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I don't think I've seen these cities compared. I'm wondering which is the better overall. Some criteria to consider.
1. Downtown - Orlando
2. Walkability - Richmond
3. Restaurants - Richmond
4. Transportation car and public - both suck, Richmond seems easier to get around
5. Suburbs - Richmond - not a fan of suburban Florida at all
6. Scenery - Richmond
7. Climate - Richmond
8. Friendliness - Orlando
10. Outdoor recreation - Richmond (mountains and sea within reasonable distance)
11. Economy - Richmond
12. Affordability - Orlando
Downtown Orlando caters to locals (residents and visitors to nightclubs) moreso than tourists. Most tourists who visit Central Florida don’t venture north of the 1-4/Florida’s Turnpike interchange. It’s better than Downtown Richmond, but the adjacent neighborhoods to DT Richmond are better than what abut DT Orlando. But there’s no equivalent to Winter Park in the Richmond Area.
We're actually planning a visit to Richmond this spring. What are some must-sees? And do people realistically day-trip to the mountains and beach regularly from Richmond?
Also, what does the economic climate look like? From my brief searching, it looks like poverty is still a real issue... especially among black folks. What's your take?
The mountains and the beach are must definitely routine day trips. I visit both a few times a year. There’s great hiking on the Blue Ridge and it’s only1.5 hours or so from downtown. I seldom cross the valley though. The Allegheny Mountains are more like 2.5 hours away.
I’m from the beach area so driving there seems as natural as breathing. Beaches along the Bay are about 1.25 hours, the ocean is 2. I 64 is being widened between Richmond and Norfolk and traffic is already much more manageable because of it.
The James River and the VMFA are the must-sees. Everything else about the downtown area is pretty quaint. There’s a lot of visual stimulation and historic sites are pretty much on every other block. If your physically able, a walk around the Fan (restaurant and bar hopping) in the evening is very enjoyable. Maymont Park is pretty. Carytown has a few hundred local and regional shops to explore (along a very walkable street close to the VMFA, the Fan abs Maymont).
The economy is strong. Metro Richmond has long been one of the wealthiest cities in the South with high income. Yes there’s still poverty. You probably won’t see any of it though. Richmond also has one of the largest middle class black populations in the country (like Atlanta, Raleigh and Washington). There are no suburbs in Richmond proper and all of the region’s services are located within the 60 square mile city. This negatively effects the stats for Richmond proper (in comparison to other Southern cities with much larger land areas) but doesn’t tell the story of affluent blacks in the suburbs..
The mountains and the beach are must definitely routine day trips. I visit both a few times a year. There’s great hiking on the Blue Ridge and it’s only1.5 hours or so from downtown. I seldom cross the valley though. The Allegheny Mountains are more like 2.5 hours away.
I’m from the beach area so driving there seems as natural as breathing. Beaches along the Bay are about 1.25 hours, the ocean is 2. I 64 is being widened between Richmond and Norfolk and traffic is already much more manageable because of it.
The James River and the VMFA are the must-sees. Everything else about the downtown area is pretty quaint. There’s a lot of visual stimulation and historic sites are pretty much on every other block. If your physically able, a walk around the Fan (restaurant and bar hopping) in the evening is very enjoyable. Maymont Park is pretty. Carytown has a few hundred local and regional shops to explore (along a very walkable street close to the VMFA, the Fan abs Maymont).
The economy is strong. Metro Richmond has long been one of the wealthiest cities in the South with high income. Yes there’s still poverty. You probably won’t see any of it though. Richmond also has one of the largest middle class black populations in the country (like Atlanta, Raleigh and Washington). There are no suburbs in Richmond proper and all of the region’s services are located within the 60 square mile city. This negatively effects the stats for Richmond proper (in comparison to other Southern cities with much larger land areas) but doesn’t tell the story of affluent blacks in the suburbs..
Ok. So there are 100 year old streetcar suburbs within the city limits. The city has been built out to its borders for 50 years now though. There is zero room for modern suburban style development (3/4 acre lots, cul-de-sacs). Leapfrog development lept over the city limits decades ago. It isn’t easy to move scores of affluent people in because the housing doesn’t exist whereas a city with 300 square miles* can offer that style of living. There is a disproportionate amount of poverty because the city is where services and transportation are available for the entire metro of about 1.3 million people. There’s also a lot of wealth on display. The city also has some of the most desired neighborhoods in central Virginia.
*I haven’t weighed in on this topic (except to answer a specific question about Richmond) because I’ve never been to Orlando. I see that it is also on the small side at roughly 100 square miles. Seems like a nice enough place. I personally find the theme parks (and all that they bring to an area) off putting but downtown Orlando does look very nice and folks have made a pretty convincing argument that Orlando offers much more than the parks.
1. Downtown - Orlando
2. Walkability - Richmond
3. Restaurants - Richmond
4. Transportation car and public - Orlando
5. Suburbs - Orlando
6. Scenery - Richmond
7. Climate - Orlando (I like warm weather)
8. Friendliness - Richmond
10. Outdoor recreation - Richmond
11. Economy - Orlando (I would assume Richmond is better per capita though)
12. Affordability - Richmond
Looks pretty even, but it's not in real life. Orlando is on another tier. Global recognition, Airport, Sports Teams, major events and conventions are all on an entirely different level. All this and I didn't even mention Disney.
1. Downtown: Richmond
2. Walkability: Richmond by light years
3. Restaurants: Orlando for chains, Richmond for authentic/local
4. Transportation car and public: Both. Richmond is less car dependent.
5. Suburbs: Richmond. Orlando's are sprawl, cookie cutter and bland albeit like two of them
6. Scenery: Richmond
7. Climate: Richmond by light years. Orlando from May-Early October is practically unlivable. October-May, its the same weather everyday.
8. Friendliness: Richmond. Southern Hospitality
10. Outdoor recreation: Richmond. Close to Mountains
11. Economy: Orlando for any job. Richmond for white collar jobs.
12. Affordability: Richmond
Richmond hands down. Ive lived in Orlando and visited Richmond many times. Orlando is the worst city I have ever been too and everything around it, sucks. THe people are rude, its full of chains, all the new growth is unsustainable and sprawly... and the driving is a nightmare. Wages are also extremely low for the High COL. Dont move to Orlando. Just dont.
Also, Richmond is gorgeous, walkable and close to places like DC, Philly, Virginia Beach and Raleigh if you wanted to 'get away' to cities nearby that offer different and exciting things.
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