Coolest City You've Never Been To: Roanoke, Virginia
Find mountain sights, city lights and plenty of Southern culture in this historic Virginia community
Filled with activities, Roanoke is the perfect place to stop over on your journey to nearby areas.
Overlooked by the star atop Mill Mountain, Roanoke sits on a river of the same name near the gentle Blue Ridge Mountains of western Virginia. With a population of about 100,000, the city is just big enough to offer cosmopolitan features like impressive museums and a historic performing arts center, but it's still rural enough to escape and connect with the surrounding mountains and nearby rivers.
Indeed, once you start adding up what to do in Roanoke, it becomes a worthy potential stopover to spice up your travel. Are you, say, headed from Nashville to D.C., or from Pittsburgh to Savannah? Spend a night here along your way. And while you're in this Blue Ridge city, you should most certainly take in all that Roanoke attractions have to offer. You might just like it enough to come back for fun.
Spend an afternoon (or longer) driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Survey the Catawba Valley to the west and Roanoke Valley to the east at McAfee Knob.
The speed limit on the Blue Ridge Parkway is low on purpose—you're meant to take in the scenery, not rush right by it. The parkway is an easy 10-minute drive from downtown, and you can choose a northerly route toward Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park or head the other direction toward the North Carolina mountains. Many overlooks feature trailheads, to boot, so pack hiking shoes and indulge your curiosity.
Pro tip: You don't have to spend half a day on the Blue Ridge Parkway to get a memorable experience (though it's worth it if you have the time). If you only have a little time to kill, you can still find an overlook not far from town where you can stop and clear your head.
Take an evening out at the Jefferson Center
The Jefferson Center was built in 1922 as Jefferson High School. After 50 years as a school and a few years in limbo, it became a performing arts hub. Today, this historic building's calendar boasts a rich schedule featuring diverse offerings in jazz, folk, children's theater and ballet.
Get your feet wet on the Roanoke River Blueway
You've tried greenways, but have you tried a blueway? The Roanoke River Blueway is a 45-mile water trail that passes through several counties and towns, including Roanoke. You can wade or go tubing along stretches of the blueway, or you can rent a kayak or canoe (or a bike, if you'd rather stay dry) from a few outfitters in Roanoke. Oh, and if fishing's your speed, the blueway's got that, too.
Expand your mind at Center in the Square
Interact with butterfly species from all over the world at the indoor, year-round Butterfly Garden of Center in the Square.
Downtown Roanoke's landmark Center in the Square houses a number of museums, cultural organizations and venues, including a butterfly garden and a pinball museum. Its aquariums, for instance, replicate Virginia freshwater habitats and the Amazon river, while the Harrison Museum of African-American Culture celebrates the art and history of people of African descent in the Roanoke Valley.
Try a little guided spelunking at Dixie Caverns
Perhaps you've been up the mountain, but have you been under it? You can do exactly that at Dixie Caverns, just a short drive from Roanoke in neighboring Salem. Tour the cave, then grab a little token or two from the gift shop.
Ready to travel? Find hotels in Roanoke.
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