About Richmond
Richmond is the capital city of Virginia and it lies on the banks of the James River. It has been an independent city since 1871. It is one of USA’s oldest metropolitan cities and is noted for two eras in the country’s history. During colonial times Richmond played a prominent role in independence, and during the Civil War, it was the capital of the Confederacy.
Today, Richmond is a cosmopolitan metropolis with large corporations and Fortune 500 headquarters located here. Richmond has many historical attractions that reflect the Civil War. The city has a rich and cultural heritage with museums, performing companies, theatres, outstanding architecture, and outdoor spaces. Richmond is divided into different historic neighborhoods where the residents are diverse and belong to different races and communities. Booking a meeting space in Richmond should be on your agenda to come.
Meeting Options in Richmond
Before you tie up the details, consider some of the aspects of coordinating your Richmond meeting space.
- Décor
The appropriate décor in your meeting space will impress all your clients and colleagues. From signage to office items, desks, chairs and tables, you will find everything you need from reputable companies in Richmond.
- Catering
At most meetings you need to provide food to your colleagues or clients. Whether you are thinking of individual packages to hand out or prefer wait staff to serve food at your meeting space, you can find all options in the city. Caterers can also set up a buffet table at your meeting space and serve fresh food.
- Event Planners
Hire an event planner in Richmond for easy planning and execution of your meeting. Event planners have ties with vendors and they have the experience in putting together events including everything from networking sessions to brainstorming meetings. Working alongside an event planner will lighten your load and make your management task a lot easier.
Meeting Companies in Richmond
Richmond is a city with plenty of history. But it's also ahead of the times when it comes to businesses to help you coordinate your meeting.
- Every Little Detail
This company is a corporate event planner and they go above and beyond to create a memorable event for clients. Every request is customizable to suit your budget and vision. The Every Little Detail team works with the best vendors in town and has plenty of experience. They guarantee that they will be the first to arrive and last to leave, to make your event a success.
- James River Transportation
James River Transportation has been offering services for over 90 years and its core values are customer service, reliability, teamwork, safety and integrity. Whether you need an airport service for your colleagues or clients, or just need a vehicle to travel during the day in the city, this transportation company offers corporate charters for different companies in Richmond.
- Aviva Rentals
Aviva Rentals offers affordable monitors, laptops, projectors, audio gear, video streaming services, video cameras and office equipment rentals. They’ll help you out with the technical aspects of the day also, which can often be one of the biggest challenges.
Pros and Cons of Meetings in Richmond
Being a large metropolitan area, Richmond has both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to coordinating a meeting.
Advantages
- Plenty of good restaurants
Richmond boasts hundreds of great restaurants and eateries offering all types of cuisine. Many establishments have an organic approach for their menus and source ingredients locally.
- Good location
Richmond is located in the center of Virginia and it only takes a couple of hours to drive to other important places. Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Washington, DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia are not far from Richmond. This makes it convenient for visitors from neighboring cities to attend your meeting.
- The traffic is moderate
Considering the size of the city and the number of people who live here, the traffic is not bad compared to other urban cities like DC, NYC, Seattle and LA. At the most, you will get stuck in traffic for 15 to 20 minutes.
Disadvantages
- The transportation infrastructure needs development
You need to be careful when traveling in the city because most drivers in Richmond do not obey rules for pedestrians and crosswalks. They may not stop if you are crossing the street. Added to this, cars are in bike lanes most of the time. If your meeting attendees are visiting from other cities, you should brief them about how the traffic runs.
- High crime rate
Richmond is a busy city and unfortunately, it has more crime than the national average rate. When choosing your meeting venue always make sure that it is in a safe zone.
- Allergies can be problematic
Advise your colleagues and visitors to stock up on antihistamines or other medication especially if your meeting is held during the transitional season. Richmond is one of the worst places for allergies and this can affect many people who are prone to the flu, coughs and colds.
Famous Locations in Richmond
- White House of the Confederacy
This historical site was built in 1818 and was the residence of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his wife and children from August 1861 to 1865. It has been restored with a wartime appearance and it is furnished in Rococo-Revival furniture, beautiful carpets, flocked wallpaper and silk. Many receptions and parties were held at this house by Mrs. Davis. Today, it is a museum with different artifacts like hand weapons, photographs and flags from the confederate states and the civil war.
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has permanent galleries that showcase early 20th-century European art and works by French artists like Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Henri Matisse. Other works include enamel items and precious stones by Russian artists, trinkets, and a collection of Faberge jeweled Easter eggs. Contemporary American art, German expressionist art and African, South Asian and Himalayan pieces are other items on display.
- Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
This botanical garden is the perfect place to spend the entire day. Appealing to kids and adults, the area is wheelchair accessible and everyone can enjoy the beautiful view from the CWDKids tree house. There’s plenty to do and see here in the 63 foot tall conservatory including viewing orchids, cactus, palms, a model train, butterflies, over 70 varieties of roses, and a community kitchen garden.
