Richmond's Best Breweries - Vol. 1

Richmond is rapidly becoming a sought after city to live, work and play on the east coast.  With relatively low living costs, an edgy art scene, a prime location for restaurant openings for first time chefs or experienced restauranteurs, this love of creativity and innovation is spilling over to craft brewing.  Not only are new restaurants vying to offer local taps, the breweries themselves have decided to offer their own atmosphere and personality to Richmond’s dining scene.  Whether beer is a passion of your own, or you want a fun few Saturday outings, here are 4 great breweries to check out in the Richmond area.

Legend Brewing Co—The original local brewing staple in the city, Legend Brewing Co. started in 1994.  Located in historic Manchester, it offers outdoor seating and Pub fare 7 days a week with hours more typical to a restaurant than a brewery.  Legend offers a free brewery tour on Saturday’s at 1:00pm.  They offer year round varieties as well as seasonal and limited brews.  You can never go wrong with a Legend Brown Ale.

Info:

321 West 7th Street, Richmond, VA 23224

(804) 232-3446

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery—One of the most successful and sought after local brews, Hardywood has made a name for themselves with beers like the Gingerbread stout that sell out the same day they hit the shelves.  In addition to having great beer, the atmosphere at Hardywood is sought after, with food trucks in the parking lot and bands playing in the ample indoor venue, it has become a local hangout spot.  Closed Monday and Tuesday, they offer public tasting hours starting in the early evening through 9pm and 6pm on Saturday.  You can check their website for available beers throughout the week in the tasting room.  Grab a beer before a game at the Diamond, or before catching a nearby movie.

Info:

2408-2410 Ownby Lane, Richmond, VA 23220

(804) 420-2420

Triple Crossing Brewing Co.— Located in downtown Richmond at 113 S. Foushee.  This small brewery offers 9 beers currently on tap.  Food is not offered, so it might be a great place to stop by for a beer before heading to dinner elsewhere, or before a show.  Close by to Altria Theatre, The Carpenter Center, The Coliseum, Virginia’s Repertory Theatre, Richmond CenterStage and The National puts this brewery in a prime location for the start of your night.  A fun atmosphere with group games to play like Jenga, makes it a amiable hang out spot in general.  

Info:

113 South Foushee Street, Richmond, VA 23220

(804) 308-0475

Strangeways Brewing— If you have an adventurous pallet and looking for something beyond your typical pale ale or lager, Strageways Brewing is the destination for you.  They focus on not-your-typical brews and offer weekly events, specials and food trucks.  Located at 2277 Dabney Road, halfway between Lakeside and Carytown, this brewery is open daily. 

Info:

2277 Dabney Road, Richmond, VA 23230

(804) 303-4336

I will keep this information up to date and I will add more things to do in Richmond as time goes on. I love this city and I want to share all the interesting things to do here with all of you! 

This Christmas, Don’t Forget About Williamsburg

(image courtesy of http://guardianlv.com)

Whether you are staying in town this holiday season or you have friends or loved ones visiting, a lot of us forget how many amazing things are just a short drive from Richmond. One of the biggest “tourist” destinations is Williamsburg, and when we think of this charming little town most people think two things: Outlet Shops and Theme Parks. That’s great an all because yes, there are those two things there but there is so much more to offer.

Starting with the basics: Williamsburg has Christmas Town at Busch Gardens during this time of year, this is fun for all of your loved ones and it is filled with Christmas related activities. A lot of the rides that are geared towards kids are open during this season with a couple of roller coasters still open for kids. The outlet shops in Williamsburg are famous for carrying designer brands at discounted rates, if you haven’t completed your shopping list then this may be a good opportunity to do so.

There’s so much more though! Richmond Magazine did a great article about some of the other activities to do there, they focus mainly on a couple of things that you may not know about or have forgotten about. The activities included cover: Culture, Shopping, Food and Relaxation.

From the article:

"The last time I went to the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum several years ago, the museum was still in a small house off the Colonial Williamsburg property. I recall it seeming small and tired. That was then. In 2007, the museum was combined with the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in a bright, sprawling warren of galleries. For lovers of antique furniture and porcelain, the DeWitt collection offers ample eye candy. The layout is confusing at first, but after a trek through these galleries, you arrive at the folk art museum. Mrs. Rockefeller (who also co-founded the Museum of Modern Art in New York City) put together a remarkable collection of American folk art, from portraiture to figures and musical instruments. There is a great deal to be learned from this artwork, and the museum has done an excellent job with explanatory signs. Be sure to give yourself time to take it all in."

"For dining options, you can choose between basic fare, bistros and high-end seafood, in addition to Williamsburg classics like The Cheese Shoppe and The Trellis. (Be prepared to see costumed actors among the shoppers.) On weekends in December, you can catch a free, 30-minute street-theater production of Master Thespian’s A Christmas Carol by the Virginia Theatre Machine, and the Williamsburg Christmas Parade takes place Dec. 6 from 8:30 to 11 a.m.."

What this tells me is that there is still things to do in Williamsburg apart from the obvious choices, I think it is time to revisit that wonderful place. Now that we have an office in Virginia Beach, I will make sure to be stopping by more often in Williamsburg.

Read the whole article right here.