Richmond Region Tourism Joins Virginia By Rail,
Providing Area Itinerary for Amtrak® Travelers

(RICHMOND, Va.) – Richmond Region Tourism has officially joined forces with Discover Prince William & Manassas, Fredericksburg Regional Tourism Partnership, VisitNorfolk and the Virginia Tourism Corporation to attract visitors to their respective destinations by Amtrak® rail through the Virginia By Rail alliance. The alliance was formed to encourage travelers to uncover America's rich history by savoring Virginia's fine wines, enjoying craft breweries and distilleries, shopping and dining in a mix of some of the country's premier shopping and outlet malls, as well as exploring iconic Civil War museums, sites and downtowns.

Conveniently located two hours south of Washington, D.C., and tucked between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic coast, the Richmond Region is fun and accessible, and offers something for everyone regardless of budget, interests or age.

Begin your Richmond Region adventure with a tour of the Virginia State Capitol.  Designed by Thomas Jefferson, this architectural marvel is home to the oldest continually-operating legislative assembly in the Western Hemisphere. The Capitol also served as the White House in Stephen Spielberg's 2012 Oscar-nominated film, Lincoln.  Follow the cobblestone streets of Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom and enjoy one of Richmond's top-notch dining options.  While you're downtown, take a tour of the American Civil War Museum & White House of the Confederacy.  The White House, a National Historic Landmark, has been carefully restored to its wartime elegance as Confederate President Jefferson Davis' executive mansion.  Relive history at St. John's Church, the oldest church in Richmond, where Patrick Henry delivered his famous “give me liberty or give me death” speech.  Stroll along Monument Avenue – the only street in the United States to be named a National Historic Landmark.  Take in the grandeur of the street's seven larger-than-life statues and its impressive historic homes.

Start your next day in Richmond with a journey to Henricus Historical Park and explore the re-created site of the second successful English settlement in the New World.  The 1611 Citie of Henricus was the site of the first English hospital in the New World and served as the home of Pocahontas and her husband John Rolfe.  Enjoy lunch and shopping in Carytown, Richmond's “Mile of Style” which offers a variety of eclectic shops, boutiques, and restaurants.  Take an informative walking tour led by a guide from The Valentine or explore the city on two wheels with a bike tour from Richmond Rides.  Visit the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, a top comprehensive art museum offering a remarkable permanent collection of 33,000 works of art from almost every major world culture.  Stroll through the beautiful Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Maymont, or Agecroft Hall.  Visit Hanover Tavern or take a narrated canal cruise on a charming bateau boat.  Visit scenic Hollywood Cemetery, which serves as the final resting place of Jefferson Davis, 25 Confederate generals and 18,000 Confederate soldiers.  Take in a show at the beloved Swift Creek Mill dinner theatre.  Enjoy an evening performance by the Virginia Repertory Theater, the Richmond Ballet, Virginia Opera or Richmond Symphony.  

With more than 900 restaurants in the area, palate-pleasers come in a wide array of flavors.  Richmond offers four area wineries, twenty craft breweries, two urban cideries and a moonshine distillery to quench your thirst.  

For outdoor adventure enthusiasts, the James River flows right through the city and offers the only class III and IV white water rapids in an urban setting.  Riverside Outfitters provides visitors with an opportunity to experience the James River via canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and whitewater rafting trips, as well as mountain bike rentals for use on the world-class, technically-challenging trails of the James River Park System. Cyclists will also enjoy the Virginia Capital Trail, a dedicated, paved pedestrian and bicycle trail that connects the Commonwealth's past and present capitals of Jamestown and Richmond along the Scenic Route 5 corridor. The Trail stretches approximately 52 miles through four jurisdictions, and covers more than 400 years of history along one of the first inland routes in North America. Whether you are interested in Segways, Trolleys, or walking tours, Richmond has great options for travelers to experience its beauty and diversity.

Visitors traveling by rail and interested in learning more about how to experience the Richmond Region during their journey can contact Janie Lawson, Tourism Sales Manager, at 804-783-7409 or at Jlawson@visitrichmondva.com.

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Richmond Region Tourism, the official destination marketing and tourism organization for the Richmond Region, is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Region to meeting, convention and sports event planners, tour operators and leisure travelers. Richmond Region Tourism operates three Visitor Centers located at the Greater Richmond Convention Center downtown, the Richmond International Airport and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Hanover County, and a Mobile Visitor Center.

More than 7 million people visit the Richmond Region annually, contributing more than $2 billion to the local economy. Tourism generates nearly 22,000 jobs in the Richmond Region. For more information, visit VisitRichmondVA.com.