Now this is a unique "park" where it's not easy just to find where the trail begins. BUT once we…read morelearned why it's called 'Explore' Park, our first visit here became absolutely engrossing. After turning into Roanoke River Parkway from Blue Ridge Parkway, drive past several lookouts and the park entrance. Keep driving past Arthur Taubman Center on your left and down a gravel road where you'll eventually find the parking lot for the 'explore' part of this park. At least two entrances exist, and it doesn't matter which one you start on since the trails meet, crisscross, and loop. Just watch out for signs along the way. I like that it's a trail in a natural setting with lots of trees, but what really makes this park unique is the endless stone and wood structures and buildings you come across randomly throughout the trail. It was actually so bizarre and mysterious that I didn't even think to take any pictures. There's a house that used to be a family home but is now empty, and you can take a peek inside since all the structures are inaccessible to visitors. We came on a weekday, and the only other people we saw were kids in the parking lot and a person walking their dog. Okay, slightly spooky this place, but I wouldn't want it any other way...well, maybe if we could walk inside the buildings it'd be even more fun.

It was so fun and I love zip lining thank you so much for your service I had so much funread more

Booked this for my daughters 5th birthday party. I hadn't been skating here in 20 years. Honestly…read morein 20 years not much has changed. The skates looked like the original skates I wore in the 90s but they still function. I guess things were made better back then. The music was loud, too loud really, and it was crowded. But Santa was there. And the kids enjoyed the play area and it was pretty clean. The bathrooms could have been cleaner. The staff was helpful and attentive. The prices weren't terrible. Brought back memories. If the music hasn't been so loud I couldn't speak over it I would have given 5 stars.

Pros: Kids play area was fantastic. My 6 and 2 year olds played for hours. Guy at the front desk…read morewas nice, as was the lady at the concession stand. Cons: We went just for Laser Tag, and I've never seen such a poorly run operation. We were told to go to the arcade area (very small) and ask for it there. The guy signed us up, then didn't utter a word and skated off to the rink to have fun. We waited for almost 2 hours before they called the laser tag groups. Session lasted for a few minutes, and half of that was spent changing broken equipment. We tried doing another session, but were told it would be a while, and the guy skated off again. My son left in tears after that, and we'll never be back. Not that it's really the fault of the business, but there were kids throwing bouncy balls on the skating rink and chasing after them without skates on, and they were allowed to continue. Very dangerous, I wouldn't want to skate there.

We really enjoyed our trip to the zoo. On the smaller side but plenty to do. You can purchase…read moreanimal food to give to the pigs & goats. We also purchased train tokens - a small train perfect for the kiddos and a little ride through the entire park, they take you around twice. The train conductor is really great at his job, which made it really great for the kids. They have a little cafe on site, with seating, and great prices and slushies! They have two smaller parks inside the zoo for the kids, both fun! If you are in the area and need something to do, go check this place out. You can also walk through a wildflower garden - not much in bloom yet but still beautiful to walk through and some fun things hidden within. (:

This was fantastic! I would've paid the admission price to simply run in and see a red wolf, but…read moregot to see two! And a snow leopard, Pallas's Cat, Red Panda, Bald Eagles, black bear, and others! Red wolves are critically endangered, and to be able to see one was a real treat! Right off the Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking trails are around and the Mill Mountain Star! Zoo has admission, but grounds are free! Lots of parking and a snack bar!

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.

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.