Things to do in Richmond

Richmond is Virginia's state capital, not the nation's capital, and not a costumed history park like Williamsburg an hour and a half east.

It's a working city of roughly 230,000 people on the James River, with a downtown skyline, river rapids you can kayak through, and a restaurant and brewery scene that runs on its own schedule year-round.

5 hours by car (I-95 traffic can stretch that toward 3 hours), putting Richmond in the same driving bracket as Williamsburg and the Atlantic coast rather than a quick afternoon trip. Summers run hot and humid, regularly above 90°F, so river and outdoor plans suit spring or fall best.