The city of Roanoke, Virginia, is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the southwestern part of the state. For us, it’s become one of our favorite getaways! Roanoke is only about a 2 1/2 hour drive from our home in North Carolina. What is there to see In Roanoke VA?
Besides the beautiful location, you will find great entertainment, restaurants, and outdoor recreation! It’s also known for the Roanoke Star which is located on Mill Mountain.
After taking the drive to the top of Mill Mountain, you will have a breathtaking view of the city below.
FUN FACT: The word Roanoke came from the Indian word “Rawrenrock” a name for the shell beads worn by the Indians and used for trading.
History of Roanoke, Virginia
The city is also known as the “Capital of the Blue Ridge” and a crossroads for the railroad. The city began in the 1740s. Mark Evans and Tasker Tosh came from Pennsylvania to stake a claim on land near the salt licks. For generations, the salt licks and marshes were gathering places for buffalo, elk, and deer. It’s also where many Native Americans hunted. The first village in the Roanoke Valley was started here in 1834 and was named Gainsborough. The town was also known as Big Lick named after the salt licks in the area.
Roanoke County was formed in 1838 with a county population of about 5,000. The town of Salem and the community of Vinton soon grew and were connected to Big Lick by a narrow brick road.
The railroad came to the valley in 1852 but missed Big Lick, so the town center was moved closer to the tracks and was renamed Roanoke for the river and county. The original town became Old Lick.
The Magic City
Why was Roanoke Called the Magic City? Employees were needed to maintain the coal trains going to and from Norfolk, so the railroad built the Roanoke Shops. They provided good pay and steady employment for skilled workers which attracted many people to Roanoke. The city got the name Magic City because it was the fastest-growing urban area in the South from 1880 to 1890.
Things to see in Roanoke
- Mill Mountain Park
- Mill Mountain Zoo
- Roanoke Star(Mill Mountain Star)
- The Blue Ridge Parkway
- Roanoke County Explore Park
- Virginia Museum of Transportation
- Taubman Museum of Art
- Downtown Roanoke
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Mill Mountain Park
Mill Mountain Park is one of Roanoke’s most popular parks and spans 568 acres. It’s located by the Blue Ridge Parkway and is easily accessible by road or trail. Park Amenities include a Picnic shelter with 6 tables and 2 grills, Mountain Overlooks, 10 miles of trails, a Playground, Restrooms, a Discovery Center, Mill Mountain Zoo, Roanoke Star, and greenway access.
The Discovery Center is the Roanoke Park system’s newest recreation center, used for Nature Education Programs, it also features a wildflower garden and interactive educational exhibits.
Mill Mountain Zoo
The Mill Mountain Zoo is located in Mill Mountain Park off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We enjoyed the exotic animals that we have not seen anywhere else. The Snow Leopard and Red Panda were amazing!
The zoo is open daily from 10-5 pm, general admission is $10. The zoo has many special events; World Migratory Bird Day, Breakfast with the Animals, and Summer Camp.
Roanoke Star
The famous Roanoke Star! I admit that we had never heard of it before our trip, but it is definitely something to see!
The star towers 1,045 feet above the city of Roanoke on Mill Mountain.
The Roanoke Star is also known as the Mill Mountain Star and was lit up for the first time on Nov. 23, 1949. It was initially created to be a seasonal Christmas decoration and was supposed to be dismantled in 1950 after the holiday season was over. It is actually three stars combined to make a single star. In total, the Star has 2,000 feet of neon tubes and weighs 10,000 pounds.
The Roanoke Star is white year-round with the exception of Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Patriot Day, and Veteran’s Day. On these occasions, the star is illuminated in red, white, and blue.
Check out the Roanoke Star cam!
FUN FACT: The star gives the city of Roanoke another nickname, “Star City”. This nickname is added to the other two, “Capital of the Blue Ridge” and “Magic City”.
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is considered “America’s favorite drive” and has over one million visitors each year! The speed limit is a relaxing 45 mph.
The Blue Ridge Parkway runs for 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina and links the Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Several of the attractions listed above are right off the Blue Ridge Parkway, including Mill Mountain Park, Mill Mountain Zoo, Roanoke Star, and Explore Park.
Camping on the Blue Ridge Parkway – Virginia
- Explore Park Camping & Cabins (Milepost 114)
- Chantilly Farm Campground (Milepost 150)
- Peaks of Otter Campground (Milepost 86)
- Rocky Knob Campground (Milepost 167)
The views from the Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks are amazing!
Hiking on the Blue Ridge Parkway – Virginia
- Buck Mountain Trail
- Mill Mountain Park
- Peaks of Otter
- Rock Castle Gorge
- Explore Park
Roanoke County Explore Park
Explore Park is found at Milepost 115 off the Blue Ridge Parkway, it’s also located at 56 Roanoke River Parkway Rd. We visited the park looking for a campground and found one at Don’s Cab-Inns. There you will find cabins, yurts, and RV sites as well as primitive camping. It is a small campground but looked nice and very clean! I would love to stay in a Yurt!
Explore Park is open daily from 6 am – 8 pm.
NOTE: The Blue Ridge Parkway is currently closed from Milepost 112 to Milepost 115 due to a project. The Parkway is open from US Route 220 to Milepost 115. Explore Park can be accessed on the parkway at Milepost 121 from US Route 220 headed North or Mill Mountain Parkway at Milepost 120.
Activities at Explore Park
- Treetop Quest
- Mountain Biking
- Camping
- River Front
- Kayaking and Canoeing
- Brugh Tavern
- Visitor Center
Virginia Museum of Transportation
The Museum of Transportation is located in downtown Roanoke at 303 Norfolk Ave SW. We found this museum to be fascinating! I enjoyed the exhibit about the Circus Train, and my husband enjoyed the “Railyard” with over 50 locomotives. It’s very cool to get up close to these massive trains and even board some of them.
History
The railroad that came to Big Lick in the 1850s changed this small town into the City of Roanoke. The Norfolk & Western Railway was headquartered in Roanoke. Only at this museum can you see and board the last two N&W steam locomotives; the Class A 1218, known as the “Mercedes of Steam”, and the sleek Class J 611 passenger steam engine.
FUN FACT: In 1986 N&W merged with Southern Railway to form Today’s Norfolk Southern Railway.
This is a great museum for the train lover or anyone!
Hours: Sunday 1-5 pm, closed Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm.
Admission: $10 Seniors(60+) & ages 13-17, $12 Adults(18-59), $8 Children(3-12), and Children under 3 are free.
Taubman Museum of Art
This very unique museum is located at 110 Salem Ave SE in downtown Roanoke. The museum is only open on weekends.
Hours: Friday & Saturday 10 am-5 pm and Sunday 12-5 pm. They have extended evening hours on the first Friday of each month and are open until 10 pm.
Admission is free for all!
It’s best to check their website to see all the current exhibitions. They also have many unique programs throughout the year for children, families, and adults including a summer camp coming up in July.
There’s always something happening at the Taubman Museum of Art!
Downtown Roanoke
We only had a short time to explore downtown, Roanoke. There is so much to see and do downtown! Besides the Transportation and Taubman Museums, there are great shops and restaurants.
City Market
The Roanoke City Market is located Downtown and is open 7 days a week from 8 am-5 pm. The vendors offer locally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plants as well as fresh meats, cheese, and baked goods.
The Center in the Square is a wonderful place to visit with the Pinball Museum, Science Museum, Starcade, Harrison Museum of African American Culture, Mill Mountain Theatre, History Museum, Opera Roanoke, Roanoke Ballet Theatre, and more. Their website is the best place to find hours and admission fees.
Center in the Square – History
In the 1970s downtown Roanoke was struggling to survive. Many buildings were crumbling and the Mill Mountain Theatre had burned down. Something had to be done to restore the downtown. The answer came when an abandoned feed and seed warehouse was purchased by The Western Virginia Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, DBA: Center in the Square. They knew it would be a struggle to attract businesses willing to relocate to downtown Roanoke. Their solution was to let non-profit organizations move in “Rent Free” for two years. There were five organizations that were brave enough to take on the challenge; The Arts Council, The Art Museum, Mill Mountain Theatre, The History Museum, and the Science Museum.
In 1983 the Center in the Square opened its doors for the first time to over 45,000 visitors in its first weekend!. Today they have 5 buildings and 12 arts and cultural organizations, and they are still offering free rent.
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In Conclusion…
Roanoke, Virginia, is a great small town! Have you been there? Do you have a favorite small town? I would love to hear from you in the comments. Please remember to share this post with your family and friends on your social medial pages.
Check out my posts on other small towns across the United States.
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Going to save this list! Thanks so much!
Thanks for reading! We love the Roanoke area!