Discover Richmond Scavenger Hunt
Discover the capital of Virginia with a scavenger hunt across Richmond. Stand on Capitol Square below the building Thomas Jefferson designed, follow the cobblestones through historic Shockoe Slip, hunt for murals in the arts district and walk the Canal Walk along the James River. Richmond mixes Civil War history, a booming food scene and street art on every block, made for a great group photo wherever you point the camera.
Stops on this hunt
The geo-tagged checkpoints that anchor this route. You can rearrange, replace or remove any stop after using the template.
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1
Capitol Square
Navigate to Capitol Square in downtown Richmond and check in on the grounds of the Virginia State Capitol.
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2
Shockoe Slip
Walk east and downhill to Shockoe Slip and check in on the cobblestones around the old tobacco warehouses.
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3
Canal Walk
Walk down to the Canal Walk along the James River and check in by the water near Brown's Island.
Challenges (17)
Richmond kick-off
The hunt begins! Find a classic Richmond backdrop (a Capitol column, a Shockoe Slip cobblestone street, a downtown mural) and take a group photo with the whole team in shot.
Checkpoint: Capitol Square
Navigate to Capitol Square in downtown Richmond and check in on the grounds of the Virginia State Capitol.
Virginia State Capitol pose
The Virginia State Capitol sits on a hill above the city with a white classical portico. Take a group photo with the team arranged on the lawn, the Capitol behind you.
Trivia: Capitol designer
The Virginia State Capitol, completed in 1788, was modeled on a Roman temple and designed by a US founding father who later became president. Who designed it?
Answers: thomas jefferson / jefferson
Trivia: Richmond founded
Richmond was laid out by planter William Byrd II and named after a town near London because the bend in the James River reminded him of it. In what year was the town founded?
Answer: 1737
Checkpoint: Shockoe Slip
Walk east and downhill to Shockoe Slip and check in on the cobblestones around the old tobacco warehouses.
Shockoe Slip cobblestones
Shockoe Slip is a restored 19th-century warehouse district of cobblestone streets and the old fountain. Take a group photo with the team on the cobblestones, ironwork and brick facades behind you.
Checkpoint: Canal Walk
Walk down to the Canal Walk along the James River and check in by the water near Brown's Island.
James River canal pose
The Canal Walk follows the historic James River and Kanawha Canal through downtown. Take a group photo along the water, with a footbridge, the canal basin or the river rapids behind you.
Richmond mural hunt
Richmond is covered in large-scale murals from its street-art festival. Find a striking mural and take a group photo with everyone matching a pose, colour or shape from the art.
Trivia: Richmond rapids
Richmond is one of very few major US cities with whitewater rapids flowing right through downtown. Which river produces them?
Answers: james river / james / the james
Bell Tower spot
The old Bell Tower stands on Capitol Square as a Richmond landmark. Find it (or another historic tower or steeple downtown) and take a group photo with it rising behind you.
Edgar Allan Poe nod
Richmond was the boyhood home of writer Edgar Allan Poe, and the city has a museum in his honour. Strike your spookiest, most dramatic "nevermore" group pose for the camera somewhere atmospheric in the old city.
Richmond foodie classic
Richmond has a celebrated food scene. Find a local favourite (a Sally Bell's box lunch, a craft brewery, a barbecue plate, a famous doughnut) and take a group photo with everyone digging in at the same time.
Richmond skyline view
Find a vantage point with a view of the Richmond skyline or the James River (a riverside bluff, a rooftop, a bridge) and take a group photo with the city behind you.
Local Richmond tip
Convince a local Richmond resident to share a tip about the city (a mural to find, a patio to try). Take a photo with your impromptu guide and remember the tip.
Richmond finale
Final challenge. Find a beautiful Richmond spot (the Canal Walk at golden hour, a cobblestone corner, the Capitol lawn) and take an amazing closing group photo. Cheers from RVA!
Frequently asked questions
Three to four hours covers downtown, Capitol Square, Shockoe Slip and the Canal Walk along the James River at a relaxed pace. The core route is flat and walkable; the Fan District and Hollywood Cemetery are a short rideshare west if you want to extend the day.
Capitol Square in the middle of downtown is the natural starting point. The Virginia State Capitol, the Bell Tower and the equestrian Washington Monument are all there, parking decks sit a block away, and you can walk down to Shockoe Slip and the Canal Walk from there.
Yes. The route works for any age. Kids enjoy the canal boat basin, the cobblestone streets of Shockoe Slip and spotting the murals that cover the city. The Canal Walk is stroller-friendly and the Capitol grounds are an open green space to regroup.
Yes. Richmond is one of the best mural cities in the South thanks to the annual RVA street-art festival, with hundreds of large-scale works concentrated in the Arts District along Broad Street and in Jackson Ward. Several hunt challenges send you mural-spotting, and there are far more to find between checkpoints.
Yes. The Canal Walk follows the historic James River and Kanawha Canal for over a mile through downtown, with interpretive markers and access to Brown's Island. Richmond is one of the only major US cities with class III and IV rapids running right through it, so you may see kayakers from the bank.