With warm weather slowly rearing its head, and bringing with it a desire to get out of the office for a couple of days, you’re probably starting to ache for a road trip. And I’m here to point you in a direction you might not have considered: Richmond, Virginia.

Lately, Richmond has become this sort of platonic ideal of a town: you can find the laid-back cool of Nashville or Austin, the culture of Brooklyn and Portland, and the rich history of someplace like DC, all in one place and at a fraction of the price. It’s the best kept secret of the east coast, the smallest big city in the country, and a highly-populated cultural mecca that still manages to be the kind of place where you can’t make a quick trip to the grocery store without running into five people you know. And all of the attention that’s gone to other destination cities has kept Richmond quiet, unpretentious, and cheap. Which happens to make it the perfect city for a weekend vacation.

Where to Stay

First things first: Richmond is surrounded by several counties that all sort of fall under the Richmond banner, the most prominent of which are Henrico and Glen Allen. For the best experience possible, spend your trip in the actual city of Richmond. If you don’t, it’s kind of like going on a trip to New York City and spending all of your time on Long Island.

Richmond is mostly made up of its downtown area and the surrounding neighborhoods like Church Hill, The Fan, and Carytown. There’s no public transportation service outside of the bus line, but depending on where you’re staying, it’s a pretty walkable city. Downtown Richmond is also home to Virginia Commonwealth University, so do be prepared to deal with a college crowd, especially around bars at night.

What to Eat

If there are two things that have brought more attention to the city over the last few years it’s the food and brewery scene. These days you could come to down and do nothing but eat and drink and still walk away happy.

The restaurant selection in Richmond has expanded exponentially as of late – your options range from spots run by James Beard award-winning chefs to low-key dives and diners with more character than an entire season of Game of Thrones. The biggest attraction these days is Peter Chang’s, run by the eponymous chef renowned as possibly the greatest Chinese chef cooking in America today. He opened up his restaurant about a year ago and it’s received nothing but adulation since.

The Savory Grain is another nice spot that serves some pretty incredible dressed-up Southern comfort food. Feeling something less formal? Try Black Sheep if you feel like taking on a sandwich as long as your 4-year-old nephew is tall. Foo Dog is a local favorite for Asian street food with a twist, and the fact that they sell Tiger Beer by the bucket doesn’t hurt either.

The sleeper hit, though? Kuba Kuba, a tiny Cuban joint modeled after a bodega. It will be loud. It will be crowded. You will probably have to wait to be seated. And it will be completely and entirely worth it. Down some brick-heavy huevos rancheros with Cuban coffee and your soul will transcend to a new plane of existence.

Grab dessert at Shyndigz (cakes and pies) or Stoplight Gelato afterwards and you’re golden – unless your night runs late, in which case hit up Christian’s Pizza for a cheap slice that’s totally worth waiting in line with drunk college kids.

What to Drink

And then there are the breweries. At this point, asking a local what their favorite is will probably lead to a soliloquy rivaling Shakespeare. Richmond’s brewery scene hasn’t garnered national acclaim for nothing.

Hardywood Brewery is something of a gold standard, especially on the weekends. Food trucks assemble in their spacious lot and there’s usually live music. It’ll be crowded, but not without good reason. If you want something a little more off-kilter, Strangeways is another local favorite that won’t come with quite as big a crowd; they’re famous for going off the beaten path a bit with their brews. Look no further than their beer names (Woodbooger or Gwar Blood, for instance) as proof. And The Veil is a newer establishment that's already gained a cult following for their hazy IPAs and other brews – plus, their taproom rocks a cool industrial design that sets it apart from the rest.

Other Spots to Hit

Odds are, you’ll need a break between gorging yourself and sampling craft beer, and luckily there’s plenty to do outside of appreciating the culinary arts in Richmond.

Carrytown, the retail district towards the western part of town, is the go-to spot on weekends for locals and out-of-towners alike. For decades it’s been home to a myriad of local mainstays that you can’t miss if you’re passing through. Plan 9 Records has been around for about as long as anyone can remember and boasts an impressive selection of vinyl, CDs, and turntables. One block down is Chop Suey, a used bookstore with a carefully curated selection of literature that more or less guarantees that whatever you leave the store with won’t be awful. While you’re there, consider seeing a second-time-around movie at the Byrd Theater, a historical landmark that's been around since 1928. It boasts a crystal chandelier weighing in at over two tons, marbled walls, gold leaf arches, the whole nine yards. It’s a moviegoing experience unlike any you’ll find in the country – and it’ll set you back all of four bucks.

Maybe you want to take in some art, in which case you should check out some of the local galleries displaying the work of artists on the cutting edge of their field. With VCU’s art department boasting alumni like Marvel Comics superstar Chris Visions and Richie Pope (TIME, The New Yorker) these walls are bursting with vibrant, exciting work from both seasoned pros and exciting new artists that are on their way to becoming the next big thing. Or you could head up the road to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which houses a tremendous collection of both modern and classical pieces.

And if you’re here when the weather is nice, nothing you can do will top getting some food to go, cramming some beers into a cooler, and heading down to the shore of the James River. Kick back, make friends with whatever strangers you run into, and stay until the sun goes down.

And here’s the thing: even with all of this added to your to-do list, you’ll still only be getting a slight glimpse at how much Richmond has to offer. You could dedicate an entire other trip to the city’s extensive series of history museums, music scene, stellar coffee shops, and monthly First Friday festivals where art and music merge into a citywide party and showcase of homegrown talent.

The only real downside to visiting is that it’s hard to leave – you’ll find that most residents were either born here or came for work and then forgot to go back home. It’s that kind of place; a city that will have you planning your return as soon as you depart.

On the Road: Richmond, VA

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