Richmond, Virginia

eziam
2y ago
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RVA is a great small/medium-sized city. Here is what we do have:

Pros: We have a nice wild river that runs through the city. I say wild because there is no true commercial development on it. People go rafting on it (we have some class 4s rapids), swim in it, or sunbathe on it. There is some good restaurants that are local and not a chain, no traffic, two hours from the beach or mountains, the city is walkable, very historic parts, weed is almost legal here, and if you like BEER…boy you are in luck.

Cons: There isn't much of a sports or music scene. We have a baseball team and soccer in crabby stadiums. The big music acts either do Raleigh or D.C. to play. The school system isn't the greatest, crime is rising, people are bitching more, and it's humid in the summer.

subzeenoble
1y ago
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This thread is so funny.

Ok -- Richmond is a walkable city in key areas. I live in Church Hill, and I absolutely love it. I can walk to two public parks, really amazing coffee, a bakery with the best Almond croissants I have ever had, a cute wine shop, some of the best restaurants in the city.

There is also a TON to do. I would follow local influencers like Elaine and Lauren Ray. There are a ton of food popups, events, festivals, and different parts of the city take a lot of pride in creating their own events. Similar to the "quirkiness" of SF's Bay to Breakers or SantaCon events. Richmond, VA has that style of event in our Oregon Hill Halloween Parade, our Annual Irish festival, and more.

The nature is beautiful. There are a ton of parks, there are great hiking trails, and the river is really fun.

The culture is genuine. People who live in Richmond are looking to place roots down, look out for eachother, and engage in conscious collective thought. It's one of the most liberal / leftist cities I've ever lived in. It's an incredibly alternative city, with beautiful progressivism when it comes to mutual aid, citizen responsibility, and more.

cherylinabarrel
1y ago
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I moved to Richmond for a job from the DC/DMV area. There are definitely pros to living in RVA, especially when you factor in COL. Some things I like are: -proximity to the River -cute, historic neighborhoods to walk through in the Fan and Museum District -quirky, hipster feel in different parts of the city -mild weather (or at least what I was used to, but yes summers are humid) -lots of breweries -cheaper COL compared to DC (though getting pricier as people moved during Covid)

While I’ve enjoyed my time in Richmond, I’m looking to move within the next year. Richmond is nice, but it is SMALL. I’m in my mid-20s, so we may potentially want different things from our communities, but I find I’ve kinda done about everything the city has to offer. My friends really only go to the same 3-4 bars every weekend. I’ve explored the shops in Carytown many times and while they’re cute, I’ve been there done that. The breweries are fun but it gets a little old when it’s the same places and the same people. You can drive through the whole length of the city in like 10/15 minutes. There’s lots of restaurants and places to explore, but might feel lacking compared to NYC. The airport nearby is nice, but I find the flights are rarely direct and are kinda inconvenient compared to other major airports I’m used to.

I also definitely agree with other folks that while parts of the city are walkable, it would be very challenging to live here without a car.

Fivefecta
1y ago
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I lived in Richmond for a year after 3+ years in Seattle and 2 years in Northern VA before that. I also have friends who live there and I visit regularly. My pros and cons:

Pros:

Nice, walkable, and historic neighborhoods

Great food and beer scene

Interesting arts scene

Large state university

Little to no traffic

“Affordable” - see job market con

Short drive to DC

Cons:

Average job market at best; quality job opportunities will vary greatly depending on your field

Pay is not good

Not cosmopolitan; way less diverse and more conservative than other major east coast cities

Population felt less innovative/goal oriented than Seattle or Northern VA

Sketchy in spots

Lacking in public transportation

Have to travel for major tours or professional sports

Airport is smaller so you’ll have to connect often when traveling

Pros And Cons of Living in Richmond Virginia