If a visitor has only five hours to spend in Richmond, Annie Tobey has some suggestions as to how to spend them.
Her itinerary would include a tour of the Valentine for a proper overview of Richmond history and to see how far the city has come, then on to Scott’s Addition for a sampling of craft beverages, followed by recreation in James River Park and finally dining at a downtown restaurant, depending entirely upon the visitors’ preferred cuisine, whether upscale, soul, ethnic, regional, pizza, or burgers.
Realistically, it would be impossible to accomplish all that in a mere five hours, but you get the idea. Tobey knows what she’s talking about. Her new book, “100 Things to Do in Richmond Before You Die” was written in 11 months and published last September by Reedy Press as part of its “100 Things” series across the nation.
After being born in Richmond, her family moved away when she was seven. But like countless other native Richmonders, she returned, in her case, to attend the University of Richmond, and never left. There was a period about 20 years ago when she was ready to leave, but her children were still in school, keeping her tethered here.
Then Richmond got cool. “I began writing about craft beer and spirits and about other local gems, such as events, museums and restaurants,” she says. “I also got involved with local running groups and began running trails in the James River Park and Pocahontas State Park. Within these communities and elsewhere, I found kindred souls, the icing on the cake.”
When it came time to establish the 100 things for the book, Tobey was seeking certain standards, although she admits that not everything needed to fit all the criteria. “There were definitely some places it pained me to leave out,” she says. “But my top criteria included: longevity, to demonstrate staying power, so nothing too new; iconic status; quality; value for the money; locally owned and operated; and things that reflected the city’s diversity.”
Her goal was to fashion a bucket list that would open new doors for locals as well as for visitors. “Many people explore other cities as visitors more than they explore their own hometown,” she points out. “Similarly, most of us tend to get stuck in ruts. Unless we have a reason to visit new spots, people have their favorites that they return to because they know they’ll enjoy them. For this reason, the book can help even long-time Richmonders when they’re making plans, especially when entertaining visitors.”
Just don’t ask her to name Richmond’s greatest strength. “That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child,” she says. “I believe that it’s our diversity of people and activities. as well as our depth that make us such a fascinating place.” With some prodding, she’ll list them in order, acknowledging that her personal preferences shine through.
Tobey sees Richmond’s outdoors scene as very distinctive given it’s a forested park system surrounding the river with miles of fire roads and singletrack trails, close to downtown and accessible to all. “You can have an exhilarating, back-to-nature workout, and then grab a great meal and entertainment right after,” she says.
Coming in second is the city’s culinary scene offering diverse and high-quality food and beverage options. “In discussing our food and drink scene, both out-of-towners and locals underestimate the quality of our restaurants, especially considering the many quality restaurants at modest price points,” she says. “The national accolades the region has received demonstrate this Richmond distinction.”
History ranks third given that it was one of the nation’s first settlements, and one that played a pivotal role in so many aspects, high and low, of American history. Says Tobey, “Richmond has much to teach.”
Bringing up the rear is culture, which she sees as staying vibrant because of the city’s diverse population. “Richmond offers a variety of music and theatrical performances from hardcore punk to classical, avant-garde theater to Broadway tours, forward-thinking progressive museums, and an array of art,” she says, citing VMFA’s collection as ranging from 6,000 years of history to contemporary galleries.
Already, Tobey is getting feedback on how readers are using her book. Locals refer to it to plan special days, like anniversaries, birthdays, and dates or with out-of-town guests to help schedule activities. “You can plan new memories at new-to-you places,” she says. “Or send it to out-of-town friends and family to convince them to come for a visit.”
Newcomers, students and visitors stand to gain much from “100 Things to Do in Richmond Before You Die,” mainly by using it to better understand the city and then making plans to explore. “Bottom line, I would be thrilled to learn that my book aided locals and visitors in exploring the city while supporting the shops, restaurants, museums, tasting rooms and other businesses and venues that make Richmond shine,” Tobey says. “Creating connections for others is what makes me feel successful and satisfied.”
“100 Things to Do in Richmond Before You Die” by Annie Tobey is available online and at fine local bookstores near you.
