Roanoke travel guide

Roanoke, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Roanoke

Introduction

Roanoke sits in Southwest Virginia along the Roanoke River, within the Blue Ridge range of the Appalachian Mountains. The city lies roughly 50 miles north of the Virginia–North Carolina border and about 250 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., along Interstate 81, which makes it a natural stop for travelers moving through the mountains of western Virginia.

As an independent city, Roanoke anchors its surrounding metropolitan area and is the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. Use it as a base for exploring the Blue Ridge and the wider Appalachian landscape that frames the region.

Before you go

Before you set out, stop by the Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau on Shenandoah Avenue NE in downtown Roanoke, easy to reach by following the signs from I-581. It's the official visitor resource for the Roanoke Valley and is centrally located, so it makes a sensible first stop.

Pick up a map, a dining guide and an event calendar there to help plan your time in the city.

Getting there

Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (also known as Woodrum Field, ROA) sits just northwest of the central business district, about a ten-minute ride from downtown and next to Valley View Mall. Allegiant Air, American Eagle, Delta Air Lines and United Express serve the airport.

Amtrak's Northeast Regional runs a twice-daily service from New York City and Washington, D.C. into the downtown station on Norfolk Ave SE. Greyhound stops on Campbell Avenue downtown. By car, the city is at exit 146 on I-81, roughly 40 minutes from Blacksburg and Lexington, about 4 hours from Washington, D.C. and 3 hours from Richmond. Lynchburg and Clifton Forge, a two-hour drive away, have additional train services.

Getting around

Roanoke's valley layout doesn't suit mass transit well, and most locals never use it, so plan your trips rather than expecting to turn up and go. Downtown is genuinely pedestrian-friendly, with restaurants, breweries, boutiques, galleries and museums within walking distance of one another, and the residential neighbourhoods of Belmont and Old Southwest are pleasant on foot too. Outside that core the city is largely car-dependent — even grocery errands may need a vehicle — so base your walking around downtown and the nearby historic neighbourhoods.

Where to stay

Roanoke's lodgings cluster in a few distinct areas. For a budget stay, the Econolodge on Orange Avenue is the source's only listed option at that level. Mid-range choices spread out: the Best Western Plus Inn at Valley View sits off the interstate at Valley View Boulevard, with contemporary decor, flat-screen TVs, refrigerators, microwaves and free Wi-Fi throughout. Near the reserve, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Roanoke is an all-suite property with a microwave, refrigerator, free internet and two flat-screen TVs in every room. Holiday Inn Tanglewood is on Starkey Road SW, and MainStay Suites Airport, an extended-stay hotel, is also on Valley View Boulevard near the Hershberger Road exit.

For a splurge, The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center is the standout: a historic, restored Tudor-style hotel built in 1882, part of the DoubleTree by Hilton group, connected by footbridge to downtown. It offers an outdoor pool, fitness center, allergy-friendly rooms and in-room spa services, along with extensive conference facilities. Its Regency Room restaurant, opened in 1938, serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and a Sunday buffet brunch, with regional menu options and an extensive wine list.

Food & drink

Roanoke has plenty of places to eat, with options running from quick counter stops to sit-down dinners. For a cheap bite downtown, Texas Tavern is a Roanoke institution with only about ten seats and a walk-up order window; try the Cheesey Western and a bowl of chile. Budget diners can also head to Vinton for Renee's Restaurant on Washington Ave., New York Pizza on Hardy Road, or the Dogwood Restaurant for home-style cooking about five minutes from downtown Roanoke. Tazaa Restaurant serves Indian food.

In the mid-range, Alejandro's near the downtown market serves Tex-Mex, while Fork in the Alley on Crystal Spring Ave. offers brick-oven pizza and draft beer, and Grace's in Grandin Court serves pizza. Hollywood's Restaurant and Bakery serves sandwiches and seafood with cakes and pastries on display and original art on the walls. Kabuki is a Japanese restaurant popular for parties, with food prepared at your table, and Macado's, a southern chain, offers a wide selection of sandwiches and entrees. For Indian, Nawab in the market area has an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, and the Red Palace serves Chinese cuisine at Valley View and Tanglewood Malls. Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea has several locations around the Roanoke Valley, including the market area, and is good for lunch, breakfast, or a late cup of coffee or tea. For a splurge, Fortunato on Kirk Ave SW serves authentic Italian food and has half-price pizza on Wednesdays. To drink, Chateau Morrissette Winery in the Meadows of Dan on the Blue Ridge Parkway produces the popular Blue Dog white wine.

What to see and do

Start downtown, where the City Market area holds Center in the Square, the city's cultural center and museum. Nearby, the O. Winston Link Museum occupies a former passenger rail station and is devoted to the railroad photographer's work; both the museum and the station building, with its architectural and terrazzo details, are worth your time. The Taubman Museum of Art focuses on American art with particular attention to Appalachian and Southwestern Virginian work, and its Randall Stout-designed building is a draw in itself. The Virginia Museum of Transportation houses many Norfolk and Western locomotives that once ran through Roanoke, plus aviation and automobile exhibits, a model train layout, and a webcam overlooking the rail yard. Elsewhere in the city you can see the restored Hotel Roanoke, the Roanoke Higher Education Center in the former Norfolk & Western Railway headquarters, and Mini Graceland, a collection of miniature Elvis landmarks in Southeast Roanoke. Keep an eye out downtown for the restored, lit neon roof signs, one for Dr. Pepper and one for H & C Coffee.

On Mill Mountain, the neon-lit star has given Roanoke its "Star City" name, and an overlook directly in front of it looks toward downtown; the Mill Mountain Zoo is in the park as well. Explore Park, open only for concerts and special occasions, features houses and re-enactors from various periods of American history. Outdoors you can hike on the Appalachian Trail, go boating, camping, and fishing, or walk and bike the Roanoke River Greenway. For performances, the Berglund Center is a major convention and exhibit facility with a performance center, the Jefferson Center is a restored former high school turned performance venue, and Mill Mountain Theater downtown hosts professional shows plus the late-night No Shame Theater on Fridays. The locally owned Grandin Theatre in Grandin Village shows free cartoons on weekend mornings and holds a quarterly Open Projector Night for locally made short films. Other local events include Old Salem Days and Virginia Tech football.

Three days in Roanoke

Day one: Start by getting your bearings in Roanoke itself, using the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau as a first stop for orientation. Wander Campbell Avenue and the surrounding downtown streets to get a feel for the city, then follow the Roanoke River where it runs through the valley. If you arrive by air, Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (Woodrum Field, ROA) is served by Allegiant Air, American Eagle, Delta Air Lines and United Express; by rail, Amtrak's Northeast Regional connects the city toward New York City, and Greyhound stops on Norfolk Ave SE.

Day two: Turn your attention to the Blue Ridge and the Appalachian Mountains that frame the Roanoke Valley. Use the day to explore the ridges and overlooks above the city, and take in how the valley sits within Southwest Virginia. Keep Shenandoah Avenue NE in mind as a route through the city's northern side as you move between the valley floor and the mountains.

Day three: Pick a direction out of the valley for a change of scene. Blacksburg, Lexington and Lynchburg are all within reach, as is Clifton Forge, and Interstate routes make the surrounding region easy to cover. If you need supplies or a mall stop before heading out, Valley View Mall is on the city side. Return to Roanoke in the evening to close out your three days.

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