Tours and Tickets
This is Richmond: Downtown Walking Tour
4

This is Richmond: Downtown Walking Tour

By The Valentine - Richmond History Tours
About
Discover Richmond history from its beginnings to the present day, exploring the sites and stories that shaped the River City! From Thomas Jefferson’s State Capitol to local Civil Rights heroes and the city’s growing arts and foodie scenes, we’ll uncover the stories and best-kept secrets of locals. Visit the Broad Street historic shopping district, the Virginia Capitol Square, Jackson Ward, and numerous historic and architectural gems. Includes an exclusive look inside a historic landmark, Monumental Church! Tour ends at the Valentine and ticket includes admission to the museum. Richmond History tours are a service of the Valentine, Richmond's first museum dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s history for over a century. Led by master guides, the Valentine's tours go beyond the highlights, uncovering stories and best kept secrets of locals.

Ages 1-110, max of 15 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Guided walking tour
  • Entry/Admission - Richmond
  • Entry/Admission - The Valentine
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation


Start:
  • Richmond Visitors Center, 405 N 3rd St, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
    Tours begin inside the Richmond Visitor Center at 405 North 3rd Street and end at the Valentine, 1015 East Clay Street.
End:
  • The Valentine, 1015 E Clay St, Richmond, VA 23219, USA

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 85624P2

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not recommended for travellers with back problems
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Tours are typically 1.5-2 miles in length. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water.
  • Tours are held rain or shine. However, in extreme weather a tour may be cancelled.
  • Accessibility- People of all abilities are encouraged to join us for tours. If you have accessibility challenges or need accommodation, please let us know in advance. Terrain and sidewalks are not always even.
  • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 85624P2

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Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    Richmond Visitors Center
    405 N 3rd St, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
    Tours begin inside the Richmond Visitor Center at 405 North 3rd Street and end at the Valentine, 1015 East Clay Street.
    See address & details
  • Pass by
    Jackson Ward
  • 1
    Virginia Capitol Building
    Stop: 20 minutes
    See details
  • 2
    Monumental Church
    Stop: 20 minutes - Admission included
    See details
  • 3
    The Valentine
    Stop: 30 minutes - Admission included
    See details
  • You'll end at
    The Valentine
    1015 E Clay St, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
    See address & details
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • The Valentine - Richmond History Tours
    54
    Richmond, United States
    Joined in May 2012
  • Adventure07781324841
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great tour!
    Such an interesting and informative tour! Our tour guide, Monica, was so fun and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!
    Written 23 May 2023
  • Soooez1
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing 2 hours exploring the Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond
    Our guide, Jim, was beyond excellent! His knowledge of the area, its history, and other tidbits of information was extraordinary. He kept a very comfortable (slow) pace, and there was never a lull in the conversation or something else to point out and explain what we were walking past. The headsets made the experience that much more enjoyable, the connectivity was perfect. The only thing I would change are the directions to the meeting place, and to be aware of limited parking. Another important note - there seem to be NO restrooms. ANYWHERE! There are also very few trash bins, so I would suggest drinking your coffee at home, use your own restroom, and then set out for a 1.5-2 hr enjoyable tour. The weather cooperated, too! And we found a very nice restaurant for brunch which was right on the water and had amazing views and breezes. All in all, it couldn't have been better! Thank you The Valentine Museum and Jim!
    Written 18 September 2022
  • Neesie58
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Valentine's Monument Ave Tour!
    Augmented reality tour of the Monuments on Monument Ave was excellent blend of history and current events. Engagement with audience brought additional perspective and interesting discussion.
    Written 7 August 2021
  • Excursion689126
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hollywood Cemetery Tour
    Highlight of my visit to see my adult daughter who recently moved to Richmond, Virginia!! The docent’s passion for the history of the cemetery was inspiring. We went on Saturday, October 19th at 10:00 am and it was perfect! Part of my daughter’s reason for moving to Richmond was because of ancestral ties to the city. Both her paternal grandparents are buried in the Hollywood Cemetery. If you are ever able to do the centenary tour, I highly recommend it and the fees for the tour support the efforts to keep history alive.
    Written 21 October 2019
  • selbocalypse
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Thank you Sandy and Valentine Tours!
    A big thank you to Sandy for an amazing tour of Hollywood Cemetery. Sandy knew all the little details to make this historic walk come vividly alive. Can't wait to return!
    Written 12 October 2019
  • Laura V
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hollywood Cemetery Tour
    We loved the walking tour and learned so much. Our guide was wonderful, she shared so many interesting facts with us and was very knowledgeable. This tour was definitely one of the best tours we have taken in Richmond.
    Written 15 August 2019
  • Remypug
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hollywood Cemetery
    I don’t even know where to begin and how to describe this incredible tour. Kathy is not only a phenomenal guide, she is so passionate and knowledgeable. She made me and my 12 year old son excited to continue visiting and learning more about Hollywood and her amazing “residents.” This is not a cemetery tour...this is a tour of a gorgeous botanical garden full of art, symbolism, history, and thousands of personal stories to discover. As a native Richmonder, I have been to Hollywood many times, but I will now go much, much more often. This is truly a gem of our city!!!
    Written 25 June 2019
  • birgewilson
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Union Hill Walking Tour was Excellent
    Liz gave a great tour and provided copies of primary source documents for us to look at. I am definitely sold on going on another Valentine tour after this one!
    Written 28 May 2019
  • Whitete
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent tours!
    We just completed the Union Hill/Church Hill tour. Liz was our guide and she was excellent! (We also had Liz last week for the History Hounds tour and loved her) Liz is very knowledgeable and thorough. She enjoys doing the research for these tours and it shows. We’ve lived in Richmond over 35 years and have learned a lot from all the Valentine’s tours. I can’t recommend Valentine Museum tours enough. If you get Liz as a tour guide, you’ve hit the jackpot!
    Written 5 May 2019
  • cl0wdy
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    History with the dogs
    If you have a dog, and enjoy walking areas in Richmond to learn its history, this is the way to do it. We had a group of about 20 people and dogs. All were well behaved, including the people. It was a great way to learn about specific areas of the city.
    Written 29 April 2019
  • Travelerreluctant
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Friendly, knowledgeable guide, lovely walk
    On our most recent visit with friends, they took us on the Hollywood Cemetery walking tour conducted by The Valentine. We were a small group on a weekday morning, and although chilly it soon warmed up. Sun was out so it was a nice day for a walking tour through a wonderful cemetery in the heart of Richmond. Our guide was personable, knowledgeable, and didn't rush us. He carried a ringed set of sheets whereby he could show us photos of how things looked, "back in the day," when the tour called for it. Questions were readily asked and answered, and although I'm sure the guides get some of the same questions all the time, there was no indication that he was tired of answering! That is a plus in being a tour guide. We could also tell that he enjoyed showing visitors around and giving them common and obscure facts. The stops to look at various graves and statuary were long enough to satisfy, yet we kept moving. The culmination was the grave of Jefferson Davis, as well as the view of the rapids of the James River. I was interested in the bits one could still see of the early canal to circumvent the James, at the bottom of the hill. And of course, the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers always leaves one with a bit of sadness. All in all the tour was grand, and I highly recommend it to those who love a little bit of history as part of their vacation time.
    Written 3 November 2018
  • RachelW2110
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Phenomenal Tour Leader, Amazing Tour
    I went on the Hollywood Cemetery Tour and our tour leader, Kathy W., was incredible. I've been on tours, private and public, all across the world, and Kathy's tour was one of the best I've ever been on. Well-versed, engaging, and focused, Kathy leads a tour that covers landscape design, funeral rites, Richmond and general cultural history, literature, and so much more. This is a walking tour of a cemetery that covers over 100 acres. Make sure you pack your walking shoes and bring water if the day is scheduled to be hot. You'll get a bit of a workout and an amazing education.
    Written 8 October 2018
  • Roving14296624627
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    What life was like
    Richmond is a city with a rich history. This tour will inform you of the many twists and turns this city has experienced over the centuries. Of special interest is the Valentine House, a magnificent example of Classical Revival architecture. Take this tour if you feel like walking.The best way to undersgtand a city is on foot,.
    Written 25 August 2018
  • food123eater
    0 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    I really wanted to like it, but...
    We were very excited to go on the From Monroe Ward to Jackson Ward Walking Tour, but it didn't take long to realize that this tour was going to be disappointing. Our guide, although nice and super knowledgeable, was just not a charismatic or very interesting. The tour was advertised as a walking tour, but for the first 39 minutes she sat on a step talking while our group of 20+ participants stood in place listening to her. In the first hour, we literally had only moved 2.5 blocks from our starting point. We walked more in the second half, but I would still not consider it enough to qualify as a walking tour. She talked about buildings that were blocks away as she pointed in their direction, instead of us actually walking by them. The tour went over by 30 minutes, even though we didn't walk by a ton of stuff. It was seriously disappointing. A walking tour needs to include a steady walk with stops at points of interest, not pointing and telling us about stuff that we can't even see.
    Written 5 August 2018
  • Karen B
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hollywood Cemetery Walking Tour
    What a great way to learn about history of Richmond! The tour guide is extremely knowledgeable and the grounds of the cemetery are fascinating and beautiful! Very scenic.
    Written 19 July 2018
See all 54 reviews
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles2 reviews
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pvpam
Prescott Valley, AZ3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
My husband and I enjoyed the Walking Tour of Richmond. As it was our first trip and we knew very little about the City, it was a nice introduction to its history. Two hours doesn't allow for much in depth discussion but it certainly gave us the highlights. We enjoy the benefits of walking which allow you to get much closer to the sights.
Written 20 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MargaretMcc2835
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019 • Solo
As an avid fan of history tours, this one in particular stood out to me with its welcoming introduction to the city and it's rich and varied stories. The tour is provided through and ends at the Valentine Museum whose collections focus on local history and events. Along the tour you are in introduced to both lesser known and iconic names such as Bolling Haxall and Maggie L Walker. The tour leads through lively urban areas and the peaceful capitol grounds, showcasing the environmental diversity of Richmond. I highly suggest this tour for tourists and locals alike!
Written 16 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

This is Richmond: Downtown Walking Tour provided by The Valentine - Richmond History Tours