Capital place to drive to

This all sounds nice however!!! I was born and grew up in Richmond. AT 17 we moved to the east end.. It was a wonderful life our houses unlocked, windows left open at night, and keys left in the car. Now I am scared to death to go back to my beloved city. Homicide rate is so high and crime uncontrolled. All cities have their problems, but Richomond is off limits for us.

This is a great and informative article for those wanting to have fun on a budget and it's such a short distance to travel!
Ironically, I am planning such a trip this summer.
You also might want to add the Hollywood Cemetary and Maymont Park in this visit.
www.maymont.org
www.hollywoodcemetary.org
Check it out.

Just like you didn't mention the danger of the high crime situation, it is irresponsible to encourage people to take their children swimming or wading in the James River or any other river/bay around Va. People visiting from our of the area depend on your reccomendations, and may not realize how toxic the water is!

Yes, while it is true that crime is a concern, like everywhere else, don't pass up visiting Richmond. I also lived there and many other places in Virginia as well. Like anywhere else, take precautions and work with places that are comfotable for you.
Pony Pasture is a great place to take the family, but always be safe and aware of the rocks that may be slippery. When we took our daughters several years ago, there were multitudes of families having a wonderful time. Go to the following sites below and check out the various parks (including Pony Pasture). Also,I have included a site where you can see the water quality and the last date it was tested if you are concerned.

http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/parks/james.aspx
http://www.deq.virginia.gov/watermonitoring/j...

I grew up in Tidewater and moved to Richmond in the mid 90's and have been here since. Although there are many areas that can be dangerous (especially at night), all of the places the author mentioned are generally very safe and most are quite "family friendly." To be honest, I fear downtown Newport News (my fiancee played a game once during the middle of the day where we see how far down the numbered streets we could make it on Jefferson ave before we got seriously scared and turned around) and Phoebus more than any area in the heart of Richmond.

From an ex-Tidewater resident turned Richmonder, I have to say this is a great article and hits on many of the spots I myself would recommend. I encourage all of you to leave your mace at home and head up for a visit. Just remember, this is a CITY, so no walks at 3am, don't go into neighborhoods that look sketchy, and don't act like a total tourist.