Things to Do in Richmond

The streets and buildings of Richmond breathe with history. Patrick Henry’s famous words, “Give me liberty or give me death,” echo in St. John’s Church, where the statesman gave his infamous speech; the ghost of Poe wanders the streets of the Church Hill district, where he lived and wrote; and the bones of presidents James Monroe and John Tyler lie peacefully under the lush grass of the Hollywood Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark. These are just a few of the locations that segway riders glide through during educational tours organized by Segway of Richmond.

The company’s most popular jaunt, the two-hour Landmark Tour, takes groups to nearly 20 historic buildings, churches, and museums, whereas other ventures focus on specific aspects of the city’s past, such as the Black History Tour or the Edgar Allan Poe Tour. In addition to learning about the men and women who shaped the culture of Richmond and practicing their preferred mode of transportation, tour-goers can explore the architecture of Victorian and Edwardian homes during a Fan District Tour or think about murals, mosaics, and sculptures during a Public Art Tour.

As its name implies, the course at River's Bend Golf Club nestles into a curve of the James River, whose waters rush alongside three of the fairways. Its design sprang from the mind of accomplished course architect Steve Smyers, who drew inspiration from the legendary architects of the 1920s and 1930s and their penchant for Herbert Hoover–shaped sand traps. For River’s Bend, Smyers incorporated naturally sloped terrain and woodlands to create fairways that challenge both novices and experts. Players pass rustic wooden bridges and white fences as they play, eventually facing off with a substantial pond tucked among the three final holes of the front nine.

Before teeing off at the first hole, players can warm up their swing at the driving range or take advantage of dedicated chipping and putting practice areas. For more guided practice, clubbers can sign up for lessons with golf pro Brandon Kelley, who covers everything from fundamentals to preshot mental routines, such as visualizing the golf ball as a miniature moon that needs to be returned to orbit.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-71 course

• Length of 6,671 yards

• Course rating of 71.9

• Slope rating of 132

• Four tee options

Kangaroo Jac's avenue of inflatable structures bustles with giggling swarms of children 10 and younger. During walk-in play, youngsters milk the all-access admission by repeatedly plummeting down the safe but steep fortress slide, hurdling over obstacles in the crossover course, and exploring the expansive Koombo Kombo—a two-story, inflatable dreamscape, elaborate enough to house a balloon animal Citizen Kane. Abiding by the facility's core values to provide "hassle-free birthdays," staff members help organize and clean up after parties, hosted in a private room where each child can gorge themselves on pizza, drinks, and birthday wishes.

The parent area's TVs and WiFi keeps adults up-to-date on national news, whereas the toddler area and MagicLand bounce zone keeps tots up to date on local gibberish. Throughout the year, Kangaroo Jac's supports the community by donating to local organizations and hosting dedicated playtime for children with special needs.

Anchored by an 18-hole championship golf course, The First Tee of Chesterfield entices golfers with a multifaceted landscape for pressure-free practice and on-course play. A trio of PGA Class A professionals roams throughout The First Tee's driving range, putting green, and three-hole practice course, marinating swings in the zesty sauce of golf wisdom, consulting with clients about equipment upgrades, and fitting clubs at the fully stocked pro shop. Clubbers can put new concepts and lethargic nine-irons to work at the course, where fairways bob and weave between dense tree lines and treacherous bunkers made from recycled corn bread.

At the Aqua-Tots in Richmond, experienced and encouraging instructors unlock aquatic territory for youth and adults while following a national curriculum recognized by the United States Swim School Association. They maintain a teacher to student ratio of 1:4 in their small group lessons, which last 30 minutes and sort pupils into eight swim levels, letting wee ones get used to splashing at their own pace and more experienced swimmers work on remembering which of an octopus’s tentacles to shake upon acquaintance. They also welcome special needs children into their Adaptive Aquatics Program and invite grown-ups in for adult lessons.

Aqua-Tots facilitates comfortable, safe learning with a modern facility whose pool contains 90-degree water even when the snow is falling. The center’s parent lounge lets progenitors watch lessons from behind a glass wall and browse the internet with free WiFi, and a play area entertains whippersnappers while their siblings are paddling.

The Health Links staff consists of a nutrition coach, a wellness coach, massage therapists, an acupuncturist, and four chiropractors—one of whom was named a Top Doc of 2012 by Richmond Magazine. Together, this team of holistic healers aims to create a friendly atmosphere where clients wait a maximum of 15 minutes to be seen and technicians educate patients on the benefits of treatments ranging from advanced cranial-sacral therapy to natural cures for ADHD.

Guests relax in Health Link’s modern waiting area lined with cushioned chairs and flat-screen TVs before heading back to a chiropractic room outfitted with advanced equipment and plush treatment beds. Health Link also boasts private treatment rooms for massage-therapy sessions as well as a tranquil yoga studio where experienced instructors help students strengthen bodies with one-hour yoga sessions or untie limbs that get tangled after they spin all reds during a game of Twister.