Who knew that Richmond had so much culture? This city has a lot of mural in its downtown area and…read morethey are all so good. You can literally jump from one mural to the next. I wish I could do a page for each and everyone, but that would be a full time job. You will find concentrations of them in an area by the canal and near the downtown restaurants. I wish I could pick a favorite or two, but they are also so good. I recommend spending a half day to a day on a public art tour. The downtown area is rich with art and I believe that you will throughly enjoy it.

Murals EVERYWHERE! We had one right across from our AirBnB building. I love public art, even if…read moreit's not my taste- I am always happy to see as much of it out there hopefully sparking interest, conversations and inspiring others to create. Murals throughout cities are some of my favorite ways to explore a city, they tell so much about locals, what they love, who they are, where they come from and what direction they want to go. Artist: James Bullough, 620 N Lombardy St- the mural of the floating lady is captivating. Artist: Lelo, 1711 East Main St (has lots around town)- great unique style that has you seeing more than one thing in the vibrant colors! Here's one site that gave me artist info on the ones I saw: https://richmondmuralproject.squarespace.com/murals-1

We drove round and round and round until we found parking. We were able to find it on the street…read moreafter driving for nearly 20 minutes. It was a little difficult to find a parking garage to accommodate the 8 foot high vehicle that he drove to Richmond. I'm sure there's probably some around the campus but we did not see any on Broad Street. There was plenty of shops and public transportation. Even though it wasn't extremely warm it seemed fairly busy with students and people who lived in the city.

I've participated since the inception of the VCU Broad Street Mile. Each year, there has always…read morebeen something new. I ran the newly added 5K and I loved it! The course went through different neighborhoods so it was more challenging than running straight down a street and back up. But it was more motivating seeing different homes and streets. They had less a handful of food trucks, they set up 3 different performance stages, they had chairs and tables, they had many many many tables this year. I'm proud of having seen this thing grow. Hopefully, they'll bring back the time chip next year. I liked knowing my mile tome, but I wanna know my 5K time too. Bring it back! A lot of VCU Police presence kept a couple of drunk guys at bay, and traffic wasn't bad at all. Overall, could always improve, but 4 stars considering this event is still at the toddler stage! Come back next year, please!

You will find this sculpture on Brown's Island near the foot of the bridge over the Haxall Canal at…read morethe of 7th Street. It is the work of Paul DiPasquale. The statue stands about 9 and a half feet tall and is made of bronze. It pays tribute to black boatman that operated on the James River. It depicts a man pulling an oar with both hands, while looking over his shoulder. The piece was dedicated in 1993 and is a replica of an original piece that was stolen, shot full of holes and vandalized in 1989. The original one was made of fiberglass and had over 400 bullet holes in it after it was found. The case was never solved. I like that the boat that the man is on is an actual boat with the back cut out and is made of cypress and oak. It is a very unique sculpture and I really like it. The detail put into the sculpture is off the charts. It is definitely a must see. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

The Headman Statue on Brown's Island depicts a 19th century James River boatman -- also known as a…read moreheadman -- and commemorates the early contributions of African-Americans to commerce in Richmond. Boatmen were essential to Richmond's canal system, which provided faster transport of raw materials and finished goods around the falls of the James. The statue is 14 feet high with a 23-foot "sweep" or oar. The bronze version was unveiled in November 1993. [Review 11801 overall, 1583 of 2019.]

A kugel ball is a perfectly spherical stone that is set into a matching, perfectly concave cup…read more Water is then forced in from the bottom of the cup and that creates an evenly distribyted, incredibly thin layer of water. The ball, no matter how heavy, can then be moved on the liquid surface as though it weighs nothing at all. When I stopped by at 7:30 AM, the ball wasn't moving. A few strong pushes (it DOES way 27 tons) and it was on its way, spinning in a circle on top of the water. Very, very cool. The Grand Kugel is the largest construction of its kind in the world. It sits in a place of honor in front of the Science Museum of Virginia. If you're visiting the museum, step out and stop (or start) the Grand Kugel's spinning. [Review 11787 overall, 1569 of 2019.]

Very cool! Able to touch and spin with some effort! Don't miss! It is right outside of the museum-…read morecant miss it. Just be sure to wash your hands afterwards!

This pretty red sculpture dominates the plaza in front of the Bank of America tower in downtown…read moreRichmond. Made with aluminum and painted a bright red, it's hard to miss at 18 feet high, 22 feet deep and 23 feet wide. It was installed in 1973. The artist is James Rosati and he's known for similar designs in North America. http://jamesrosati.org/artwork/monumental/monumental.htm If you're in downtown Richmond, stop by and take a look. There's an unrelated fountain in the neighboring plaza. [Review 11957 overall, 1739 of 2019.]

Maybe this year's festival was literally and figuratively dampened by the rain, but it was just…read moreokay. Many vendors all serving tacos, empanadas, beer and margaritas. Many grocery-type vendors with candy and drinks. Two "stages" of performances, one with a particularly bad sound system that made it difficult to hear anything that was being said. Okay crowd, but I'm sure the weather and cool temperatures kept people away this year.

Considering that I'm from New York, multicultural events in Richmond are hard to come by. My…read morefriends and I thoroughly enjoyed this festival especially the empanadas from Happy Empanadas.

Wow!!! Rich is home to some awesome sculptures. You will find this gem of a sculpture downtown,…read moreprominently displayed in front of the James Center. It is the work of Lloyd Lillie and was dedicated in 1986. It is in great shape, especially considering its age. It consists of three 8-foot bronze muscular figures pulling the lines of a mast to raise a sail. The mast stands about 50 feet and is also made of bronze. The deck is made of sone and brick and was constructed by Alexandra Kasuba. The figures are abstract, but still very detailed. You can feel their struggle to get the sail up. When checking out this sculpture, please be sure to look at the deck, which commonly gets overshadowed by the sculpture itself and also the figures footing and how they were built into the stairs of the building's entrance. You will find metered street parking out front and within a reasonable walking distance from the statue. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Overpriced real estate and personal property taxes. Buyer beware! Also an antiquated payment system…read morethat will only accept checks.If you pay in person or online with a debit or credit card you accessed a 2% fee.

My love for small towns only grows when I visit places like Goochland! Although the county of…read moreGoochland encompasses a large area and is bordered by Henrico, Powhatan, Louisa, Hanover, Cumberland and Fluvana counties and includes several small towns (like Oilville, Maidens, Manakin-Sabot, Crozier, etc.), I'm just focusing on the town of Goochland! Goochland is in a rural area and the countryside is lovely. As you head out Rt. 6, River Road West, you'll find idyllic pastoral scenes of rolling hills, farmland, cows and horses and other animals. The two-laned country road creates a tunnel of gorgeous greenery as the trees bend in an arch above. Once in the tiny community, you'll find some interesting landmarks and businesses including: the library, the courthouse, a main shopping center off Rt. 522, the post office, schools, a few antique shops, a car dealership, a hardware store, a florist, a hair salon, a pharmacy, a farmer's market, over a dozen restaurants, and the imposing water tower. In the Courthouse Square stands the historic jailhouse and some other historic buildings. There's also Hidden Rock Park, past the JSR community college Goochland campus. The main thoroughfare is just a few blocks long, but there's much to see and do. I spent a couple days exploring the area, soaking up the history, shopping and dining at several restaurants. The locals have hit the jackpot as they have a tight knit community in the country, yet are minutes away from the city! I'm a fan of this adorable small town and it's a perfect place to visit for a day trip! This will be a frequent stop among my excursions!