Things to Do in Downtown
The Civil War echoes in this city that once served as the capital of the Confederacy. The White House of the Confederacy, which holds more than half the furniture that was in the house during President Jefferson Davis’ residence. Headquartered in the city is Richmond National Battlefield Park, which preserves the sites of several nearly successful Union campaigns to take over the Confederate capital.
Monument Avenue, a street on the list of National Historic Landmarks, was the site of a watershed moment in 2020, as Confederate monuments came down; the monument of Arthur Ashe, the renowned tennis champ, remains. The street also is lined with spectacular Classical Revival mansions. Many other opulent historic homes in the city, such as Agecroft Hall and Maymont, are open to the public and contain original features and even some original furnishings.
Getting There
By Car
Richmond is served by numerous highways, including two major interstates. To the southwest, I-295 misses the destination by sprouting off I-95 in Petersburg and catches up with I-95 north of Richmond in northern Henrico County; I-295 continues westward until it dead-ends into I-64 near Short Pump. The 3rd Street approach offers access to downtown on I-95 (Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike) from the north; take Broad Street if entering from the south.East-west I-64 from Williamsburg enters the city from the southeast, joins up with I-95 downtown and then re-emerges south of Dumbarton near Joseph Bryan Park to continue its trek northwest toward Charlottesville. The 3rd Street exit off I-64 provides access to downtown things to do if coming from the west; the 5th Street exit off I-64 takes you downtown from the east.
SR 150 semicircles the western side of the city, coming in from the south as the Chippenham Parkway on the James River in eastern Chesterfield County, crossing the James River to the west of Richmond as Parham Road, crossing I-64 northwest of the city and joining US 301/Chamberlayne Road north of Richmond near I-295.
US 1/301 enters the city from the south as Jefferson Davis Highway, crosses the James River over the Robert E. Lee Bridge, becomes Belvidere Street as it runs through downtown, and splits just north of I-95 (Richmond-Petersburg Parkway) with US 1 heading north as Brook Road and US 301 heading northeast as Chamberlayne Road.
Getting Around
Street System
Downtown Richmond is bounded by the James River to the south and I-95 to the north and east. Belvidere Street (US 1/301) is roughly the eastern edge of downtown. Broad Street (US 250) bisects the destination.Navigating Places to Go in Richmond
Richmond resembles a grid pattern. Numbered streets 1st through 40th fall either in the East End (in the Church Hill and Shockoe Bottom area) or on the South Side (in the Forest Hill and Bainbridge area). Some streets change names, including Monument Avenue, which becomes W. Franklin Street at Stuart Circle; Malvern becomes Westwood as it crosses Broad Street; and Arthur Ashe Boulevard flows into Hermitage Road northbound and Westover Hill Boulevard southbound as it traverses the river (it changes again to Belt Boulevard as it crosses Midlothian Turnpike).
Six bridges cross the James River east to west: I-95/Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, Mayo's Bridge (US 360), Manchester Bridge (US 60), Robert E. Lee Bridge (US 1/301/Belvidere Street), Boulevard Bridge (SR 161) and Powhite Parkway (SR 76).
Many of the roads throughout Richmond are toll roads, including the Boulevard Bridge (SR 161) over the James River; SR 195/Downtown Expressway from Powhite Parkway to I-95; and the Powhite Parkway Bridge over the James River.
The city speed limit is 30 mph, or as posted. Rush hours are usually 7:30-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Unless otherwise posted, a right turn on red is permitted.