It's cool for what it is
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8/3/2021
I'm an out-of-towner but am coming up on 1 year in Richmond. I would summarize it this way: the best thing and the worst thing about Richmond is its location.
I'll get to the city itself and its pros and cons but I think its location plays a huge factor in its identity (or possibly its lack of one). It's situated in eastern central Virginia, about 2 hours or so south of DC. It's great that Richmond is located so close to the big Eastern cities like DC, Baltimore, New York, etc. But it's also very much in the SHADOW of DC. A lot of people are either retiring from there or are moving to there. It seems like one big stepping stone. I think a lot of places are like that, so RVA's not unique in that respect.
So now that we've gotten that out of the way, as far as stepping stones go, you could do a lot worse. It has incredible history and neighborhoods...if you can afford them. The good thing about Richmond is that even if you have to live in a more run-down neighborhood, a cool place is a quick bus ride or bike ride down the street. VMFA is truly world class, I love that museum. It's also one of the best food cities I've ever lived in.
On the other hand, because of its proximity to DC, Richmond just...lacks a certain something. It doesn't feel complete. I really don't know how to describe it. I love it for its walkability (in the city proper, anyway), but I also miss the monumentality of bigger cities. It has no pro sports teams, and the amateur ones they do have leave me scratching my head (Flying Squirrels? Really? That's the best name you could come up with?). I'm not even a pro sports fan, I just think it's a big part of forging an IDENTITY. I think I like areas of Richmond (The Fan, the area around Monroe Park) because they remind me of OTHER cities I wish I could afford.
All this to say, I do like Richmond, but I think it's only because it's the best I can afford.
9 to 5 | Richmond, VA