Top 10 Reasons for Moving to Richmond VA

It seems like every day, Richmond appears on another Top 10 List in the news, whether it’s the “10 Coolest Cities to Live In” or “Top Food Destinations.”

Moving to Richmond VA — or RVA as the locals call it — means moving to a city on the rise. From a thriving arts and culinary scene to boasting some of Virginia’s best schools, Richmond has it all. And we didn’t even mention the ideal location — right on the James River, right off I-95, and right around everything.

Here are the Top 10 Reasons for Moving to Richmond VA:

Publications ranging from the Washington Post to Bon Appetit and USA Today have praised RVA’s evolving foodie options. And if you’re moving to Richmond, make a “must-visit” list that includes Shagbark, a near West End hot spot known for serving up a Southern twist on new American fare. Other popular restaurants include Church Hill’s The Roosevelt, Downtown RVA’s Edo’s Squid, and Stella’s in the West End. Save room for Shyndigz, a Fan sweet spot known for delectable desserts.

Whether it’s a national touring musical making a curtain call or a NASCAR driver making a victory lap, RVA has entertainment worthy of celebrating well after the final song or lap. Check The National to see the world’s most sought-after bands or even local favorites The Legwarmers, an ‘80s cover band with a cult following. It doesn’t matter if you’re a racing fan when moving to Richmond, because with Richmond Raceway’s two annual NASCAR weekends and a slew of other events, you’ll be watching a lot of high-speed, left turns from the stands. Finally, for both up-and-coming acts and nostalgic callbacks, head out to Innsbrook After Hours for an unforgettable outdoor concert experience. Have spare change in your pocket? Bounce over to RVA’s growing stable of “barcades” — old-school arcades fused with bars and restaurants — for a game of Donkey Kong and a fresh-brewed IPA.

Walking through Richmond is akin to flipping through a history textbook. Mosey through Church Hill to St. John’s Church, and you just may run into a re-enactor delivering Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death” speech. Swing by the Virginia Capitol, which has served as a White House stunt double for many feature films. Then stroll through the Malvern Hill Battlefield to trace the Civil War action shot for shot.

Discover disc golf at Bryan Park. Float around Brown’s Island in a rented kayak. Then destress and decompress at an outdoor yoga class at Byrd Park. That’s just the morning! Fill your afternoon with a hike through history at Mid-Lothian Mines Park. Moving to RVA means you’ll have a big, back yard that’s always loaded with convenient outings.

Grab a kayak or paddleboard. Cast your line for a citation-worthy catch. Or simply lay by the riverbank with a good book. Moving to Richmond VA means being able to soak in the James River any way, and nearly anywhere, you choose to chill out. Need a launch point? Try Chesterfield’s Robious Landing Park.

Moving to Richmond VA means rooting for the home team. And in the case of the Capital City Classic— where crosstown college basketball rivals VCU and the University of Richmond take the court — you have your choice of squads. Also be sure to share a fist bump with Nutzy, the mascot for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (affiliated with MLB’s San Francisco Giants). And bring the whole family out to City Stadium in Carytown to see the Richmond Kickers dominate the pitch.

When you have one of the nation’s top arts schools in VCU, you can expect an impressive and even immersive aesthetic. Just walk RVA’s streets to admire our growing exhibit of imaginative street art. Whether you’re ogling the nation’s largest collection of Fabergé and Russian decorative arts at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, twirling your way into a Richmond Ballet Performance, or checking out the Institute for Contemporary Art, Richmond’s arts scene will draw you in.

Few cities can boast that visitors come to visit them for the beer alone. Richmond has been building among the nation’s craftiest beer scenes over the past decade — even touting a Vinepair ranking as the world’s No. 1 Beer Destination — and is often on the itineraries for traveling “Hop Heads.” This begins at The Veil Brewing Co., among the most decorated of RVA breweries, where you can wait outside in line on release days and talk to folks who drove in from all over. Scott’s Addition may be the heart of RVA’s craft beer scene, but don’t forget to grab a tasting at Center of the Universe in Ashland and head to Hardywood’s new sprawling, indoor-outdoor tasting room in Goochland. The Richmond Beer Trail will get you there and back without a hitch.

Countless playgrounds and parks. Hands-on museums. And trampoline parks-a-plenty. Moving to Richmond means that there is always plenty to do for kids — and the kid in you. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, one of the nation’s top-ranked gardens, is the ideal spot for a multi-generational family outing. It features a full flora for the grown-ups and a splash park for the kids. Swing by the Science Museum of Virginia for a test flight in their popular Speed exhibit and catch an IMAX movie while you’re there. If you want to explore your wild side, head to Maymont or the Richmond Metro Zoo.

Festivals may be just be Richmonders’ favorite past-time. From the Greek Festival to the Hanover Tomato Festival, Richmond Jazz Festival, Easter on Parade, and Arts in the Park, there is almost always something going on. The biggest of them all just may be the Richmond Folk Festival, a multi-cultural music party on Brown’s Island beside the James overflowing with seven stages and 30 genres of music.

Are you considering moving to RVA? Visit our Richmond communities today!