Things to Do in the Roanoke, VA Area

Smith Mountain Lake Roanoke Symphony National Monument Morrisette Winery

Vacation in Roanoke, VA and its vivacious vicinity and you’ll never be lacking for fun things to do. Make the Best Western Inn at Valley View your vacation headquarters and you’ll be within 10 miles of most of them, including Explore Park, the Art Museum of Western Virginia and Salem Avalanche minor league baseball. Below, you can learn more about these and other nifty neighborhood attractions. 

EventZone downtown Roanoke's festival and event connection. Annually downtown Roanoke, the event zone hosts dozens of large and small events and festivals. The EventZone organization manages many of the largest and time-honored of these events and festival.However, whether its ethnic celebrations, parades, live music, dancing, children's activities, art and craft festivals, runs, food celebrations there's likely something happening in the event zone during your stay at the Best Western Inn at Valley View. See www.EventZone.org to see what’s up.

 

Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1953, is the largest professional orchestra in Virginia west of Richmond. Under the leadership of David Wiley, the RSO offers a subscription season of 11 concerts 5 classics, 3 virtuosi (chamber orchestra) and 3 pops. For more information, visit www.rso.com

O. Winston Link Museum. Relive the final days of steam trains at the O. Winston Link Museum, a renovated passenger train station that’s home to hundreds of stunning black-and-white photographs. Photographer Link spent several years in the late 1950s and early 1960s photographing Norfolk & Western’s last steam locomotives on the rails of Southwest Virginia. For more information, visit www.linkmuseum.org  

Salem Avalanche Baseball. The Salem Avalanche is a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, the Houston Astros farm club. Previously affiliated with the Colorado Rockies as an expansion team in 1995, the Avalanche kept their name when affiliating with the Astros in 2003. Home games are played at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium, which seats 6,300 fans. For more information, visit www.salemavalanche.com

AmRhein Wine Cellars. AmRhein, which translates to “on the Rhine River,” specializes in unique Virginia-style wines with a German influence. All these distinctive wines offer unique layers of aromatic fruit, born from its Blue Ridge Mountain Estate vineyards. For more information, visit www.roanokewine.com  [Top]

Booker T. Washington National Monument. Located on a 207-acre tobacco farm where Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in 1856, this national monument and park is both beautiful and haunting. Step back in time and experience firsthand an era when slavery was part of everyday American life. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/bowa 

Natural Bridge Zoo. The Natural Bridge Zoo is a wildlife propagation facility where you can encounter baby giraffes, bottle-raised Himalayan bear cubs, dozens of fuzzy miniature donkey colts and wooly baby llamas. Watch the only breeding colony of flamingos in Virginia build their nests and rear their young. For more information, visit www.naturalbridgeva.com

Valley View Mall. Southwest Virginia’s largest regional shopping center, Valley View Mall features more than 100 stores. Anchored by Macy’s, Macy’s Home & Children, Belk, JC Penney and Sears, Valley View offers an unbeatable combination of specialty stores, restaurants and eateries. Stores you’ve come to know and love include Ann Taylor Loft, Old Navy, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Children’s Place, Limited, Express, Bombay, Victoria's Secret and Disney. For more information, visit www.valleyviewmall.com/shop/valleyview.nsf

Virginia Museum of Transportation. Roanoke grew out of the burgeoning railway system. So it’s not surprising that the city and its downtown area are built around it. The Virginia Museum of Transportation is a great place for train and railroad buffs to stop in and see how the rail systems have advanced over the years. For more information, visit www.vmt.org  [Top]

Chateau Morrisette Winery. Chateau Morrisette Winery is located in a spectacular mountain setting in Floyd County off the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway between mileposts 171 and 172. It is one of the largest wineries in Virginia. For more information, visit www.chateaumorrisette.com 

Mabry Mill. One of the most photographed sites on the parkway, Mabry Mill is a restored gristmill and sawmill from the early part of the 20th century. Old-time crafts such as weaving are presented at the site while old-time bluegrass music can be heard each and every Sunday. For more information, visit www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=36565

Mayberry Trading Post. Three miles south of Mabry Mill is the Mayberry Trading Post. Built in 1892, it was originally home to the post office and a general store. Still a country store with original counter boards from the late 1800’s, the trading post features home-made molasses, apple butter, mountain crafts, toys and books about the area. For more information, visit www.patrickchamber.com

Nancy's Candy Company. Just one mile south of Mabry Mill is Nancy’s Candy Company. Check out 40 different flavors of fudge and 60 varieties of chocolates all on display. Phone ahead and request a “chocolate talk” and candy-making presentation. Groups that call ahead are eligible for a 10% discount on any purchases. For more information, visit www.nancysfudge.com  [Top]