What to Do In Richmond When It's Hot AF Outside
BY THE RVAX TEAM
Richmond in the summer = sticky and sweaty. And as much as we love the idea of going out on the river or hanging out on a restaurant or bar patio, some days it’s just too freakin’ hot for that — even at the end of the summer. So, we’ve gathered up some of the coolest activities (lol) to help you beat the heat on the hottest RVA days.
Beat the heat at a barcade, bowling alley, or indoor-golf spot
Bingo Beer Co
This Scott’s Addition play place has vintage cabinet video games, pinball, ping pong, and classic boardwalk games, plus house-brewed beers, a full-service bar, and plenty of eats. Heat advisory who?
Location: 2900 W Broad St (Scott’s Addition)
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Hotel Greene
This “high-falutin’” miniature golf course is set inside a 1930s-inspired hotel, complete with an upscale lobby bar serving cocktails (which you can bring on the course with you) and small plates.
Location: 508 E Franklin St (City Center)
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Indoor Golf
If you’re going for a more traditional golf game, this spot is a 24/7 golf club featuring industry-leading simulators and room to spread out all your BYOB-and-F(ood)
Location: 3920 W Broad St Suite 101 (Scott’s Addition)
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River City Roll
This upscale bowling alley offers New American cuisine, live music, and 20 bowling lanes. Each lane allows up to six folks, so bring a whole group in to chill out and play a perfect game.
Location: 939 Myers St (Scott’s Addition)
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Escape into the air conditioning (& educate yourself!) at a local museum
Richmond is bursting with history in every nook and cranny, but when you’re looking to stay cool, heading to a museum is the move. The Museum District, of course, gives you art-and-fact-filled spaces like Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Science Musuem of Virginia; Shockoe Bottom dedicates an entire space to Edgar Allen Poe; and then there are the 20+ others that boast both cool air *and* cool artifacts.
Locations: Vary
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Get crafty with an indoor DIY project
PlantHouse
If you’re looking to add more greenery to your scenery, PlantHouse offers all kinds of workshops and reservations, like Candle Making, Succulent & Sangria, and lots more.
Location: 3356 W Moore St (Scott’s Addition)
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Nerd out with a new indoor game
One Eyed Jacques
You can find board games, role-playing games, puzzles, and way more at One Eyed Jacques in the heart of Carytown. And, as a bonus, their in-store selection is available online with options for pickup, local delivery, and shipping available at checkout — if you really want to maximize your climate-controlled planning.
Location: 3104 W Cary St (Carytown)
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Let some of our other city guides do the brainstorming
We don’t curate for, add to, and refresh our library of 200+ city guides for nothin’. Here are just a few other ways you can keep cool when Andrew Frieden is calling for uncomfortably humid conditions (or anything *other* than the *Verified* Best Weather Day of the Week):
Looking for more ideas?:
