevator and a turn of the 20^th century chandelier.

This also features very good food. The location is in the heart of downtown, so it is accessible to most visitors to Richmond. While not matching the charm of Parterre, it has plenty of its own even if the area outside of it lacks the Franklin Street charm because it looks like a typical big city downtown.

Lemaire at the Jefferson

Nothing beats Lemaire. This is quintessential fine dining in a 5 star hotel at the city’s flagship restaurant, another historic hotel called the Jefferson Hotel. It comes with all that you would expect from such a place. It features a large dining area, a bar in the middle, and then seating facing towards the street. We always look to sit in the area towards the street.

Lemaire is expensive but you get elite quality back for those prices.

Great History

Nearly every town now calls itself historic, but Richmond legitimately can say so. Richmond has been the capital of Virginia since 1782 and was the capital of the Confederate States of America from 1861-1865.

The best place to learn about that history is the American Civil War Museum. The museum covers the period leading up to the war, each year of the war and does so through three perspectives: that of the enslaved, White northerners, and White southerners. The museum packs a lot of information in a relatively small space—you can get through the museum in about two hours—while having plenty of neat artifacts.

While you may have heard of the Civil War Museum you likely have not heard of St. John’s Church. The church was the site of the Second Virginia Convention in 1775 where Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech. During the summer through Labor Day each Sunday there is a reenactment of the debate by actors in colonial garb representing key figures, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and of course Henry. The debate closes with Henry’s fiery speech. This brings a miniature version of Colonial Williamsburg to Richmond. The church has an adjacent gift shop featuring revolutionary era products. I took advantage to purchase a copy of American Dialogue by Joseph Ellis.

I recommend all visitors make a trip to the Jefferson. The hotel is magnificent. The lobby features a statute honoring its namesake, Thomas Jefferson (the third U.S. president and author of the Declaration of Independence). It has a grand staircase leading to the reception area. These stairs are believed to be the inspiration for the staircase in Gone with the Wind. There also are paintings of each president with Virginia ties, including several of Jefferson.

Believe in Ghosts?

Ghost tours are fun. They allow you to learn some history, see sights that you otherwise would not have, hear great stories, and do plenty of walking. We took two Haunts of Richmond tours, the Capitol Hill tour, and the Phantoms of Franklin tour. The former is in downtown and includes the state capitol and governor’s mansion on the tour while the latter is in the neighborhood where the Jefferson is. While these are the tours we took, there are a total of six options covering different parts of the city.

Conclusion

Richmond has a much to offer. It has history, dining, and is beautiful. Richmond is easy to get to given its location on I-95, being a rail crossroads, and having its own airport. Richmond provides a big city feel while retaining southern charm. The city also is a cheaper travel alternative than larger cities on the Eastern seaboard.

I recommend you visit Richmond. I will be making several trips to the city in the future.