Chippenham Village - Richmond, VA

The history of Richmond stretches back to English settlers of the early 1600s. The falls of the James River halted water traffic, so Richmond developed on the north bank and Manchester on the south. The neighborhoods that expanded west from Manchester reached to Chippenham Forest in the early 1900s.

Forest Hill Park reflects much of what’s best in this neighborhood, hosting remnants of the area’s history as well as the Music in the Park Concert Series. The annual 43rd Street Festival of the Arts hosts more than 70 artists and their wares.

This easy-going neighborhood hosts fast food, casual dining, chains and independent restaurants scattered up and down Forest Hill Avenue. Locals can grab a quick bite at a Burger King, dine at O’Charley’s or Galley Restaurant, or hit a happy medium between fast and sit-down at Jason’s Deli or Dickey’s Barbecue Pit.

Enjoy Japanese cuisine without the pomp or expense at Hibachi Express. The meals, featuring a range of seafood and meat, come with fried rice, veggies and salad. If you can’t decide, try one of the combo meals, such as filet and shrimp or chicken, steak and shrimp, or a combo box, which in addition to the protein includes three California rolls, two dumplings and rice.

You feel great inside and out after eating at Max’s Positive Vibe Café. The restaurant is a non-profit established to provide training and employment to people with disabilities. Local chefs have contributed to the menu, creating an upscale Southern feel. Check out the beef, lamb, buffalo or duck sliders; traditional Brunswick stew served with a cornbread stick; catfish; or spicy shrimp and grits. The sides also stick to Southern culture: collard greens, succotash, fried green tomatoes and more.

You have several options for whiling away the night. Start with darts, poker or pony races with EZ-Horseplay kiosks at Rock Falls Tavern in Stratford Hills, topped off with plenty of domestic beers, a few crafts and a standard lineup of cocktails. For an upscale bar scene with nearly 70 craft beers – and that’s just counting what's on tap – head over to Brew at The Shoppes at Bellgrade.

O’Toole’s on Forest Hill presents local acoustic music every Friday and Saturday evening, paired with Irish-inspired food and drink. Other music options wait just across the river in downtown Richmond. Cary Street Café features jam bands, reggae, bluegrass, rock and alternative country. Strange Matter, The Camel and the Richmond Coliseum present local and national names.

With so many retailers and services nearby, who needs any means of transportation but foot or bike power? And if you need to travel farther, the convenient GRTC system can take you most everywhere else you need to go in Richmond, with bus stops along Forest Hill Avenue. Cabs are handy and hailed easily by phone, while Uber also provides transportation throughout the Richmond region.

Nonetheless, personal automobiles provide the most common transportation for the neighborhood, with parking free and easy in neighborhoods, apartment complexes and shopping centers. By getting on Chippenham Parkway/Route 150, accessed right at the edge of the neighborhood, you can quickly get to most any other regional destination on the local expressway system.

If you choose to use foot power or a bike for your transportation, you can use the sidewalks along Forest Hill Avenue, though the busy road doesn’t have bike lanes. The businesses' proximity to the residences make the neighborhood quite walkable.

One local favorite park contains both history and fun. Though once a quarry and an estate, with remnants of both still apparent, Forest Hill Park in the early 1900s also entertained Richmonders as an amusement park until the Great Depression struck. It still provides plenty of good times, though, with tennis courts, picnic shelters, a playground and many beautiful paved paths and wooded trails for walking, jogging and mountain biking. The hills also serve as a popular sledding site for the rare Richmond snow. The park is free and allows dogs on leashes.

From May through October, the hillsides host Sundays in the Park for music and vendors. Year-round, farmers and other local producers set up shop on Saturday mornings at the South of the James farmers market.

Just across the James River and the Boulevard Bridge, locals make use of Vitacourse, a year-round exercise trail, as well as other park perks.

In the Chippenham Forest neighborhood, the cost of living doesn't differ much from the city average. Rental rates for a one-bedroom residence ranges from $620 to $665.

Beer at a local pub ranges from $2 for domestics and $3 for craft beers on draft during happy hour to $3 and up after happy hour. You can take a GRTC bus directly to the city center for a $1.50 fare. Gas prices hover around 8 percent below the national average.

Shopping centers scattered along Forest Hill make shopping convenient for Chippenham Forest residents. Value stores here include Dollar Tree, Good Stuff Consignments and Tuesday Morning. Find upscale shopping just up Chippenham Parkway at Stony Point Fashion Park. National anchor stores Saks Fifth Avenue and Dillard's join other high-end shops: J. Jill, l'Occitane en Provence, Tiffany & Co., Sur la Table and other boutiqe-style shops.

Find a new house plant or start a garden at Sneed's Nursery, a charming spot on West Huguenot Road. This friendly nursery carries everything you need for a garden or yard, from native plants to irrigation supplies. The store also stocks rare and difficult-to-find plant varieties — ask the knowledgeable staff for recommendations.

At Toys That Teach, browse playthings that are both fun and educational, all carefully chosen to encourage and develop independent play, motor skills, logical thought and language through puzzles, games, arts and crafts, science kits and lots more.

Grocery shopping needs can easily be met in the neighborhood, with a Walmart Supercenter and a Martin's Food Market here and a Food Lion just down the road. For specialty food, pick up fresh fish, oysters, scallops and more at Bon Air Seafood, or satisfy your natural and organic needs at Good Foods Grocery, both locally owned and operated.

What many consider to be the city's best farmers market, the South of the James Market, is on Forest Hill Avenue. This year-round, open-air market hosts only vendors who carry their own stock, including fresh produce and meats, crafts, baked goods and many other delightful, palate-pleasing products. Vendors set up every Saturday at Forest Hill Park, from 9 a.m. to noon during the winter and 8 a.m. to noon from May through November.