Richmond's Flavor

Relocation Mecca -- Quality of Life

People relocate to this lovely city for a multitude of reasons. With the shortest commute times and least traffic of any major city on the East Coast, corporate executives find themselves in fortunate circumstances when transferred to Richmond. Families are drawn by the outstanding educational opportunities, with area public schools ranked among the best in the nation.  Health care professionals seek out the excellent medical facilities for career opportunities. Retirement to the Richmond metropolitan area is a dream come true for many each year. Newcomers cite the location, thriving economy, ease of commute, educational opportunities, cultural amenities, mild climate, proximity to beaches and mountains, beautiful natural surroundings, excellent health care, and cost of living as main factors in deciding to make Richmond their home. Many people just visit Richmond, fall in love and never go home again.

Location, Location, Location   

Richmond is located within two hours of Washington D.C., the Norfolk/Hampton Roads world-wide shipping port, the Blue Ridge mountains, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean beaches.  Health Magazine named Richmond “The Healthiest U.S. City”, citing medical facilities, clean air, recreational areas, and low cancer rates, and Money Magazine, Inc. named Richmond as “the Best Place to Live in the South” in its mid-sized cities categories.

Climate  

Richmond's climate rates as one of its most attractive assets. With four distinct seasons, Spring and Fall temperatures are mild with slight precipitation, Winter’s temperatures average between the upper 20s and upper 40s, rarely falling below 0, and Summer highs average from 85 to 90 degrees, with few days breaking the100 mark.  Richmond is known for the beauty of its dogwood and azaleas in the Spring and its colorful Fall foliage--reminiscent of a gorgeous oriental tapestry.

Corporations and Jobs 

Richmond's economy is thriving, thanks largely to cooperative community and business efforts from organizations such as the Greater Richmond Partnership and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.  Richmond is a hub for headquarters of large corporations such as Owens & Minor, Capital One, CSX, Philip Morris Tobacco, Circuit City, Ethyl, Media General, and the Fifth Federal Reserve Bank, as well as other major banking and legal businesses.  Richmond is the home of our State Capital and the Medical College of Virginia, the country’s fourth largest medical institution. 

For more information on area business climate and corporations, visit: 
Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Greater Richmond Partnership

Job Opportunities, visit:
Richmond Careers

Arts & Cultural Opportunities 

In addition to its vast array of business opportunities, Richmond offers many cultural and educational centers, while still enjoying beautiful surroundings. The City overflows with museums, historical houses and sites, and cultural activities, while offering a skyline of modern buildings overlooking the Canal Walk on the James.  A haven for traveling actors since the mid-1800s, Richmond has held fast to a tradition of providing the finest in art, dance, opera, music and theater, and all these art forms thrive in the Metropolitan area today.  Fortunately for art lovers, a number of performing and visual artists call the Metropolitan area home year-round creating a way of life in which each day brings a new and exciting experience.

To get a taste of what's available, visit:

Richmond Symphony
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Museums on the Boulevard
Arts and Entertainment in Richmond

Parks & Gardens

Every weekend can be a vacation weekend in the Metropolitan area, with literally hundreds of parks and gardens awaiting discovery.  Whether your travels take you to the far reaches of the Metropolitan area or just around the corner, the numerous park facilities provide opportunities for meaningful use of your leisure time. You may pick from one of the activity packed county or city parks or visit one of the areas gardens.

To get a feel for some of our outdoor activities, visit:

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Maymont Park
Canal Walk
Calendar of Local Annual Events

Revitalization and Preservation

Richmond is one of America's most historic and compelling cities. Founded on the fall line of the James in 1737, it has been a major center for commerce and gracious living for nearly 300 years.  Few cities can match Richmond's charm--a perfect blend of the past with the present.

Visit these places:
Virginia Historic Society
Virginia History Site

Canal Walk
Revitalization efforts have been ongoing, with the most recent project taking place along a  1.25-mile corridor of Richmond's Riverfront that stretches from the historic Tredegar Iron Works site, just west of 7th Street, to 17th Street on the east.

Main Street Station
Other exciting events in the near future:  Reopening of historic Main Street Station, from which we plan to offer high-speed passenger train service, which will cut the commute to Washington to a consistent 90 minutes with a drop off point right at the doorstep of downtown Richmond.

Short Pump Town Center
Opened in September 2003, a new two-story, "open air" mall, called the Short Pump Town Center, with over a million square feet of premier shopping space--featuring Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, Macy's, Dillard's, and Edwards Cinemas.

Stony Point Fashion Mall
Stony Point Fashion Park also opened in September 2003 with an eclectic merchandise mix and intimate, park-like setting like nothing else in the area today. With a dynamic mix of world-class merchants that include the fashion industry's most coveted retailers - Stony Point Fashion Park boasts Anthropologie, L'Occitane en Provence, Solstice, Restoration Hardware, Cole Haan, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Sur La Table, BOSS Store as well as anchors Saks Fifth Avenue, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Dillard's.