I went to Roanoke's main tourist website before traveling to Roanoke. I discovered that the Mill…read moreMountain Star is the top attraction. Like Diamond Head and Waikiki are icon landmarks in Hawaii, and Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York City, Roanoke has the Mill Mountain Star. It was a short 15 minute drive from downtown Roanoke to the Star itself. My friend and I decided to spend a little time here before heading back to downtown Roanoke for dinner. It looked like a beautiful drive and it ended up being one of the most beautiful ones I've done all day in Roanoke. Once we got to the parking area, we found parking and walked to the viewing platform. The overlook was fenced off from people who happened to be looking a little too close and might fall off the cliff. There was informational signage for those who want to learn more about the area and the mill mountain star itself. The views were spectacular looking out into the city of Roanoke and Roanoke valley. It was very beautiful and amazing to see. The mill mountain star is the symbol of the city of Roanoke and it is made out of neon tubing and is 88.5 feet tall. It was initially created as a Christmas symbol but gradually became a symbol of the city of Roanoke. I soaked it all in for maybe 10 minutes and took a selfie with the Mill Mountain Star before we went back to downtown Roanoke for dinner. It was definitely worth going, even if it was just 30 minutes, including the drive times. Definitely Recommended if you're in the area. At least there is restroom facilities here, which is a big plus. The overall experience here at the Mill Mountain Star was breathtaking and indescribable. It was a highlight of my trip to Roanoke, Virginia for sure. The drive up the hill was nice and definitely walkable if you want to, just watch out for cars if you do. There is a long bench directly in front of the structure that you can sit on to rest. On this March 2026 day I was here, my friend and I came across a group of adolescent girls who happened to be sitting on the bench at the time. All 5 of them hanging out together. Thought that was pretty neat and typical. Friends hanging together. After reading those information signage at the Mill Mountain Star, I gazed out into the Roanoke valley and reminded myself that it was absolutely great that I am able to travel. How the history of the Roanoke valley came to be and how the city gradually was formed and is currently thriving. The area is kept clean by the local parks department and there were a few trash cans around for visitors to throw away their garbage. There's also restroom facilities here too for visitors. After leaving downtown Roanoke and driving south towards Rocky Mount, we saw the Star being lit up for the evening. It was great to see it being lit up as a landmark of Roanoke. If you're in the area and want to look at the top attraction of Roanoke, swing on by. Best bet would be to come in the morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds if possible. The Mill Mountain Star is the iconic symbol of the city of Roanoke, Virginia. Its physical address is located in Mill Mountain Park, 2000 JB Fishburn Parkway SE. There was no admission fee required here, which s very nice. Just be respectful to others that are around and keep the area litter free. As far as parking goes, there are maybe 8 parking stalls that are readily available for visitors. You may want to avoid crowds for the best time possible. If you're a fan of public transportation, bus route 41 takes you from the 3rd street station in downtown Roanoke close enough to Mill Mountain. You'd stop off at the Dollar General at Riverland Road EB and Garden City (Hwy 116) but you'd have to walk close to 2 miles from there to get to the parking lot and the Mill Mountain Star. There is also the Mill Mountain Trail head if you don't want to follow the road leading up to the Star. Might be more scenic if you have the time to hike versus driving. And of course, there's always Uber and Lyft if you need them for your convenience. It was one thing that I can knock off my list to visit. It's quite nice to see at night. If you're in the area and want to see the Roanoke Star, come on by. And by the way, There's nothing up here besides restrooms and a parking lot, as far as amenities go. Best thing to do is eat or drink before or after you visit. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

We stopped here on our travels to Roanoke. We read about it being one of the most visited places in…read moreRoanoke. We followed the directions and arrived before the sun was setting. We were told it is great place to see the sunset. We parked in the small parking area and took the short walk to the observation deck which is just below the star. The view from the observation deck is amazing. There is a display that shows the mountains you can see with names and distance. We read there is another observation deck if you follow one of the trails but we did not explore more. Our only recommendation is to get here early because parking is limited.

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.

A majestic object that looks down on the city from a small mountain. The mountain has a series of…read moretrails, with more planned, so there is plenty of opportunity to spend more time than just looking at the star and checking out the overlook. However, even if one is just going to do that, the views are nice.

Amazing statue and such a fun little treat while driving around the downtown Roanoke area. Parking…read morenearby since it's an a strip mall/ shopping area.

While in the Roanoke, VA area visiting family, Kayla Beth Fields Deacon and I turned it in to a…read moreRoad Trip. We left the hotel and drove about 10 miles over to the downtown area to see the Transformer Mega Giant Optimus Prime He was so excited!!

I've seen many memorials dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But none so memorable and of such…read morelocal and national historical significance as this one. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge in Downtown Roanoke, formerly known as the First Street Bridge and Henry Street Bridge, features engraved quotes and a 7-foot bronze statue of Dr. King wearing a business suit with his arms outstretched overlooking the historic Gainsboro neighborhood. The granite pedestal includes a relief panel of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King marching in Washington, D.C. The statue was sculptured by the husband and wife sculptor team of Jeffrey H. Varilla and Anna Koh Varilla (whose studio is Koh-Varilla Guild in Chicago), and stands at the north side of the MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge. Even before knowing the history behind this area 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. Historically, this crossing was a symbol of segregation, dividing Downtown Roanoke from the historically African American Gainsboro neighborhood. But today it serves 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.

This narrow pedestrian bridge (formerly the First Street Bridge, later the Henry Street Bridge)…read morecarries people across the railroad tracks between downtown Roanoke and the Gainsboro neighborhood. Repaired and reopened to traffic in 2008, it no longer carries vehicles but only pedestrians and bicycles. At the one end of the bridge is a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King with some benches. From the bridge, you can look down into the railyard where the Norfolk & Southern and the Amtrak Northeast Regional trains pass. The bridge is 316 feet long and is a steel pony truss. It is the last steel truss bridge in Roanoke. It is in good condition though I wouldn't recommend walking barefoot across it. [Review 13794 overall, 1116 of 2020, number 1228 in Virginia.]

The Hotel Roanoke is an iconic location in the Roanoke/Blacksburg region. Once a railroad hotel, it…read moreis now owned by Virginia Tech and operated by Hilton. The build is amazing. The structure has a Tudor facade and inside you find lots of wood finished panels, all having the luring you into reenactment of HG Wells Time Machine or a Stephen King The Shining. The hotel is connected to a very nice conference center, which I will discuss in a separate review, it also gets five stars. During the Pandemic, the hotel took the opportunity make renovations. I'm not particularly happy about what they did to The Pine Room, but the rest of the renovations seem positive. I find the beds at the HR a bit stiff for my old back, so if you're a soft mattress person you won't want to make long stays here. But a few nights I can deal, because the positives out weigh the need for a little extra sleep. Positives: downtown location makes easy and safe walking to the local bars, restaurants and museums. Really unique architecture makes the stay an experience. Fantastic staff are always there and pleasant! Negatives: train wheels through at 5 in the morning (they really should grease this axles) and the beds are hard.

Located in the parking lot of the hotel, this marker is easily accessible and there is some limited…read morestreet parking. It reads, "The Hotel Roanoke was built in 1892 by the Norfolk and Western Railroad. Over the next century, despite fire and depression, it became the city's social center. The Tudor Revival building became a beloved landmark for thousands of visitors. Its original 34 rooms had grown to 384 rooms when, in 1989, the N&W donated it to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. After a major renovation and the addition of a conference center, it reopened in 1995. The Hotel Roanoke was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1995 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1996." The hotel is currently owned by Virginia Tech and operated under the Curio Collection by Hilton brand. It is a stunning property and a significant piece of Roanoke history. This business (I'm talking to you, Yelp!) SHOULD REMAIN separate from the hotel itself. [Review 13778 overall, 1099 of 2020, number 1213 in Virginia.]

This is the vintage Dr Pepper clock. It's on the side of the road. We are driving down the…read moreexpressway and saw it. Took a few pictures and put it on here for everyone else to see. I don't really know the details, but Dr Pepper must have something to do with the city because they have a few different Dr Pepper things.

While my wife was looking thru Black Dog Salvage, I walked across Memorial Bridge. I read the large…read moreplaques on each end of the bridge, and admired the beautiful view of the Roanoke river. This bridge was opened in 1926. Cool piece of Roanoke history.

This marker is located on the south bank of the Roanoke River at Franklin Road. It recalls the…read moreearly Colonial days before the American Revolution. It reads, "The Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia to the backcountry of the Carolinas crossed the Roanoke River here at Tosh's Ford, named for Thomas Tosh, in the eighteenth century. Nearby stood Daniel Evans's mill, another landmark on the road. A group of Moravians, among the many thousands of settlers who passed this way, crossed the ford at dawn on 2 Nov. 1783 en route from Bethlehem, Pa., to Bethabara, N.C. One wrote in his diary of the ford's "slippery stones" and reported that "a quarter of a mile beyond we came to Even's mill." Mill Mountain is named for Evans's mill." Looking at the journey on Google Maps, it's 511 miles. I-81 largely follows the former Great Wagon Road from Allentown through Harrisburg, Hagerstown and Roanoke. On the interstate at 60+ mph, that's an eight hour drive. On a dirt road on a wagon? These folks *really* wanted a new life! The marker was placed in 1997 and is in good condition. [Review 13790 overall, 1111 of 2020, number 1224 in Virginia.]

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+