The Essentials
Club: Richmond Kickers
Stadium: City Stadium — 3201 Maplewood Ave, Richmond, VA 23221. Capacity 6,000. Built in 1929 and still standing — a natural grass pitch tucked into the Museum District just off the Downtown Expressway. The Kickers have invested over $4 million in renovations since 2019, including a massive new LED videoboard and premium seating areas. Old-school bones, modern matchday feel.
Tickets: Available at richmondkickers.com. The Red Army supporters’ section brings the noise. Free on-site parking at the stadium.
Nearest Airport: Richmond International Airport (RIC), about 15 minutes east of downtown.
Driving from Fort Wayne FC Park: Approximately 640 miles via I-69 S to I-75 S to I-64 E through Columbus and Charleston, WV, roughly 10 hours nonstop. Consider an overnight stop in Charleston, WV or Lexington, VA to break it up.
Parking & Transit: Free parking at City Stadium — a rarity in professional soccer. The stadium is a short drive or rideshare from downtown, Carytown, and Scott’s Addition.
Weather: Richmond is mid-Atlantic humid. Expect 60s–90s during soccer season, with real heat and humidity from June through September. Evenings cool down enough to sit comfortably, but pack accordingly for summer matches.
Where to Stay
The Jefferson Hotel is the landmark — a Beaux-Arts stunner from 1895 with marble staircases, a Palm Court lobby, and Lemaire, one of the best hotel restaurants in the South. If you’re going to Richmond once, stay here. Graduate Richmond on the edge of the Fan District is the mid-range pick, walking distance to Carytown with a rooftop bar. For budget-friendly, the Linden Row Inn is a charming row of Greek Revival townhouses turned boutique hotel in the heart of downtown.
Eat & Drink
ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque is the destination. Nationally recognized, James Beard semifinalist-level slow-smoked brisket and ribs in Scott’s Addition. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 AM until sold out — and it sells out. Get there early. No debate, no alternative.
Kuba Kuba in the Fan is the local institution. Arguably the best Cuban food between New York and Miami, served cafeteria-style in a gloriously no-frills space. The Cuban sandwich and the ropa vieja are both correct answers.
L’Opossum is Richmond’s most singular dining experience — flamboyant, maximalist French-Southern fusion in Oregon Hill that has landed on every national best-of list. Not cheap, not subtle, and absolutely worth a reservation.
Lamplighter Coffee Roasters is the city’s best roaster. Multiple locations, but the Addison Street spot in Scott’s Addition is the flagship. Single-origin espresso, clean design, serious coffee.
Lunch. Supper! in Scott’s Addition does elevated Southern comfort — cured, brined, and smoked in-house — with a brunch that draws the whole neighborhood. The biscuit board is non-negotiable.
The Jasper in Carytown is the cocktail bar. Inventive drinks, rotating menus, and the kind of energy that makes you forget you’re in a city of 230,000.
Things to Do
Scott’s Addition is the brewery district and it’s absurd. Within a few walkable blocks: The Veil Brewing, Ardent Craft Ales, Triple Crossing, Buskey Cider, and a dozen more. This is one of the best craft beer neighborhoods on the East Coast, full stop.
Belle Isle sits in the middle of the James River with hiking trails, a quarry swimming hole, and skyline views. Cross the pedestrian footbridge and you’re on the rocks within minutes. The James River is Richmond’s secret weapon — rapids, trails, and swimming spots running right through downtown.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is free, world-class, and a ten-minute walk from City Stadium. The Fabergé egg collection alone is worth a visit.
Worth the detour: Charlottesville and the Blue Ridge Mountains are about 70 miles west. Monticello, mountain wineries, and some of the best hiking in Virginia.
The One Thing
Spend your afternoon in Scott’s Addition hopping between breweries before heading to City Stadium. This is a club that’s been playing professional soccer since 1993 — one of the oldest continuously operating pro soccer clubs in America — and a city that wraps its arms around you if you let it. Richmond is a weekend trip disguised as a soccer match.