Richmond is a vibrant city with cultural institutions, commercial districts, and nature preserves all located within its city limits. No matter where you are in the city, you’re sure to find a piece of history, a museum or theater, and some popular restaurants. While the city is becoming more friendly to pedestrians and bikers, there are a few neighborhoods that are truly walkable with good sidewalks, parks, and local places to spend time.

Carytown

Photo courtesy of Eli Christman

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Carytown is a cross section of Richmond in a 10-block area, where you can find a high-end furniture store located across the street from a tattoo parlor and almost every kind of food you could possibly want. Cary Street is busy all day long and well into the evening, and it feels like the kind of place where you could take your kids to the toy shop World of Mirth or go for ice cream after school and still be home by dark. 

At one end of the neighborhood is Ellwood Thompson’s, a locally owned organic market named for the intersection at which it sits. As much a local institution as a grocery store, the market has been in Carytown since 1993 and currently offers an on-site cafe that hosts classes, meetings, and live music. At the other end of the neighborhood is the Byrd Theatre, a historic movie theater built in 1928. Today, the theater screens second-run movies and classics and hosts film festivals and other special events. Also available in Carytown are some of the best burgers in the city, several options for Thai cuisine, and a classic French bistro.

Church Hill

Photo courtesy of Taber Andrew Bain

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The heart of historic Richmond is a hot area, with houses and condos selling quickly and new businesses opening up. Be warned, though, that the hill in Church Hill is no joke: the charming brick sidewalks lead you on quite a climb coming up from the river bottom. 

If you like your fitness outside of a formal gym, walk over to Libby Park and the steps that lead down to the Capital Trail and Rockett’s Landing. For a reward, head down the hill to Whisk for croissants, WPA Bakery for pie and cake, or Sub Rosa for fresh baked bread. 

There’s some major renovation happening at the Main Street Train Station, a lovely old building that hosts big events in addition to being an Amtrak stop. A new pedestrian plaza is being built on the site of the old 17th Street Farmers Market at the train station and new businesses are rapidly snapping up storefronts nearby.

Down by the river, there’s the Canal Walk, a little over a mile of paths along the James River canal and the Kanawha and Haxall canals, and if you get tired of walking there’s the Riverfront Canal Cruise, where you can get off your feet and on the water to learn about the important role of the canals in Richmond’s history.

Arts District (Downtown)

Photo courtesy of The Hippodrome Theater

View homes for sale in Arts District (Downtown)

The area between the Virginia State Capitol building and the main VCU campus is known as the Richmond Arts District and is home to some of the city’s best entertainment and arts venues. If you’re a fan of architecture, definitely take a walk through the Jackson Ward neighborhood, which is a National Historic District. You’ll see a large collection of ornate cast iron porches, reminiscent of New Orleans but mostly made with iron produced here in Richmond.

The district never misses a chance to bring the community together. An art walk happens on the first Friday of every month, the food festival Broad Appétit happens in June, and for 30 years running, the family-friendly 2nd Street Festival has been a staple of Jackson Ward. In between festivals, you can find shows at the Hippodrome Theater, The National music venue, and the Virginia Repertory Theatre.

The Arts District is also a hot spot for restaurants and bars, with places like Saison, Comfort, and GWARbar providing good eats and drinks. 

The Fan / Museum District

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts photo courtesy of Morgan Riley

View homes for sale in The Fan and the Museum District

Tree-lined sidewalks, world-class museums, and historic houses are the hallmarks of The Fan and the Museum District. The adjoining two neighborhoods have been popular places to live for years now, and the area is only getting more desirable. Offering the best of both city and suburban life, this area has museums, restaurants, and shops within close walking distance. The lucky residents of this close-knit community also enjoy spacious yards and trees that provide shade for a nice stroll. 

Stop in at Stella’s for dinner and sit at the communal table where you can share conversation (and maybe plates) with your tablemates and then cross the street after dinner to the market of the same name to find Greek staples.

One of the attractions that gives the Museum District its name is the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a world-class facility. It’s ranked one of the top 10 art museums in the country, and best of all, it’s free. Adjacent to the VMFA is the Virginia Historical Society, which features a museum that covers all of Virginia’s history with more than 25,000 square feet of gallery space.