It all depends.
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7/4/2011
It all depends on who you are as to whether or not you would like Richmond, VA. My comments are based somewhat on Richard Florida's observations in "Who's Your City." Like any other place, Richmond has its pros and cons. I will list some of them here based solely on my viewpoint:
Pros:
Good outdoor recreation. Several fairly large parks are available for a range of activities, from soccer, to fishing, to biking. The James River runs through the city and is surrounded by a park for hikers, mtn bikers, kayakers, and those who just want a dip in the water. National forests lie a couple of hours west of the city and the seashore is a couple of hours east of the city.
Lots of festivals, farmers markets, and CSAs. If you like funkiness and eating local, this may be your place.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. No it won't compare to NYC museums, but it's not bad for a city of this size.
Friendly people.
Easy traffic compared to large cities. Need to fly out? Lead time to leave the house and get to the gate is much less stressful than a big city.
Good BBQ and beer.
Cons:
Low energy. I'm comparing it to big cities here. People tend to be happy reaching a certain level and that's it. Not a lot of upward push. See Florida's book for a better description of energy level.
General lack of good ethnic food (compared to a city with a sizable international population). There are a few exceptions, but they are few and far between. There's always the D.C. area 100 miles to the north. Go there and get your fix.
No public transit other than buses.
Pitbulls and tattoos. Rated as third most tattooed city in U.S. Everyone with a tattoo also seems to own a pit bull. I'm not a fan of either, but if this is your thing, you will not feel alone in Richmond.
Mark | Richmond, VA