The River
One of the first things newcomers to Richmond learn is that the river is the place to be. Sure, most cities are located on some body of water. In Richmond, however, river life is a little different … in how many cities can you go rock climbing on the remnants of a 19th century railroad bridge?
The James River, stretching 340 miles from its headwaters in western Virginia to its mouth at the Chesapeake Bay, flows through the center of the River City. Its meandering path through the city limits passes by:
- Country estates like Maymont, now a favorite city park
- Wilderness (check out the James River Park)
- Biking trails, canoe and kayak launches, and swimming spots
- The James River fall line — the only spot in an American city with Class IV rapids
- Restaurants, including popular nightspot BlackFinn
- A brewery
- Country clubs and golf courses, including Willow Oaks
- Loft apartments in old tobacco factories
- Museums such as Old Dominion Railway Museum, the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, and the Virginia Holocaust Museum
- Skyscrapers
- Fishing holes
- Railroad tracks
- A cemetery where two U.S. presidents are buried
Some of the city’s main events on the river include: