The canal walk is not safe to walk alone. There are homeless in the area. It is an interesting walk. There are restaurants but you have to check ahead to see when they are open. We walked early because it was extremely hot. There are no public bathrooms in the area. Lucky there was a porta potty. The walk is a bit of a walk make sure you wear sunscreen and carry water. read more

See all

So much history! Great photo ops. Lovely scenery I really enjoyed it, even the creep scary part! read more

The Canal Walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Beautiful decorations or wall art. We went during Halloween, so a bit Halloween decor. Simply relaxing place with much to see and getting your steps in. It's a win win for me! read more

See all

If you're looking for a nice calm tourist area to take a nice walk and explore... this is it. The canal walk gives you history as well as relaxation. It's free to explore, but if you wanna take a ride down the canal for $15 you can do just that. All ages are welcome here, good for a date night or afternoon. There are plenty of restaurants and bars along the way to try as well... plenty of spider webs but Bret nice scenery. read more

See all

I want to love the canal walk, I really do. Unfortunately, it always leaves me wanting more. The short stretch near casa del Barco is cute, however if you continue towards brown isle the signs get difficult to follow, there's trash in the canal (accompanied by bad smells), and you might even see a rat or two. To top it all off, parking around here is a nightmare. There are other walking paths in RVA that are far superior to the canal walk, and I'd recommend my friends and family to look elsewhere before embarking on the canal walk. read more

The Canal Walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I recently relocated to Richmond and stumbled upon this last month when I came out to find a place to live. It was a beautiful afternoon to take a leisurely stroll. The murals were pretty cool, as was seeing kayakers with the city of Richmond in the background. There is a lot of history along the walk as well. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Richmond. read more

See all

Clean canal walk! Love coming here on time off. Great place to bring the family and dog. There's a large area of grass for picnicking or relaxing. Dogs are welcome. read more

The Canal Walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

John was all excited to hike the canal walk and I was too, until I was hit in the face with strong urine and feces smells, horrible trash and homeless sleeping under the train tracks. The potential for this is incredible- I can imagine just how beautiful it could be. Unfortunately, I exited the walk as soon as I could- it simply was not pleasant, and it was cool weather- I can't imagine how it would be in warmer weather. We saw plenty of people jogging, walking and biking the path- so it is enjoyed by the locals, it simply took my breath away- in a terrible way. read more

We love coming to the canal walk while we are in Richmond. It's such a cute area. They have murals, boat tours and a great little nature area. Make sure to come when it's not blazing hot so you can really enjoy the visit. We have not done the boat tour yet but definitely plan on it when the weather is a little less blazing! It's affordable and lasts about 40 minutes. There is a great area filled with murals done by local artists. Great photo op! You can also head down to the river, we saw several people with their fishing pools. The area is really nice and relatively clean for so many people passing through. read more

See all

The canal walk is so so pretty and definitely great for a leisure walk! You can go with your partner, friends, kids, family, honestly anyone! It is also great for photo ops. You can go as far or as short as you like and it will always be pretty(: We recommend going to the far north end and seeing the mural wall, that was my favorite part! There is also a canal tour you can go on with a group of people. Due to COVID it is reservations only, so make note of that! read more

See all

This is a decent canal walk in the city of Richmond. It has a long history and stretches 1.25 miles. It is not as long nor as populated as other Walks in larger city's, but it still works. It also runs along the James River and Kanawha and Haxall Canals. It is right by the Civil War Museum. There is metered street parking nearby and there are also bike racks available. The Walk has benches and grassy areas that you can hang out and enjoy the sites. I was very impressed with the bridge leading off of the walk and equally as surprised to see people swimming in the canal and river. The bridge overlooks a little waterfall. The park seemed to be a place popular to hang out and also to jog. The Walk itself is relatively clean. The River and Canals, however, not so much. You can rent boats, if that is your fancy. The Walk has a lot of history placards and signs posted along it. This spot has some breathtaking views, cozy restaurants, and even offers tours. I enjoyed my visit there and sure that you will too. read more

This canal walk is super cool, Would definitely recommend this walk. There's so much to do in this area a lot of amazing restaurants and so much to see. read more

See all

The Richmond waterfront balances some really interesting views of the faded historic industry that overlooks the river with some apparently still active industry. The defunct canal snakes between parkland and some buildings and a railway which are still in use. A large wall covered with street art that probably changes regularly lies in the middle. The canal walk itself isn't huge, but it links in with a larger system of trails and bridges, as well as this tiny walkway over a pipe. Overall, the area is quite distinctive; it doesn't resemble any other riverside greenway that I can think of. It's definitely worth a stop. read more

The Canal Walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Nice walking area with several places to stop and rest along the way. The path was well maintained and felt really safe. Enjoyed our walk! Plenty of shade which was much appreciated in July! read more

Fantastic place to stroll, run, bike, hike!! Went with my sister to explore the other side of Richmond, from nature's standpoint! We walked all over the multitude of trails that course through the heart of RVA. It was historic, refreshing, and just plain FUN!!! If you hate exercise, you will love this place because you're too caught up soaking in the sights as you traverse the many bridges, paths, and trails. The best prescription for stress or when you're in the doldrums is taking a nice long walk through nature in the sunshine!!! read more

See all

Downtown RVA's Canal Walk is must for any Richmonder. Beautiful views of the various bridges that overlook the James River are gorgeous and the surrounding natural park-like areas are refreshing and historic. The murals and artwork along the sidewalks are pretty cool and clever, great photo op spots! There are several restaurants along the canal, outdoor benches, and landmarks. You truly get a feel for the city walking along these downtown trails. They also have boat rides up and down the canal, which are really relaxing! If you get a chance to take a ride, it's worth the trip as you get a chance to see much city on this tour. I'd love to see it built up even more, but it still has a lot of scenic views and activities along the canal walk! read more

See all

When Richmond was first discovered, it was the end of the line. Right here, the James River becomes six miles of non-navigable riverway. Sure, you can ride a canoe or kayak, but in the 1700's there was no way to get a proper ship upriver. And then, they built a series of canals with locks so that boats could bypass the rapids and use the series of canals to get their cargo upriver. That worked great for years until we have highways and railways and trucks and trains, making the canals no longer needed. Since then, portions of the old canal, the locks and the turning basins started to be used for other things including tourism. And you can walk along the way where the tow-paths used to be. They've even restored one of the original locks for you to see. This is a great area for walking, jogging, biking or just relaxing. Which is what me and my full tummy did until it was time for dinner. [Review 11796 overall, 1578 of 2019.] read more

See all

I can tell the city put a lot of money into cleaning up an area that was probably a mess before. But there really isn't much to see along the walk itself. The noise of the highway above is pretty loud. Not to mention, the canal is pretty short. You can go on a boat tour, but I really question why someone would bother. It's not a very long distance to walk. Maybe they have interesting information about the history or something. read more

The canal walk was a nice little stroll. The murals were neat to see too. In addition to walking, you can jog or ride your bike. We ended up grabbing lunch outside at one of the restaurants. It was fun overall but not a must visit to me. read more

See all

Very nice place just to walk and see some history and some really cool paintings/murals. I know in the past there was always something going on. Can't wait until COVID gets under control and check out events down here when they start up again! read more

See all

Opinion is a bit skewed after seeing other cities' execution of this concept. This is a fine, leisurely walk around the city. The canal boat rides seem like a nice idea, but it were closed when we went in September. I've also read some reviews here pointing out murals from local artists, which I didn't see when we went- did I miss something, or were they gone by the time I made it around? If so, shame on the city for that. Don't expect to find any easy, free parking nearby and really seems like an underutilized space to me, there could be patioed restaurants or businesses set up nearbyish to get the view and people watch, but the whole experience comes off fairly dull otherwise. read more

The Canal Walk - Canal Walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Beautiful location! A good place to be able to just be outside and enjoying the vibes. We parked near BWW and started off towards the beginning (I guess). Even ran into a waterfall and some nice views. Will say it was a bit confusing finding all the murals because I honestly thought there would be much more. Still beautiful though! read more

Guess I didn't find it to be too much fun as I was expecting, I hoped to see cool graffiti posted on the walls showing off the artist talents as shown in pictures.Paid to park then walked a few miles to find a sketchy homeless hangout with trash everywhere. Freezing temperatures didn't help my disappointment. read more

See all

Summary: The Canal Walk is a walking trail located in downtown Richmond and features some informational historical landmarks as well as just some nice scenery of the canal and James River. Experience: We went around noon on a Saturday and walked for about 2 hours. Along the way there are plenty of views of the Canal along with informational signs depicting and describing some of Richmond's past. Not being from the area, it was fairly interesting to learn a bit about the history of the area. At the start of the walk you are led under some of the roads on some walkways that could be featured in a horror film, but there are enough people walking that they aren't intimidating. Quite honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed these covered and dark walkways, but would question a midnight stroll in the area. About halfway into the walk is Brown's Island, and if you're into photography I recommend you check this out. It serves as a pivotal spot where you're surrounded by the canal, the river, and some of the taller buildings of Richmond all at once, yet still maintaining a family park feel. I think it was my favorite part of the walk because it was so green and provided some excellent photography. Right after this spot there is a river lookout where you can watch people Kayak and Raft down the rapids. Looks like a lot of fun and someday I hope to do this. (So look forward to a review detailing my potentially and rather likely kayak capsizing experience!) At the end of the walk you can go to Belle Isle, which we decided to put off for another day after seeing how large the area seemed. (At least Google Maps made it seem quite large.) We did walk across the cool multi-arch bridge to get there though, and just turned back. If you have the time and / or energy, I'd recommend it as it seemed like a neat pitstop. We also enjoy seeing dogs walking happily alongside their owners, so if canines tickle your fancy as well, you won't be disappointed. What could be better: There are a couple points where you're not sure if you're on the actual Canal Walk anymore. Not that it's a problem if you're just planning on walking around anyway. Also, and I'm not sure if it's just a regional thing, but there doesn't appear to be any water fountains on the entire path. One review mentioned one on Belle Isle, but that's near the end and a small hike in and of itself. Overall: All in all, I enjoyed the Canal Walk. There is enough change of scenery to keep it interesting as well as a plethora of path types to tread on. There's come paved walks, cobble pathways, wood steps, dirt trails, and some others I'm probably forgetting. It also opened us up to some of the water activities available like stand up paddle board rentals, kayak classes, and group rafting. If you have a few hours to burn, want to take a stroll, and are interested in learning about Canal / Richmond history, check it out! read more

See all

Awesome setting! Grab you a scooter and go check it out! Easy to walk to and great views read more

The Canal Walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Free, cool and not hot due to the shade. This was a nice gem. Start with the locks and then head west. read more

This was such a neat walk. The street art was amazing. Its a good little afternoon adventure you can do with the family on a nice day. We enjoyed it. read more

The Canal Walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

I like this canal walk. Richmond' canal walk meanders 1.25 miles. It's open 365 days of the year. It's a great hike lots of monuments to see and of course the James River. read more

See all

This is a nice place to take a stroll in Richmond. I also saw a lot of runners on this 2.5 mile round trip walk. The trail goes through a historic area of Richmond featuring local art as well as plaques commemorating and highlighting specific points of Richmond history. Another activity to do in the general vicinity is a canal cruise. Parking can be tricky but there are city-owned spots not too far. There are also some nice spots to take a dip in the river if you have your bathing suit handy. If you're looking for a local flavor activity in RVA, this is it! read more

"small walk around Richmond history." just saying, water fire Providence (RI) has much better canal walk and WaterFire show over there is simply breathtaking. coming to this, this is small canal changed into a tourist spot. it has its own historical significance, how slaves used to come by this route and all. Boat rides are available with guides. but over the route, it offers you small restaurants, places to picnic. Overall good place to hang around with your family, friends read more

See all

Awesome spot for a walk and see some art. The place is very well maintained and safe. read more

See all

This was a nice getaway in the city. An easy walk filled with nice views and it was fun for our kids, especially when we found an ice cream vendor. read more

The Canal Walk - Street art installation on Canal walk - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Since the canal cruise is closed in the winter, we decided to walk around the canal instead. As we wandered around, we found nice spots for pictures. It is great for exercise if you live near by. There are some cool graffitis along the canal. It was pretty during sunset. I saw some restaurants with outdoor seats. I bet it would be nice in the summer. I would recommend you to visit and walk around on nice warm days. It could get cold because of the water. read more

See all

Not much to see. The canal is nice if you're looking for a space to take a walk but don't expect a scenic stroll. The canal smells and there isn't a lot of shade offered along the path so the heat is brutal. A lot of canal seems to be under construction or just not well maintained. The only highlights are the few murals you see along the way. read more

This was an amazing sight seeing walk ! They had fully stocked doggie bags all dogs were harnessed everyone was friendly but the porta potties had no toilet paper and needed to be serviced they had excrement and ironed on toilet seat my heart broke seeing a very pregnant lady have to literally go because she couldn't hold it. Other than that the rest was awesome read more

Canal Walk is one of the most scenic walking routes in the city and a great place to take the pups. It runs a little over a mile along the James River and the Kanawha and Haxall Canals. George Washington designed the Kanawha canal system so he must have trod this path himself a few hundred years ago. There are several markers and inlaid medallions along the path if you're interested in the history. Otherwise, it's a beautiful stroll along the waterfront. You can visit Brown's Island which was the center of gun powder manufacturing during the war and Belle's Island, which was used as a prisoner of war camp. read more

It just doesn't get any more Richmond than this! The Canal Walk is a bustling trail through historic Richmond that goes from 17th to 5th street (about 2.5 miles round trip) Today was my first run/stroll on the canal walk for the season and every time I'm in that area, I fall in love with this city all over again. The street art, the smiling faces, the work colleagues taking an afternoon stroll on their lunch break, the folks playing frisbee golf on Brown's Island, sunbathing on the rocks, the new Potterfield Bridge, watching the canal cruises leave with groups of excited tourists and locals alike, the history, and the random encounters (today there was a bluegrass group playing live music!), the restaurants, etc... You get the point. The Canal Walk is everything and can lead you to some of the best spots in RVA. Next time, I'll wear a bathing suit under my running gear so that I can take a pit stop at the river after! Pro tip: I found that parking on 18th street and walking to the 17th street entrance was best in order to walk along the entire path and see everything! Also, parking was much better than what I've experienced any time I've tried to park near Brown's Island. read more

The Canal Walk - View from Potterfield bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I didn't find the walk all that impressive- maybe I'm missing something. The few murals I saw were cool- I just wish there were more of them. There's no shade throughout the walk so the heat made it really uncomfortable. There's not a whole ton to see. read more

See all

I remember canal walk being kinda icky and smelly and a place where you felt like you might get mugged at any minute. It was the most Gotham City type place I found in Richmond. I was down there the other day after a show at the Hat Factory and it was really nice! Cute little bridges, nice lighting, didn't smell like swamp, water was moving along at quite a clip. There were interesting signs about the history of canal walk and groups of people wandered around with drinks and sat cozily on benches. At one end of the walk there were pretty planters and we sat and watched trains pass. I passed two security guards walking together in front of that giant apartment building. When did Canal Walk get NICE?! You could take a date here! Go see a show at either end (Hat Factory or Canal Club) and then walk to the other end for dinner and have a fabulous time! read more

Trying to have fun while I have a migraine and I kind of want to cry or die.... I can't quite decide which... I don't really like this place... i guess I perfer walking in nicer areas more... People go for runs or take a stroll along the Canal Walk...manily the locals...while I was in the area...I thought of checking a local neighborhood out...the water is disguesting...area looked shady....and where the hell is the awesome street art that everyone suggested to check out .... all I saw was colorful banners and "the canal cruise"...which was pretty stupit... no thanks! read more