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.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the US, noted for its scenic…read morebeauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for 469 miles through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties. It runs mostly along the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. *The Parkway is free to drive, with a posted (and honored) speed limit of 45 MPH. It is enjoyed by people in automobiles, on motorcycles, bicycles, and some walkers. The road is curvy, goes up and down mountains, and often does not have guardrails along areas with steep drop-offs. *There are no service stations on the Parkway, so make sure your vehicle has gas and you've had it serviced. There are some towns off the Parkway, but this IS a rural area. *the National Park Service maintains 8 campgrounds along the Parkway. Most do not have showers. There are also some Visitor Centers, with park rangers who can provide information on local hikes and other activities. *Be wildlife aware. We just spent 3 nights camping and hiking, and only saw geese, but there are black bears, snakes, and other critters in the park. *Autumn is absolutely gorgeous with the colorful leaves, but weekends get crowded.

Ok, my name is Jennifer and I'm a Ridge addict. My family and I have driven the Blue Ridge since I…read morewas a baby....so over 50 years. Since moving to NC it had become my goto for something to do on a Saturday. No...really. I drive out to Stuart, hop on the Blue Ridge and the toughest decision is North or South. If I want to go to Chateau Morrisette for lunch or hike around the lake at Peaks of Otter I head North. If I want to drive out to Pisgah its South. Either direction will take me aling one of the most beautiful roads I know. At each turn you are awarded with magnificent views of the Blue Ridge mountains (part of the Appalachia). You can see some stunning floral displays when the mountain laurel is in bloom and watch a variety of critters out for a nosh. The speed limit varies from 35 to 45 so holding a steady 40 is perfect for catching a chipmunk racing across the road or having plenty of time to stop for a herd of whitetail deer. Yesterday I had my first emergency in 50 years. We got a double flat right around milestone 107. We barely had coverage to dial AAA and were then at the mercy of fortune. As we were unable to pull out of the road, I chose to be the one to direct people around the car. I could have cried for joy as these wonderful folk restored my faith in humanity. So many stopped to make sure we were ok. I have to give a very vocal shout out to ine of the parks service rangers. Her name is Tabitha and she turned into our Guardian angel. She called in the accident to her dispatch and kept an eye on us till the tow came. If you find yourself wanting to just do something...especially during this Covid period when there arent a lot of options..take a drive. Decide for yourself... North or South. Either direction will lead you on adventure. Make sure to stop at one of the main areas to pick up a Blue Ridge book...this will become your Blue Ridge ' bible' as it will give you a milemarker by milemarker guide. Stop by the Music center near the Va/NC border or see what I mean by Peaks of Otter. Go see the highest mountain on the East coast (Mt Mitchell) or check out the arts and crafts center. Be aware of your season. It gets cold in the mountains earlier than the valley. If you head towards Pisgah in late October..the road may be closed due to snow/ice. Same actually near Peaks. The Blue Ridge is usually very busy in Summer with folks headed to Asheville, Boone or the Smokies Just remember the rules: take nothing...leave nothing. Rediscover Nature or just unwind for an afternoon. I promise you WON'T regret it.

We were in the Roanoke area and I had dropped my wife and daughter at the mall. I had…read moreresponsibility for the dog, and I did not want to leave him alone in the car for an extended period. So I checked my Maps function and found this park. It proved to be a good place for a walk. This small park (1 square block) is straddled by an elementary school and a middle school, so I imagine it is a popular place for after-school activities. It was a Saturday, however, so there was no such thing of that kind going on. While sunny, it was also a rather cold day and it was the last hour of daylight. So the net effect was that the park was empty. There was a decent amount of green space just to walk around, and Frank (my daughter's pug) enjoyed that. There was also a tennis court, a basketball area and a play area for younger kids. There was a recreation building that was closed when we were there. In all, it looked like a very nice neighborhood park. It provided a lovely, albeit brief, place for respite for us.

This lovely park is located literally at the entrance to the city, where Interstate 581 meets the…read moredowntown streets. It's a nice welcome. There are no facilities here other than a very pretty fountain. No benches, playground or other features. There is some paid parking nearby and it is a trailhead for the Lick Run Greenway. [Review 13780 overall, 1101 of 2020, number 1215 in Virginia.]

The best place in Roanoke to watch a concert. My wife and I have been there for two concerts and…read moreother events. Great staff and easy to get in and out of. I would recommend Elmwood park for any concert experience.

Elmwood park is a place for everything. A great stop for an afternoon lunch, a evening movie, a…read moreconcert etc etc.... The list goes on and on. It's been a spot for Roanoke festival in the park going on 40years at least. I preformed there many years as miss Monas sunshine kid. There is alot if history here Enjoy it.

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+