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    Mill Mountain Star

    4.8 (26 reviews)

    Mill Mountain Star Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Mill Mountain Star

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    John B.

    This majestic star at the top of a hill lights up at night and overlooks the town. The park that has been built up around it includes a zoo (which is the only part that you have to pay to get into), a garden, and trails going up, down, and around the small mountain. A loop of the mountain was quite shady on a hot day, and the views looking down from the star are as good as the views looking up at it. There was some more trail construction advertised, but what was already there was easily worth a visit.

    The view of Roanoke from the Star
    Sylvie C.

    What a beautiful place to be at night time in Roanoke! Sparkling view of the city and lovely trail to walk on. Nothing there not to love. The viewing spots in front of the star can be crowded but if you go down the trail on the left, there's another viewing deck that's less crowded. Looking forward to returning again in the future.

    Mill Mountain Star (close up)
    Derik M.

    The view from Mill Mountain was great even though the weather was not so great! Even with limited visibility and rain on our heels we were still able take in a pretty nice view from the vantage point at the base of the star. From what I could see the trails were nice(at the beginning at least)wish the weather was nicer so we could have meandered about for awhile. The restrooms...well...for guys I hope you don't have IBS or another sensitive tummy issue. Ladies I would just hold it seriously! It's not worth it!

    Brian M.

    This **** was dope. Nighttime and the fog and empty is 5 Stars. I can't speak to during the day with a bunch of strangers, but at night + fog + I Am Legend vibes = 5 stars. The star is massive and just pops up out of nowhere once you leave the parking lot. I was expecting a slight trek, but no, I was wrong....it's a super quick jaunt to the world's biggest manmade star.

    Alexis B.

    The Mill Mountain Star (also called the Roanoke Star) is a star at the top of Mill Mountain. You can drive right up to a parking lot at the base of the star, where you can take in views of Roanoke and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The view is great, and there are trails up there (don't know length since we didn't have time to explore any trails when we were there), but it's really just a quick get out of the car, take in the view, take your picture, and move on. It's only a 10-minute drive from downtown Roanoke, so it's definitely worth a quick drive out of your way to get a shot of the most photographed attractions in the area.

    Gail B.

    If you need a fun family day, take a trip up the mountain and explore the Mill Mountain activities. There are two giant observation decks that overlook the city. You can pack a picnic and sit at a picnic table or bring a blanket. There are vending machines and bathrooms. There are pretty gardens to explore. There is even a zoo. You can also go bike riding. There is a frog pond and playground. If some of your group doesn't want to walk around, they can sit on a bench.

    Tiffany Y.

    You could easily spend a half hour or a whole day exploring the Mill Mountain area. We mostly enjoyed the view from the star area, where you have a great view of the city below. You can drive pretty easily straight to the top. I would love to go back at night!

    Star
    Kathy K.

    A landmark symbol and a great tourist attraction in Roanoke. This star is huge on top of the mountain for everyone to see. The lit up star is viewed at night. After a day hiking at the parks, it's nice to end with a drive to the top of Mill mountain for an up close look and a beautiful view of the city.

    Georgia B.

    Best time to go to Roanoke Star is at NIGHT to view the city and the STAR. Day time is great for hikes, runs and walks throughout the Mill Mountain park. +. Ambiance is both touristy and cheerful. Plenty of locals use to exercise. It's a short drive from downtown. ++. There's a couple lookout decks for city vistas. Nice view of the city and the STAR at night! The park has a small garden with a koi pond, a play ground and a zoo. Mostly it has many trails for walking, mountain biking and hiking. It connects to Blue ridge parkway. Well kept trails and clean parking lots. +. Parking is free and ample. It's a good park to jog and bike if you don't have time to hit the peaks nearby. This park provides the best view of the city and a fabulous sight of the STAR lit up after sunsets.

    Steph B.

    Such a cool landmark for the Star City. Funny, when I lived in Roanoke I never took the time to visit Mill Mountain and check out the famous Star. Now as a visitor I try to hike or ride up here as frequently as possible. There are some easy jogging or hiking paths that lead you up the mountain or or can drive and save your strength for greater deeds. I am amazed at the runners who frequently attack this hill, but that's because I have lived in the Gulf Coast for so long now that any kind of bump winds me. Still, bless those hardy folks. Once at the top you have a great vista of the Blue Ridge Mountains and downtown Roanoke. You will also find restrooms and picnic tables if you want to spend the day there.

    Rebecca D.

    This was our first visit to Roanoke and our first visit to the Mill Mountain star! What a beautiful view of Roanoke and all of the mountains! Seeing the star lit up at night is definitely a site to see! This is a perfect little tourist spot! You can drive up, there are benches to sit and enjoy the view or there are other hiking trails that are a little more challenging. What was really cool to me was seeing the star lit up from below and then driving up and seeing it up close! Perfect little free touristy idea for the family!

    THE star!
    Hwal L.

    So the Star is supposed to be lit every night until midnight, but I somehow missed it because I never thought to look during the few days' trip to Roanoke, which was my very first. In fact, I didn't even know about the Star until I arrived! The Star is big and impressive, but the real 'star' for me was the spectacular view from the lookout directly across from the Star. The clear weather certainly helped, and we had an eyeful of gorgeous 180 view from the two lookouts up at the top. Come for the Star, stay for park, yes!

    Anthony G.

    Really nice place to come stop by on top of Mill Mountain in Roanoke. Day or night, you'll enjoy the beautiful views of downtown and the surrounding mountains. There are also some hiking trails to take around the star. However, come at night and the star of brightly lit and it's also a nice spot to catch a sunset. It is popular with locals and does get crowded so expect the parking to be a bit of a pain. Worth stopping by.

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    Great view. Some wonderful hiking trails and a zoo. Great place to spend an afternoon. Bring a picnic.

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    Review Highlights - Mill Mountain Star

    The zoo nearby is fantastic and was very receptive to having a service dog touring the grounds.

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    Salem, VA - Looking West on Main St.in Downtown Salem, VA

    Salem, VA

    4.0(1 review)
    7.3 mi

    Salem has a pleasant little downtown area that offers enough to allow you to while away an…read moreafternoon. We were there with our daughter recently. She wanted to check it out as she was considering a post-doc assignment in the area. We met her there as we thought it might be a good opportunity to catch up with her. None of us had been to Salem before, and we had no idea what to expect. What we found was a nice little Central Business District featuring several shops, a lovely Liberal Arts College and a couple of intriguing-looking restaurants. There is a great little bookstore (Walter & Co.) and a Vintage Gift Shop (Blue Moon) that provided us an opportunity for browsing. There is also an Antique Mall and a Farmer's Market that were not open when we were there, but looked interesting. The picturesque little Roanoke College campus is immediately adjacent to downtown, and was pleasant to wander. Mill Mountain offered us the chance to take a break for a coffee and a treat. There were also a couple of restaurants that would have made great dinner spots to try had we planned to stay that long. While Salem is not going to make anyone's vacation list, it is still a nice understated spot to spend half a day if you're passing through or live nearby. If you like exploring the day-to-day and the underlying culture and lifestyle of Western Virginia, the Near South and the Appalachia area, this is not a bad place to include on your itinerary for such an exploration.

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    Salem, VA - In Downtown Salem, VA

    In Downtown Salem, VA

    Salem, VA - Shops on Main St. in Salem, VA

    Shops on Main St. in Salem, VA

    Salem, VA - Looking East on Main St. in Salem, VA

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    Looking East on Main St. in Salem, VA

    City of Roanoke

    City of Roanoke

    4.5(2 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Roanoke has some amazing and sad parts. The Roanoke Star is worth seeing. You can see it from far…read moreaway or hike to it. We enjoy having picnics there in the summer. The Hotel Roanoke is a fun venue location. It is beautiful all year, but even more so during the holidays. If you need physical therapy or a doctor, there are lots of options. The police were extra kind when a family member with dementia was missing. They posted a silver alert and located her in 24 hours. There are lots of restaurants. Shopping isn't as exciting as it used to be but there are strip malls and shopping centers. There are areas that are run down and a bit scary. We try to avoid that part of town. There are lots of activities, including an escape room. There is something for everyone.

    I had a great weekend in Roanoke but this sign is worth mentioning at the end…read more Unrelated to Sir Walter Raleigh's unsuccessful Roanoke Colony in the Nags Head area of North Carolina, the City of Roanoke is some 300 miles inland. Established as Big Lick in 1852 and officially chartered in 1874, it was originally named for a large outcropping of salt near the Roanoke River. In 1882, it was officially renamed to the Town of Roanoke and two years later, chartered as the independent city of Roanoke. Legend has it that the name is related to a native american word for "money" but who knows. During colonial times, the city was an important hub of trails. The Great Indian Warpath that later merged into the Great Wagon Road (and is mostly aligned with today's US Route 11) ran from Philadelphia through the Shenandoah Valley to the Roanoke area. In the 1850's, it was an early stop on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad that reached the coalfields in western Virginia and West Virginia. Interstate 581 is the main route into the city, branching from Interstate 81 that passes to the north. The city remains a major hub in the Norfolk Southern freight system. The Virginia Transportation Museum https://www.yelp.com/biz/virginia-museum-of-transportation-roanoke-2?hrid=QekUMpeWn0M1V23W6OMauw is clear evidence of this. Downtown near the Market Square are restaurants, bars and hotels. There's lots to see and everyone I interacted with is friendly. Parking can be challenging, but the city has built a number of paid parking decks to help. As of September 2020, the city is allowing electric scooters which are fun but wear a helmet! I had no problems with homeless or unhomed or whatever the politically correct term is. I did see a couple of folks who were challenged but the city seems to have chased most of them away. Or the slightly drizzly weather did for the day? Or it's City Code 20-69 that prohibits people from stepping onto a median that is not part of a pedestrian crosswalk. While someone falling down on their luck is unfortunate, at least allow them the free speech to ask passersby for help. My time in Roanoke was pleasant and I look forward to returning. There is much to see here! [Review 13789 overall, 1110 of 2020, number 1223 in Virginia.]

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    City of Roanoke - Market

    Market

    City of Roanoke
    City of Roanoke

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    Mill Mountain Star - localflavor - Updated May 2026

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