Before You Go, Blog, Experiences, Grab a Bite, Take a Sip, Uncategorized, USA

Roanoke, Virginia Is For Lovers

July 14, 2019 /

Roanoke, Virginia is for lovers – lovers of fine wines, gorgeous scenery, furry friends and healthy restaurants. To be honest, Virginia is the first place that Sean and I have visited together that has felt like home.

I grew up in Northern California, about 30 minutes outside of Napa Valley – the world famous wine growing region. It’s fair to say that I really took what I had in my backyard for granted, until I moved in with Sean, here in PA. I’m talking mountains and wineries, redwoods and beaches. I think I honestly didn’t know just how beautiful my home was until I left.

And then, I found Virginia. Virginia has the wineries and the mountains, and if you venture east enough, you’ll find yourself at the Atlantic Ocean. The only thing missing is the Redwoods, but hey, Virginia can’t have it all, right?

Sean and I have been to Virginia together twice now. On our first visit, we hiked to McAfee Knob, the most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail, and part of Virginia’s Triple Crown. The hike was beautiful in and of itself, but the view from what my mom calls the “potato chip rock” was just jaw-dropping. As was the view looking down as we sat on the edge!

This time around, we wanted to experience more of what the city of Roanoke had to offer. Sean found us an AirBnb near the downtown, and we set out to see what Roanoke was all about.

One of the nice things about Roanoke, Virginia is how pet friendly the town is. Raven was able to tag along with us as we strolled through the city market and around Elmwood Park.

View this post on Instagram

Greetings from Roanoke, Virginia! 🙋 We have just arrived at our @airbnb for the night after strolling through downtown. On Saturdays, the city has an outdoor market going on from 11-2 in their market square. While practically everyone doted on Raven, we had fun browsing through all of the local art, fresh produce and handmade items – including a bar of goats milk dog shampoo that we're excited to try on Raven! 🐶 There's so much to see & do in Roanoke, I'm sure we'll need a second trip back. But for now, we're off to see the famous 🌟! And p.s. If you have a fur baby who hasn't earned a #BarkRanger tag yet like Raven's wearing, head to the link in our bio to find out all about it!

A post shared by Sean&Jamie 🌏 Travel Community (@wanderinourshoes) on Jun 22, 2019 at 12:56pm PDT

The city market was a great way for us to interact and get to know some of the locals from the area. Every Saturday, from 11-2, Roanoke hosts the market in the Market Square. This is definitely a must do if you’re visiting over a weekend, as it’s the state’s longest running farmer’s market. If sifting through art, locally grown produce and handmade items (like the dog shampoo we got Raven), all while listening to the band play in the background, sounds like your kind of morning, Roanoke’s City Market should definitely be on your weekend to-do list.

The Market Square is also conveniently located near Elmwood Park, where you can take a stroll with your pup past artsy sculptures or head to the amphatheatre for a show if you’re lucky.

After meandering through the downtown, we stopped by ZeeZee’s Vegan Subs for a quick bite to eat. Vegans and meat-eaters alike can sink their teeth into their savory, animal-free sandwiches and sides. We each split a “chicken” salad sandwich and portabello mushroom sandwich and were not disappointed. While they label all of their items as their OG names, like mac and cheese, everything they serve is 100% vegan and 100% tasty, all at a reasonable price. What more could you ask for?

Next time, we look forward to eating at Scrambled! They’re restaurant looked totally hip and with an organic menu, we’re sure we’ll find something that delights our taste buds!

From downtown Roanoke, it’s a short 10 minute drive to Mill Mountain – although ours was made slightly longer due to a necessary stop at T.J. Maxx. If you know me, you know that I’m very much Maxx addicted, but I promise – I really did somehow forget to pack my hiking shoes. So, to T.J. Maxx we went! 😉

At Mill Mountain, you can either walk or drive up to the renowned Roanoke Star, otherwise known as the Hollywood Sign of the East. The star was originally built in 1939 with the intention of serving as a Christmas decoration during the holiday shopping season. The 10,000 pound star, which happens to be the world’s largest, man-made, free-standing, illuminated star still lights up every single night.

If you’re wondering whether a trip to Virginia’s famous star is worth it, my answer is yes. The star in and of itself is a cool sight, but the view when you turn around is even better. From here, you can get an incredible view of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, without setting foot on a trail.

If trekking through the mountains appeals to you, though, definitely take some time to venture along the Triple Crown, a set of 3 iconic vistas, spread out along 37 miles. Both McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs, as well as Dragon’s Tooth, are part of the well known Appalachian Trail and offer scenic hikes and outstanding views. McAfee Knob is one of the most iconic and photographed spots on the trail. With a rock edging out into the skyline (my mom calls it a potato chip rock), it’s easy to see why it’s so well known.

View this post on Instagram

⭐ Nobody ever talks about this part. You know, the part where you're no longer a caterpillar and not yet a butterfly. You don't know who you are and you don't know where you're going. All you know is that every fiber of your being is calling for transformation. For disruption. For a revolution of the spirit. So surrender. Break down. This is not the death of you. This is the dying of who you once were. This is your rebirth. And these are called growing pains. ⭐ – The Minds Journal

A post shared by Sean&Jamie 🌏 Travel Community (@wanderinourshoes) on Mar 27, 2019 at 6:38pm PDT

After a photo-op at the Roanoke Star and a quick walk along the Star Trail, we headed to Barrel Chest Wine & Beer to find some local bottles of wine to try.

If you have the time and are a wine lover like ourselves, we hear that one of the best views comes at Valhalla Vineyards, although the reviews on the actual wine implied it was nothing special.

We opted to try a red and a white back at our AirBnb to save on the cost of going out tasting, and after picking the brain of one of the locals, we decided on a bottle of petit monseng made by Early Mountain. We thought it was really cool that the maker’s of Early Mountain were the founders of AOL. Remember the good ol’ days of dial up? 😉

Before heading home the next day, we felt it was crucial to do some real hiking. The universe was most certainly in my favor – after a quick google search, we headed to Read Mountain Nature Reserve. It’s located in Roanoke on Crumpaker St. in a neighborhood that reminds me a lot of the one that I grew up in ❤️. Offering over 10 miles of hiking trails and some pretty stunning views, it was the perfect place to end our Virginia weekend getaway!

It’s true what they say. Virginia really is for lovers. Whether it’s lovers of nature, adventure, healthy living and community or wine, fur babies and art – they all come together in Roanoke, Virginia.

Thanks for taking the time to #WanderWithUs – Have you ever been to Virginia? What was your time there like? Do you have recommendations for our future trips? We’d love to hear them! Let us know by commenting on this post, and be sure to join the community at Wander In Our Shoes

We look forward to sharing adventures with you! 😃

Psst! Want to explore more of Virginia with us? Check out this post about Virginia Beach. On a budget? We have you covered! Click here for 6 FREE things we found to do while we were there!