Explore The River City Like a Local: The Insider's Guide to Renting in Richmond, VA

Welcome to Richmond! For those unfamiliar, it’s Virginia’s state capitol, a city with a long and rich history, and—some might say—Virginia’s biggest small town. There’s a lot to love about living here.

Richmond is a modest-sized city of about 230,000 people, and it’s known for its warm hospitality, agreeable climate and exceptional restaurant scene. It’s also a college town, with both the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University. Richmond offers a low cost of living compared to bigger cities like New York and D.C., and it also offers minimal traffic, walkable neighborhoods and access to great outdoor recreation.

I’m Richard, and I’m excited to be your ApartmentHomeLiving.com Local Expert for Richmond, VA. Let’s take a look around!

Current Rental Pricing for Apartments in Richmond

Current Rental Pricing for Homes for Rent in Richmond

A Brief History of Richmond

Established in 1737, Richmond, VA was originally named after Richmond-upon-Thames in England. Its location on the James River made our Richmond an important trade and transportation hub as well as a strategic location during the Revolutionary War. It was here, in 1775, that Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death!" during a speech in St. John's Church. That church still stands, and it hosts active services as well as historical reenactments.

Richmond also served as the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and the city has learned to embrace its complicated history. Statues of Confederate military leaders were built along Monument Avenue between 1890 and 1929, and were finally removed in 2020.

A city in a constant state of evolution, Richmond is an incredible place to live for history buffs, but it’s also a city that looks to the future. In addition to several colleges and universities, it is also a growing hub in the healthcare and financial services sectors. For young families and working professionals, Richmond provides a unique balance between the amenities of a major city and the laid-back lifestyle of a small town.

See and Do: Hidden Gems in the River City

Richmond is an incredibly fun place to live, and for a midsize city, the wealth of things to see and do is truly impressive. There are some major, well-known attractions that everyone will tell you that you have to visit, like the Virginia State Capitol building, the Poe Museum, the Virginia Museum Of Fine Arts and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. And you should absolutely check all those things out—but don’t miss out on Richmond’s off-the-beaten-path attractions as well.

Arts and Culture

Richmond isn’t just the state capital, it’s also one of Virginia’s major cultural epicenters. Art, theater and music are part of the fabric of everyday life here.

Art lovers will never exhaust all of Richmond’s possibilities. Broad Street’s art galleries in the Downtown Arts District open their doors and debut new exhibits during free monthly First Friday events. The annual RVA Street Art Festival spotlights the city’s remarkable collection of murals and public art installations. Richmond’s Southside is also a burgeoning art hub, with numerous art studios and galleries popping up amid the renovated lofts in neighborhoods like Manchester.

The Museum District is where you’ll find many of the city’s major museums. That includes the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Children’s Museum of Richmond and the Branch Museum of Design.

Several historical sites, like the Valentine Museum, the Civil War Museum, Old City Hall and the State Capitol Building are clustered around the Capitol District. Lesser-known museums, like the Richmond Railroad Museum and the Meadow Farm Museum are equally fascinating.

Music always has a home in Richmond as well. National touring acts perform at intimate venues like the National and the Broadberry, while local hotspots like the Camel and the Canal Club provide stages for homegrown bands and artists. Brown’s Island hosts major acts on its state-of-the-art outdoor amphitheater, which also serves as a venue for the annual Richmond Folk Festival.

Another of my favorite venues in Richmond is the Byrd Theatre. This restored 1928 movie house in Carytown shows classic and second-run movies in a stunning space, complete with Italian marble and hand-painted murals.Each film is preceded by live music played on the theater’s antique Wurlitzer organ.

Outdoor Adventures

Let’s talk about the James River. It’s not exactly a hidden gem—it literally flows right through the center of Richmond, after all—but it’s the heart of the city’s outdoor community, and it provides endless opportunities for adventure.

Some classic James River experiences, like exploring Belle Isle and walking across the two pedestrian bridges near downtown, are on every list of essential things to do in Richmond. But the river also has some less well-known experiences. The James River Parks system is a spectacular urban oasis, with multiple units that span 600 acres and include 22 miles of hiking trails along the river.

The James River offers beautiful urban kayaking opportunities as well as excellent smallmouth bass fishing. Huguenot Flatwater, North Bank Park (also known as Texas Beach), Pony Pasture and Riverside Meadows are all great places to swim, fish and kayak on the river. Always use caution, as some portions of the river have strong currents and hazardous rapids.

Forest Hill Park and the Reedy Creek Trail (both on the south side of the river) are a couple of my favorite places to go hiking in Richmond. Keep an eye out for native wildflowers along the trails!

One place that really is a hidden gem is Bryan Park, on Richmond’s Northside near the Rosedale and Bellevue neighborhoods. It’s separated from the rest of the city by I-64 and I-95, so it feels like its own little 262-acre world, complete with forests, creeks and gardens.

There are also some stunning state parks nearby. Just a short drive outside of Richmond, Powhatan State Park is a splendid destination for hiking and camping that also provides great fishing and boating access to the James River.

Sip and Savor: Richmond’s Dining Options

Richmond has developed into one of the most unique and exciting food cities on the Eastern Seaboard. From James Beard-recognized eateries to the city’s renowned craft brewing scene, Richmond is a city bursting with innovation and flavor.

A Restaurant for Every Taste

Richmond’s restaurant scene is exceptionally diverse. Numerous establishments offer up distinctive takes on classic Southern cooking, Soul Food, barbecue and Chesapeake seafood, but Richmond is also a hotbed for global flavors and influences. The Fan and Museum District, Carytown, Shockoe Bottom and Church Hill are among the best neighborhoods in Richmond for dining.

Great Restaurants are too numerous to list, but I’ll offer up a few favorites.

• Lemaire – Located in the Jefferson Hotel, this is one of the best places for fine dining in Richmond. Lemaire offers New American cuisine, with an ever-changing menu that revolves around fresh seasonal, local ingredients.
• Perly’s – A traditional Jewish delicatessen with a bit of a modern twist, this is one of the absolute best brunch/lunch spots in the city. The great food and NYC diner vibes are worth the wait (which can be long, especially on weekends).
• ZZQ Texas Barbecue – Offering a taste of Austin, TX in the heart of Scott’s Addition, this place is arguably the best BBQ joint in RVA. They cook their meats low and slow every day, and they’re open from 11 am until they sell out. There’s no ordering in advance—it’s strictly first-come, first served.
• Croaker’s Spot – A staple of the Jackson Ward neighborhood, this place offers up life-changing Soul Food and Southern seafood. The cornbread is legendary.
• Zorch – This Carytown spot gets my vote for best pizza in Richmond. They make classic New York style pies as well as Detroit style pizza, with a wide range of slice options daily.

Richmond also has a highly underrated food truck scene! Check out El Guapo for Mexican fusion, River City Wood Fired Pizza for pizza, and Eat My Eggroll for creative egg rolls filled with everything from mac and cheese to crab cakes.

A Legendary Craft Brewing Scene

Craft beer aficionados can agree that Richmond’s brewing scene is one of the most exciting in America. But don’t expect them to agree on which brewery is the best. Legend Brewing Co. and Hardywood Park Craft Brewery are venerable favorites that have been brewing in Richmond for decades.

The excellent Ardent, Starr Hill, Strangeways, Väsen and Veil Brewing Co. taprooms are all within a few blocks of each other in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood, along with Blue Bee Cider, another favorite of mine. And anyone who loves great food and craft beverages should definitely mark their calendar for the Richmond Beer, Bourbon & Barbeque Festival each July.

A Haven for Coffee Lovers

I have to take a moment to sing the praises of Richmond’s coffee shops and coffee roasters, because there are a lot of them, and they’re truly outstanding. Where to even begin?

Blanchard’s Coffee is a perennial favorite for house-roasted beans, with several locations in the greater RVA area, and I can confirm that they do good work. Lamplighter Coffee on Addison Street is another personal favorite, and Recluse Roasting also makes next-level coffee, though at this time they’re just a roastery, not a brick-and-mortar cafe.

And if you want a little something sweet or savory to go with your coffee, you’ll find that Richmond’s cafes and bakeries do not disappoint. Head to the quaint Church Hill neighborhood to visit Sub Rosa Bakery, where handmade pastries and loaves of bread are baked in an old-fashioned wood oven. Or check out Sugar Shack Donuts & Coffee in Carver for unbelievable donuts, including vegan offerings.

Getting Around: Richmond Transportation

Richmond is an easy city to navigate, and it always has been. In fact, Richmond was the first city in the world to have an electric streetcar system. It operated from 1888 until 1949. Connecting Downtown Richmond with “streetcar suburbs” like Ginter Park and Forest Hill.

Though the streetcar lines may be long gone, Richmond still has outstanding public transportation. The primary mode of public transport is the GRTC Bus System, which offers local service throughout the Richmond area. Additionally, a high-capacity rapid transit system called the GRTC Pulse that runs a 7.6-mile route along Broad and Main Streets between Rocketts Landing and Willow Lawn. The Pulse runs every 10 minutes during weekdays, every 15 minutes on weekends, and every 30 minutes at night.

Amtrak service runs through Richmond Main Street Station, a gorgeous train station built in 1901. Trains run 10 times a day between Richmond and DC, and the trip takes as little as 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Biking and Walking in Richmond

Fair is Fair. Richmond has not always been known as the most bike-friendly city, but there has been a tremendous amount of progress in recent years. We’ve seen new bike lanes, new multi-use trails, and even a public bike-share system called RVA Bike Share, which is managed by the city.

All in all, there’s never been a better time to be a cyclist in Richmond, and the city is getting more bike-friendly all the time. There are currently a little over 73 miles of dedicated multi-use trails throughout the city that are open to bikes as well as pedestrians.

And although it’s generally helpful to have a car in Richmond, individual neighborhoods are also highly walkable. Bellevue, the Museum District and the West End area around Libbie and Grove are all highly walkable areas that have a family-friendly, residential vibe. Other neighborhoods like The Fan, Jackson Ward, Monroe Ward and Shockoe Bottom are all excellent walkable neighborhoods with an abundance of convenient shopping and dining options.