20 Things To Do In Richmond, VA!
If you are heading to Helping Hands Vet in Richmond, VA for any of our affordable pet surgery procedures and are from out of state, we have put together this list of things to do around town!
Since you will be dropping off your pet early and not picking them up until after 4 pm – you will have a full day to explore all that this town has to offer.
If you prefer to use the day to get some work done you can take a look at some great work locations and even great places to eat while you are here.
1. Visit our neighbor, James River Distillery, to take a tour and taste their gins, rum and vodka.
2. The Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA) *free world class museum with something for everyone’s tastes!
3. Take a bike tour with Richmond Rides, touring Richmond’s culinary hotspot – Church Hill.
4. Hike the downtown 1.8 mile Belle Isle loop to enjoy the Falls of the James River.
5. The best shopping experience in Richmond is at Carytown, including spice, cupcake, chocolate & toy shops as well as many restaurants.
6. Hollywood Cemetery is the final resting place for two U.S. Presidents (Monroe & Tyler) and for the former President of the Confederacy – Jefferson Davis.
7. Enjoy Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. voted one of the top gardens in the U.S. by U.S.A. Today, and recognized by the Travel Channel as a best botanical garden.
8. Tour the Virginia State Capitol – completed in 1788 and is the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere.
9. Take in a matinee at the nearby (about 1 mile) Bow Tie Cinemas.
10. Children will love the Children’s Museum of Richmond and the Science Museum of Virginia.
11. To learn more about the Holocaust, visit the Virginia Holocaust Museum.
12. If you enjoy hunting or fishing, there is a Cabelas in Short Pump and a Bass Pro Shop just north of Richmond.
13. For beer fans, Stone Brewing just opened their East Coast operation and tasting room just past Shockoe Bottom and Church Hill.
14. Visit the Poe Museum to learn more about Edgar Allen Poe’s time in Richmond in the early 19th century.
15. Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death” speech at the nearby St. John’s Church.
16. Take in the beautiful nature at Maymont Park’s 100 acre Victorian Estate with its arboretum, formal gardens, native wildlife exhibits, nature center, and Children’s Farm!
17. The American Civil War Center at Tredegar interprets the war from the Union, Confederate and African American Perspectives.
18. Up for a long walk? Take the Richmond Liberty Trail, a 6.2 mile self-guided loop through downtown Richmond & 15 historic landmarks.
19. Consider adopting a pet from our neighbor, the Richmond SPCA. (opens at noon)
20. If you are interested in African American History, no trip to Richmond would be complete without a visit to the Black History Museum and the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. (free)
All of the above recommendations are covered in the Visitors Guide to Richmond.