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Old Glen Allen VA: The Neighborhood With More History Than You'd Expect Most people drive through Old Glen Allen on their way somewhere else. They pass the old schoolhouse, the tavern, the little 1940's gas station frozen in 1940, and they keep going north toward the interstate or south toward Short Pump, not quite registering that they've just passed through a mile of genuinely remarkable American history. Let's check it out a bit. How Glen Allen Got Its Name Before it was Glen Allen, it was called Mountain Road Crossing. That was the working name when rail service began here in 1836, connecting this stretch of Henrico County to Richmond and points north via the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. The area got its current name during the Civil War, from the homestead of the widow Mrs. Benjamin Allen, who operated a small post office for her neighbors out of her home. In military dispatches, Union soldiers called it "Allen's Crossing" because the Allen property served as a landmark for troops fighting in the area. And here's where the story gets interesting. Mrs. Allen later married Captain John Cussons, a native Englishman, former Confederate scout, author, and entrepreneur, who settled here after the war and founded a successful printing company that employed up to 50 workers at its peak. Cussons, apparently not a man who did things halfway, then built Forest Lodge in 1881, a grand hotel with over 100 rooms intended to attract tourists via the nearby railroad, though it ultimately failed financially. The remains of Forest Lodge still sit along the Mountain Road corridor, holding their ground next to a CVS and a storage facility (poignant or funny, depending on your disposition, but I feel it's a little of both). General Sheridan's Union cavalry column of 12,000 horsemen passed through the area on the morning of May 11, 1864, spreading out to destroy miles of railroad track before encountering J.E.B. Stuart's forces nearby, which brought on the Battle of Yellow Tavern. The ground under Old Glen Allen's established subdivisions has seen some things. The School on the Second Floor Glen Allen School was founded in 1886 by Elizabeth Jane Holladay, known locally as Miss Lizzie, who was 38 years old when she began teaching children on the second floor of her simple frame home on Mountain Road. By 1899 the community had grown enough to warrant an actual schoolhouse. By 1911, a proper brick building with a bell tower and a cast iron bell weighing more than 150 pounds had been built to replace it. The school kept expanding through the 1930s, added an auditorium, a gymnasium, and a home economics cottage, and served the community until 1978. It reopened in 1999 as the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, now a 50,300-square-foot multiuse space hosting theater groups, art exhibits, classes, concerts, and community events. Miss Lizzie would probably enjoy knowing the bell and its tower are still there. Virginia Randolph: A Bigger Story Than Most People Know Along Mountain Road sits a small museum that deserves considerably more attention than it typically gets. (The story of small museums, I suppose.) Virginia E. Randolph was born to formerly enslaved parents and made her early career as an educator in Henrico County. In 1908, she was chosen by the Henrico County supervisor to develop a model program of vocational teacher training and supervision. Under the auspices of the Jeanes Foundation, the methods and plans she developed in Henrico County eventually achieved internationally widespread adoption. The Virginia Randolph Training School, established in 1915, was the first publicly supported academic high school for African American students in Virginia. The museum dedicated to her legacy is a National Historic Landmark, and her remains are interred on the grounds. (She didn't rest on her laurels, either,  teaching in Henrico County schools until her retirement in 1949. The Gas Station Where Everyone Knew Your Name The Courtney Road Service Station was built around 1925 and was known in the 1940 Richmond telephone directory as the "Friendly Service Station." Owned by the Barlow family and operated by Mr. Wiltshire, it was the kind of mid-century filling station designed to look like a home, where locals could pick up groceries, a cold beer, and catch a ball game on the radio. Henrico County had it restored and placed it at the corner of Courtney Road and Mountain Road for public display. Step inside and there's a glass countertop, a vintage radio on the windowsill, and the specific feeling of a Saturday morning in 1942. It is, unexpectedly, a delight. The Courtney Road station is part of a mile-long historic corridor along Mountain Road that also includes Meadow Farm Museum, the Cultural Arts Center, the remains of Forest Lodge, and Walkerton Tavern, all restored properties owned and maintained by Henrico County. That the county has been this deliberate about preservation, given the development pressure that has transformed everything around it, says something. Walkerton Tavern and Meadow Farm Walkerton Tavern was built by John Walker between 1824 and 1825 and has served as a tavern and possibly a field hospital for wounded Union cavalrymen in 1864. It is available for private events today, which means you can host a wedding reception in a building that once held casualties from the Battle of Yellow Tavern. Meadow Farm, a preserved 1810 farmstead, is best known for its connection to Gabriel's Rebellion, the 1800 slave uprising planned by Gabriel Prosser. It is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. The museum offers living history demonstrations and farm animal exhibits, with the grounds open daily. The Neighborhood Today Old Glen Allen, the historic village core along Mountain Road and the surrounding residential areas, offers buyers something the rest of Henrico County's newer suburbs cannot quite replicate: established neighborhoods with mature landscaping, larger lots, and a sense of having been lived in for long enough to have genuine community character. Older homes near Glen Allen's historic Mountain Road core, some dating to the early-to-mid 20th century, can be found in the $325,000 to $425,000 range, offering larger lots than newer subdivisions, with established neighborhoods from the 1980s and 1990s such as Wellington Farm listing four-bedroom homes between $380,000 and $475,000. Glen Allen's standout amenity is Three Lakes Park and Nature Center, a 300-acre county park with three connected lakes, a boardwalk aquarium building, fishing piers, and miles of walking trails, all free to the public. It is one of the great underappreciated parks in the Richmond region and tends to surprise people who stumble onto it for the first time. The school picture: Glen Allen High School offers an International Baccalaureate program and ranks among the top schools in Henrico County. The feeder schools throughout the area consistently perform well within an already strong county system. Glen Allen's price per square foot averages roughly $235, generally $10 to $15 less per square foot than comparable homes in neighboring Short Pump, with Henrico County's consistently competitive real estate tax rate. For buyers who want the Henrico County school system, established neighborhood character, proximity to Three Lakes Park, and slightly more breathing room than Short Pump's more densely developed corridors, Old Glen Allen makes a compelling case for itself. And if you want to understand what you're moving into before you sign anything, take a slow drive down Mountain Road first. Stop at the Cultural Arts Center. Read the historical marker outside the old gas station. Hit up the Glen Allen Super Market for a cold drink, a hot lunch, a six pack, or some local corn (or maybe a home baked piece of pie!). Want something a little different? Check out Con Salsa Venezuelan and get something delicious- from delicious fresh pressed juices, arepas, empanadas, bowls, and more. So good! Then walk past what's left of the grand hotel that a Confederate-scout-turned-printer built next to a railroad track in 1881, convinced that tourists would come. They may not have come then, but they're definitely coming now. Thinking about a move to Glen Allen or the broader Henrico County area? I've been covering this market for more than 20 years and know it in detail. What questions can I answer?

August is packed with reasons to get out and explore Richmond! From beloved local traditions like the Carytown Watermelon Festival and 804 Day to live music, family-friendly festivals, farmers' markets, and outdoor events, something is happening nearly every weekend. Here are a few of the can't-miss events and recurring favorites to add to your calendar this month. 📅 Saturday, August 1st JamPacked Festival | 4 pm to 11 pm |📍 Kanawha Plaza Richmond International Dragon Boat Festival | 6:45 am to 11:15 am |📍 Robious Landing Park 804 Day | 12 pm to 6 pm | 📍17th St Market 📅 Tuesday, August 4th National Night Out: EHRC 2026 | 6 pm to 8 pm | 📍 Eastern Henrico Rec Center 📅 Saturday, August 8th RVA Children's Book Festival | 11 am to 4 pm | 📍 Richmond Diversity Center 📅 August 8th - 9th Richmond Jazz and Music Festival |📍 Maymont | Tickets required 📅 Sunday, August 9th Carytown Watermelon Festival | Starts at 10 am |📍 Carytown 📅 Sunday, August 16th Summer Madness Market | 11 am to 3 pm |📍 6110 Lakeside Avenue 📅 Saturday, August 22nd 7th Annual Crabs, Beer, & Spirits by the James | 12 pm to 7 pm |📍 Kanawha Plaza | Tickets required 📅 Sunday, August 23rd Brunch on the Plaza | 3 pm to 7 pm | 📍 Kanawha Plaza 📅 Saturday, August 29th Richmond Comedy & Music Festival | 7 pm to 11 pm |📍Imani Catering-Conference Center | Tickets Required 📅 August 28th - September 5th Chesterfield County Fair | Times Vary by Day | 📍Chesterfield County Fairgrounds 📅 Ongoing Events Silent Reading Party | Day and location vary month to month Flying Squirrels Baseball Games | Days and times vary Shows at the Allianz Amphitheater  Wine and Watercolors with Shop Made in Virginia Shows at The Altria Theater Sunday Artisan Market at Brambly Park | Sundays from 1pm to 5pm Trivia Night RVA at Benchtop Brewing Co. | Wednesdays from 7pm t0 9pm BINGO Night at Benchtop Brewing Co. | Thursdays from 7pm to 8pm Comedy Shows at the Funny Bone Music and Events at Hardywood Brewery | 📍Richmond | 📍West Creek South of the James Farmers Market | Sundays from 10am to 1pm | 📍4021 Forest Hill Ave RVA Big Market | May-Oct: Saturdays from 8am to 12pm | 📍Bryan Park  

Most suburban communities in the Richmond region can trace their origins to a crossroads, a railroad stop, or sometimes, just a developer with a plan. Mechanicsville can trace its origins to the tradespeople and craftsmen who settled a crossroads northeast of Richmond in the late 17th century, and to two of the Civil War's bloodiest and most consequential days of fighting. That history is still here. It sits in something of a surreal juxtaposition to strip malls, subdivisions, and one of the most sought-after school districts in the state. That combination is a big part of what makes this area interesting. Where the Name Came From and What Happened Here By the time the Civil War arrived, Mechanicsville was a small but established village sitting just north of the Chickahominy River, less than two miles from Richmond's city limits. On June 26, 1862, this quiet crossroads became the opening stage of the Seven Days' Battles, a week-long series of Civil War engagements fought on and around Mechanicsville's fields. Confederate forces attacked Union troops positioned along Beaver Dam Creek and were pushed back, suffering roughly 1,475 casualties to the Union's 361. Two years later, the Battle of Cold Harbor was fought over much of the same ground, with even heavier losses. This area has seen a LOT of metal detectors. A portion of the Beaver Dam Creek battlefield has been preserved as part of Richmond National Battlefield Park. The rest has been mostly overtaken by modern development, which is a reasonably accurate metaphor for what happened to Mechanicsville in the decades that followed. The past is here. You just have to know where to look for it. How Mechanicsville and Atlee Became What They Are Today The area remained largely rural until after the 1940's, but then it started and hasn't stopped. The combination of Hanover County's low real estate tax rate,  its reputation for strong public schools, and its easy highway access to Richmond drew families then and continue to now, for largely the same reason. Atlee, situated in the northern portion of the Mechanicsville CDP along Atlee Station Road near the I-295 and I-95 interchange, began developing seriously in the 1990s and has grown into one of the most active residential corridors in Hanover County. Much of the land in the Atlee area was farmland a generation ago. The rapid expansion of residential subdivisions and highway access has transformed it into one of the metro region's most convenient and new construction continues today. This is, in many ways, still a neighborhood being built. The Schools: (This Is the Headline) Hanover County Public Schools is ranked 16th out of 129 school districts in Virginia by SchoolDigger, consistently performs in the top 5% of Virginia districts for combined math and reading proficiency, and Forbes has named it one of the top fifty counties in the United States for student achievement relative to cost per student. Atlee High School is the standout. It ranks in the top 5% of all public high schools in Virginia, has been ranked as high as 5th in the state, and consistently places in the top 30 statewide. Math proficiency at Atlee runs at 90%, compared to a state average of 54%. Reading proficiency runs at 91%, compared to a state average of 69%. The graduation rate is 95% to 97% depending on the year. These are not marginal differences. They are substantial. Mechanicsville High School and Hanover High School are also part of Hanover County Public Schools and serve other parts of the corridor. Both are solid performers, though Atlee draws the highest rankings and the most competitive buyer attention as a result. The Neighborhoods Worth Knowing Giles has generated a lot of buzz in the Atlee area in the past few years. Located directly across Atlee Station Road from Cool Spring Elementary, Chickahominy Middle, and Atlee High, Giles was voted Best Community in Richmond by Richmond Magazine readers in 2021 and ranked among the top ten best-selling communities in central Virginia. It preserves 50% of its land as protected open space, which means mature tree canopy and trails alongside new construction. Giles also has a resort-style pool with a waterslide, a clubhouse and more. For buyers who want new construction, a walkable relationship with schools, and a genuine sense of community amenity, Giles is a great answer. Rutland was one of Hanover County's first mixed-use developments, built over 200 acres with a clubhouse, pool, and commercial components along Chamberlayne Avenue. It has been the established benchmark for master-planned living in the Atlee corridor for over a decade, and Rutland Grove, a newer adjacent community, expanded this with additional single-family homes, a playground, walking trails, sports courts, and a fishing pier on a pond. Kings Charter and Milestone are two of the more established communities in the broader Mechanicsville area, with trail systems, playgrounds, and fishing ponds, and home styles that range from 1990s-era construction to more recent builds. Good school access and lower price points relative to some of the newer developments make them consistent performers in the market. Forest Lake Hills and surrounding communities offer larger lots with established landscaping and a quieter, more rural feel than the Atlee corridor, appealing to buyers who want Hanover County's school district and tax rate without the master-planned subdivision model. Dining Worth Knowing The Mechanicsville and Atlee dining scene is honest suburban. There are chains, many of them, and they serve the community well enough. But there are standout local options that rise considerably above the average. Charred Hanover consistently tops local rankings, with a menu built around wood-fired cooking, live music on weekend nights, and a loyal following. Bell Greek Hanover, operating in a decidedly unglamorous former 7-11 building just off  is rated the number one restaurant in Mechanicsville, and is definitely one of my favorites. The gyros are exceptional, the moussaka is the real deal, and the service is great. Go for the food, stay for the pastries, and forget you used to be able to buy a slurpee there. The Giambancos Italian Grill has been doing family-style Northern Italian in Mechanicsville for decades and knows what they're doing. The Parks and Outdoors Pole Green Park is the community hub for the Atlee area, with athletic fields, a skate park, splash pad, dog park, paved walking trails, and ample picnic space. It also hosts the annual Tomato Festival (it happened just this past weekend) that brings the crowds every year. I mean, if Hanover is not synonymous with tomatoes, I don't know what is. Cold Harbor Battlefield Park offers a peaceful network of wooded trails and preserved Civil War earthwork trenches for light hiking and quiet reflection. The Chickahominy River runs along the southern edge of the broader Mechanicsville area, with fishing and paddling access. The Fall Line Trail, a regional greenway connecting forests and farmlands, opened its inaugural Hanover segment in September 2025, adding another outdoor amenity to the area. What the Real Estate Market Is Actually Doing Hanover County has the lowest real estate property tax rate in the Richmond region. That is not a minor footnote. For buyers comparing total cost of ownership across the metro area, Hanover County's tax rate makes a meaningful difference in the annual math, and it draws buyers who have done that calculation. Demand in the Atlee corridor specifically is consistent and strong. Giles and Rutland Grove have maintained steady sales through shifting market conditions. Established communities like Kings Charter and Milestone offer entry points into the Atlee High School zone at more accessible price points. Larger-lot options further north in Hanover County appeal to buyers who want rural character without leaving the school district. Homes in the Atlee area are car-dependent. There is no getting around that. The trade is a community that waves at you from the car, a school district that consistently ranks among the best in Virginia, a low tax rate, and direct highway access to Richmond, Short Pump, and the airport. Most buyers who land here have made that trade deliberately, and they tend to stay. If you are relocating to the Richmond area and want Hanover County's combination of schools, community culture, and value, the Atlee corridor is where much of that conversation begins.   Thinking about a move to Atlee, Mechanicsville, or Hanover County? I've been covering this market since the first home I ever sold off of Atlee Station Road back in 2003 and know it in detail. What questions can I answer for you?

    When I was a kid growing up in suburban Chesterfield, my friend Diane lived in Westover Hills.  I thought it was just about the coolest place I had ever seen. Everything about it was different from what I knew and was used to. The houses had actual character and each was different from the next. There were sidewalks, real ones, everywhere. (So cosmopolitan!) And the whole neighborhood felt like it had a story, which of course it did. It had many stories, layered on top of each other, going back further than you might imagine. I still feel that way about it. (Some things you get right as a kid.) How These Neighborhoods Came to Be (Don't You Love a Good Origin Story?) Woodland Heights and Westover Hills are two of three sister neighborhoods developed along the south bank of the James River, connected originally by the same trolley car line that ran out Forest Hill Avenue. They are not the same, but they are related by geography, by history, and most of all, by a shared character that is distinctly their own. Woodland Heights is the oldest of the three. It was first advertised in 1891 as a "luxury riverside retreat," when the south bank of the James was still mostly farms and woodlands along Old Manchester's western edge. (See what they did there?) The history goes deeper still, though. On May 4, 1888, Richmond made history when the world's first real electric streetcar system began operations. That launched an era of real estate development tied to the newfangled mode of transport, and Woodland Heights was among the first neighborhoods established as a direct result. About three-quarters of the homes in Woodland Heights' 80-blocks were built between 1895 and 1935. The architecture reflects that era: Queen Anne Victorians, American Foursquares, Colonial Revivals, and Craftsman bungalows, along with Tudor Revival, Italianate, and Cape Cod homes woven throughout. Woodland Heights is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Registry, which is no small thing. It means the bones here are not just old. They are considered worth preserving. Westover Hills came a few decades later. The subdivision was laid out in 1928 by engineer James H. Saville, distinguished by its winding streets near the river, which give it that quality of feeling slightly apart from the rest of the city even when you are very much in it. Development accelerated following the construction of the Boulevard Bridge in 1925. Home styles range from Cape Cod and Colonial Revival Tudors on the eastern side, built primarily in the 1920s through 1950s, to midcentury ranch-style homes and newer traditional construction as you move west. Riverside Drive is an exception: spacious homes with direct views of the James River that still command the prices you would expect. Diane's mother used to call Westover Hills "the Windsor Farms of Dogtown." I'm not sure why I remember that so well, but I do. Windsor Farms, if you're not "from here," has always been the gold-standard address north of the river: planned in the 1920s, architecturally significant, the kind of neighborhood where the streets curve elegantly and the homes have actual pedigree. Dogtown is what Southsiders called their side of the James, the old Manchester territory, with the particular pride of people who knew they had something good that the north bank never quite gave its due. (There is also no definitive "why" for Manchester being referred to as Dogtown, so that's another story entirely.) Put those two things together and you get exactly what Westover Hills is: elegant design, lovely houses, south of the river. Both Westover Hills and Woodland Heights are defined by something you feel before you consciously register it: the sidewalks. Wide, continuous, tree-lined sidewalks that connect you to everything within walking distance. They are not an afterthought here. They are the whole point. Kids ride bikes in the streets. Neighbors know each other. It functions, in the best and most old-fashioned sense, like a neighborhood. The James River: Your Backyard This is the part where I tell you that living in Westover Hills or Woodland Heights means you are essentially in the VIP section of the James River Park System. No exaggeration. The Buttermilk Trail, a four-and-a-half-mile hiking and biking path along the south bank of the river, is steps from your door. Forest Hill Park, one of Richmond's great green spaces and home to the beloved South of the James Farmers Market, is walkable. In winter, the hills above the river provide some of the finest sledding in the city, the kind of sledding that becomes a neighborhood tradition passed down from one generation to the next. The James River is not just a backdrop here. It is a daily presence. You can walk to it, bike to it, or kayak on it. In a city that is rightly proud of its relationship with that river, these neighborhoods have some of the most direct access anywhere in Richmond. The Commercial Corridor: Better Than It's Ever Been Forest Hill Avenue and Semmes Avenue have always had the bones of a great neighborhood commercial strip. What's happened to those bones in recent years, though, is pretty exciting. WPA Bakery (Well-Made Pastry Alliance) sits on Semmes Avenue in the heart of Woodland Heights and has been a neighborhood anchor since 2016. The canelés are the thing. A French pastry  with a caramelized, almost lacquered, outside and a custardy interior, they're the  kind of thing that sounds fussy until you have one and understand that it's really like culinary alchemy (and how can they be gluten free and this delicious?) The pies, the sticky buns, the breakfast sandwiches on biscuits. This is a place that knows what it is and does it very, very well. Stella's Grocery, which sprouted from the award-winning Greek restaurant on Lafayette, now operates several gourmet market locations, including one serving the Westover Hills area, offering prepared foods, gourmet Greek products, baked goods, beer, wine, and more. It is the kind of neighborhood grocery that makes you feel like you are living exactly right. Get a coffee, a sandwich, dinner for later, or fill a bag with ready to go deliciousness for a gathering. And then there is Väsen. Väsen Brewing Company, known for its Belgian farmhouse and sour ales with an experimental American craft sensibility, more recently opened their second location on Forest Hill Avenue, joining The Veil Brewing Co, which had already become a "go to" anchor for the area. The Forest Hill Väsen location includes ample outdoor seating, bike racks, at least sixteen draft taps, draft cocktails, and wine. On a warm Richmond evening with the river a short walk away, this is a very good situation to be in. (And guaranteed, where a lot of your neighbors are.) There are a lot businesses choosing to expand south of the James, specifically to this corridor. That's not a coincidence, but really, it's a vote of confidence in a neighborhood that has always deserved it. What the Real Estate Market Is Doing The median sale price in Westover Hills has risen to the lower $600,000s, above Richmond's overall median and that of nearby communities. (The reality of being a "hot" area.) Homes sell in an average of sixteen days, which tells you everything you need to know about demand. Woodland Heights median prices have risen approximately 15% over the past year, with homes moving in about eighteen days on average. What buyers are paying for is a combination that is genuinely hard to replicate elsewhere in Richmond: historic architecture on tree-lined streets with sidewalks, walkable proximity to the James River and its trail system, a commercial corridor that has serious momentum, and a neighborhood culture built over more than a century of people who absolutely love it. Riverside Drive remains the address of addresses, with river-view homes commanding significant premiums. But throughout both neighborhoods, well-maintained homes with original character move quickly and for strong prices. If you are considering a move to Richmond and you want a neighborhood with genuine roots, a beautiful daily life, and the kind of community that forms when people actually walk past each other on sidewalks, Westover Hills and Woodland Heights belong at the top of your list. And if you need any other convincing, I'm here to help. I have a long, long list of things I love about these neighborhoods- cool restaurants, great coffee spots, tiny porch concerts, walkability, diversity, South of the James Farmer's Market, art, and true character that rejects a lot of the homogeneous modernity you find elsewhere. You might not get the magic of Mrs. D. slipping out the back door to get fresh mint for your tea, but you can build your own magic in one of these beautiful, storied, tree-lined streets. Have you spent time in Westover Hills or Woodland Heights? And if you're thinking about a move to the Southside, what questions can I answer? I've been living and selling homes in this city for more than 20 years. I know where the good canelés are.

Most Richmond suburbs can trace their origins back to a farm, a crossroads, maybe a railway stop. Midlothian can trace its origins back to the first commercially mined coal in the entire Colony of Virginia. That's not a small thing. And it sets the tone for a place that has always been more interesting than it gets credit for. Where the Name Came From The prevailing story is that two brothers from East Lothian and West Lothian in Scotland founded the original village where Midlothian now sits. When it came to naming it, the brothers wanted to honor their respective homelands and struck a compromise: Midlothian.  (Is this a true story? I have no earthly idea. It's the one I've always heard, though.) Commercial coal mining was well underway in Chesterfield County by 1730. This was not only the first such operations in North America but also the county's first true industrial development. Coal was first discovered near Manakin Town, a French Huguenot settlement, and Thomas Jefferson himself noted that the quality of Chesterfield's coal was excellent. In fact, coal from Harry Heth's Black Heath mines in the Midlothian area heated the White House during Jefferson's presidency. The Midlothian Turnpike, built in 1807 to carry carts of coal, became the first paved road in Virginia. And in 1831, the Midlothian to Manchester Railroad was built to haul coal to Virginia's ports, making it the first railroad in the state. (If you knew any of this, consider me super impressed!) That's an extraordinary amount of history concentrated in one place. First commercially mined coal in North America. First paved road in Virginia. First railroad in Virginia. All within a few miles of what is now a Target and a Chick-fil-A. Progress. The coal industry slowed through the early 20th century, and Midlothian spent a few quieter decades as a mostly rural community. Then came the Swift Creek Reservoir in 1965, the Powhite Parkway, and a wave of planned residential development that permanently changed the character of Chesterfield County's west end. The suburbs that grew up around the reservoir are now some of the most established and sought-after addresses in the greater Richmond market. The Schools You may know that as Realtors, we cannot really say "good school/bad school" because those metrics are totally subjective. However, the tests and ratings are quite clear, that Chesterfield County Public Schools are consistently among the stronger divisions in Virginia, and the Midlothian area contains the district's highest-performing schools. Midlothian High School is ranked 34th in Virginia by U.S. News and World Report and offers an International Baccalaureate program. Cosby High School is ranked 46th in Virginia and holds a 98% graduation rate, which is well above the state average. Both schools have received the President's Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award. For families looking to make a move to the south side of the James River, the school picture here is a strong argument for Midlothian specifically, not just Chesterfield County generally. The difference between the western Chesterfield schools and other parts of the county is significant, and buyers who know the market factor it in. Brandermill: The One Built Around a Lake If you ask someone in the Richmond area what they picture when they think of Midlothian, there's a reasonable chance they picture Brandermill. It has been here long enough to feel like it's always been there. Brandermill is a sprawling, award-winning master-planned community that has been around for over 40 years and boasts more than 13,000 residents across 80 smaller sub-neighborhoods within the community. The developer's vision was explicit: build a neighborhood centered on natural beauty and active outdoor life, with the Swift Creek Reservoir as its central feature. It worked. Brandermill borders a 1,700-acre stretch of the Swift Creek Reservoir, with many homes positioned directly on the water. Residents enjoy an 18-hole golf course, three pools, tennis courts, over 15 miles of trails, playgrounds, and pavilions. The range of homes within the community is wide: more modest single-family homes from the community's earlier decades sit alongside larger, updated properties with reservoir views. It is genuinely diverse in its price points, which is part of what makes it accessible and part of what gives it staying power. Brandermill sits at the intersection of Route 288 and Hull Street Road, making it well-positioned for commuters and within easy reach of all the shopping, restaurants, and entertainment along the Hull Street corridor. Woodlake: The Resort That Became a Neighborhood Woodlake was developed by the same group that built Brandermill, with planning beginning in 1981 and construction underway by 1984. In 1990, the community was voted Best Community in America by the Urban Land Institute. That award is now decades old, but the infrastructure it recognized is still very much in place. Woodlake sits on the western shore of the Swift Creek Reservoir and is home to over 7,000 residents across 54 unique sub-neighborhoods, many of them bordering the water directly. Homes range from one-story properties with ample patios to two-story Colonials with multi-pane windows and traditional detailing. The community association runs a robust calendar of events that keeps the place feeling more like a small town than a subdivision. People who move to Woodlake tend to stay, which definitely tells you something. The Other Neighborhoods Worth Knowing Midlothian's residential landscape extends well beyond Brandermill and Woodlake. Here's an overview. Hallsley is a newer luxury community with custom-built homes, resort-style amenities, and architectural variety that appeals to buyers who want new construction with genuine character. Well-regarded within the market and consistently in demand. Salisbury is one of the area's most established addresses, built around the Salisbury Country Club with large wooded lots, mature trees, and traditional home styles. The kind of neighborhood that attracts buyers who want established elegance rather than new construction. Magnolia Green is a vibrant master-planned community with modern homes, an 18-hole golf course, parks, and trails. Newer construction, active community programming, and a location on the Hull Street corridor that puts everything within easy reach. Charter Colony and Rountrey round out the picture for buyers looking at a mix of established and newer options, with good school access and the amenity infrastructure that Chesterfield's western communities consistently deliver. Dining Worth Driving For Midlothian can surprise people on the restaurant front. Midlothian Chef's Kitchen, led by Chef David Dunlap, a former executive sous chef at The Inn at Little Washington, has been voted Best Restaurant in Chesterfield County by Richmond Magazine. Seasonal, local, and genuinely excellent. Make a reservation. The 1870 Restaurant and Bar is a French-inspired steakhouse inside a historic Virginia building on Midlothian Turnpike, with a speakeasy bar downstairs. It feels like a discovery even if you've lived here for years. Charred Swift Creek is a wood-fired kitchen on Hull Street with a loyal following and one of the better cocktail programs in the county. For seafood, the Hard Shell at Bellgrade has been repeatedly voted Best Seafood in Richmond, which is not a small designation in a city that takes that kind of thing seriously. The dining corridor along Midlothian Turnpike and Hull Street has genuinely grown up over the past decade. It is not downtown Richmond, and it is not trying to be. The good news? When I was growing up, you were lucky to find anything that was not a chain, and now there are some truly great local spots to check out without needing to cross a bridge or pay a toll. What the Real Estate Market Is Actually Doing Midlothian and western Chesterfield County have commanded consistent demand for a long time, and the reasons are fairly clear: strong schools, well-maintained communities, abundant outdoor amenities, and easy access to Richmond via the Powhite Parkway and Route 288. Homes in Brandermill and Woodlake with reservoir access or views sell at a premium and move quickly. Newer communities like Hallsley and Magnolia Green attract buyers seeking modern finishes and master-planned amenity packages. Established neighborhoods like Salisbury appeal to buyers who want large lots and mature landscaping that new construction simply cannot replicate. The range is wide and varied. Entry-level buyers can find options within established communities. Move-up buyers have plenty to consider. And at the higher end, Midlothian delivers the kind of custom, wooded, water-adjacent living that draws buyers from across the region. If you are relocating to the Richmond area and considering the south side of the James River, Midlothian makes a great case for itself. The history alone is worth knowing. The community you'd be joining is worth a whole lot more. Thinking about a move to Midlothian or western Chesterfield? I've been covering both sides of the James for more than 23 years. What questions can I answer for you?

Summer has officially arrived in Richmond, and the city is turning up the heat with a packed calendar of events. Whether you're into live music, outdoor markets, food and drinks, or community gatherings, something is happening in every corner of RVA this June. Below you'll find our roundup of this month's can't-miss happenings — plus a running list of the recurring events that make Richmond such a vibrant place to live year-round. 📅 Friday, June 5th Summer Kickoff Festival | 5 pm to 10 pm |📍 Maymont Carriage House Lawn 📅 Saturday, June 6th Maymont: Cheers to 100 Years! | 12 pm to 4 pm | 📍 Maymont RVA Eid Fest 2026 | 12 pm to 7 pm | 📍 Richmond Raceway | FREE Tickets | an afternoon of food, shopping, entertainment, and community celebration The Ashland Strawberry Faire | 10 am to 5 pm | 📍 Randolph-Macon College | Grab a free trolley and visit 300+ vendors Viva Ashland Festival | 4 pm to 7 pm | 📍 Center of the Universe Brewing Co | A celebration of Latin food & flavor 📅 Sunday, June 7th 8th Annual Rocking for RACC | 12:30 pm to 7 pm | 📍 Main Line Brewery | Musical guests, food trucks and of course, dog friendly!! RVA RIMBY Festival | 12 pm to 3 pm | 📍 Hardywood Brewery | A free outdoor festival highlighting all of the incredible and unique outdoor activities right in the backyard of Richmond. 📅 June 12th - 14th Richmond SailFest | Times Vary Daily | 📍Dock Street Park & Intermediate Terminal | FREE Event | family-friendly, weekend-long festival will feature ship tours, live music and performances, historical re-enactors, exhibitions of history and art, and much more Dream Asia Festival | Times Vary Daily | 📍Meadow Event Park | Tickets Required | The Largest Asian Food and Culture Festival in the U.S VMFA Shop Tent Sale | 9 am to 3 pm | 📍VMFA | Deals on books, exhibition-themed items, jewelry, home décor, and seasonal finds—all at deeply discounted prices. 📅 Tuesday, June 16th MooseTracks 10k Scoop Challenge | 11 am to 3 pm |📍 Monroe Park | Every FREE scoop of ice cream you eat generates a $1 donation to charity! 📅 Thursday, June 18th Cozy Ol' Bluegrass Festival | 6 pm to 9 pm | 📍Riverside Outfitters | Sold Out - Join Wait List 📅 June 19th - 20th Revenge Roughstock Rodeo | Gates open at 6 pm | 📍Meadow Event Park | bull riders, barrel racers, and more 📅 Saturday, June 20th Henrico Juneteenth Celebration| 4 pm to 10 pm |📍Dorey Park | an immersive experience of music, art, and community Cookout Comedy Bash | Doors open at 7:30 pm |📍Benchtop Brewing | Tickets Required | A night packed with laughs, cold brews, and cookout vibes. 📅 Sunday, June 21st Summer Artisan Market | 1 pm to 5 pm |📍Main Line Brewery | local artisans, live music, food, drinks, and games 📅 Saturday, June 27th Henrico Multicultural Festival | 1 pm to 8 pm |📍Richmond Raceway | featuring live music, international food vendors and culinary experiences, cultural displays and vendors, children's activities, and more 📅 Ongoing Events Silent Reading Party | Day and location vary month to month Flying Squirrels Baseball Games | Days and times vary Shows at the Allianz Amphitheater  Wine and Watercolors with Shop Made in Virginia Shows at The Altria Theater Sunday Artisan Market at Brambly Park | Sundays from 1pm to 5pm Trivia Night RVA at Benchtop Brewing Co. | Wednesdays from 7pm t0 9pm BINGO Night at Benchtop Brewing Co. | Thursdays from 7pm to 8pm Comedy Shows at the Funny Bone Music and Events at Hardywood Brewery | 📍Richmond | 📍West Creek South of the James Farmers Market | Sundays from 10am to 1pm | 📍4021 Forest Hill Ave RVA Big Market | May-Oct: Saturdays from 8am to 12pm | 📍Bryan Park

Carytown: The "Mile of Style", Then and Now There's a game that people who've spent time in Carytown used to play. The premise was simple: you could get absolutely anything in Carytown except for cars and guns. Someone would name three random items and the other person had to say where on the strip you'd find them. Darts for a dartboard, a pork pie hat, a king cake. Stumping someone was genuinely difficult. That was the old Carytown. One concentrated, gloriously weird mile of mostly local, mostly independent businesses that collectively made the case that a shopping street could also be a community. 2026 Carytown is still working out who it is. And that conversation is what makes it interesting right now. A Little History, Because Carytown Has More of It Than Most People Know In 1927, what was then called the Westham Plank Road was renamed Cary Street, after Colonel Archibald Cary, a key figure in Virginia's Revolutionary War movement. A year later, on Christmas Eve, the Byrd Theatre opened its doors for the first time. Then, in the late 1930s, the Cary Street Park and Shop Center opened as Richmond's first strip shopping center, popular precisely because of its "park and shop" nature. (And yes, this is exactly where Gourmet Delights used to be, back in the day.) For a few decades, Carytown thrived. Then when Willow Lawn Shopping Center was built in the 1950s, business along Cary Street began to slow. Richmonders found more parking and larger department stores out west, and Cary Street went through a slump that lasted into the 1970s. What happened next says a lot about this neighborhood's character. Residents and shop owners pooled funds to hire an off-duty police officer to patrol the area, which immediately cut down petty crime. Store owners then petitioned the city for two parking decks. The efforts worked. In 1974, there was a vote to rebrand the neighborhood, and "Carytown" received the most votes. The new name fostered a sense of community among residents and shopkeepers that still resonates today. That scrappiness, that impulse to fix things from the inside, is still present on Cary Street if you know where to look. The Byrd Theatre: Richmond's Best Reason to Go to the Movies The Byrd Theatre opened on Christmas Eve 1928 and has operated almost continuously ever since, making it one of the nation's finest surviving cinema treasures. Calling it a movie theater undersells it significantly. It is a French Empire-style movie palace with imported Italian and Turkish marble, hand-sewn velvet drapes, oil on canvas murals of Greek mythology, and an 18-foot, two-and-a-half ton chandelier hung with over 5,000 Czechoslovakian crystals illuminated by 500 colored lights. And then there is the Mighty Wurlitzer. One of only about forty surviving instruments remaining in their original installation out of more than two thousand made between 1914 and 1942, it was designed as a one-person orchestra to accompany silent films. It still gets played every Saturday night before the feature. The Byrd Theatre Foundation, which has stewardship of the building, is currently in the middle of an ongoing seat restoration project and organ conservation work. This place is being cared for. It shows. Second-run movies. Eight dollars. Go on a Saturday and stay for the organ. That's a good night in Richmond. Can Can Brasserie: Paris, Dropped Into Carytown Can Can is a French brasserie and bakery built to look and feel as though it has been lifted from the Left Bank of Paris and set down in the middle of Carytown's retail strip, with dedicated bakery and pastry kitchens, a zinc bar imported from France, and a program of coffee, wine, and cocktails designed for everyday celebration. In practice this means: go for a coffee and a pastry in the morning and you feel like you are somewhere significantly more glamorous than you actually are, which is the whole point. Brunch on the weekends is an event. The people watching from a sidewalk table is genuinely excellent. Bev's Homemade Ice Cream: A Carytown Institution Bev's has been scooping New England-style ice cream in Carytown since 1998, right across from the Byrd Theatre. When the founder retired in 2021, one of her longtime employees took over, vowing to keep the recipes, the culture, and the homemade character intact. She did. The ice cream is still made in-house, the flavors are still creative without being gimmicky, and the line on a warm evening still snakes out the door. Some Richmond institutions survive because they're famous. Bev's survives because it's good. Plan 9 Records: Because Every Great Neighborhood Needs a Record Store Plan 9 has been on Cary Street long enough to feel like furniture. The kind of furniture you'd be devastated to lose. Independent record stores are one of those things people say they want to support until there's a cheaper option available on their phone, and Plan 9 has survived that moment repeatedly by being genuinely, stubbornly good at what it does: curated vinyl, knowledgeable staff, local music given shelf space alongside the classics. If you haven't been in a while, go. Spend more than you planned to. Consider it a civic contribution. The Conversation Carytown Is Having With Itself This is where it gets a little complicated, and I think it's worth saying honestly because it's the real story of Carytown right now. There was a time when you could come to Carytown and it was dead after six o'clock. Now, with the arrival of some national chains, smaller places are staying open until eight or nine at night. The trade-off is real. Chains bring foot traffic and extended hours. They also bring a homogenization that longtime residents feel and don't love. The concern among local merchants is that if chains exceed 25 to 30 percent of the total business mix, the character of the corridor tips in a direction that's hard to come back from. In October 2024, a new Art Deco-style illuminated welcome sign was installed at Carytown's entrance. Which is, depending on your perspective, either a sign of investment and civic pride or a sign that a neighborhood is being packaged for visitors rather than maintained for the people who live there. It's really both. What I'd say is this: the bones of Carytown are extraordinary and they are not going anywhere. The Byrd, Bev's, Plan 9, Can Can, the Watermelon Festival every August, the walkability, the proximity to Byrd Park and the VMFA. The character is still there. The question is whether the businesses filling the empty storefronts over the next few years will reflect the neighborhood's identity or gradually dilute it. That's a question worth paying attention to. What the Real Estate Market Is Doing Living near Carytown means buying into one of Richmond's most walkable and most perpetually in-demand corridors. The housing stock is primarily pre-1960s construction: duplexes, small apartment buildings, townhouses, and single detached homes with the kind of architectural detail and neighborhood texture that simply does not exist in new construction. Properties here move. Condition and location on the grid both matter, but the desirability is consistent and has been for decades. If you are relocating to Richmond and want to be within walking distance of a great movie theater, a French brasserie, a record store, and an ice cream shop that has been in the same spot for nearly thirty years, this is your neighborhood. It was the first shopping district in Richmond. It is still one of the best, and where I always send out of towners. That is not a coincidence. Have you been to Carytown lately? What do you think of how it's changing? And if you are thinking about a move to Richmond and want to talk through neighborhoods, I am genuinely your person for that conversation.

May in Richmond is basically the city showing off. After months of cold and grey, the river comes alive, the parks fill up, and suddenly there's something worth getting off the couch for every single weekend. Whether you're into hot air balloons drifting over the Museum District, local artists lining the streets of the Fan, or just wandering through Byrd Park with a funnel cake in hand, this month has you covered. From the return of Riverrock on the James to the grand reopening of Maymont's Wildlife Trail, May 2026 is stacked — and that's before you factor in Greek food, comic cons, ballet, beer festivals, and a musical that asks what would've happened if Juliet just... didn't. Here's everything worth circling on your calendar this month. 📅 May 2nd - 3rd 55th Annual Arts in the Park | 11am to 6pm/5pm |📍 The Carillon in Byrd Park 📅 Saturday, May 2nd Virginia Wildlife Trail Grand Reopening | 10am to 4pm | 📍 Maymont "After a two-year enhancement project, explore the new and remodeled habitats, with more accessible pathways, new interpretive signs, and more ways to view our wildlife residents." - maymont.org Chesterfield Bee Festival | 10am to 3pm | 📍 Chesterfield County Fairgrounds | Enjoy food vendors, a goat petting zoo, live music, and hands-on activities for children. 📅 Sunday, May 3rd Mother's Day Artisan Market | 1pm to 5pm | 📍 Main Line Brewery | Craft Beer, local artisans, outdoor games, dog-friendly vibes, family-friendly fun 📅 May 8th - 9th Richmond Hot Air Balloon Festival | Gates open at 5pm |📍 Museum District | Tickets required | Hot Air Balloon rides, balloon glow + laser show, etc. 📅 Saturday, May 9th VA ComiCon | 11am to 4pm |📍 Richmond Raceway | Tickets required 📅 Sunday, May 10th Mother's Day House and Garden Tour | 1pm to 6pm |📍 Museum District | Tickets required | Stroll through the neighborhood and tour 8 Museum District homes History Hounds Explore Ginter Park | 10am to 11:30am |📍 St. Paul's Catholic Church | $20 for adults / $10 for members | a special dog-friendly tour of Ginter Park 📅 May 12th - 17th & Juliet | Showtimes vary |📍Altria Theater Created by the Emmy®-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way. 📅 May 14th - 24th Richmond Ballet Presents 'Moving Art Four: Legends' | Days and times vary |📍VMFA 📅 May 14th - 15th Fan Arts Stroll | 4pm to 8pm |📍2000-2500 Hanover Ave & 2200-2500 Grove Ave | Stroll through the historic Fan district and enjoy local art, live music, and tasty treats. 📅 May 15th - 17th Dominion Energy Riverrock | Event times vary |📍James River | The nation’s largest outdoor sports and music festival on Richmond's riverfront, featuring trail running, kayaking, biking, and yoga. 📅 Saturday, May 16th 21st Annual ASK 5k & Fun Run | 8am to 12pm | 📍Carmax Park | presented by the Childhood Cancer Foundation Goochland Day Parade and Festival | 10am to 3pm | 📍Goochland Sports Complex 📅 Sunday, May 17th Spring Artisan Market | 1pm to 5pm | 📍Zorch Pizza Parlor | enjoy food, drinks, and local vendors/artisans 📅 Thursday, May 21st Murals of Jackson Ward Walking Tour | 6pm to 7:30pm | 📍325 N 2nd St | $20 for adults / $10 for members 📅 Saturday, May 23rd Indian and Sri Lankan Food Festival | 11am to 3pm | 📍10509 Greenwood Rd 📅 May 23rd - 24th Shop Small Weekend | 12pm to 5pm | 📍Strangeways Brewing - Scotts Addition 📅 May 28th - 31st Richmond Greek Festival | Times Vary | 📍30 Malvern Ave 📅 May 30th Spring Plant Sale + Pollinator Festival | 9am to 1pm | 📍1440 N. Laburnum Ave Appomattox River Wine Festival | 12pm to 5pm | 📍Appomattox Boat Harbor Wings and Wheels Fly In and Car Show | 10am to 5pm | 📍Dinwiddie County Airport | Enjoy displays of vintage and modern aircraft, classic cars, and custom motorcycles, plus food and other vendors ¿Qué Pasa? Festival | 12pm to 8pm | 📍Carmax Park 📅 Ongoing Events Silent Reading Party | Day and location vary month to month Flying Squirrels Baseball Games | Days and times vary Shows at the Allianz Amphitheater  Wine and Watercolors with Shop Made in Virginia Shows at The Altria Theater Sunday Artisan Market at Brambly Park | Sundays from 1pm to 5pm Trivia Night RVA at Benchtop Brewing Co. | Wednesdays from 7pm t0 9pm BINGO Night at Benchtop Brewing Co. | Thursdays from 7pm to 8pm Comedy Shows at the Funny Bone Music and Events at Hardywood Brewery | 📍Richmond | 📍West Creek South of the James Farmers Market | Sundays from 10am to 1pm | 📍4021 Forest Hill Ave RVA Big Market | May-Oct: Saturdays from 8am to 12pm | 📍Bryan Park  

Most neighborhoods in Richmond earn their character slowly. Decades of accumulated life, layers of history baked into the architecture, a coffee shop that's been on that corner since before you moved here. Libbie Mill does not have that. It's new. Intentionally, thoughtfully, impressively new. And honestly? It works. Libbie Mill Midtown sits in Henrico County, just off I-64 near Staples Mill Road, close enough to Scott's Addition and the Libbie and Grove corridor to feel connected to the city's energy. It's a 90-acre mixed-use development that set out to do something genuinely difficult: build a walkable, livable, community-centered neighborhood from scratch. The result is something Richmond didn't really have before, and a lot of people are paying attention. What Makes It Different The design philosophy here was rooted in studying what actually makes older Richmond neighborhoods work. The Fan, Church Hill, Shockoe Slip. The things that make people want to linger, not just park and leave. Libbie Mill has pocket parks, shared gardens, clubhouses, and pools, all connected to sidewalks so you can walk anywhere in the community. There's Libbie Lake, with a trail around it that residents use the way people use a front porch. There's a dog park, a playground, and a branch of the Henrico County library right in the middle of it. There are food trucks, outdoor concerts, community events happening on a regular basis. It sounds like a lot to promise. And then you walk it, and the promises largely hold. The Restaurants: Where It Gets Serious This is Richmond. We judge neighborhoods by where we can eat. Libbie Mill passes. Shagbark is the anchor, and it has been since chef Walter Bundy opened it in 2016. Bundy spent nearly two decades as executive chef of Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel, including a stretch where Lemaire was named one of the 101 best restaurants in the country. Shagbark was named one of USA Today's "20 new restaurants to try" and later earned a AAA Four Diamond rating. Bundy describes the restaurant as a "seasonally driven concept celebrating Virginia's best producers, farmers, and fishermen," and the menu reflects exactly that. The space itself is extraordinary. The communal table milled from an actual shagbark hickory tree, the chandeliers made from whitetail antlers, handmade plates from a local potter. It feels like Richmond in the best possible way: grounded and beautiful. Make a reservation. Dress up a little, if you want to. It's that kind of place. (But it's Richmond, so you don't have to.) Then there's Acacia Midtown, which carries with it the kind of history that makes food people in Richmond go quiet for a moment. Chef Dale Reitzer is a four-time nominee for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Award, was twice named Richmond's chef of the year, and was recognized by Food and Wine Magazine as one of America's best new chefs in 1999. He and his wife Aline, who founded Richmond Restaurant Week, closed their beloved Cary Street location in early 2020 and eventually chose Libbie Mill for their return. Acacia Midtown delivers modern coastal cuisine: honest cooking, respectful sourcing, and a welcoming space where timeless hospitality meets a fresh approach to seasonal fare, with a focus on fresh-catch seafood and specialty meats. The space is open, airy, and coastal in feeling, with a small market attached for provisions. If you have been eating Acacia's food for twenty years and missed it like I did? It's back, and it's good. The Real Estate: A Different Kind of Value Proposition Libbie Mill offers something the rest of Richmond's market largely does not: new construction with genuine walkability. Townhomes, condominiums, and apartment homes in a community that was built to function as a neighborhood rather than just a collection of units near a highway. For buyers relocating to Richmond who want modern finishes, low maintenance, and actual walkable daily life without sacrificing access to the rest of the city, Libbie Mill is a serious option. It sits just minutes from Willow Lawn, Short Pump, downtown Richmond, the Libbie and Grove area, the Fan, Scott's Addition, and the James River. You are not choosing between urban convenience and a peaceful place to live. That is the whole point of what was built here. It is worth a visit, even if you think you already know what it is. Walk the lake. Go to the library (one of my favorites). Have dinner at Shagbark. See if it doesn't change your mind a little about what a new neighborhood can be. Have you spent time at Libbie Mill? And if you are relocating to Richmond and trying to figure out which neighborhood actually fits your life, let's talk. I have opinions, I know the market, and I am very good at asking the right questions.

If my best friend called me tomorrow and said she was thinking about moving to the Richmond area, I know exactly what I’d tell her. Not as a real estate agent. Not as someone trying to sell her anything. Just the honest, real-life perspective from someone who has lived here for a long time—and genuinely loves it more every year. If you’re considering relocating to Richmond, here’s what you should know. 🎥 Watch the Full Video What Richmond Is Really Like A lot of people who’ve never been to Richmond picture it as a mid-sized, maybe slightly forgettable city. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Richmond is full of character, history, and distinct neighborhoods—each with its own personality. It has the energy of a college town thanks to VCU, but with the depth and amenities of a much larger city. From world-class museums to a constantly evolving food scene, there’s always something happening here. And then there’s the James River—arguably the crown jewel of the city. Choosing the Right Neighborhood One of the best things about Richmond is the variety. Where you should live really depends on your lifestyle. If You Want Walkability & City Energy Neighborhoods like: The Fan Museum District Carytown Forest Hill / Westover Hills These areas offer sidewalks, local restaurants, coffee shops, parks, and a true neighborhood feel where you can actually walk to places—not just walk for the sake of it. If You Want More Space & Community Amenities Looking in the surrounding counties might be a better fit. You’ll typically find: Larger lots Planned communities Amenities like pools, playgrounds, and tennis courts This can be especially appealing if you’re looking to plug into a community quickly. If You’re Looking for More Affordable, Up-and-Coming Areas A few areas to keep an eye on: Church Hill Brookland Park These neighborhoods offer a mix of character, walkability, and value—and they continue to grow in popularity. Let’s Talk About the Food Scene 🍽️ Richmond has been quietly punching above its weight for years when it comes to food. Whether you’re into: Food trucks Casual neighborhood spots Trendy new restaurants Or high-end dining You’ll find something here—and probably more than you expected. The James River Lifestyle 🌊 This is one of the most unique things about Richmond. The James River runs right through the city—and it’s not just for looking at. You can: Kayak or paddleboard (yes, even downtown) Walk or bike along scenic trails Explore parks and river access points Catch concerts at the riverfront amphitheater Plus, the Virginia Capital Trail offers over 50 miles of paved trail stretching from Richmond to Williamsburg. Arts, Culture & Things to Do 🎨 Richmond has a strong creative energy. From: First Fridays art walks Galleries and museums Festivals and local events There’s always something to explore—and it’s a big part of what gives the city its personality. The Honest Downsides No place is perfect, and Richmond is no exception. A couple things to keep in mind: Highway traffic (especially on I-64 during beach season) Summer humidity (it can get intense) That said, we do get four true seasons—and the winters are relatively mild. Final Thoughts: Should You Move to Richmond? If you’re thinking about relocating, the best thing you can do is come experience it for yourself. Drive through neighborhoods. Try the restaurants. Walk along the river. Check out a local event. Richmond has a vibe that’s hard to fully explain—but easy to feel once you’re here. And chances are, there’s a version of Richmond that fits exactly what you’re looking for. Thinking About Making a Move? If you have questions about neighborhoods, timing, or what to expect when moving to Richmond, I’m always happy to help. Reach out anytime—whether you’re just starting to explore or ready to make a move.