Sports and Recreation

Centrally located, Richmond offers a wealth of recreational opportunities. To the west are the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah mountains and the chance for such winter sports as skiing and sledding. To the east are Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean where anglers and water sports enthusiasts alike can revel in the miles of shoreline.

The James River is a great place to lure in smallmouth bass; catfish, bream, largemouth bass and muskie also can be caught. Saltwater fishing can be found nearby in the Hampton Roads area and in Chesapeake Bay. For information about fishing licenses contact the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; phone (804) 367-1000.

White-water rafting, kayaking, tubing and canoeing also are available on the James River. White-water canoe trips depart from James River Park, 22nd Street and Riverside Drive. The Richmond Raft Co., 4400 E. Main St., offers guided rafting trips on the James; phone (804) 222-7238. Adventure Challenge offers kayaking and tubing trips; phone (804) 276-7600.

Some 60 parks can be found throughout the greater Richmond area. Some of the activities available at the parks include tennis, bicycling, hiking, picnicking, swimming, boating and horseback riding. For information contact the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities; phone (804) 780-5733 in Richmond, (804) 748-1623 in Chesterfield County, (804) 501-7275 in Henrico County or (804) 365-4695 in Hanover County.

James River Park, at 22nd Street and Riverside Drive, is a good place to fish or hike. As part of the park, Belle Isle is reached via a footbridge on Tredegar Street or from the parking lot on 22nd Street. The island has walking trails with interpretive signs, a floating fishing pier and the opportunity for kayaking, canoeing, bicycling and rock climbing.

Pocahontas State Park, in nearby Chesterfield, offers more than 7,000 acres of outdoor opportunities for camping, swimming, hiking, boating and fishing.

More than 20 public and private golf courses can be found within the Richmond area. Some of the public and semi-private courses are Birkdale, (804) 739-8800, 8511 Royal Birkdale Dr. in Chesterfield; The Crossings, (804) 261-0000, 800 Virginia Center Pkwy. in Glen Allen; Glenwood, (804) 226-1793, 3100 Creighton Rd.; The Hollows, (804) 798-2949, 14501 Greenwood Church Rd. in Montpelier; River's Bend, (804) 530-1000, 11700 Hogan's Alley Dr.; and Sycamore Creek, (804) 784-3544, 1991 Manakin Rd. in Manakin-Sabot.

Spectator sports abound in Richmond. Baseball fans can cheer on the Richmond Braves, a minor league team of the Atlanta Braves. The Braves play ball from April through September at The Diamond on the Boulevard; phone (804) 359-4444 for ticket information.

Ice hockey fans can be found downtown at the Richmond Coliseum where the Richmond RiverDogs play in the United Hockey League; phone (804) 225-7825 for ticket information.

The Richmond Kickers play soccer in the United States Interregional Soccer League at the University of Richmond Stadium at Douglas Avenue and McCloy Street; phone (804) 644-5425 for schedule and tickets.

With four major colleges and universities in the area, Richmond is home to many rivalrous collegiate games. Basketball and football are popular at the University of Richmond where the Spiders play ball in Robins Center and UR Stadium, respectively; phone (804) 289-8363. The Virginia Commonwealth University Rams play baseball and basketball; phone (804) 828-1726. The Panthers at Virginia Union University play football on campus at Hovey Field and basketball at the Arthur Ashe Center near The Diamond; phone (804) 342-1484. A variety of sports is offered at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, including basketball, football and both men's and women's soccer, baseball, lacrosse and field hockey; phone (804) 752-7223.

Richmond is home to the Richmond International Raceway (RIR), which hosts several NASCAR automobile racing events throughout the year. Located at the Richmond Raceway Complex, the raceway houses some 105,000 reserved seats; phone (804) 345-7223 for tickets and information.