My Day Exploring RVA with Mom, Dad & Kelsey
Going home to visit is always a special occasion. I’ve lived in Colorado for 5 years now, so any time I get to visit home is enjoyable. Richmond has changed A LOT since I was around, so this was a perfect day to really explore the neighborhoods of the river city. We had a Saturday with no plans, and since we LOVE COFFEE, I mean are OBSESSED with coffee…of course! A coffee tour of Richmond!
We started the day with a roastery. I love bringing coffee back from every place I visit, so this was how our plan began. My Mom introduced me to Roastology in Chesterfield. I found a great organic, washed coffee from Peru that I’m looking forward to brewing up on my own. Knowing we had a full day of tasting ahead, I chose to skip out on a cup of joe but Mom, Kelsey and Dad enjoyed a fresh drip.
The next stop was one of my favorite coffee shops in Richmond. I’ve only ever been to the Addison Street Cafe, but my older brother Josh convinced us to check out Lamplighter Roasting‘s location in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood. I was so impressed and inspired by this area. I love the modern-industrial style and revamped old buildings. Josh stopped in to say “hello” and we had (spoiler alert) the best drink of the day: Summer Lavender Latte. I seriously need to find a cafe that does lavender this well in Denver
After leaving Lamplighter, we happened upon a RVA Bike Share rental station. What a find! Spontaneously we decided to hop on bikes and pedal to the next spot on the tour. Maybe the caffeine was getting to us… We left the hip Scott’s Addition neighborhood and did some sightseeing along Monument Avenue. After a few miles up and down admiring Richmond’s adorable historic homes (Thank goodness Richmond drivers are bike aware!), we found ourselves outside of Black Hand Coffee in the Museum District. I ordered a refreshing ginger kombucha by Blue Ridge Bucha. Daddy D was onto his third latte of the day. Champ! This coffee shop was small, but a great find. Their menu was limited and to the point–they do espresso well, no frills.
Next, I went on a trip down memory lane. We cruised back across Broad Street and headed straight toward my high school. Since we were being extra active bicycling around town, we needed the extra “energy” from donuts. Alas, Sugar Shack Donuts earned a stop on the coffee tour. Luckily, this spot wasn’t here when I went to high school…because I could’ve easily made it a habit. We picked out our treats and took a break in the shade to devour. We tried a “Dirt” Donut: oreo with gummy worms, a Butterfinger dusted donut, and a Salted Caramel glazed donut. We certainly had sticky fingers on the handlebars after this stop!
The day was heating up, so after our sugar excess we started our return ride to the car in Scott’s Addition. We passed an awesome new park by the Redskin’s Training Facility, an adorable Gelato Shop (..to be revisited..) and several great breweries/tap rooms. [Perhaps next visit will be a RVA Tap Room Tour!] We stopped by to check on Josh at the gym, but we had just missed him.
After checking our bikes back in, we hopped in the car and headed across the Manchester bridge. We needed to burn off a bit more energy, so we accessed the Flood Wall Trail from south of the James and had incredible views of the city. Mom spotted several bald eagles perched in dead limbs along the river. It was HOT! I am not used to the Southern heat and humidity, Colorado has me spoiled. We only lasted a few miles up on the flood wall and then returned where we came from for lunch (a healthy lunch, without caffeine, I might add) at Plant Zero Cafe. I’ve been here before when visiting and am always happily satisfied with a simple meal.
It was all we could do to keep our eyes open on the drive home. A pre-dinner afternoon nap was certainly in our future. The morning of adventure was soul-filling in a way that only being home with my family can do. I’m looking forward to more days of exploring the city, always drinking more coffee, and laughing at ALL the dad jokes.
Oh! From stop one to the end, Daddy D mastered the group selfie- and we are so proud:
What are your favorite coffee shops in Richmond? Any to add to the list for next time?
