Richmond Limo Services & Rentals
Rent a
Limo in Richmond: Luxury Limousine Service for Any Occasion
Luxury limousine service or party bus in Richmond (VA) for every occasion, such as: airport ride
(RIC or another), birthday party, wedding, prom, excursion; night-on-the-town, corporate or group outing, concert,
sporting event, anniversary, bachelor party, bachelorette party, to and from cruise port, funeral, graduation,
holiday light tour, school dance and wine/private tour.
The following type of limo is usually available, depending upon location: luxury sedan & SUV,
stretch limo & SUV, van, mini-bus, motorcoach, antique, classic and trolley/carriage.
Richmond is the capitol of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a lively and interesting city with a
history that is long, rich and troubled. During the American Civil war, Richmond was the capitol of the so-called
Confederate States of America, and its identity as a city is inextricably tied to that era.
There are many sites of historical interest in Richmond. Along with several fantastically preserved
antebellum plantation houses and Civil War sites like Belle Isle, a former P.O.W. camp along the canal, visitors
can choose from numerous interesting Museums. The Museum of the Confederacy is dedicated to the region’s Civil War
past. The Black History Museum & Cultural Center chronicles notable achievements by African American
Virginians. Literary history enthusiasts simply must visit the Edgar Allen Poe Museum, a block from the author’s
former residence in Shockoe Bottom.
It’s not all mid-19th century American history in Richmond, however. Outdoors adventure is never
far away in Richmond Virginia. There are 7 state parks within an hour’s drive of the city where visitors can hike,
camp, fish or hunt to their hearts content.
There’s lots of fun to be had on the James River, either taking in the sights on the 1 ½ mile Canal
Walk, or touring the Richmond Canal by boat. The James Park River Park System has plenty of fun family activities,
as well as white-water rafting opportunities up to category V. Kids won’t be bored either, thanks to the proximity
of great amusement parks like Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, the east coast’s largest water park.
Virginia takes its “southern aristocracy” very seriously. The FFV (First Families of Virginia) can
trace their ancestry back to the Jamestown colony of 1670. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts can boast the largest
collection of Faberge Eggs outside of Russia. Dancer and local philanthropist Bill “Mr. Bojangles” Robinson was
born in Richmond. His statue stands on the corner of Leigh and Adam Streets.
Founded in 1737 at the furthest navigable point on the James River, Richmond remained a small
outpost until just before the end of the colonial era, when independence-minded Virginians, realizing that their
capital at Williamsburg was open to British attack, shifted it fifty miles further inland. The move to Richmond
failed to offer much protection – the city was raided many times and twice put to the torch, once by troops under
the command of Benedict Arnold.
Richmond subsequently flourished, its population reaching 100,000 by the time of the Civil War.
When war broke out it was named the capital of the Confederacy, despite the fact that Virginia had voted two-to-one
against secession from the Union just a month before. The massive Tredegar Iron Works, now a dedicated visitor
center-cum-museum, became the main engine of the Confederate war machine. For four years the city was the focus of
Southern defenses and Union attacks, but despite an almost constant state of siege – General McClellan came within
six miles as early as 1862, and General Grant steamrolled remorselessly towards it through the last months of the
war – it held on until the very end. It was less than a week after the fall of Richmond, on April 3, 1865, that
General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox, a hundred miles west.
After the war, Richmond was devastated. Much of its downtown was burned, allegedly by fleeing
Confederates who wanted to keep its stores of weapons, and its warehouses full of tobacco, out of the victors'
hands. Rebuilding, however, was quick, and the city's economy has remained among the strongest in the South.
Today's Richmond is a remarkably elegant city, with an extensive inventory of architecturally significant older
buildings alongside its modern office towers. Tobacco is still a major industry – machine-rolled cigarettes were
invented here in the 1870s, and Marlboro-maker Phillip Morris runs a huge manufacturing plant just south of
downtown. Richmond is also a leading banking center.
Captain Christopher Newport first led English explorers in 1607 to the site they later named
Richmond after a suburb of London, England. Until that time, Indian tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy had
inhabited the area.
After two unsuccessful attempts to settle this naturally advantaged location for transportation and
trade, settlers enjoyed a change of luck. By 1644, the construction of Fort Charles began attracting many new
settlers. Soon, the community grew into a popular trading post for furs, hides and tobacco.
Richmond was founded in 1737 by Colonel William Byrd II. He inherited the former Stegg lands on
both sides of the James River from his father and became known himself as the "Father of Richmond." He visited here
in 1733 and planned to build a city. Four years later, his friend William Mayo made a map of Richmond and the first
lots were sold.
There were only 250 people living in Richmond when it became a town in 1742. In early 1780, the
State Capitol was temporarily moved to Richmond from Williamsburg at the request of the General Assembly, which
wanted a central location that was less exposed to British incursions.
In May of 1782, eight months after the British surrendered at Yorktown, Richmond was incorporated
as a city and officially became Virginia’s new capital.
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the importance of the facilities at Tredegar Iron Works
was one of the most compelling reasons for making Richmond the Capital of the Confederacy. From this arsenal came
the 723 tons of armor plating that covered the CSS Virginia — the world’s first ironclad used in war — and much of
the Rebels’ heavy ordnance machinery. (Today, the Tredegar Iron Works serves as the main visitor center for the
Richmond National Battlefield Park. It includes three floors of exhibits with unique artifacts depicting the
effects of the war on Richmond.)
In 1862, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as President of the Confederate States of America. One
month later Davis placed Richmond under martial law. The Seven Days Battle followed in June.
1863 marked the year General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s body was laid in the State Capitol and
President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.
Two years later, on Evacuation Sunday (1865), large parts of Richmond were destroyed in a fire set
by retreating Confederate soldiers. Over the next two weeks, President Lincoln visited Richmond and Lee surrendered
to Grant at Appomattox Court House, about 95 miles away.
Today, completion of a floodwall opened the doors for the development of the Richmond Riverfront,
stretching along the James River from the historic Tredegar Iron Works site, just west of 7th Street, to 17th
Street in downtown Richmond. Renovations include the rebuilt James River and Kanawha Canal and Haxall Canal,
designed by George Washington. Once a booming industrial center during the Civil War, the Richmond Riverfront
project has brought this 1.25-mile corridor back to life. Trendy loft apartments, restaurants, shops and hotels now
wind along the Canal Walk, along with canal boat cruises and walking tours. Housed in Tredegar Iron Works, the
National Park Service’s Richmond Civil War Visitor Center offers three floors of exhibits and artifacts, films, a
bookstore, picnic areas and more.
The new, expanded Greater Richmond Convention Center is open for business. Boasting more than
600,000 square feet, this sprawling convention center, located in the heart of downtown Richmond, is the largest of
its kind in the state and beyond.
Here are some sites to see:
Bell Tower
This brick tower was built in 1824 to replace a wooden one on this site. It rang in legislative sessions and warned
of fires, raids and other dangers. It is now a state visitors' center.
Belle Isle
One-of-a-kind pedestrian suspension bridge starts under the Lee Bridge on Tredegar Street. The one-mile trail
around the edge of the 54-acre island includes a walk along the falls of the James and Civil War earthworks.
Canal Boat Tours
Enjoy a canal boat tour with Richmond Canal Cruises. Dates and times are seasonal and weather permitting.
Canal Walk
Adjacent to north bank of James River from Tredegar Iron Works at Fifth Street to 17th Street, with pedestrian
entrances to the walk at Tredegar Iron Works, Seventh, 12th, 14th, 17th and Virginia Streets (accessible to people
with handicaps). Markers note people and events associated with the area's history. Restoration of the Haxall and
Kanawha Canals and construction of the Canal Walk provide opportunities for waterfront strolling, canal boat rides
and venues for outdoor concerts and special events.
Capitol Square and Virginia State Capitol Located at Ninth and Grace Streets, The
Virginia State Capitol is the first public building of neo-classical style in the United States designed by Thomas
Jefferson and is where Virginia's General Assembly meets. Free-guided tours are available.
Capitol Square features several monuments: Jean Antoine Houdon's life sized statue of George
Washington - the only statue in existence for which Washington posed - in the Capitol Rotunda, as well as busts of
other Virginia-born presidents. The statue in Capitol Square depicts Washington on horseback.
Executive Mansion
America's oldest, continuously occupied governor's residence, this National Historic Landmark displays silver,
china, carpets and furnishings donated by the citizens of Virginia. Both the bodies of Stonewall Jackson and Arthur
Ashe, Jr. laid in state at the mansion.
Carytown
This strip of cafes, record shops, wine shops, bookstores, shoe stores and more, is a local favorite for window
shopping or buying whatever grabs you; from kitchen gadgets to kids’ books. To most locals, the Byrd Theatre is
Carytown’s beloved anchor. A stunning work of gilded architecture, this renovated movie house features big-screen
flicks for under two bucks. After the movie lets out, follow the crowd to the ice cream parlor or yogurt shop
across the street. If you’re visiting in the spring, catch Virginia Commonwealth University’s annual French Film
Festival at the Byrd Theatre and come face to face with the hottest French actors and directors of our time.
Maymont Park
So many places in one. It's hard to know where to begin ...
A first visit to Maymont is best started at the new Robins Nature & Visitor Center—Maymont's
front door-but a history lover will soon find a path to the 1893 Maymont House. A plant lover will find the
elaborate Japanese and Italian gardens. For animal lovers there are the Nature Center, Wildlife Exhibits and the
Children's Farm. Seekers of solitude will select the perfect spot under a stately elm or beside a babbling
brook.
The Jefferson Hotel
Located at 100 W. Franklin Street, the Jefferson is Richmond's only five star hotel. Originally built in 1895, this
grand Richmond hotel was damaged severely by fire in 1901 and reopened only months later. Edward Valentine's statue
of Thomas Jefferson stands in the upper lobby over a pool that once was the home of live alligators. A staircase
offers a first-class view of the opulent lower lobby.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Located at 1800 Lakeside Avenue, the Garden was founded in 1984 and covers over 25 acres. This non-profit
organization focuses on education, horticultural display and botanical research.
Monument Avenue
Called "one of the most beautiful streets in America," and the only avenue in the United States named a National
Historic Marker, Richmond’s Monument Avenue is a manifestation of a post– Civil War glorification of "The Lost
Cause."
Begun in 1890 with the dedication of the Lee Monument, Confederate monument erection on the avenue
ended with the dedication of the Maury Monument in 1929. After that, periodic attempts to add memorials to the
avenue were not successful until July 1995, when Richmond City Council voted in favor of memorializing Arthur Ashe
on Monument and Roseneath Avenues.
Along Monument Avenue, grand homes and apartment buildings date primarily from the first two
decades of the 20th century. The avenue continues seven miles to Horsepen Road in Henrico County, but the statues
occupy only the eastern-most mile beginning at Lombardy Street. (Franklin Street becomes Monument Avenue at
Lombardy.) The statues, listed west to east:
Arthur Ashe, Jr.: The newest addition to Monument Avenue is the statue of tennis legend Arthur
Ashe, Jr., who was the first African American male to win Wimbledon. Ashe’s monument shows his dedication to
education, depicting him surrounded by children, holding books and his tennis racket overhead.
Matthew Maury: Scientist/oceanographer Matthew Fontaine Maury invented the electric torpedo by
experimenting with exploding powder charges in his bathtub. He is known as the "father of oceanography."
General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson: Given the nickname "Stonewall" at the first battle of
Manassas, Jackson died as a result of "friendly fire" at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
Jefferson Davis: Richmond sculptor E.V. Valentine created the tribute to Confederate President
Jefferson Davis. The 13 Doric columns in the sculpture represent 11 states that seceded and two that sent delegates
to the Confederate Congress.
Robert E. Lee: The monument to Robert E. Lee is one of America’s grandest equestrian statues. The
14-foot Lee sits atop his trusted horse, Traveller and was the first monument to be dedicated along the Avenue
(1890).
St. John's Church
Located at 2401 East Broad Street, this church is one of the oldest wooden buildings standing in Virginia and the
oldest church in Richmond. It is the site of Patrick Henry's "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" speech.
Shockoe Bottom
The recent completion of a multi-million dollar floodwall has spurred dramatic redevelopment of downtown Richmond’s
Shockoe Bottom. Now one of Richmond’s hottest night spots, Shockoe Bottom features some of the area’s most
sought-after restaurants and nightclubs. The neighborhood’s most spectacular and most recognizable landmark is Main
Street Station. Towering above colorful warehouses and 300-year-old Farmers’ Market, Main Street Station was once
the first sight rail travelers saw upon entering Richmond. Today it is still one of the city’s most impressive
sights and plans for the future include reviving rail travel to the station. The 17th Street Farmers’ Market is
perhaps the oldest in the country. Stop by the market in the summertime for huge ripe watermelons and beefy Hanover
tomatoes. During the autumn, shoppers will find rows of multi-colored gourds, jack-o-lantern-perfect pumpkins and
festive Indian corn. On Sundays in the Spring, the Shockoe Flea Market features an array of vendors selling vintage
items, antiques and collectibles.
Shockoe Slip
Now one of downtown Richmond’s most fashionable shopping and entertainment areas, Shockoe Slip is the city’s oldest
mercantile district. Called "the slip" because of its proximity to the once-bustling Great Turning Basin on the
James River canal system, this area had been the site of warehouse and tobacco manufacturing since the 17th
century. Burned to the ground in the Great Evacuation Fire April 2-3, 1865, Shockoe rebuilt rapidly. Most of the
19th-century structures now house trendy, new high-end loft apartments, shops and restaurants, including the
world-famous Tobacco Company Restaurant. Rent a limo in Richmond (VA)!
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