7 Of The Best Things To Do In Richmond's Church Hill

7 Of The Best Things To Do In Richmond’s Church Hill

Church Hill is Richmond’s oldest and most historic neighborhood. Anchored by St. John’s Church (where Patrick Henry delivered his famous “Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death!” speech), Church Hill is a thriving area, home to some unbelievable restaurants, fun and quirky shopping, and several iconic skyline views of Richmond. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Church Hill. 

Participate In “Liberty Or Death” Reenactments At St. John’s Church

Every Sunday during the summer (between Memorial Day and Veterans Day), “witness the extraordinary rhetoric of Patrick Henry as he convinces his fellow delegates to take up arms against the King!” Play your own role in this historic reenactment by sitting in the church pews and voting on resolutions (just don’t change the course of history!) Also be sure to check out the surrounding cemetery, where roughly 1,300 people are buried, including George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Elizabeth Arnold Poe, the mother of Edgar Allan Poe.

Explore Church Hill On A Scavenger Hunt

Discover Richmond Tours’ Church Hill Scavenger Hunt is half self-guided, half interactive game. We’ll lead you to the neighborhood’s most interesting sights and stories, and at each spot, you’ll be prompted (with a mobile app) to answer a trivia question you’ll solve by looking ALL around you!

Take In The Views Of Richmond

Looking for a park with a view? Take in the iconic Libby Hill (N. 28th and E. Franklin St.) views of both the James River and Downtown Richmond. (Did you know the view of the James from Libby Hill is “the view that named Richmond”?) Or drive a little farther East and head to Chimborazo Park (E. Broad and 33rd) where you’ll get a little Civil War history with your view. Taylor’s Hill Park and Grace Street Park (E. Grace St. and N. 22nd) offer one of the best, unobstructed views of downtown. 

Grab A Cocktail

Church Hill is home to some amazing restaurants with equally admirable cocktail menus. You should definitely stop into The Roosevelt, a well-loved neighborhood spot in a turn-of-the-last-century building. The seasonal craft cocktail menu, with its clever drink names, might actually knock your socks off. Or head across the street to Emerald Lounge, a tropical-themed cocktail bar with snacks to match. And don’t skip out on Alewife, a Mid-Atlantic seafood restaurant with cocktails like “The ol’ one, two” and “Verdita Jammer.”

Learn About Civil War Spy Elizabeth Van Lew

Church Hill is the home of Elizabeth Van Lew, an abolitionist and philanthropist who built and operated an extensive spy ring for the Union Army during the Civil War. She brought words of comfort and supplies to Union soldiers kept at Libby Prison, eventually helping some escape. Van Lew allegedly had such an extensive spy network, she was able to station someone in the actual White House of the Confederacy, gathering valuable intelligence she would then pass on to Ulysses S. Grant in the form of messages hidden in egg shells. Stop by her former home on the south side of Grace Street, between 23rd and 24th. 

Partake In The World-Class Dining Scene

You can’t go to Church Hill and pass up on dining in at least one of the world-class restaurants and bakeries. Grab a flaky, savory hand pie at Proper Pie, named the best pie spot in Virginia by PEOPLE Magazine. Stop in at Alewife, Grisette, or The Roosevelt for a true RVA dining experience. Sit down at Liberty Public House, nestled in the basement of a former movie theater, for the best hot chicken sandwich of your life. And of course, no trip to Church Hill is complete without a visit to Sub Rosa Bakery, consistently named one of the best bakeries in the country. 

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