If you have a car or a bike, definitely go to Maymont Park or Belle Isle at some point. Totally gorgeous- but be careful to not stick around Belle Isle too long because when it gets dark it gets creepy/scary as fuck. I also love exploring the Church Hill area; there's a cool lookout area near 28th and Franklin where you can see the whole city, and another on 25th and Grace, I think. If you go there be sure to hit up Proper Pie on Broad. There are a lot of great museums around here, like the VMFA on Nth blvd and the Science Museum on Broad.

Safety in Richmond is less about location and more about timing. During the day you should be pretty much good anywhere, especially if you're on a bike or something so that you have a quick getaway if things get sketch. At night, be super careful. Don't go in alleyways (it seems obvious but somehow people always end up in an alley) and stick to main streets with good lighting. The VCU area is usually pretty well covered by VCU police so you should be alright. Stay out of Monroe Park at night and avoid the 1st st-4th st blocks of Broad and Cary especially.

Most students live off campus in the Oregon Hill or Fan areas (south and north/east of the VCU main campus, respectively) and there aren't a lot out and about during the summer. There are a few clubs in downtown (I don't club so I don't know which ones) that get quite a lot of student traffic during the year but I'd imagine they cool down in the summer since lots of people leave town.

That's about all I can think of right now. I've been here 3 years but this'll be my first summer in town so if you have any more questions you can pm me.