The first time I saw this memorial dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was mesmerized by how…read morewell the artists captured the person, what he stood for, and the great significance he had in the civil rights movement of this country. I was fortunate enough to have done my undergraduate studies at Boston University where Dr. King obtained his doctorate degree and to have seen the original manuscript of his "I Have a Dream" speech. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial located near Henry Street in Roanoke, Virginia, is a public art sculpture and memorial featuring a 7-foot bronze statue of Dr. King wearing a business suit with his arms outstretched overlooking the historic Gainsboro neighborhood. The granite pedestal he is standing on includes a relief panel of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King marching in Washington, D.C. The statue was sculptured by husband and wife sculptor team Jeffrey H. Varilla and Anna Koh Varilla, and stands at the north side of the MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge. The sculptor team's studio, the Koh-Varilla Guild was created in 1986 and is located in Chicago. They specialize in portrait and figure sculptures and have been working on public monuments for over 25 years. Stylistically their work reflects a passion for "Classic Realism." They have produced religious and secular works for many locations around the country and overseas, and have won many competitions including 1st Prize in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monument Competition, Roanoke, Virginia, in 2006. They are currently fellows at the National Sculpture Sociery. When I first moved to Roanoke, crossing over the bridge and seating on one of the benches facing the Statue of Dr. King brought me great interior peace and hope for the future. These interactive benches near the memorial statue are equipped with speakers. One can press buttons to listen to clips of Dr. Kings iconic speeches. Today the statue and bridge serve as an important landmark honoring the region's rich African American Heritage, civil rights history, and acts as a gathering place to celebrate these and move forward. The statue and bridge were dedicated in 2008. This site is open to the public year-round. I highly recommend and encourage you to give it a visit whenever you're in the area, considering it is a powerful landmark for reflection on the civil rights history.

My friend wanted to see this Martin Luther King, Jr memorial here in downtown Roanoke on a brisk…read moreMarch 2026 Friday afternoon. Martin Luther King Jr is one of the most influential people in the 20th century. Equal rights for all and equal treatment for everyone was his creed. Many statues have been commissioned across the country and I found this one of MLK Jr here in Roanoke, Virginia. It was a simple statue in downtown Roanoke. My friend had been saying that he wanted to see this statue since it was a nice place to be. When we arrived here in downtown Roanoke, we found parking nearby and walked to the MLK Jr statue. It was a simple statue of the great man and nothing really else. The setting was in a quiet area of downtown Roanoke, but could be sketchy during the evenings. My friend and I was here for 15 minutes, reading the inscription on the statue itself and reminded me that we still don't live in a world where everyone is treated the same. Sure we made strides during the times of MLK Jr, but it's still far from perfect or a utopian society. It was just me and my friend on a brisk Friday afternoon when we visited the MLK Jr statue. The area around it had some construction work pending or actively going. I felt at peace here and knowing that MLK Jr had a big part in shaping America's history and future is comforting, but we as a people have more work to be done. The ambiance was nice and quiet, serene and peaceful. Definitely recommend if you need a place of solitude during your time here in downtown Roanoke. It's quite nice and definitely needed while I was there. Do yourself a favor if you're in the area and stop by. The overall experience here at the Roanoke Martin Luther King Jr statue was therapeutic and peaceful. It's a constant reminder of how our society is, where it came from, the history, and how far there's more to go. During my time here at the memorial statue, I read the inscription and reflect on how life has gone since MLK Jr's tragic passing. A lot of life happened, many wars and geopolitical events and issues that have come and gone. It's hard to imagine if he was alive today that would things have been different or better? After reading the inscription on the memorial, I looked around and realized that, while we are blessed to be in America, it's far from perfect. We still have ways to go and to be a civilized society with equality for everyone. The statue of MLK Jr was made out of bronze, it looked like. It towers over the landscape and draws anyone who will listen. Being at the statue helps me understand and appreciate the fact that we have the ability and right to change things if we don't like the current establishment. We have a voice and every effort to make changes if it's needed and necessary for the betterment of society and humanity. MLK Jr is still a voice and a constant reminder of society and how it is to be the better half of it. Equality is what he was driving for and striving for the best that society has to offer. I'm always reminded of that fact whenever I see his face in books, social media, and other forms of free expression. This MLK Jr statue is located in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. It's near to the main thoroughfare but off to the quiet side of town. It's in a quiet area and there's no admission fee to see him. Just like community parks. Free admission for everyone! As far as parking goes, there is a paid parking lot feet from the statue itself. If you don't want to pay for parking, you could find free street parking where you can find it and walk on over. If you love public transit like I do, consider traveling to the third street bus terminal and walk about 0.75 mile east. All bus routes start or end at the third street bus terminal. The Roanoke Amtrak station is also walkable to the MLK Jr statue on 1st street NW and from here. And of course, there is always Uber and Lyft for anyone and everyone who wishes to use their service to come here to visit the great man. And so, if you want to feel inspired and enlightened about life and society, consider coming to downtown Roanoke and see the MLK jr statue. It's very inspiring and beautiful at the same time. For the most part though, I enjoyed myself here for 15 minutes. Made me think of a better world that's better than the current state of affairs. Hopefully that's the case - at least in my lifetime. Recommended if you're in the Roanoke area and want to be inspired and enlightened. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

Clean and accommodating! Rooms were large and nicely appointed. Breakfast was a lovely addition.read more

With a big winter storm hitting Roanoke right now--snow, ice, flights canceled, travel chaos--this…read moreSpringHill Suites by Marriott Roanoke North is the #1 choice hands down. Wonderful well-rounded breakfast ready every morning to fuel you through the cold. Tommy in the kitchen is incredible: extremely knowledgeable about the area, insightful tips, and pure kindness--she genuinely scales your Roanoke experience for the better. Family-oriented, watchful staff always ready to keep guests safe, secure, and fully in the loop during bad weather. Guests are treated like kings and queens--no dishonest availability games like some competitors pulled on me. Repay the kindness: book here over anyone else. Clean, comfortable, reliable--perfect refuge in the storm. This place deserves to dominate bookings. Highly recommend!

Beautiful scenic ride up the mountain to breathtaking views of Roanoke…read more Dragged my husband there and he said he was glad because it was something totally worth doing. Takes about 10 minutes to drive up. The star is massive and way better than visiting the "HOLLYWOOD SIGN"

This is the best and most famous thing to do when visiting Roanoke. We went right before sunset and…read moreit ended up being the perfect time. You sit on the hill opposite the star and once the sun goes behind the tall trees, make your way over to the other side and see all of the city light up before you. Granted, it is a small place, but you get a whole view below you. The star is the biggest manmade star so take that as you will. It was nice that you could drive directly up to the parking lot and there were paved sidewalks so anyone could make the walk right up to the star. The parking lot is rather small so be prepared to either wait or have to go back down a little bit to find a place. We were there on a beautiful fall night so it seemed like the entire city was there. People were patient as you took pictures though so there was no trouble at all. Just a little crowded on the observation deck so be prepared.

When I visited, it was the end of the school year, so there were lots of photo shoots happening in…read morethe Hahn Horticulture Garden. Of course there were: This is one of the most beautiful spots on the Virginia Tech campus. The garden is six acres of beauty, and it's a wonderful place to wander around and look at all of the plants and flowers and trees. Perhaps you can also relax at one of the benches that are placed hither and thither. The garden serves as a resource for the students to learn about horticulture, landscaping concepts and environmental stewardship. But it's also just a nice place to sit and relax. I like a good bridge over a pond, and they have that here. The pond has lots of koi fish in it, which I was told an egret will sometimes make a nice meal out of. (Poor koi!) Such is life, though, I guess, right? There are also trellises to walk under, brick paths to walk down, statues to gaze upon, and Adirondack seats to sit in. I saw a couple of students working on their laptops in the garden, which you can do because the campus wifi is also accessible in the garden.

The university has a constructed garden kind of on the edge near where the academic buildings end…read moreand the sports start. It has a variety of interesting plant life and the pond was filled with some lively fish. It's not a major destination like the botanical gardens and arboretums I've seen at some other universities, which was a bit of a surprise, but it's a nice place to stop through.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this hotel! I think this is quite possibly my most favorite place I have ever stayed…read moreat and I have traveled to 11 countries and all over the US. I have stayed at lots of all inclusive resorts and this room was by far the prettiest and most comfortable. The attention to detail starting from the restaurant to the furniture boutique and upstairs to the hotel is amazing! We dined in the restaurant and had outstanding service from Caroline and the food was equally as outstanding. The menu is chock full of creative and interesting flavors and food combinations. We ordered 5 appetizers to share and loved every single one of them. Again, be open minded because this menu truly is creative. The furniture boutique has stunning pieces of Scandinavian/MCM style furniture all locally made in Roanoke with some serious attention to craftsmanship. These same items can be found upstairs in the boutique hotel. It was fun that you are allowed to have a glass of wine and chill in the lobby area next to the restaurant which is oh-so-comfortably decorated in their gorgeous furniture. I cannot begin to tell you how beautiful my room was. It was decorated so stylishly with absolutely not a touch of elegance overlooked. Stunning lighting fixtures, gorgeous textures, a comfortable sitting area, and lovely pieces of wooden furniture. The hardwood floors are simply to die for. They were my favorite part of the room. The bed was the single most comfortable bed I have ever stayed on in a hotel setting. It was like sleeping on a cloud surrounded in a hug from fairy wings. There is a communal area with snacks, couches and other places to gather or entertain a group. I really really really hope all future guests do their part to keep this place beautiful so that it remains a luxurious place to stay in the heart of downtown Roanoke. What an absolute gem. It feels like a betrayal to the amazing people who put their heart and soul into this hotel and restaurant to have a complaint. However, if I had one tiny suggestion to make, please put a table or a shelf or something in the bathroom. There is literally zero place to spread out toiletries and makeup. I used a towel on the floor to spread out my makeup in the morning. Not really a deal-breaker, but it's just a suggestion. And also to patrons, bring a hair dryer if you are going to use one. I did not find one in the room, but perhaps it was in a drawer or tucked away someplace I did not happen to see. Also, bring a sleep mask. This was definitely more on the light and bright side of hotel rooms, so morning came a bit earlier than I was expecting.

My family have been firemen since I can remember and my…read morehusband and I are always looking for different & eclectic places to stay away from the traditional hotel experience. All the history and nostalgia in the building is palpable as soon as you walk in and take the beautiful wood spiral staircase to the second floor. There is an elevator also. The historic brass fire poles are still in existence, along with the creaky hardwood floors and georgous exposed brick. We stayed in room 6. Beautiful room with all the furniture from the Nordic furniture shop downstairs. Very tempting to buy a couch from the showroom downstairs! We ate at the restaurant, Stock downstairs. It was amazing, but keep in mind it is directly below room 6 and they don't close until around 11pm on the weekends and they stay about an hour after that to clean up. So you still may hear music and them moving chairs around while they clean up. We also stayed on a Friday night and some skateboarders decided to practice in the parking garage next door around 11:30 at night, but you are staying in the city so you have to expect things like that. Bathroom is beautiful with great water pressure in the shower. There is also a huge area to hang out in on the second floor if you need more space. If you like non-traditional hotel experiences, then add this one to your bucket list. 10-4!

Snowman was here. Had to use the bathrooms…read more They are nice. Vending machines. Truck stop. Dog walking area.

Nice and cozy very clean rest area. Benches to sit and wheelchair accessible . Not crowed so all.read more

This marker along US 11 is at the border of Rockbridge and Botetourt Counties. It is on two sides…read more On the one side, "Rockbridge County Formed in 1778 from Augusta and Botetourt, and named for the Natural Bridge. Samuel Houston and Cyrus H. McCormick were born in this county. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson are buried in Lexington. Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute are there." And on the other, "Botetourt County Formed in 1769 from Augusta, and named for Lord Botetourt, Governor of Virginia 1768-70. Buchanan was the western terminus of the noted James River and Kanawha Canal." Botetourt's county seat is in Fincastle. In the 1770s, when Virginia claimed most of the Northwest Territory which would later form all or part of six states, the land was initially divided between Botetourt and Augusta Counties. Much of this was removed from Botetourt to form the entire state of Kentucky. Rockbridge is named for the Natural Bridge https://www.yelp.com/biz/natural-bridge-national-historic-landmark-natural-bridge-2?hrid=BW-LOgIsnvp2zGahAQ0Lxg and its county seat is Lexington. Sam Houston, the only man to ever serve as Governor of two states (Texas and Tennesseee) was born here. Also both Confederate generals Stonewall Jackson and Robert Lee. [Review 13769 overall, 1090 of 2020, number 1204 in Virginia.]

I love the library at SML! There is plenty of parking. The surrounding area is beautiful. There are…read morecomfy places to sit. If you don't have a laptop or other device, you can sit at one of the library computers. There are used book/movie sales, activities and classes (photography, computers, internet safety, etc). When it isn't crowded (which is frequently) you can stay longer at a computer. There are lots of activities (and toys) for kids. When the weather is warmer, it is fun to go across the street and grab ice cream or pizza.

The library is more like a coffee shop. It is noisy with people talking loud and using their cell…read morephones like no one else is around.