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The New York Times recently dropped its latest guide on how to spend a weekend in Richmond, the pub's fifth travel feature on RVA in recent years.

Why it matters: The Times' evolving coverage not only tracks the city's evolution from a sleepy Southern town to a must-visit cultural destination. It helps cement it for a national audience. 

And it's a journey that's well worth taking a look back at. 

The big picture: For more than 50 years, the NYT has been dispatching travel writers down here to marvel at the former Confederate capital and report back on its happenings, per an Axios review of its coverage. 

And for decades, history, old buildings and mild spring weather were the chief reasons anyone should visit Richmond, according the Times' earliest published weekend guides going back to the 1970s. 

Back then, the paper encouraged visitors to rent a car and suggested they spend as much time outside of Richmond as in it. 

The latest: The Richmond of today, per the NYT piece published last week, is one the author "fell in love" with during a 2023 visit — and keeps revisiting. 

With the James, our abundance of craft breweries, fantastic bakeries and creative restaurants, plus a new amphitheater and baseball stadium, Richmond makes "a perfect weekend destination" — for anyone, he writes. 

And that's just the start of what visitors should consider as part of the NYT's jam-packed itinerary, which has tourists wandering from Carytown to Church Hill amid "a wonderland of porches," with stops at:

Quirky local shops like Rest in Pieces, It's a Man's World, CobbleStore Vintage and Lineage.

Impressive museums and parks, including the American Civil War Museum. VMFA, Libby Hill Park, Belle Isle and Monroe Park. 

And feasting at Beauvine Burger Concept, B-Side Bakehouse, Sub Rosa, Perly's, Helen's, The Jasper, Legend Brewing Co. and Lemaire.

The intrigue: It's a striking departure from how the NYT travel writers found the city in 2009, when Richmond was described as "fried okra country" and a Southern town in transition. 

We fared better in 2016, emerging as a "new Richmond" with "a restaurant scene that gets better every month."

Bronze equestrian statue of a rider on a rearing horse atop a white pedestal, dark clothing and a long silver scarf streaming behind. Deep blue night sky; base reads "RUMORS OF WAR"

"Rumors of War," during an unveiling ceremony at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in 2019. Photo:  Zach Gibson/Getty Images

That's when RVA landed on The Times' list of 52 must-visit places "as a true cultural destination."

It was also the year that Richmond began to shed the last vestiges of our Confederate past — beginning with the arrival of "Rumors of War" in late 2019 and ending with the removal of the Confederate monuments.  

And the NYT has been obsessed with us ever since. 

Richmond's rise through the New York Times' lens

Decades of travel stories reveal Richmond's shift from history stop to vibrant cultural hub.

Night city skyline with tall glass buildings glowing white and amber lights along a dark blue sky. A riverfront foreground and distant highway signs complete the urban scene.

Richmond in January. Photo: Al Drago/Getty Images

The New York Times recently dropped <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="its latest guide" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/45363236.98/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyNi8wNC8yMy90cmF2ZWwvdGhpbmdzLXRvLWRvLXJpY2htb25kLmh0bWw_dW5sb2NrZWRfYXJ0aWNsZV9jb2RlPTEuZEZBLnI2eG0uZ3Y3VW85eUFFN3g1JnNtaWQ9bnl0Y29yZS1pb3Mtc2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3AjY29tbWVudHNDb250YWluZXI/621cf7632d0d7c1ea2551892B7c39bd73#_ga=2.195295272.585301871.1777230292-1656551071.1771274772" data-vars-content-id="413adb20-7c5d-4e1b-a566-e304d8f52dc6" data-vars-headline="Richmond&#x27;s rise through the New York Times&#x27; lens" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/45363236.98/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyNi8wNC8yMy90cmF2ZWwvdGhpbmdzLXRvLWRvLXJpY2htb25kLmh0bWw_dW5sb2NrZWRfYXJ0aWNsZV9jb2RlPTEuZEZBLnI2eG0uZ3Y3VW85eUFFN3g1JnNtaWQ9bnl0Y29yZS1pb3Mtc2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3AjY29tbWVudHNDb250YWluZXI/621cf7632d0d7c1ea2551892B7c39bd73#_ga=2.195295272.585301871.1777230292-1656551071.1771274772" target="_self">its latest guide</a> on how to spend a weekend in Richmond, the pub&#x27;s fifth travel feature on RVA in recent years.Why it matters: The Times&#x27; evolving coverage not only tracks the city&#x27;s evolution from a sleepy Southern town to a must-visit cultural destination. It helps cement it for a national audience.

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Around 1.5% of metro Richmond's rental listings on Zillow are from sellers the platform calls "accidental landlords."

Why it matters: That's one of the lowest shares in the nation of people who pulled their homes off the market and rented them out instead. 

State of play: The nationwide share of these "accidental landlord" rental listings on Zillow hit its highest level since late 2022 in October,  according to the real estate site.

That's when 2.3% of U.S. Zillow listings were posted for sale for at least two weeks, then delisted and relisted as a rental within three months of being off the market.

The surge in rentals coincided with mortgage rates topping 7%. 

Yes, but: Richmond's real estate market was once again an outlier in the nationwide trend, posting the 10th-lowest share of listings from these unintentional landlords in October. 

Richmond, Zillow notes, was one of its "10 hottest markets for 2026." 

The latest: RVA's hot housing streak is unlikely to let up anytime soon. 

Last month, it posted the second-highest increase in home sales in the nation, per Homes.com. 

And Richmond's median home sale price hit $404,000 in March, making it about 4.9% higher than the national median.

Zoom out: Accidental landlords are most common in softer markets with more price cuts, Zillow found.

Texas and Florida had 7 of the 10 metros with the highest shares of accidental landlords, while Denver led at 4.9%.

Shares were lowest in the Northeast and Midwest markets, including Boston (0.6%), New York (0.7%), Chicago (1.3%) ... and Richmond. 

Richmond bucks "accidental landlord" trend amid hot housing market

About 1.5% of listings flipped to rentals, as strong demand keeps metro Richmond's housing market competitive.

A for sale sign switching to a for rent sign and back

Around 1.5% of metro Richmond&#x27;s rental listings on Zillow are from sellers the platform calls &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="accidental landlords" data-vars-click-url="https://www.zillow.com/research/accidental-landlords-36151/" data-vars-content-id="54953c9b-21e9-42eb-b8ba-6df1cd9bedde" data-vars-headline="Richmond bucks &quot;accidental landlord&quot; trend amid hot housing market" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.zillow.com/research/accidental-landlords-36151/" target="_blank">accidental landlords</a>.&quot;Why it matters: That&#x27;s one of the lowest shares in the nation of people who pulled their homes off the market and rented them out instead.

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Arts District social club Common House will soon go by a different name.  

Why it matters: The swanky members-only club is cutting ties with the brand and reopening under new management — an abrupt shift that follows a sudden closure at the original Charlottesville location.

The big picture: The building owners of the 303 W. Broad St. property announced this week that the club and event space is transitioning management and won't operate under the Common House brand after May 19.

Most operations will stay the same, including the staff, private bookings and scheduled events, along with amenities like the rooftop pool, co-working space and restaurants such as Birdie's on the ground floor. 

How it works: The Ukrop family and New York-based private investment firm Mercer Street Partners — who both own Quirk Hotel — own the building, while Common House has been operating the club under its brand.

The building owners had been paying a monthly fee for Common House to do so since the beginning, their spokesperson tells Axios.

Now they're taking over management, and tapping the firm that manages Quirk — Kentucky-based Schulte Hospitality Group — to run the reopened social club.

With the split, a new name will be announced soon.

Flashback: A trio of UVA alums opened the first Common House in Charlottesville in 2017, hoping to create a modern country club for a younger generation. 

Three locations followed, all with the same model and branding — offering in-house restaurants, co-working spaces, coffee bars, wine clubs and hip programming. Most locations also have a pool and podcast studio.

Richmond's opened in 2020, followed by outposts in Chattanooga (2021) and New Orleans (2024).

Zoom out: The sudden changes at Richmond's Common House follow the abrupt closure this month of the Charlottesville one due to a landlord-tenant dispute, C-Ville Weekly reported.  

According to that pub, the original Common House owners quietly sold it in 2024 while retaining ownership of the building. 

The Charlottesville Common House closed on April 16 after the building owners (and Common House founders) failed to reach a lease agreement with the new owners, per a letter from Ben Wood, the Common House CEO since 2024 and the former head of global operations for WeWork. 

What's next: More info on the club's new name and operational changes will be shared in the coming weeks. 

Folks can follow along at @303westbroad and www.303westbroad.com for updates.

Richmond Common House drops name amid management shakeup

The shift follows a closure and dispute in Charlottesville, raising questions about the brand's future.

Red brick urban building with lush trees in front; ground-floor shop under a black-and-white striped awning, warm-lit windows, and bicycles parked along the curb on a sunny day.

The building formerly known as Common House. Image: Courtesy of Kate Thompson

Arts District social club <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Common House" data-vars-click-url="https://www.commonhouse.com/richmond-links?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio&amp;fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGn8JVeKGoepio4WzJZUGIXmkrpx96-gWVc-MPz4o4s1wQN_77A_ley0Lz-4SA_aem__Gki1OedeRYa4svFb_xKSA" data-vars-content-id="8bfe58d8-a2b0-4307-acdc-9c6bb2947c3e" data-vars-headline="Richmond Common House drops name amid management shakeup" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.commonhouse.com/richmond-links?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio&amp;fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGn8JVeKGoepio4WzJZUGIXmkrpx96-gWVc-MPz4o4s1wQN_77A_ley0Lz-4SA_aem__Gki1OedeRYa4svFb_xKSA" target="_blank">Common House</a> will soon go by a different name. Why it matters: The swanky members-only club is cutting ties with the brand and reopening under new management — an abrupt shift that follows a sudden closure at the original Charlottesville location.

Food and Drink

Hardywood is out with a new low-cal, low-ABV brew, just in time for summer sippin' on the James. 

Why it matters: Sales of River On! help support efforts to keep the river clean.   

The big picture: The session IPA is a lighter take on Hardywood's The Great Return, a West Coast-style IPA the brewery launched in 2013 to benefit the James River Association. 

Hardywood donates $5 of every barrel it makes of both brews to the nonprofit dedicated to protecting the James River. 

Zoom in: The new brew has "bright, tropical notes" and was crafted to enjoy while on or near the river, a spokesperson for Hardywood tells Axios. 

It clocks in at 3.9% ABV and 96 calories, an across-the-board lighter version of The Great Return's 7.5% ABV. 

A hand holds a glass of hazy beer with Hardwood Park logo on a balcony railing, overlooking a lake and green trees under a bright blue sky.

Hardywood held the River On! release at the James A. Buzzard River Education Center overlooking the James. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios

What's next: River On! is out now; you can grab a 6-pack or draft at Hardywood's tasting rooms.

💬 Non-beer drinking Karri's thought bubble: It tastes like beer. But in a good way. 

Hardywood debuts River On! IPA for summer on the James River

The new low-cal, 3.9% ABV brew supports James River cleanup efforts with every barrel sold.

Teal River On! beer cans (Easy IPA and Session IPA) by Hardywood, stacked in front of a display box reading "Brew with Purpose"; blue circular plaques decorate a light wood wall in the background.

Hardywood's River On! is out now. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios 

Hardywood is out with a new low-cal, low-ABV brew, just in time for summer sippin&#x27; on the James. Why it matters: Sales of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="River On!" data-vars-click-url="https://www.hardywood.com/river-on" data-vars-content-id="a3472dc4-9318-4c9c-a647-9074847963c0" data-vars-headline="Hardywood debuts River On! IPA for summer on the James River" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.hardywood.com/river-on" target="_blank">River On!</a> help support efforts to keep the river clean.

Cher is headed to Richmond this fall to kick off The Richmond Forum's next season. 

Why it matters: Forget about the British Royals and their snubbing of Richmond during their Virginia trip, American royalty is incoming.  

Driving the news: The legendary artist will be in town on Nov. 21 as one of the forum's speakers for the 2026-2027 season, the nonprofit announced this week. 

Cher will share stories about her life, lessons she's learned and the philosophy that helped drive her decades-long career, per a news release.

What they're saying: "For 60 years, she has refused to shrink" or fit a mold, says Forum executive director Heather Crislip. 

"Richmond knows something about that. This is a vibrant, creative city that has done its own reinventing, and ... there is no better place to hear Cher's story than here."

Also on tap for The Forum next season: Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (April), education entrepreneur Sal Khan (February), economist Baroness Dambisa Moyo (March) and psychologist Dr. Laurie Santos (January). 

Be smart: The Richmond Forum is one of the nation's largest nonprofit speaker series and designed to bring interesting people to the Altria Theater to encourage public discourse. 

The series has been around since 1987 and basically sold out ever since. 

Yes, but: You can buy a seat in the simulcast room and watch from Altria's ballroom for $155, or watch online at home for $145 a household. 

Both options will get you on the Forum's waitlist for seats in the theater, should they open up. 

But, but, but: Sulking around outside of Altria (or probably The Jefferson) in late November and hoping to catch a glimpse of Cher IRL is perfectly free. 

Move over royals: Cher is headed to Richmond Forum

The music icon will speak at The Richmond Forum in November, joining a packed 2026-27 lineup.

Blonde female singer wearing a black leather outfit performs on stage with a microphone, red lighting and a blurred cheering crowd in the background.

Cher at the Grammys in February. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Cher is headed to Richmond this fall to kick off The Richmond Forum&#x27;s next season. Why it matters: Forget about the British Royals and their snubbing of Richmond during their Virginia trip, American royalty is incoming.

Karri Peifer

Featured stories

Richmond's rise through the New York Times' lens

Move over royals: Cher is headed to Richmond Forum

Richmond Common House drops name amid management shakeup

Richmond bucks "accidental landlord" trend amid hot housing market

Hardywood debuts River On! IPA for summer on the James River