This is an outdoor mall with a lot of food options both late night and early in the morning for breakfast. It is very close to the Wingate hotel. Some of our favorites: Bakers Crust (breakfast), The Boathouse (for a very nice dinner) and Bar Louie (for drinks). There is also a lot of shopping, pretty much every major retailer has a store here.
If you have some time and want to be more adventurous and enjoy the nice July heat, you can go to our local beach and tan in the sun at Belle Isle. It is beautiful in the summer and a great walk. Parking is a little sketchy, but just give us a call and we will help you out.
This is a free (for some things, you do have to pay around $5) nature center right in the city of Richmond that has beautiful gardens, flowers, some animals, a historic house museum, an arboretum, a carriage collection, native wildlife exhibits, a nature center, and Children's Farm.
This is a beautiful Botanical Garden right outside of the city of Richmond.
If you have a little time on your hands and decide to make the trip a long weekend, you should visit Carytown in downtown Richmond. It has much more of a city vibe than the west end and Short Pump. It also has great food, sights, street art and shopping.
If you would like to learn more about the historic aspects of Richmond, this is a great place to start. There is everything from canal cruises, to trolley tours.