Things to Do in Salem
The rugged Blue Ridge Mountains, iconic Appalachian Trail and pastoral Shenandoah Valley—your family gets all of these and more with a visit to Salem, a small town with big history on the Roanoke River
You'll find museums and mountain music, battlefields and breweries, autumn colors and spring wildflowers—plus the best hiking in the nation. Get ready for an outdoors adventure or simply relax when you get to Salem, Virginia.
Walk Your Way Through History
History is alive and well in Salem, and your family can sample every aspect of it by museum hopping. Start with the Booker T. Washington National Monument and hear how the famous educator rose from enslavement to play a central role in the country. Then listen to elders recount black oral history at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture. Several museums describe the Civil War battles fought in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, while the National D-Day Memorial celebrates the Allies’ invasion of Normandy during World War II.
The Crooked Road Musical Adventure
Explore authentic mountain music in its birthplace by trucking along the Crooked Road, Virginia’s heritage music trail. The winding route connects eight major venues, each of which offers concerts throughout the year. The variety is astonishing, including a cappella, gospel, blues, centuries-old ballads and bluegrass. You don't have to travel the full 300 miles to have a blast—several of the major venues are near Salem, including the Floyd Country Store & County Sales and the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum of Ferrum College.
Brewery Adventures
If you like beer, you'll have one more reason to love the Roanoke Valley—it has become a favorite location for craft breweries. Taste some of the foamy best and learn the basics of beer brewing on a regional tour. Whether you’re a craft beer expert or a newcomer, you'll enjoy the tour of local microbreweries. Public tours are offered weekly by Roanoke Craft Beer Tours, or you can arrange a private group for members of your family old enough to drink.
Exciting Eateries
With lofty names like Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar, the food better be good—and it is. Salem's Blue Apron (210 E. Main St., Salem) gets top marks for an artful menu offering smaller plates. There are so many to try, like the late summer corn soup and the seared foie gras. Feel like something spicier? Check out the authentic Cuban food at El Cubanito (311 E. 7th St., Salem). Their delicious and reasonably-priced sandwiches—such as the steak Cubano with shoestring fries—are just like the kind you would get in Havana.
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