Things to do in Richmond with a kid and restaurant ideas (St. Paul: theater, restaurants)

[ryanwex]

My 13yo son and I are coming to Richmond next weekend, staying downtown. I'm looking for some interesting things to do that would hopefully be uniquely Richmond. I know about the Confederacy Museum, etc..

Also am interested in restaurants that locals like, I'll have a car. We're from Philadelphia so ethnic food doesn't hold any novelty. Also would like to know what area's would be interesting to walk around as I havent been to Richmond for 20+ years. I'm interested in the more "bohemian" side of Richmond.

Thanks for your help!

[PickPatrick]

I have a great Richmond In a Day Map and Guide that hits the high spots that you must see!!! Send me a DM with an email and I will pass it on!!

[PickPatrick]

A Picaso exhibit is at the VMFA ----well worth a visit if you can get tickets....

[ric75]

If you're not interested in ethnic food you should hit the comfort/southern cuisine spots. Comfort on Broad Street would be a good stop. The Children's Museum on Broad would be worth visiting but if the weather is nice I would recommend Maymont Park or Belle Isle. You could wander Carytown as well and take your son into World Of Mirth though at that age he might be pretty anti-toy. Some really cool stuff in there though.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by ric75

If you're not interested in ethnic food you should hit the comfort/southern cuisine spots. Comfort on Broad Street would be a good stop. The Children's Museum on Broad would be worth visiting but if the weather is nice I would recommend Maymont Park or Belle Isle. You could wander Carytown as well and take your son into World Of Mirth though at that age he might be pretty anti-toy. Some really cool stuff in there though.

The Children's Museum is great, but really not geared toward 13 year olds. 8 year olds would be pushing it IMO. Maymont is fabulous and so unique if the weather is good.

[richmondpics]

2011 Virginia Motortrend Intl Auto show at the Richmond Convention Center
Arena Football (Richmond Raiders) at the Coliseum
Arena Racing USA at the Coliseum
Zoso at the National
Picasso at the VMFA
Carytown
Belle Isle or Pony Pasture for walking around by the river
Check out the State Capitol
check out a movie at the Byrd Theater

Food... my favorite part
Dinner:
Mama Zu's
Pescado's China Street
Tarrant's
Comfort
Cafe Rustica
The Boathouse at Rockett's Landing
Ballicueaux

Brunch:
Millie's
Perly's
Lulu's
Aziza's
Weezie's Kitchen

Lunch:
City Dogs
Buzz & Ned's BBQ
Mrs. Marshall's Cafe
Boom Boom Burgers
The Black Sheep (get the battleships)

Great take-out Italian - 8 1/2 in the Fan

And check out some of the galleries on Broad (between Belvidere and 1st) and Main near VCU (Uptown)

[ric75]

Originally Posted by sls76

The Children's Museum is great, but really not geared toward 13 year olds. 8 year olds would be pushing it IMO. Maymont is fabulous and so unique if the weather is good.

Yeah I'm not sure why I picked that up for World of Mirth and not the Children's Museum.

Bad weather options would be the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Historical Society, or the American Civil War Center at Tredegar.

Hope the weather works in your favor though.. Richmond to me is definitely an outdoorsy town.

Edit: Just read richmondpics' post and would definitely second the State Capitol tour and take a peak at St. Paul's Episcopal while there.

[RogerVA]

You should really do Maymont Park and Belle Isle, as others suggested. Maymont is a must-see, in my opinion. And the Poe Museum on Main St. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is well worth a visit too, and free, unless you want to shell out $20 each for the Picasso exhibit. Oh, and try to visit St. John's Church in Church Hill, the site of Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death speech". Poe's mother is buried there on the church grounds.