MARVEL
Make sure to experience a true Roanoke landmark when you catch a glowing “glimpse” of the 100-foot-tall, neon Roanoke Star on Mill Mountain, which has been lit up every night since 1949. Don’t wander too far, as the Mill Mountain Zoo is just next door. Just off of “America’s Favorite Drive,” Blue Ridge Parkway, sits Explore Park, offering access to the Roanoke River, yurts, cabins, the Treetop Quest aerial adventure course, and a brewery.
CHEER
When in “Virginia’s Championship City,” which has hosted more than 100 NCAA championships, you won’t want to miss a Salem Red Sox minor league baseball game. The team’s season lasts from April to September, and box suites are available to groups at affordable prices. Hockey fans will enjoy catching a game of the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, an independent minor league team. Football fans will enjoy catching a Virginia Tech Hokies game in the iconic setting of Lane Stadium in nearby Blacksburg. Roanoke’s mountainous terrain makes it a popular destination for athletes. The city also hosts the Blue Ridge Marathon each year, dubbed “America’s Toughest Road Marathon.”
DISCOVER
Take in some history of the Blue Ridge region at one of its many museums. Museums to visit include the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Taubman Museum of Art. The arts and cultural building in the heart of downtown, Center in the Square, is conveniently home to the Roanoke Pinball Museum, Roanoke STARcade, Science Museum of Western Virginia, the planetarium, and Mill Mountain Theatre. Don’t miss the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, and when in Franklin County, visit the Booker T. Washington National Monument. Get a glimpse into the life of one of the founding fathers by taking a walk in Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest.
LEARN MORE
Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge
visitroanoke.com
Main Image: Salem Red Sox; Credit: Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge/Jennifer Griffin
