BLK RVA ITINERARIES
Your guides to cultural immersion
Black culture is woven into the fabric of this entire region. World-renowned food. Thriving Black-owned shops. Stories of struggle, and amazing African Americans who made history right here. Make sure you see it all. These itineraries can guide you on your way.
The BLK Foodie Tour - Day One
Food is central to Black culture, which is infused in the flavor of this whole region. Try these local restaurants for a two-day tour of the BLK RVA culinary experience.
Breakfast: Grab a table at 521 Biscuit & Waffles downtown on Main Street.
Lunch: Go for a classic, heaped-high sandwich at Charlotte’s Southern Deli & Tapas in the heart of downtown. Or head to Pig & Brew in Manchester for classic barbeque. Looking for a vegan option? Check out Philly Vegan.
Dinner: Head to the world-renowned Croaker’s Spot, home of the Soul of Seafood. And if you’re looking to relax with a little comfort food, be sure to visit Mama J’s, the region’s premier soul food restaurant. After dinner unwind with a great cigar and cocktail at The Lion's Den.
Dessert: Your reward for being you: the Sweet Spot in Shockoe Bottom has at least 48 flavors of premium ice cream ready to scoop at all times.
The BLK Foodie Tour - Day Two
Breakfast: Drop in Urban Hang Suite for community, connections and culture, served with good vibes, great coffee and all-day breakfast.
Lunch: Venture to Northside and find out #whatsinthedelicase at Nomad Deli. Or, go for clean and green goodness at Ms. Bee’s Juice Bar – a juicing gem in North Highland Park with healthy smoothies and cold pressed juices.
Dinner: Enjoy a view of the Shockoe Bottom Farmer’s Market and an incredible Ethiopian meal at Addis Ethiopian, where you’re invited to “taste the cuisine, and experience the culture.” Or head downtown to Southern Kitchen, a favorite of locals who want the world’s greatest cornbread muffins.
Dessert: Head to Ruby Scoops, and taste for yourself why owner Rabia Kamara got first prize on the Food Network’s “Clash of the Cones.”
The Stories of Heroism Tour
Walk the streets of Richmond, and you’ll find a rich history of African American achievement.
Visit the Maggie Walker National Historic Site, and learn how this trailblazing Black woman entrepreneur started a bank, a newspaper and a store, and left an enduring legacy in the face of racism, years before American women even had the right to vote.
Spend a few hours in the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, a dynamic multi-dimensional experience that both teaches and inspires conversation.
Walk the streets of Jackson Ward, the “Birthplace of Black Entrepreneurship” and one of the country’s first recognized historic Black urban neighborhoods.
Stop by the Bill Bojangles Robinson monument in Jackson Ward, the childhood home of the famed actor and dancer.
Walk through Capitol Square to the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial, in honor of activist Barbara Rose Johns.
Head to Monument Avenue to see the Arthur Ashe monument, which honors the Wimbledon champion and Medal of Freedom award winner.
The Long Trail to Freedom Tour
The story of Africans in America begins here. Walk in the steps of those who suffered, persevered and overcame, in a region that celebrates the unstoppable strength of our people.
Stand in awe of the resilience of our ancestors as you walk the historic Richmond Slave Trail, which chronicles the story of enslaved Africans in Virginia. The trail starts at Manchester Docks, then follows a route through the former slave markets of Richmond, beside the Reconciliation Statue commemorating the international triangular slave trade, past Lumpkin's Slave Jail and the African Burial Ground to First African Baptist Church, a spiritual center of African-American life in pre-Civil War Richmond.
Visit the Library of Virginia to research African American genealogy through the collection, Virginia Untold: the African American narrative. Librarians and archivists can also guide you to digital collections and databases that preserve the stories of African America from its earliest days to present.
Visit Brown’s Island to take in the new Emancipation and Freedom Monument, which honors Virginians who fought against slavery.
Experience the power of the empty pedestals on Monument Avenue, where monuments to Confederate soldiers have been removed.
Feel the power of the VMFA’s Rumors of War, Kehinde Wiley’s bold and inspiring response to the Confederate statues that once lined Monument Avenue, displayed as a bronze monument featuring a young Black man with tattered jeans and dreadlocks.
The BLK RVA Shoppers’ Tour
This is a one-of-a-kind place with one-of-a-kind shops. Check out these unique shopping experiences that celebrate the spirit of Black entrepreneurship.
Head downtown on Broad Street to Little Nomad. This Black-owned children’s store is filled with high quality, independently produced items, in a space that features local talents and makers.
Cross Broad Street to check out The Spot, a retail/community space curated by Black creatives, showcasing the talents of Virginia makers.
While you’re on Broad Street, stop into the Black-owned shop Rotate for high-end vintage streetwear.
Go one block down Broad Street to the Elegba Folklore Society. It’s home to African diasporic cultural experiences – and its shop is filled with art, books, fashion and other items that celebrate the African culture.
Stop by Seven Stones Crystals, in the historic Jackson Ward district – it’s known as the best place in the region to find crystals.
Treat yourself and stop by Adiva Naturals, where nature is beauty and shop for all natural and sustainable skin and hair care products
The Wellness BLK RVA Tour
Connect with community through health, wellness and healing. Reclaiming outdoor spaces, committing to self-care, and nurturing your spirt are all part of planning your personal RVA wellness retreat.
Start with a bike ride on the Virginia Capital Trail – or spend the whole day on it, riding from Richmond to Williamsburg and back.
Walk or jog the Canal Walk, a 1.25 mile stretch along the James River, Kanawha and Haxall Canals – it’s lined with public art, statues and exhibits.
Visit the Well Collective in Shockoe Bottom for an immersive health and whole-body experience, from intergenerational wellness to educational workshops and an apothecary.
Do a drop-in session at Hour Cycle, an inclusive and body positive fitness studio where indoor cycling is remixed with Black music and culture.
Refresh your soul at community grown and Black-owned Beet Box juice bar – right before you take a nice long walk through Carytown.
