Put away the screens, turn off the TV, and pull out a favorite board game – Monopoly, Richmond Version! That’s what we did in 2025 while caring for their ten- and eleven-year-old grandsons during school breaks. It didn’t take long to realize that each of the properties should be brought to life for the boys with real-time experiences.
The Richmond Version of Monopoly, produced in 2023, highlights local historic sites, outdoor adventures, sporting events, museums, restaurants, and unexpected treasures. A little bit of creative thinking soon turned into a plan to visit almost every site on the game board with weekly trips throughout the summer. Some days involved single site visits while others naturally combined various landmarks.
Discover History
Richmond is filled with an immense assortment of history to please everyone in the family and help us all learn a thing of two along the way.
Virginia War Memorial
For starters, a visit to the Virginia War Memorial is a sure way to teach appreciation for sacrifices made by those who have served our country. From early battles to recent wars, the hands-on displays and visuals were engaging to both grandsons and ourselves. With an ancestor that was known as a Doughboy in World War I and a great-grandfather that was a Navy pilot, their service came to life through stories told at the Memorial.
St. John’s Church
There is no better way to witness history than attending a re-enactment of the Second Virginia Convention and Patrick Henry’s speech declaring “give me liberty or give me death” at Historic St. John’s Church. Actors as prominent Virginia delegates and others in period dress brought history to life as we sat in the church pews. Adding to the experience was meeting with delegates following the convention on the lawn of the church. When our youngest grandson told Mr. Jefferson we had previously visited his beloved Monticello, Mr. Jefferson (in character) quizzed the youngster about visiting his personal library.
Old City Hall
Park the car and take a walking tour that starts at Old City Hall. Outside, the Gothic Revival architecture is breathtaking with its 195-foot clock tower. The inside courtyard spans three-stories high with granite walls and a grand staircase. Who would have guessed that our eleven-year-old would be so taken by the architecture and both grandsons would be enthralled by the large brass letter box typically found in buildings of past eras? An added treat was the on-site security guard who excitedly took on the role of tour guide to share fun facts about the building.
Capitol Square
Continue your walking tour to Capitol Square to view the Virginia Washington Monument just steps away from the Governor’s Mansion. We challenged our grandsons to not only look up to George Washingon, but to also look for the names of other noted Virginians who took part in the American Revolution. The lowest level of the statue features six allegorical figures representing the ideas of Colonial Times, including Independence and the Bill of Rights.
Walk to the Capitol Building and take part in a docent led tour of the seat of the Commonwealth’s government. Mr. Jefferson’s likeness greets visitors as they begin their tour of a building he helped design and former governors look down from official portraits. This visit was a lesson in both history and civics for our grandsons. Don’t we all remember the Schoolhouse Rock video “I’m Just a Bill”? Don’t forget to enjoy the outside grounds of the Capitol Square that include the Mantle: Native American Monument, Bell Tower, Women’s Monument and more.
Explore the Outdoors
Digital screens and TV shows can’t compete with the natural beauty found around our town.
Maymont and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
The Japanese Garden at Maymont was so much fun for the boys with its bamboo trails, rock climbing amid the waterfalls, and stone jumping in the pond. Equally fun for our grandsons were the bridges, trails, treehouse, and life size bird’s nest at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. A special treat was meeting a horticulturist in the greenhouse that was harvesting seeds for future planting. She was more than happy to learn about the vegetable garden being grown by these boys!
University of Richmond
A driving and walking tour of the grounds of the University of Richmond led us to Westhampton Lake with its footbridge and gazebo. Not to be forgotten is the Gothic architecture of the campus buildings built in red brick and carved limestone, many adorned with the famed Richmond Spiders logo.
Take a Hike
Any day is a good day to hike — rain or shine — and Belle Isle is no exception. With trails following the riverbank and wandering through historic sites, there are plenty of things for kids and adults to discover. Part of the James River Park System, the island did not disappoint for our family hike. Similarly, a walking tour of Brown’s Island presented a combination of history and art with views of the James River’s rushing waters filled with kayakers. On the day of our visit, the Canal Walk was a favorite for downtown employees taking lunch hour strolls and enjoying their meals outside.
Park at a Park
Several parks are featured on Richmond’s Monopoly game board. Forest Hill Park, listed on Virginia’s Historic Register, provided us enjoyable green space that features the historic Stone House (once the park manager’s home), lake and lots of play areas for our multi-generational group. A picnic lunch at Libby Hill Park was the perfect opportunity to take in an eastern view of the City of Richmond. An interesting fact is that this view is similar to the features of the River Thames in England at a village called Richmond upon Thames. When William Byrd II helped to establish the city in the early 1730’s and saw the view of the James River, he named the new town Richmond as a reminder of the English scenery.
Joy on the James
The traditional Monopoly game board features Boardwalk as the most expensive property to purchase and rent from its owner. It is only fitting that the James River takes over this property in the Richmond Version of the game. Its length reaches across Virginia. It changes courses from more shallow areas to fast paced rapids to wider tidal flows. The mighty James has defined much of our River City. On previous day trips we took in views of the river from Belle Isle, Brown’s Island, and Libby Hill Park. We crossed the James on a number of bridges while traveling to different sites. Cruising the river was the perfect choice for our grandsons to enjoy its contribution to Richmond. A Riverfront Canal Cruise launching from the Turning Basin provided a historically narrated tour of the James River and Kanawha Canal. The 40-minute narrated cruise was just right!
Explore Museums
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is certainly a can’t miss landmark in Richmond. With so many gallery choices to tour, we chose the American and 21st Century galleries since many of our other activities highlighted Virginia history. Our grandsons found the interesting and the unusual, the old and the new, and art that made them wonder. Their school art classes taught various mediums – VMFA took everything to a new level.
Although our grandsons have outgrown The Children’s Museum of Richmond and its many offerings for younger children, it was not forgotten on our many Monopoly visits. When arriving at the downtown location, kids were enjoying the splash pad and their laughter said everything about this enjoyable place. For us, it was a photo opportunity in front of the CMoR sign with family members who, like fabled Peter Pan, don’t want to grow up.
Carytown
Carytown is a fan favorite on the Monopoly game board and is a living museum in its own right, full of outside building murals and unique shops to enjoy. But, how do you engage active boys in a vintage shopping and entertainment destination? The iconic Byrd Theatre, a historic movie palace, was the perfect solution. With plenty of movie selections, we chose a Saturday morning show that featured the “Mighty WurliTzer Organ” rising out of the orchestra pit to entertain our audience. This crown jewel of Carytown relies on public support to operate. Our grandsons were glad to donate and learned a lesson in charitable giving on our visit.
Main Street Station
Main Street Station is a combination train station, museum, visitor center and event venue. Train travel played an integral role in the rise of Richmond. Completed in 1901, our grandsons were again enthralled with the grandeur and architecture the station offered – much different than the modern-day Staples Mill Station that they have traveled out of in the past. While we watched northbound and southbound trains entering and leaving the station there was much more to explore beyond the train hub. We discovered the Virginia Welcome Center with its changing exhibits. We discovered a spacious event hall that provides views of the city. To the delight of our grandsons, we discovered musical instruments intricately built from Lego blocks. The boys also connected that The Clock Tower so often observed from interstate drives is a part of the Main Street Station landmark.
Show Your Team Spirit
Sports are a big part of Richmond’s culture and soccer is one of the highlights on the Monopoly game board. Avid soccer fans and travel team players, our ten- and eleven-year-olds were excited to attend a Richmond Kickers game at City Stadium. Better yet, youth soccer players were encouraged to wear their team jerseys for recognition. Even with a home team loss, taking in the game as a family was a big win.
Racing under the lights at Richmond Raceway was a first-time experience for our grandsons. The Friday night truck race was full of trading paint action with speed and roaring engines (headphones are a must have) adding to the excitement. The boys chose trucks to follow based on colors and paint schemes – easy when drivers are unknown. They are already asking for a return visit to the raceway.
Gather Together
No good day trip is complete without a good meal. Joe’s Inn in the Fan District is a local favorite featured on Richmond Monopoly. With history dating to 1952 and an appealing menu even for our younger generation, it was a must visit on the restaurant list. Adding to the appeal is that a Community Chest card in Monopoly awards a player $100 for finishing their Spaghetti Ala Joe rather than requesting a to-go box. Eat all your meal and avoid a container that may not be recyclable. Our grandsons didn’t leave anything on their plates.
ZZQ, another fan favorite, warranted a photo opportunity as the restaurant was not open during our daytime trips. However, photos included more than just the building front. The large façade sign, logo, and catering truck made for multiple pictures with smiling grandsons.
Did you know that the Virginia Lottery is a gathering place? For all the right reasons, security is strict and the building is not open for tours. When contact was made with customer service with an inquiry, recommendation was made to enjoy the courtyard with a picnic lunch and take photos in front of the big logo outside the building. Our grandsons gathered around the sign for a beautiful photo and learned from the game how Virginia’s public schools benefit from lottery profits.
Four different railroads are named on the traditional Monopoly game board and any player would like to own them all. The Richmond Version names four different modes of transportation – bike, bus, car, and train. While visiting Main Street Station we saw all four modes gathered at one site as a major transportation hub, ready to connect travelers across the city and beyond.
Unexpected Treasures
History witnessed? Lessons learned? Great outdoors enjoyed? New experiences? Teamwork cheered and good meals for all? Yes, to everything. The unexpected bonus? Seeking out LOVE signs that are hidden treasures at various sites we visited. Afterall, who doesn’t love a good game of Monopoly, spending time with the grandkids, and capturing all the moments in pictures?
