Richmond

Richmond, Virginia, is the former capital of the Confederacy and a city actively working through that complicated legacy while developing one of the East Coast's most interesting contemporary food and arts scenes. The James River, with its class III and IV whitewater rapids running through the city centre, is Richmond's most surprising and excellent outdoor asset. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (one of the largest art museums in the Southeast, free permanent collection) holds excellent European, African, American and contemporary art. The American Civil War Museum is thoughtfully done — Richmond's role as Confederate capital (1861–1865) is central to American history, and the monument removal controversy along Monument Avenue (once lined with Confederate statues, now almost entirely removed) is a living historical discussion. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum, in the oldest surviving structure in Richmond, is atmospheric. The James River Park System gives Richmond something no other major East Coast city has — urban whitewater rafting, hiking along the river gorge, swimming at Belle Isle and kayaking all within city limits. Scott's Addition, a former industrial neighbourhood of warehouses, has transformed into the city's densest cluster of craft breweries and distilleries (over 30 within walking distance) — a remarkable transformation. The Carytown shopping and restaurant district and the North Side Fan neighbourhood are excellent for independent culture.