Richmond is the capital of Virginia and has recently been showing up in more and more lists of America's most livable and active cities. More and more people are moving into the downtown area, and condos and lofts are a great way to enjoy that urban living experience.
The nice thing about living in a condo in Richmond is that it frees up valuable weekend time which can be spent enjoying the outdoors. Families that love outdoor activities and amusement parks will easily find ways to fill that time. Busch Gardens, which is located near Williamsburg, offers fun for people of all ages. Rollercoaster enthusiasts who live in the area usually try to attend the park once per year. Closer to the city, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden offers people the chance to see a wide variety of flowering plants. The crown jewel of living near downtown though is the James River, which is great for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. It's the heart of the city.
Richmond has a history that extends back to colonial times. Initially settled by the English on the fall line of the James River, the city hosted a number of important figures during the years of the American Revolution. Patrick Henry gave his famous “Liberty or Death” speech within the confines of the urban area, and George Washington spent time there as well. During the American Civil War, the city was the seat of the Confederate government for more than three years. In more recent decades, Richmond has continued to grow and expand. It is now the industrial headquarters of several important corporations.
The educational institutions in Richmond are quite well developed. The University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University are located near the city center and are home to diverse student bodies. The area also hosts a number of religious and theological colleges and universities. The city itself is relatively easy to get around, and prospective students who are visiting one of these schools should quickly develop a good understanding of the main arteries of travel.
When it comes to cultural and historic sites, Richmond is unequaled in all of Virginia. There are a number of excellent Civil War memorials in the city, and several battlefields can be found within short driving distances. Richmond National Battlefield Park preserves some of the more important engagements that were fought in 1862 and 1864. Malvern Hill and Cold Harbor appear much as they did in Civil War days, and many of the battle trenches still survive.
In the end, Richmond also offers interesting architecture for enthusiasts in the field. The Virginia State Capitol, which was designed by Thomas Jefferson, features classical-style pillars that were modeled on similar buildings of the ancient world. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum and the Patteson-Shutte House are also worthy of a visit.