Richmond West - Miami, FL

Richmond West was originally settled by Native American Indians and later by Spanish settlers starting in the early 17th century. When Miami was being built up in the early 19th century, many neighborhoods were formed around the main city including Richmond West.

There are no museums or galleries inside the small suburban neighborhood so residents travel to places like the Gold Coast Railroad Museum located just south of the University of Miami South campus. Here patrons can take train rides and take guided tours through the museum. Hours are weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Admission costs $8 for adults and $6 for children over two.

Richmond West does not have its own annual events, so residents go to surrounding neighborhoods in Miami to enjoy events like the Art Deco Weekend Festival held in January featuring films, music, and a parade.

Richmond West provides a wide variety of restaurants even given its generally suburban environment. Residents and visitors can enjoy establishments like Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar located on Southwest 147th Avenue, which serves dishes like Wild Alaskan Salmon and New Zealand Rack of Lamb. Not only does the food taste amazing, but the culinary beauty created by the head chef stuns the customers and adds to the dining experience. An extensive wine list adds to the experience making the restaurant a must-try.

La Perla Peruvian Restaurant located on Southwest 152nd Street prepares traditional Peruvian style foods for customers. Patrons enjoy dishes like octopus and shrimp in olive sauce or chicken in lemon sauce. The prices are fair, and the menu has options for children too.

Because Richmond West remains a suburban neighborhood, there are no nightclubs inside the community. Residents and visitors can venture out to surrounding areas to the east closer to the beach to find clubs and nightspots like The Comedy Inn located on South Dixie Highway. Customers come here to enjoy the area's best comics. The club also has a VIP room for private parties and shows. Ticket prices vary depending on the show.

Traveling in and around the neighborhood proves to be quite easy for residents and visitors who drive. There are no train stations or rail lines inside the neighborhood. Instead, residents can use the Uber car service if they do not drive. Fares start with a $5 base price and go up from there costing around $2.50 per mile. Trips to the airport can cost around $50.

A few major roadways run to the east of the neighborhood including Extensions 821 and 874 which run north and south. Route 1, also known as the South Dixie Highway also runs to north and south located to the east of the neighborhood.

The neighborhood remains a suburban environment making walking and biking very safe. The community does not have designated bike lanes in the roadways so bikers should be a little cautious. Pedestrians need not worry as the streets are close together preventing traffic from moving too fast. It also means that there are no public parking lots or garages in the neighborhood. Street parking proves to be easy as most do not have parking meters, so they are free.

Cabs do not drive through the neighborhood too often so anyone wishing to use a cab service must call and schedule a pickup. Fares can start at around $8 and go up depending on the destination.

Several parks can be found in Richmond West including Kings Grant Park in the center of the neighborhood and Chuck Pezoldt Park to the west where patrons enjoy picnic areas and ball and soccer fields. These parks do not cost anything, and dogs are allowed.

To the east of the neighborhood on its border, residents can find Larry and Penny Thompson Park located near the Miami Zoo. The park stays open year round from sunrise to sunset. The 270-acre park acts as a main campground and recreation spot for the area with campers paying $33.90 per day to bring camping gear and trailers.

The park also has beach areas with cost $6 for adults who want to use the water slide and $4 for children. Pets are allowed only in the RV camping area and not in the rest of the park or tent areas. Picnic spots are prevalent as are outdoor showers and laundry facilities for campers. Playground equipment can be found inside the park for children and provides a safe atmosphere for play.

The cost of living in Richmond West averages 17 percent higher than the state of Florida. Much of the neighborhood remains residential housing with few apartment buildings throughout. A typical one-bedroom apartment can cost around $1,100 per month on average.

Most people choose to drive because there are no trains running through the neighborhood and to get to the center of Miami would take around 40 minutes.

The price of a typical domestic can of beer at a local pub or restaurant runs about $3 and for a specialty or craft brew the prices typically start at $7 and go up from there.

Gas prices in Richmond West cost about $2.50 per gallon running parallel to the average of Florida state and about eight percent below the national average.

Since Richmond West remains a mostly residential community, the neighborhood does not have specialty boutique shops. Residents can leave the neighborhood and go north only a few miles to find places like Girls Will Be Girls fashion boutique located on Southwest 120th Street. Here customers can find the latest trends in women's fashion and accessories for fair prices.

Glaser Organic Farm on Southwest 137th Avenue proves to be the closest place to buy farm-produced products. About a five-minute drive south out of the community, residents can find fresh and organic produce and many different vendors and farmers selling their foods and wares.

The main grocery store residents and visitors use would be Publix located in the northeast corner of the community on Southwest 152nd Street. Here people can find regular grocery items as well as a pharmacy department.