In retirement we've enjoyed many fine docents and guides. Kathy Whittington leading the Valentine's Hollywood Cemetery tour is among the very best, immediately reframing our perception of the Cemetery as a deliberately welcoming park and beautifully sculpted arbor- and land- scape, loaded with local (and sometimes national) history, including of Richmond's architecture, giants in government, industry, the arts, and military. Anyone wanting a quick and fascinating introduction to Richmond's 19th and 20th century notables, as well as Civil War principals, will enjoy Kathy's pointed descriptions and summations of surrounding times. The cemetery itself is awesomely beautiful and views of the James River almost breathtaking, sometimes punctuated with humorous facts, such as Robert E. Lee's son buried there - in his Union Army Uniform (well after the Civil War).
As a practical matter, the Hollywood Cemetery tour, Kathy version, is a fairly vigorous event, occupies about 2 full hours walking up and down the hills of Hollywood. Comfortable clothes and good walking shoes, water - and planning for the absence of bathrooms within the cemetery - will all serve to make your tour more comfortable.
New to Richmond? Guests from out-of-town? Take them on the Hollywood cemetery tour.