Around Richmond

5 Fall Weekend Escapes from Richmond That Are Just Far Enough to FEEL Like An Escape What I'm loving right now? A little fall getaway! Before things get holiday crazy, it's the perfect time to get out of town, relax, recharge, and check out somewhere you may have never been. I slipped down to Boone last weekend- to visit my son, but it was also so nice to just breathe some clean mountain air, enjoy the changing colors, and rest a bit before things really get busy with events and holidays. It was so nice, I thought I'd share some of my favorite getaways that are just far enough to feel like a real getaway, but close enough to do on a weekend from the Richmond area.  1. Boone, North Carolina (~5.5-6 hours) Highlights & Things to Do Dine at The Gamekeeper - A rare for me 10/10 dining experience. Absolutely fantastic food and service. Wild game, bold flavors, and a cozy, elevated mountain lodge ambiance. Reservations recommended. More info HERE Grandfather Mountain & Mile-High Swinging Bridge - Hike the trails, see wildlife habitats, and cross the bridge (if you're not afraid of heights) for amazing Blue Ridge Parkway- Boone is home to lots of great scenic overlooks, small spur hikes (Rough Ridge, Linn Cove Viaduct), and this is the perfect time of year for those sunset views. Mystery Hill & Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster - Mystery Hill offers “gravity-defying” illusions, and Wilderness Run, in Banner Elk, is an outdoor alpine coaster, if you're an adrenaline junkie like me. Stroll downtown Boone / sample local brews & galleries- Explore great independent shops, local art, and breweries (Appalachian Mountain Brewery is a favorite, and Lost Province is an awesome spot for great food and great beer.) Boone is probably my current favorite, because my son (always my favorite) lives there, but it's also just generally fantastic, with really laid back vibes. 2. New River Gorge, West Virginia (~4.5–5.5 hours) Highlights & Things to Do Bridge Walk (under the New River Gorge Bridge) - A guided catwalk experience under the bridge that gives stunning angles and daring views. (Another good one for the adrenaline rush lovers!) Hiking to overlooks -Trails like Endless Wall, Long Point, and Grandview offer fun hikes, and gorgeous panoramic canyon vistas. River adventures- There are options for all levels on the river, whether you want a chill float or a whitewater adventure. Drive Fayette Station Road & rim backroads- Explore lesser-traveled rim roads that hug the gorge’s edge. (Just keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel!) Coal-town history & echoes of ghosts- Visit Thurmond (almost ghost-town status), old mining relics, and railway ruins for a real sense of the area's history. 3. Abingdon, Virginia (~3.5-4.5 hours) Highlights & Things to Do Virginia Creeper Trail -A 34.3-mile rail-to-trail route connecting Abingdon → Damascus → Whitetop. The section from Abingdon to Damascus is popular, mostly downhill, and scenic. This section was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, but has recently reopened, and these towns need your support. Catch a performance at Barter Theatre — A historic regional theatre with rotating shows, musicals, and local flavor. I saw a show here with my mom and brother a couple of years ago, and we all really enjoyed it! William King Museum of Art / Arts Depot — Regional art exhibits, sculpture gardens, and community arts. Historic downtown & walking tours — Brick streets, antique shops, café stops, and guided heritage walks. Ghost walks & storytelling — Local lore and wonderful stories abound; private or guided ghost tours with spooky tales of old homes and legends. 4. Wytheville, Virginia / Big Walker Lookout (~3–4 hours) Highlights & Things to Do Big Walker Lookout Tower & swinging bridge — Climb up, cross the bridge, soak in vistas, enjoy the store and occasional live music. Historic walking tour / architecture — Visit Trinkle Mansion, local churches, and charming historic districts. Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum — Explore the life of President Wilson’s second wife, born in Wytheville. Nature trails & nearby hikes — Look for trails around Crystal Springs, nearby parks, or dreamy, wooded escapes. Local festivals & sweet treats — The lookout site often features weekend music, artisans, and a classic country store with fudge and local goods. Check HERE for more info! 5. “Heart of Appalachia” Loop — Southwest Virginia (~4–6 hrs, flexible) Highlights & Things to Do Drive scenic backroads through the Heart of Appalachia region — Ridge-top roads, hidden turns, and no big crowds. Visit small towns: Norton, Pound, Damascus - Each town has its character: local cafés, craft shops, vintage finds. Hidden waterfalls & forest hikes - Seek out under-the-radar cascades off the beaten path. Music & artisan fairs along The Crooked Road — Indoor/outdoor performances, local mountain music, craft markets and good food. Farm stands & roadside dining gems - If you love country, Southern fare, let your hunger guide you. Small shops, produce stands, and family restaurants are a huge part of the adventure here, so make sure you stop along the way! (Robo's Drive In in Pound is a classic drive in like you don't see any more. Milkshakes, foot long chili dogs, and more. I've loved it since I was a little kid!)

What's Happening in RVA | August 2025 Armenian Food Festival OystoberFest Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape 2nd Street Festival Scotchtown’s Annual Fall Festival Richmond Folk Festival Richmond Oktoberfest Richmond Tattoo & Arts Convention Richmond Restaurant Week Scott’s Addition Pumpkin Festival Richmond Zombie Walk Lewis Ginter HarvestFest Click HERE to download a PDF version.

As much as I love clean lines, open space, and living with less, I’ll admit it: I have moments where I yearn for maximalism. The rich colors, layered textures, and curated chaos of art-filled walls always call to me. And while I try not to buy things I don’t need (TikTok shop… you’ve tested me more than once), there’s one exception I never feel guilty about: art. Recently, while on my way to one of my Carytown staples, Tokyo Market, I stumbled upon a spot that felt like it was made for this very minimalist-with-maximalist-dreams heart of mine: Boon. Why Boon is Worth a Stop in Carytown Boon isn’t brand new, but it was new to me—and what a find. This curated gallery and shop features: Original local art – supporting Richmond area artists in the most meaningful way. Collector pieces – unique works with stories behind them. Vintage finds – art that carries history and character. Walking in felt like stepping into a visual treasure chest. Every wall, corner, and vignette offered something to spark curiosity and joy. I could have spent the whole afternoon browsing, but real life called and I had to go. My Personal Art Rule A few years back, I made a decision: if I bring new art into my home, it has to be original or it has to spark serious joy. No filler prints, no “just because” purchases. And honestly? That rule has been the best way to curate a home that feels meaningful and intentional. Boon fits that philosophy perfectly. I’m still thinking about a few pieces I saw there (specifically an amazing, huge painting of birds on a metallic background by Edward Allen Gross) —and I know I’ll be back soon. Why It Matters Shopping local isn’t just about keeping dollars in Richmond (though that’s huge). It’s also about creating a home filled with things that matter—pieces that tell stories, honor creativity, and reflect this vibrant city we call home. So if you’re looking to add a little soul to your space, put Boon in Carytown on your list. Even if you’re not in the market to buy, it’s worth a visit for the inspiration alone.

  Summer may be coming to an end, but it is not over yet — and there is still time to make the most of it here in Richmond! I have put together a fun End-of-Summer Bingo Card packed with my personal must-do activities before the season winds down. From picnicking at Maymont to spending an afternoon on the river, there is something for everyone. Print out the card, challenge your friends or family, and see how many squares you can cross off before fall rolls in. Whether you hit bingo or go for a full blackout, it’s the perfect way to wrap up summer in RVA. Click HERE to download your own copy!

What's Happening in RVA | August 2025 Book Fair with Fountain Books Virginia Capital Trail Pop-Up Rest Stop Chesterfield County Fair Ashland Half Marathon Richmond Comedy and Music Festival End of Summer Artisan Market ImmerseCon 2025

Welcome! If this is your first time here, I'm starting a new series for my newsletter and blog talking about some of the things you may not know about the Richmond area. Born and raised here myself, I have plenty of stories, but my dad had even more, and I always loved to hear them, and have him point things out while we were driving around town. Obviously, Richmond is filled with history- much of it complicated to say the least, but good or bad, it's always interesting, to me at least. Hopefully you'll find some of these things interesting too! Please let me know if you do (or if you don't) and if you have any questions or stories to share, please message me! So without further ado, here's the first installment!   The Richmond Union Passenger Railway, and Where It Went You may or may not know that Richmond, Virginia had the first (in the world) electric trolley system. While many places had tried to create a working system, no one was able to actually make it work. That is, until the powers that be in Richmond heard about Edison's colleague Frank Sprague and his experiments with electric transit in New York and invited him to Richmond to build one here. He and his team actually did the thing, and making it up as they went along, came up with a system of four wheeled cars attached to an overhead electric line and 12 miles of track, and the Richmond Union Passenger Railway was officially put into operation on February 2, 1888. Eventually, the system grew to 82 miles of track, and enabled much of the expansion of the city and its population. People were able to move further out, and they were still be able to come into the city without having to spend the day walking. This led to the development of Richmond's first suburbs, or "street car neighborhoods." These were Ginter Park, Bellevue, Barton Heights, Highland Park, Laburnum Park, Sherwood Park, the West End, and Forest Hill. The birth of our electric rail system also led to the development of 110 others across the country and the world. Pretty cool, huh? By 1949, though, cars were becoming more prevalent, and General Motors introduced buses to be used for public transit, and the cars fell by the wayside to make way for more gas powered vehicles. (Lots of thoughts, and even a court case, were based on the idea that GM and other auto makers conspired to get rid of the streetcars and make way for more of their own vehicles.) The writing was on the wall, and in December 15, 1949, trolley No 408 made its last run, followed by nine others, and hundreds of onlookers. Somewhat perplexingly, No. 408, along with 50 other cars, were not just decommissioned, but burned to nothing in the "Great Car Burning of 1949." Very few cars, or even parts of cars, exist. Our street car system may be long gone, but we have it to thank for some of our most beautiful streets, particularly in the North Side of Richmond. They were specifically designed to allow for carriages, pedestrians, and those trolleys, with wide roads, sidewalks and lined with beautiful trees.

Things to Do in August If you are looking for things to do with friends, family, or even solo as the summer wanes, check out some of the events happening around Richmond this month below. August 17th: Richmond Water Lantern Festival Head over to Dorey Park with the family and participate in the Water Lantern Festival. Each adult ticket comes with a lantern kit, candle, and more. Click the link above to get your tickets today. August 17th: Richmond R&B Festival From 3-10 pm, head over to the Kanawha Plaza on East Canal Street to enjoy the Richmond R&B Festival. There will be delicious food, drinks, and live performances all day. Click the link above for more information and tickets. August 24th: Ashland Half Marathon & 5k Good news for those marathoners, runners, or people who just want to get moving. Ashland is having a half marathon and 5k on August 24th. The half marathon starts at 6:30 am with the 5k following at 7:05 am. Click the link above to register or get more information. August 24th: 5th Annual Crabs, Beer, & Spirits by the James Head on down to Kanawha Plaza between 12 and 8 pm for all-you-can-eat crabs, live music, specialty vendors, and so much more! Tickets are on sale now, so don't wait too long or you might miss out. Click the link above for more information.

Do you want to watch the game (or maybe just the commercials and snippets of Taylor) and love the energy of a crowd but don't want to be managing the food and friends at your place? I've got you. Here is a short list of some places you can watch the game, AND get great food, great drinks, all without having to cook or clean up! Where are YOU watching?     Island Shrimp Co. Super Bowl Luau  Head to Island Shrimp Co at Rocketts Landing for a full spread of island-inspired eats through halftime including Island BBQ Wings, Kalua Pork Sliders, ISCO's signature shrimp, veggie fried rice, and more! Each ticket comes with 2 Painkillers to get the party started with a taste of the islands. They're even hosting some giveaways at halftime! $45 (tickets required) Cabo Fish Taco Cabo Fish Taco is hosting a great watch party, with 7 screens,  an All You Can Eat Taco Bar and drink specials all evening for $20. (tickets required) Always good for a game, snacks, and drinks...(just arrive early!) Address: 3022 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230 Wood & Iron Game Day Short Pump: 12288 W Broad St, Henrico, VA 23233 Midlothian: 11400 W. Huguenot Road, #109B, Midlothian, VA 23113 Scott's Addition: 1405 Roseneath Rd, Richmond, VA 23230 Pizza and Beer Richmond The Fan: 2553 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23220 Hanover: 9325 Chamberlayne Rd, Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Gus' Bar and Grill Address: 2701 W. Broad St., RVA 23220 HomeTeam Grill Address: 1630 W. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23220

I've worked with a lot of folks that are moving here from other parts of the country and often I have to condense into an hour or so all of the things that I love about Richmond. So just in case you're thinking about making a move, I thought I would condense them even further into my top five things that I love about Richmond and the Richmond area and why you might want to move here.  The food. Yes, the food, the food, the food. We have got so many literally world-class, world-renowned restaurants here and there is always something new. Almost any type of food that you like, anything that you have heard about or is interesting, you can find here somewhere. Except Moroccan food. I don't know why there's none. If you know of any let me know. But lots and lots of fantastic food and always something new to try. Getting outside. We have some fantastic green spaces, outdoor parks, playgrounds, dog parks, anything down by the river, and so many things to do if you love the outdoors. Whether it's biking, hiking, ziplining, all sorts of things. We've got a place for it. So if you love to get outside and you have a family who loves to be outdoors, this is a fantastic place to live. Festivals and events. We love a festival here. If you can give us an opportunity to have maybe a crowd, music, food trucks, probably some beer. We're in, all in and we're all going to be there. So if you want to find an area to live where there's always something to do always a great way to meet new people, try new things, hear new music, drink new beer, eat new food, we've got you covered all year long. Bored of the Richmond area, if you could ever, but if you do want a little day trip or a weekend trip or just a little change of pace, within two hours, you can be in Washington DC, at the beach, in the mountains, at the river. The world is your oyster really. Virginia has tons and tons of options and lots of places just outside of Virginia too. In six hours hop on the train, and you can be having breakfast at your home in Richmond and at a Broadway show that evening 20 minutes. That is about how long it would take you to get just about anywhere in the whole Richmond area. You're in Chesterfield, how long does it take to get downtown for most places? About 20 minutes. How long does it take to get to the airport from just about anywhere? About 20 minutes. If you're coming here and you tell me that you want your commute to be no more than 45 minutes to an hour, I'm going to tell you that you can do much better than that. And if you have a 45-minute commute, it's usually because you have a horse farm or some other very exceptional life reason that you want to live that far out. So if you're contemplating a move, and you're thinking about moving to the Richmond area, I'd love to talk to you and tell you all of the other things on my list that I love about the Richmond area and help you find that perfect place to call home here. Just give me a call, send me an email, or message me here.

I LOVE Richmond, and I love summer, but I'm not gonna lie- by August, the heat and humidity start to get a little old. Whether you have younger kids, for whom the break from school is starting to get a little boring, or you feel like you've done all the summer things and you're just ready for a change... Here are a few things you may not have done, that just might make the last few weeks of hot RVA summer a little more bearable. Did you know Richmond is the ONLY city home to Class II-IV Rapids? Get wet with RVA Paddlesports or Riverside Outfitters on a raft, a kayak, or a paddle board! If the kids are bored, everyone's SO HOT, and there's just nothing to do, get yourself to the drive-in! The Goochland Drive-In always has great movies, you can fill a carload for $25, there's great food that's not going to set you back tons of money, and a playground if you have littles (or bigs) that have a hard time sitting still, they can get a little energy out. It's HOT, but it wouldn't be summer in Richmond without a day at the Carytown Watermelon Festival. Head to Carytown on August 13, from 10-6 for music, vendors, fun, and of course, all the watermelon you can eat. Speaking of fruit, picking berries won't help you beat the heat, but you will get berries, and that's better, right? Picking dates are up for August at Agriberry Farm, but book soon, because space is limited. Go get you some raspberries!! Want to wander in the cool, solo, with a special someone, or with the whole family? There are so many museums here, it's almost impossible to list them all, but here are a couple that may be a little lesser known. Keystone Tractor Museum in Colonial Heights: My dad would take my son here when he was a kid, and it was a hit with both of them. Anyone who loves trucks, tractors, fire trucks, or the like, will enjoy a visit here! Virginia House was formerly an English manor house that was relocated to Richmond in 1925. (Amazing, right?) Now owned and managed by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (another great museum), this period home is a fantastic step back in time. If you're anything like me, you might not like to do something that's creative, and if so, head to Scrap RVA on Brookland Park Blvd, to browse the amazing, ever-changing supply of art and craft materials, take a class, or bring the kids to a "Crafternoon" where for $5 or so, they can drop into a class and come home with something they've made. Bonus- Ruby Scoops is right across the street, so you've got to get a little ice cream afterward! Finally, if the temps aren't too bad, go for a walk at the Canal Walk, take in the murals, and at the Turning Basin, buy a ticket to a Riverfront Canal Cruise. These narrated tours of the canal feature some history that may be new to you, as well as giving you a tour of areas your feet cannot take you. (I recently did this for the first time, and it was so much fun!) Enjoy the rest of the summer, and stay cool and hydrated out there!