Modern living in Old Town Manchester

Virginia's original craft brewery has been pouring since 1994, and its massive deck delivers what may be the best skyline view in the city: the James River and downtown Richmond laid out in front of you.

Housed in a converted industrial space right around the corner, Basic City pairs a rotating tap list with ping pong, a game room, and one of Manchester's liveliest patios.

A Richmond soul food institution on Hull Street, famous for fish and grits, seafood platters, and a room that stays packed for good reason. Just a short walk south into the heart of Old Town Manchester.

The floodwall walkway is Manchester's signature stroll: an elevated path with a wide-open panorama of the James River rapids and the downtown skyline. The sunset never gets old.

Reachable by the pedestrian bridge beneath the Lee Bridge, this island park in the middle of the James offers trails, sunbathing rocks, rock climbing, and front-row seats to Class IV rapids.

More than 600 acres of trails, riverfront, and whitewater along both banks of the James, making Richmond the only city in the country with Class IV rapids running through downtown.

The Fifth District's Federal Reserve tower sits just across the river on the downtown skyline. This building one of the region's most recognizable employers and a straight shot up the bridge.

The Manchester Bridge puts you minutes from Richmond's central business district, home to Fortune 500 headquarters including Dominion Energy and CarMax, plus the state capitol complex and thousands of professional jobs.

One of Virginia's largest employers and an academic medical center anchoring downtown's east end — a quick commute for the many residents who work in healthcare.

Reynolds' downtown campus offers associate degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways. This is an affordable, five-minute option just across the river.

VCU's Monroe Park campus anchors the Fan District with nationally ranked arts, health sciences, and business programs — close enough to make class an easy trip.

A historically Black university founded in 1865, VUU brings a storied campus, athletics, and cultural programming a short drive north.

Your neighborhood boutique grocery store, selling local brands, prepared foods and sandwiches, beer & wine, desserts, specialty groceries, and gifts.

A popular pop-up flea market and community hub just across the river, featuring vintage clothing, handmade art, and local food vendors.

Richmond's beloved nine-block shopping strip mixes independent boutiques, record stores, and the historic Byrd Theatre with a dense run of restaurants.

Manchester's location on the south bank puts three major arteries within minutes, making commutes in nearly any direction refreshingly short.

The landmark 1901 train shed puts Amtrak service to D.C., New York, and beyond just across the river, one of the easiest car-free connections in the city.

A straightforward drive east on I-95, RIC offers nonstop service to major hubs nationwide without the traffic headaches of a bigger airport.