City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 6600 Whitepine Rd.
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 201 Enon Church Rd.
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 3401 Courthouse Rd.
49. 522 Skate Park At Goochland Sports Complex
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 556-5854
Address: 1800 Sandy Hook Rd.
Description: Located in what used to be the tennis courts for the old Goochland High School, this skate park is open every day for users, but you must call or come by the Parks office in the same complex to sign a waiver before you skate. With that taken care of, they will give you a sticker for your helmet. If you don’t have a helmet or the sticker, you won’t be able to skate. The park area also has baseball and softball fields, a football and soccer field, and a gym where other activities are held. Check out the Program Guide on the Web site for more details.
50. Fighting Creek Park
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 598-5612
Address: 2200 Mann Rd.
Description: This brand-new facility is near the courthouse complex and encompasses 220 acres. Mixed in with the county library, YMCA, and other facilities, it’s a great addition to central Powhatan. There’s a playground, complete with fun facilities for disabled children, baseball, softball, and soccer fields, and the largest 18-hole disc golf course in Virginia. That’s quite a boast. For now, walking trails meander over a picturesque wooden bridge and by sharp-looking wooden picnic shelters. Dogs and horses are not allowed here, and the park closes at sunset.
51. Hanover County Boat Ramps
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: The Pamunkey and North and South Anna Rivers are awfully nice places to paddle. These are the places to go to float your boat.
52. Lake Chesdin
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: This 3,100-acre reservoir attracts plenty of people for its array of water sports and fishing. Largemouth bass, black and white crappie, channel catfish, walleye, and striped bass are potential catches here. A public boat ramp and fishing pier are available at 12900 Lake Chesdin Parkway on the north side of the lake in Lake Chesdin Park, a Chesterfield County park. See www.chesterfield.gov for more information.
53. James River Fishing School
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 938-2350
Description: Though his guided fishing trips are on the James River, Captain Mike Ostrander will be happy to provide instruction on other bodies of water for the novice or experienced fishing enthusiasts hoping to improve their freshwater fishing techniques. He’ll meet you at streams, ponds, or rivers that are convenient to you.
54. Powhatan Wildlife Management Area
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: The 66-acre Powhatan Lakes and smaller Powhatan ponds that range from two to nine acres within the Powhatan Wildlife Management Area are quite popular for fishing—for largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappies, redear sunfish, and more—and launching small boats. Both lakes and two of the ponds have boat-launching facilities, though gas motors are prohibited.
55. Pocahontas State Park
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 796-4255
Address: 10301 State Park Rd.
Description: Eight thousand acres not far from area residents’ doorsteps makes Pocahontas a great place for introducing camping to novices. During Mar through Nov, tent or RV camping is available on 129 campsites with electrical and water hookups for $25 plus tax a night. For those disinclined to sleep on the ground, Pocahontas offers several rustic camping cabins that sleep four in bunk beds. An in-season swimming pool, two lakes for fishing, and trails for hiking, biking and even horseback riding (using a nearby stable and with advance reservations) are options here.
56. Riverside Outfitters
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 560-0068
Address: 6836 Old Westham Parkway
Description: For a rare chance to climb up a tree like a squirrel, except more slowly, sign up for a half day of recreational tree climbing with Riverside Outfitters. The rigs and ropes are strong enough to hold 8,000 pounds, so you should be fine. If you’ve wanted to know what a bird’s-eye view is, this is your big chance. But since you don’t have wings, your quads will get quite a workout as you pull yourself up the trunk. The rappel down is pure pleasure.
57. Peak Experiences
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 897-6800
Address: 11421 Polo Circle
Description: The largest indoor climbing gym on the East Coast is a mecca for climbers and newbies. With bouldering areas, a 50-foot wall, 14,000 square feet of climbing space, and a high ropes course in front of your face, it would take quite a while before you mastered every one of the 135 different climbing routes. It’s open seven days a week and offers equipment rental, belaying, and when you’re ready, a shop for gear purchases. Day passes or memberships are available. Whether you’re starting at the beginning in Climbing 101 or ready for outdoor nuts and bolts, so to speak, instructors will guide you through the process, so you can join the climbers on Belle Isle and the Manchester climbing wall some day.
58. Anthem Moonlight Ride
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 285-9495
Address: 100 Avenue of Champions
Description: If a nighttime bike ride on a moonlit night along North Side and the Near West End sounds intriguing, then strap on your helmet. This event is held on a Sat in Aug, but has to move around from year to year to keep up with the moon. It isn’t a race, but it offers an 8-mile or 17-mile option with a concert and refreshments after the ride. The first year, one family showed up on a bicycle built for five. Costumes are encouraged; bike lights are required.
59. Heart Of Virginia
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (804) 358-5801
Description: The Heart of Virginia, sponsored by the Richmond Area Bicycle Association, is central Virginia’s premier road-biking event and is usually held the middle weekend in Sept. The routes include centuries—English and metric—a 40-miler, and a 30-mile route especially for families. Rest stops and lunch are included. Remember, it’s about the journey, which will have some hills, not the destination, which is the same place you start, usually the Patrick Henry YMCA. All routes start near Ashland and spread out over Hanover County’s beautiful countryside. Registration fees vary per event.
City: Richmond, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1600 Hilliard Rd.