Wes Convers plays kickball at the fields in Gillies Creek Park. (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Best adult sports league
River City Sports & Social Club
804-307-7294, rivercityssc.com
Sean Small started River City Sports & Social Club in 2004 with eight kickball teams. Today, 200 teams compete in the league’s summer kickball season. There are also leagues for football, basketball, wiffle ball, dodge ball, cornhole, broomball and even skee ball. “It’s about reverting back to your childhood days and the game you played in your backyard and at school,” Small says. That, and the camaraderie forged with teammates after the game over post-competition drinks at the area bars and breweries that sponsor the group.
2. Richmond Volleyball Club
3. WAKA Kickball
Photo by Justin Vaughan
Best hidden gem in the city
Hollywood Cemetery
412 S. Cherry St., hollywoodcemetery.org
Final resting place of two U.S. presidents, two Pulitzer Prize winners and a half-dozen Virginia governors, Hollywood Cemetery is a who’s-who of the dearly departed. Take a stroll along the winding paths, look for the cast-iron dog guarding a child’s grave or enjoy the splendid hilltop views of the James River and Hollywood Rapids.
2. Maymont Park
3. (TIE) Belle Isle; Pipeline walk; James River riverfront and trails
Best hidden gem in Henrico
(TIE) Bernie’s Sub & Pizza Shop; Echo Lake Park; Lakeside Farmers Market
415 Ridge Road, 804-285-2777; 5701 Springfield Road, Glen Allen, 804-501-7275, henrico.us/rec/places/echo-lake/; 6110 Lakeside Ave., 804-262-6593, lakesidefarmersmarket.net
Take a tour of the county on Wednesday or Saturday, and you can hit all three gems in a day. Stop by Bernie’s in Tuckahoe Shopping Center for a house-made sausage sub, grab some locally grown fare from the farmers market, and land at Echo Lake Park for some nature trail zen.
Best hidden gem in Hanover
Hanover Tavern
13181 Hanover Courthouse Road, hanovertavern.org
Since 1733, Hanover Tavern has hosted numerous historical figures, including Patrick Henry, who resided — and even played fiddle — at the original tavern. America’s first dinner theater launched there in the ’50s, and they still stage productions today as the Virginia Repertory Theatre. As of 1990, the Hanover Tavern Foundation took ownership of the property. The foundation oversees tours, exhibits, and a restaurant and pub.
2. Bell Café
Best hidden gem in Chesterfield
Mid-Lothian Mines Park
13301 N. Woolridge Road, Midlothian, midlomines.org
In 1737, the Mid-Lothian Mines tract was the site of the first attempt at commercial coal mining in North America. The namesake park opened as a 44-acre preserve in 2004, and today visitors can tour the remains of the mine sites, enjoy the Mid-Lothian Mines Day celebration every fall, see concerts in the park’s amphitheater, and walk and run on a variety of trails.
2. (TIE) Henricus Historical Park; Independence Golf Club; Orexi Mediterranean Grill; Pocahontas State Park; Swift Creek Reservoir; Tazza Kitchen
Photo courtesy Children's Museum of Richmond
Best indoor recreation/amusement spot to visit with kids
Children’s Museum of Richmond
Multiple locations, 804-474-7000, c-mor.org
“We focus on family learning, and we strive to [permit] every child to play, learn and engage in a stimulating, hands-on environment,” says Shannon Venable, president and CEO of the Children’s Museum, which marks 36 years of play in 2017. “We are honored to be able to celebrate our community’s diversity and offer a safe place for all children to interact, play and learn.”
2. Jumpology
3. (TIE) Science Museum of Virginia; Sky Zone
Best local summer camp or day camp program
YMCA / Camp Thunderbird
ymcarichmond.org/locations/camp-thunderbird/
After 51 years in Richmond, Camp Thunderbird has welcomed multiple generations of campers for outdoor adventures and fun. “Every summer, we strive to provide children with a sense of belonging, help them build positive relationships and teach them lifelong skills through achievement,” says Freddie Mibelli, operations director of camping and adventure programs for YMCA of Greater Richmond.
2. Passages Adventure Camp
3. Passion Academy
Best outdoor recreation/amusement spot to visit with kids
Photo courtesy Richmond Region Tourism
Maymont
1700 Hampton St., 804-358-7166, maymont.org
There’s a reason the blacktop trails at Maymont are crowded with strollers nearly every day of the week. From the nature center to the children’s farm and wildlife exhibits — not to mention the ice-cream carts, the climbing trees and the streams perfect for splashing — the 100-acre estate is a kid’s paradise. Bring a picnic blanket and lunch, and your family outing is complete.
2. Busch Gardens
3. Kings Dominion
Best local athlete
Photo by Kim Frost
Mo Alie-Cox
The former VCU Rams power forward spawned a recurring chant from the home crowd thanks to his fierce defensive play: “Mo says no!” Instead of playing basketball overseas after his time in Richmond, Mo said no and decided to return to the sport he hadn’t played since his freshman year of high school. He’s signed with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts as the team’s newest tight end.
2. Megan Walker
3. (TIE) Justin Verlander; Russell Wilson
Photo courtesy Richmond Strikers
Best youth sports league
Richmond Strikers
The Strikers are known nationally for their soccer tournament, The Jefferson Series, held annually over four weekends in March. “This year we hosted 1,350 teams representing 35 states,” says Executive Director Jay Howell. The tournament helps put Richmond players on a platform that allows them to compete nationally. The organization also offers girls’ lacrosse and field hockey leagues.
2. (TIE) Richmond Kickers; Tuckahoe Little League
3. Richmond Volleyball Club
Photo by McAbbott Studios Creative
Best yoga studio
Project Yoga Richmond
6517 Dickens Place, projectyogarichmond.org
Accessibility and affordability are at the heart of nonprofit Project Yoga Richmond, which offers a variety of classes on a pay-what-you-can basis. From Peaceful Flow and Mindful Meditation to its popular Saturday Salutations outdoor classes at the VMFA, PYR accommodates all levels of practice. In addition to its studio classes, PYR shares the benefits of yoga with court-involved youth, those in recovery, and adults with special needs and their families through community programs.
2. Yoga Source
3. (TIE) Hot House Yoga & Om On Yoga
Best public golf course
Independence Golf Club
600 Founders Bridge Blvd., 804-601-8600
Independence offers much more than an 18-hole championship golf course, says Elliott Wilson, director of golf. From its restaurant, to a Thursday-afternoon concert series, to a par-3 course with options to play foot and racket golf, Independence provides myriad opportunities for fun. But, he admits, “Our No. 1 asset is our golf course. It’s in phenomenal shape. The ownership has put a lot of money into being able to provide top-quality conditions.”
2. Belmont
3. Hunting Hawk
Best private golf course
Country Club of Virginia
709 S. Gaskins Road, 804-287-1330; 6031 St. Andrew’s Lane, 804-288-2891, theccv.org
Members of the exclusive Country Club of Virginia have their pick of three pristine and challenging golf courses. Westhampton is the oldest course and has rolling hills that make for a fun game. Its course at Tuckahoe Creek opened in 1988 on land that was part of Thomas Jefferson’s boyhood home — it doesn’t get much more Virginia than that. The James River Course was remodeled in 2005 and has hosted numerous tournaments.
2. Kinloch
3. Hermitage Country Club
Best out-of-office employee bonding activity
Escape Room RVA
7025 Three Chopt Road, 804-282-3169
Celebrating its second anniversary this year, Escape Room RVA has hosted numerous local companies, such as Capital One and Altria, for hands-on team-building adventures. The escape rooms are “designed with an eye toward every player’s unique brain and perspective,” says owner Josh Czarda, creating an “engaging environment that fosters both fun and communication,” not to mention a little urgency.
2. (TIE) Floating at The Float Zone; River City Food Tours; Squirrels game
Illustration by Adrian Walker
Best martial arts class
Master Cho’s Tae Kwon Do & Martial Arts
4386 Pouncey Tract Road, 804-364-0101; 9964 Brook Road, 804-262-0101
Prepare to learn more than tae kwon do technique at Master Cho’s, where the master himself teaches many classes. “We like to work on focus and self-confidence, which is very important, especially with children,” says assistant manager Anne Williams.
2. Dong’s Karate; Master Yi’s Tae Kwon Do; River City Aikido; Silkisondan Karate
Photo courtesy Greater Richmond ARCpark
Best all-abilities playground
Greater Richmond ARCpark
3600 Saunders Ave., richmondarc.org/arcpark/
This 2.4-acre park is free and welcomes all ages and abilities. Open from dawn to dusk (except in bad weather), it boasts some next-level features: a multisensory wall with panels that stimulate sight, hearing and touch; a wheelchair-accessible treehouse and glider; a playhouse and stage; giant musical instruments from xylophones to drums; and many more opportunities to play and explore.
2. Huguenot Park
Best membership health club/gym/fitness center
ACAC
2201 Old Brick Road, 804-464-0990; 11621 Robious Road, 804-378-1600, acac.com
From the glamorous, adults-only rooftop pool, hot tub and bar at its Short Pump location, to the 17 tennis courts and outdoor water park in Midlothian, ACAC is a cut above your average gym. Marketing Director Wendy Greene says ACAC’s social atmosphere also separates it from the pack. “We don’t want people to just come in and work out on the treadmill.”
2. YMCA
3. Golds Gym
Best locally owned bike shop
Agee’s
With three locations, Agee’s has been putting Richmonders on two wheels since 1910. It’s the oldest bike shop in Richmond, and one of the oldest in the nation. Though bicycle technology has vastly changed since then, the store is still committed to service, professionally assembling each bike it sells.
2. Carytown Bikes
3. Outpost Richmond
Best specialty fitness studio
Burn Boot Camp
3091 Lauderdale Drive, 804-372-0064, burnbootcamp.com
Burn Boot Camp opened in Short Pump in July 2016 and has quickly developed a loyal following for its intense and effective 45-minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) sessions. Geared mostly to women, Burn provides free childcare and welcomes all fitness levels. “The protocol changes every day and every week, so it never gets stale or boring,” says owner Jonathan Ceaser.
2. BOHO Cycle
3. Orange Theory
Best high school coach
(TIE) Jim Triemplar at Atlee; Larry Starr at Monacan; Rick Hamlin at Trinity Episcopal
Head Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Triemplar has coached for 26 years and 78 athletic seasons at Atlee High School. Rick Hamlin, girls’ soccer and boys’ basketball coach at Trinity Episcopal, says he tries to be “positive and demanding” when coaching, and Larry Starr led the girls’ basketball team at Monacan High to their third state title this year.
2. (TIE): Joe Fowler at Goochland High School; Tom Hall at Manchester High School
The Richmond region has an embarrassment of riches in its number of green spaces dedicated to the common good. Maymont — a former Gilded Age estate with gorgeously landscaped grounds — is a jewel. Deep Run Park’s nearly 165 acres encompasses ponds, picnic areas, hiking and biking trails, and playgrounds, plus a rec center. Chesterfield County’s oldest park, Rockwood, comprises athletic fields, courts, a 5.5-mile walking trail, and The Ruff House Dog Park. Hanover’s Pole Green Park accommodates skateboards, horseback riding, high school and collegiate cross country competitions, and the annual Hanover Tomato Festival in July.
HANOVER
A. Pole Green Park
8996 Pole Green Lane, 804-365-7150, hanovercounty.gov
2. Poor Farm Park
3. (tie) Crump Park, Hanover Wayside
HENRICO
B. Deep Run Park
9900 Ridgefield Parkway, henrico.us/rec/places/deep-run
2. Three Lakes Park
3. Dorey Park
CITY OF RICHMOND
C. Maymont
1700 Hampton St., 358-7166, maymont.org
2. Byrd Park
3. Forest Hill Park
CHESTERFIELD
D. Rockwood Park
3401 Courthouse Road, 804-748-1623, chesterfield.gov/parks
2. Pocahontas State Park
3. Huguenot Park
Best dance classes for adults
Spotlight Studio of Dance
6828 Woodlake Commons Loop, 804-639-1186
Kelly Atkinson, assistant director of Spotlight Studio of Dance, says their adult classes attract people who danced as kids as well as total newbies. The studio offers tap, jazz and hip-hop classes for all levels. “Dance is a confidence booster,” she says, adding, “Folks can take these classes and perform in an annual recital but, you also have the option not to perform. But, most of them love to perform.”
2. Passion Academy
3. Rigby’s Jig
Photo by Tonia Blanchet
Best dance classes for children
Central Virginia Dance Academy
9131 Staples Mill Road, 804-501-0707
Central Virginia Dance Academy prides itself on offering many opportunities for its students to perform, says owner Anne Wash. Each year the school mounts a full-length production of “The Nutcracker,” featuring about 70 students who rehearse throughout the fall to perform onstage at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. And the annual end-of-year recital, held at the Carpenter Center is “a huge production,” Wash says, “This year we had 150 kids in the finale.”
2. Spotlight Studio of Dance
3. Passion Academy
Best festival in the counties
Lebanese Food Festival
Saint Anthony Maronite Church, 4611 Sadler Road, Glen Allen, stanthonymaronitechurch.org/food-festival/
Held annually the weekend after Mother’s Day, this event has been going strong for 30-plus years. Parishioners prepare and sell more than 40,000 hand pies, but the top item is zalibia, sweet fried dough. “Eat it, and it will bring you good luck!” says festival organizer Sandra Brown.
2. Hanover Tomato Festival
3. Ashland Strawberry Festival
Best neighborhood event
(TIE) 43rd Street Art Festival; Halloween on Hanover Avenue; Strawberry Street Festival
43rdstgallery.com; 2100 block of Hanover Avenue; facebook.com/strawberrystreet festival/
These three smaller fêtes go big on personality and heart, putting the cohesive energy of our city’s neighborhoods on full display.
2. (TIE) Arts in the Park; Richmond Greek Festival; Music in the Park at Forest Hill Park; Carytown Watermelon Festival
Most innovative residential community
Sterling Row
110 N. 19th St., sterlingmanagementcorp.com
Built in 2008, Sterling Row Condominiums are located within a gated community east of Shockoe Bottom. Featuring a courtyard, chef’s kitchens and a short walk to the river district, Sterling Row was built in honor of developer Josh Bilder's great-grandfather. “Designs and the creation of community was really important to me,” Bilder says.
2. (TIE) Hallsley; West Broad Village
Photo by Justin Vaughan
Neighborhood with the best bike/walking trails
Brandermill
3001 East Boundary Terrace, Midlothian, 804-744-1035
Fifteen miles of trails stretch alongside Swift Creek Reservoir, making Brandermill seem like anything but a “cookie-cutter” neighborhood, says the community’s general manager, Cynthia Wright. “It’s a very wooded environment, which provides shade in the summer and colorful leaves in the fall.” These well-kept pathways lead to popular stops that include parks, pavilions and playgrounds.
2. Woodlake
3. Forest Hill
Best community yard sale
Westover Hills
“One neighbor’s trash is another’s treasure.” That’s the motto for Westover Hills’ annual neighborhood yard sale. With nearly 50 homes participating in the most recent sale, the pickings are good, and finding a bargain isn’t unusual. “It’s a success because the neighborhood works together,” says the sale organizer, Louise Freedman, “and it’s a great shopping opportunity for the Richmond community.”
Best condo community
Sterling Row
110 N. 19th St
This condo community sits in the middle of the action in Shockoe Bottom, featuring townhomes surrounding a charming cobblestone courtyard. With rooftop decks and private balconies, the condos offer space to enjoy the outdoors.
2. Rocketts Landing
3. Vistas on the James
Best established apartment community
Malvern Manor
41 ½ Malvern Ave., 804-358-8771
With its classic, oh-so-Richmond colonial-style brick facade and coveted near West End location, Malvern Manor is a favorite Richmond rental property. The ability to walk to Carytown and the annual Greek Food Festival are bonuses.
2. Scott’s Edge in Scott’s Addition
3. (TIE) Harbor Village; Huguenot Apartments; Pohlig Box Factory
Best new apartment/loft community
Scott’s Addition
It’s no surprise that the city’s fastest growing neighborhood is also the area’s top apartment/loft community. The burgeoning brewery scene, the addition of a walkable grocery store, Aldi on Boulevard, and restaurants galore add to the appeal.
2. Cary Street Station
3. (TIE) City View Lofts; Cookie Factory Lofts
Best new community for families
Hallsley
3900 Brightwalton Road, 804-794-9119, hallsley.com
Hallsley is not only a favorite with Richmonders — it was selected as 2017’s Best Master Planned Community in America. Hallsley’s hallmarks are its architectural diversity, a resort-style clubhouse and pool, a popular playground and walking paths.
2. (TIE) Bon Air; Rutland
3. (TIE) Lakeside; Museum District
Best new community for boomers
(TIE) Church Hill; Hallsley; Scott’s Addition
Empty-nesters are flocking to the city, seeking out the walkable restaurants, bars and breweries in Church Hill and Scott’s Addition, neighborhoods that are equally as popular with millennials. For those seeking a less urban environment, Hallsley in Midlothian beckons with its bucolic walking paths, resort-style pool and architecturally interesting new homes.
2. (TIE) Museum District; Rocketts Landing; West Broad Village
Best retirement community
Westminster Canterbury
1600 Westbrook Ave., 804-264-6000, wcrichmond.org
Westminster Canterbury Richmond gives residents the choice of several types of apartments or free-standing homes. The faith-based facility’s mission is to inspire residents to “live life well.” Offering a number of programs that provide social and cultural enrichment, plus a theater, gallery and woodshop, the community also includes four different eateries.
2. (TIE) Brandermill Woods; CrossRidge; The Hermitage
3. (TIE) Cedarfield; Covenant Woods; Lakewood Manor
Best continuing care community
(TIE) Lakewood Manor; Our Lady of Hope; Westminster Canterbury
lakewoodwestend.org; ourladyofhope.com; wcrichmond.org
According to Executive Director Barrett Way, Lakewood Manor is dedicated to providing a loving home for those it serves. Our Lady of Hope offers senior care services including assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and short-term skilled rehabilitation. Westminster Canterbury is among just 15 percent of facilities in America to be certified by the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission.
2. (TIE) Beth Shalom Woods; Masonic Home of Virginia
