Henrico, Virginia, is one of the most demographically and geographically complex localities in the Commonwealth — an independent county of approximately 340,000 residents that completely surrounds the city of Richmond on three sides, encompassing everything from the dense mixed-use corridors of the West End and Short Pump to the rural James River bottomlands of the eastern county, a jurisdiction whose sheer size and diversity of character make it less a single community than a constellation of distinct neighborhoods and villages held together by one of the finest county parks systems in Virginia. Established in 1634 as one of the original eight shires of colonial Virginia, Henrico is among the oldest English-settled counties in North America, and its history encompasses the full sweep of Virginia’s past — Native American occupation along the James River, colonial plantation agriculture, Civil War campaigns across its eastern farmland, and the 20th-century suburban expansion that transformed it into the prosperous, multiethnic county it is today. Agecroft Hall and Gardens at 4305 Sulgrave Road is Henrico’s most extraordinary historical landmark — a genuine 16th-century Tudor manor house physically transplanted from Lancashire, England, to the James River bluffs in the 1920s, open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 5 PM with interior tours that make visitors who study Tudor history describe the experience as getting real in the most extraordinary way, wavy leaded windows, amazing magnolia trees, a trail system along the river, a red leaf maple meadow in fall, holiday events with free warm apple cider and military collections, and a quality described as feeling like you have traveled back in time to Europe — a fairytale gem in Richmond that visitors describe as one of their favorite sites in the entire city. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden at 1800 Lakeside Avenue in the Lakeside neighborhood is Henrico’s most celebrated cultural institution — open seven days a week from 9 AM with beautifully maintained and extensively labeled gardens, interesting art installations throughout, play areas and a water section for children, a butterfly conservatory, a holiday lights show with model trains described as a delight to behold, and grounds that photographers describe as never disappointing across every season and every kind of occasion from family portraits to wedding proposals.
Henrico’s parks system — managed by the county’s Division of Recreation and Parks — is widely regarded as one of the best-run county parks systems in Virginia, with an extraordinary range of facilities distributed across the county’s 234 square miles. Deep Run Park and Recreation Center at 9900 Ridgefield Parkway is the county’s most comprehensive recreational destination — a massive park with paved trails and nature trails through woods, a pump track for cyclists, soccer fields, basketball courts, multiple fishing piers, picnic shelters, playgrounds with outdoor exercise equipment including pull-up bars and hanging bars, cricket played on Sundays in the open fields, and the kind of size and variety that allows visitors to enjoy nature in complete peace even when the park is crowded. Tuckahoe Creek Park at 12341 Ridgefield Parkway is Henrico’s most intimate and meditative natural experience — a boardwalk park over a creek and wetlands that gets visitors up close to birds, turtles, fish, and an occasional river otter family, with the sounds of running water, birds, and wind through the trees creating what one regular describes as an almost meditative experience that resets your mood for the entire day, benches and a small picnic pavilion, and the kind of peaceful under-visited quality that makes it one of the county’s hidden gems. Deep Bottom Park at 9525 Deep Bottom Road in eastern Henrico provides the county’s finest James River access — a well-maintained park with a boat ramp and dock for launching watercraft into the James River oxbow via Bailey’s Creek, shore fishing access, a gazebo, a small grill, clean restrooms, and reported catches including blue catfish, channel cats, eels, crabs, largemouth bass, stripers, and herring depending on the season.
Henrico’s dining scene spans an enormous range from neighborhood breakfast counters to destination-level fine dining, with the county’s sheer size ensuring that nearly every cuisine and price point is represented within a short drive. SB’s Lakeside Love Shack at 6935 Lakeside Avenue is Henrico’s most beloved breakfast and brunch institution — open Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday from 7 or 9 AM until 2 PM with a fun unique RVA vibe, antique shops to browse while waiting to be seated, Glitter on a Mattress (Texas toast with bacon and sausage gravy) described as fab, scallion cheddar pancakes with braised pork described as a gigantic standout that should be split, sweet potato hash described as next level, breakfast chili described as very flavorful, sticky buns, unicorn pancakes with edible glitter, and the kind of warm welcoming staff and comfortable atmosphere that makes visitors plan return trips before they have even finished their meal. The Boathouse at 11800 West Broad Street is Henrico’s most celebrated seafood and American grill — open seven days a week from 11 AM with shrimp and grits described as delicious, peel-and-eat shrimp seasoned very well with Old Bay, grilled salmon cooked and seasoned well, a Cranberry Pear Mule described as sooo good and highly recommended, a Thanksgiving buffet that draws families specifically from New York for the occasion, and server Callie described as pure joy with a pleasant smile and genuine attention to every guest — a restaurant that never disappoints across Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and every celebration in between. Farm and Oak at 3601 Cox Road rounds out Henrico’s dining picture as the county’s finest farm-to-table neighborhood restaurant — open seven days a week from 10 or 11 AM with Brussels sprouts appetizer with a savory drizzle described as a great starter, shrimp and grits described as perfectly cooked and delicious, beef short ribs, Peach Cobbler French Toast described as a genuine 10/10 and a must-try, Chicken and Waffles described as perfectly crispy and flavorful, Fried Green Tomatoes, Smoked Wings, and attentive friendly service that makes it both a neighborhood gem for weekday lunches with colleagues and a Saturday brunch destination worth returning to again and again.
