Right Around the River Blog
Top Five Ways to Celebrate Father's Day at Rocketts Landing
Post Date: 06-10-2014
As our recent riverfront events showed (Rocketts Red Glare and Boxer Brief Battle), family time is a great time for visiting Rocketts Landing! And what better reason to get outside and enjoy summer at the river than by celebrating that great man in your life: Dad. Our riverfront community offers a variety of ways to plan a day full of adventure, food and, well, dad! Here are the top five ways you can celebrate Father's Day at Rocketts Landing, right around the river.
A perfect day for a picnic meets a perfect day to lounge riverside with dad.
1. Stroll the Virginia Capital Trail and Canal Walk and Finish With Dinner at Rocketts Landing
We're lucky to be within an easy walk of Richmond's portion of the Virginia Capital Trail and downtown's Canal Walk. Both bring the city alive with outdoor history and sightseeing while offering a casual stroll through RVA. Once you're on the Canal Walk, you can also hop in a boat to take the Canal Tour and get your water sightseeing fix.
To wind your way to and from Rocketts Landing, we suggest:
- Start
at our community where you can use our free parking
- Head west (walking) to the Virginia Capital Trail in Tobacco Row
- Connect directly to the downtown Canal Walk (where you can also do your boat tour)
- Walk back to Rocketts Landing and wind down with a delicious riverfront lunch or dinner at The Boathouse or Conch Republic
The Virginia Capital Trail meets paths with Great Shiplock Park in downtown RVA. Photo credit: Virginia Capital Trail Foundation
Along the way, you can also dip into neighboring Great Shiplock Park (located at the current end of the Virginia Capital Trail). This city park is a remnant of Richmond’s great lock built between 1850 and 1854 that helped ships bypass the James River’s fall line through the Kanawha Canal system.
2. Spend a day
boating on the river
Rocketts Landing's marina offers Richmonders a great way to take dad out on the James River.
Rocketts Landing is home to Richmond's only downtown marina on the James River. And with perfectly sunny weather predicted for Sunday, a day out on the river can be a great way to bring a smile to dad's face. You have various ways to enjoy boating from Rocketts Landing:
- Carefree Boat Club: Based in our community, Carefree Boat Club is a membership organization that offers members a way to go "boating without owning." If you're not currently a member, check them out online and make sure to reserve a boat for Sunday!
- Transient Slips at the Marina: If you don't already dock your boat at our marina, don't fret! We have transient slips for use, which are perfect for pulling up to Rocketts Landing after boating on the James River's eastern stretch. While we don't have a public landing to use, you can find a variety of them east of Rocketts Landing, so you can spend your day boating and then wind your way up to our community for a delicious meal and a casual stroll!
3. Paddle on the James River and take in all the fishing at our fingertips
Paddling the James River makes for a perfect day of outdoorsy fun.
Another great way to get out on the James River at Rocketts Landing is by paddling. Whether kayaking, canoeing or paddleboarding, our stretch of the river offers up a great excuse for some solid adventures. While paddling, be sure to also bring your fishing gear! Whether going up- or down river, fishing is a favorite pastime for many residents and Richmonders here at Rocketts Landing. In fact, last summer, one of our residents caught a 74-lb.bass just past our riverbank. Not too shabbty!
4. Bring your family for a pick-up game of beach volleyball and a picnic
Beach volleyball is popular year-round at Rocketts Landing.
Rocketts Landing is also home to Richmond's only riverfront beach volleyball court. Sunshine, sand beneath your feet, eagles soaring above you — all while you volley the ball with your loved ones! Then, you can stroll over to our riverfront lawn beside our community's pool and pull out a picnic as you take in the great outdoors surrounding you. (Now, if only we had a hammock! Hmmm ...)
5. Play a game of disc golf at neighboring Gillies Creek Park
If dad loves disc golf, try a pick-up game with the family at Gillies Creek Park — just a couple blocks away from Rocketts Landing. As our backdoor neighbor located on Williamsburg Road, Gillies Creek Park features 40 acres of recreation tucked in the woods at the bottom of Fulton Hill. The park is home to the city’s only BMX track while also serving as a popular sunny-day destination for its 18-hole disc-golf course and horseshoe pits. You can then swing by Rocketts Landing to cool off in the AC at one of our community's restaurants and enjoy a delicious riverfront meal.
Dining with a riverfront, skyline view is a popular way to wind down at Rocketts Landing.
Whether you're boating, noshing, strolling or more, we hope we see you down here along the James River at Rocketts Landing. And to all the fathers out there, may this be your best Father's Day yet!