Richmond Flights and Travel Guide

It’s said that only 250 lived in Richmond when it became a town in 1742. Clearly, there was something special about this Virginia settlement because today, more than 1 million people call Richmond home. The city’s location to colonial Williamsburg, historic Washington, DC, and the Atlantic coastline make booking flights to Richmond an easy choice for all types of travelers.

If there’s one thing for certain about Richmond, it’s loaded with history. Richmond was named the capital of Virginia in 1780 and was known as the Capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Fly back in time to Richmond’s battlefields, cemeteries, monuments and museums that pay tribute to the Robert E. Lee and Union days. But Richmond isn’t stuck in the past. Boasting an urban nightlife to rival other cities, and offering many modern attractions including chic restaurants, open-air bars and plenty of open green space, there’s something for everyone in Richmond.

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Richmond Climate

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When to Fly to Richmond

Peak Season:

Richmond sees high tourism traffic during the summer and fall months. Summers are warm but rain is common, usually cooling off the hot days. Fall brings changing colors and cool nights. Book flights to Richmond in the spring and avoid the summer travel rush. The weather is comfortable, the colors are bold and the air is crisp.

Off Season:

Winter is cold and can bring a bitter chill to the area. However, this is also the best time to book cheap flights to Richmond and get discounted hotel rates, as tourism is down and there is not a lot of action in the city.

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Getting Around Richmond

The Greater Richmond Transit Company runs the public bus system that serves the Richmond metropolitan area; exact change is required. The bus service runs daily from 5am to midnight.

On weekends between June and September a motorized shuttle service connects all the city's cultural attractions for the benefit of tourists. Orange buses travel from Chimborazo Park across to the Science Museum of Virginia, stopping at all the attractions in between. The Blue line buses continue from the science museum to Maymount. The fare is standard and passengers can hop on and off as they choose.

Richmond is well supplied with more than 40 taxi companies, with cab ranks outside most hotels, the airport, Amtrak and the Greyhound terminal. The city also offers plenty of walking tours and is relatively compact and easy to negotiate on foot. It is worth renting a car to explore the outlying regions, but not entirely necessary if staying in town, although traffic is usually fairly light and parking relatively easy to find.

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Richmond Insider Information

• Take a break from U.S. history and visit the museum dedicated to one of America's most revered authors, Edgar Allan Poe. Poe didn't live in Richmond, but he was part of the junior honor guard that escorted General Lafayette here in 1824. Today, the museum consists of four buildings depicting the largest collection of Poe artifacts and publications. Guided tours are a must, but you can explore the Enchanted Garden on your own.
• Just a short drive from Richmond is Fort Lee, home to the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps and its Quartermaster Museum. View the uniforms and equipment from all of America's wars.
• Take a trip through the U.S. Army Women's Museum, the only facility dedicated to the women who served in the army. Today, this museum holds a special significance now that women are serving alongside men in Iraq.

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Richmond Airports

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