What are you hoping to do in 2024? We’ve put together the ultimate Find Your Happier Place Bucket List to help you check off all the places in Richmond you’ve been meaning to try out, and those you didn’t even know you needed to- perfect for making 2024 the best RVA year yet!
- Watch a movie at The Byrd on a Saturday night (when the organist plays before the show)
- Have a picnic at Maymont
- Try Homemades by Suzanne if you don’t want to make your own
- Rent a pedal boat at Byrd Park
- Take along a coffee from Rostov’s
- Take a Canal Boat Cruise
- Follow it up with dinner at Sprezza Cucina
- Have cocktails on the Quirk rooftop
- Attend First Fridays in the Arts District
- Cap it off with oysters at Birdies
- Catch a sunset at Libby Hill
- Grab a Proper Pie to take with you
- Take a Segway tour of the Richmond murals
- Get the baked spaghetti at Joe’s Inn in the Fan
- Take a brewery tour
- Go to a Richmond Flying Squirrels Game
- Go to a Richmond Kickers Game
- Enjoy a concert on Brown’s Island
- Learn about Richmond’s history at The Valentine
- Go to an After 5 Fridays event at VMFA
- Get a pizza at 8 ½
- Go white water rafting or kayaking on the James River
- Have afternoon tea at The Jefferson
- Have a beer at Hardywood
- Hike Belle Isle and swim amongst the rocks
- Visit the butterflies at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
- Walk the Potterfield Bridge and down the floodwall trail
- End with a beer from one of Richmond’s oldest names in beer, Legend’s Brewing Co. or Richbrau Brewing (depending on which side of the river you land on)
- Pick up dessert at Shyndigz Market
- Snag a reservation at L’Opossum
- Celebrate Edgar Alan Poe’s birthday or UnHappy Hour at The Poe Museum
- See a Richmond Ballet performance
- Bowl at River City Roll
- Walk the Pipeline Trail
- Grab drinks along the canal at Casa del Barco
- Visit President’s Circle at Hollywood Cemetery
- Take a TukTuk tour
- Pick up a boxed lunch from Sally Bell’s Kitchen
- Visit an authentic Tudor mansion in Richmond at Agecroft Hall and Gardens
- View the skyline from the Richmond City Hall Observation Deck *pending reopening
- Watch a local production at Virginia Repertory Theatre
- Take a ghost tour
- Tour the Virginia Capitol
- Finish with a meal at Lillie Pearl
- Celebrate Halloween on Hanover Ave. or catch the annual parade in Oregon Hill
- Go shopping in Carytown
- Watch the Richmond Symphony perform
- Get an ice cream at Gelati Celesti
- Tour the Byrd Park Pump House *check Facebook for periodic guided tours
- Find the Church Hill Tunnel
- Snap a picture of the skyline at the 22nd and Grace St. overlook, or better yet, attend an event there *put in Richmond Hill for GPS
- Head to Grisette for wine and cheese
- Spend a day at Pony Pasture
- Bike the Capital Trail
- Watch the Liberty or Death reenactment at St. John’s Church
- Hike the North Bank Trail
- See a show at Dogwood Dell
- Take a gourmet Greek dinner from Stella’s Grocery
- Start the day with breakfast pizza from Ukrop’s Market Hall
- Shop small businesses at the RVA Big Market on Saturday mornings
- Camp on Sharp’s Island in the middle of the James River
- Cheer on the Rams at a VCU basketball game
- Get decked out for the game at Disco Sports
- See a concert at The National
- Attend an event at The Science Museum of Virginia
- Go to drag brunch at Godfrey’s
- Take a Tacky Lights tour at Christmas; bonus if it’s on a trolley
- Visit Maggie Walker’s house in Jackson Ward
- Grab a bite of soul food at Mama J’s
- Visit the Metro Richmond Zoo
- Watch a movie at the Goochland Drive-In
- Join Richmond’s tattoo scene with a tattoo of your own
- Go berry picking at Ashland Berry Farm
I love this list of RVA activities! Some I’ve enjoyed and some are great ideas to check out soon.