A naturally beautiful bike-friendly city in the Blue Ridge Mountains with excellent schools and limitless recreational options
Tucked into the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains is the city of Roanoke, recognizable for the famous Roanoke Star, a neon landmark overlooking the Mill Mountain summit. What began as land carved out of an ancient mountain range has since evolved into an urban city famous for its natural beauty, shopping, craft beverage scene, and abundance of recreational activities.
Vibrant, innovative, and scenic, it's no surprise that Roanoke continues to usher in more residents keen on the high quality of life, excellent schools, and competitive economic development. Today Roanoke is considered Southwest Virginia's commercial and cultural hub.
More and more people are relocating to Roanoke due to the below-average cost of living, great schools, charming hospitality, emerging cultural scene, rich history, and the area's natural beauty. Despite the influx of newcomers, Roanoke maintains its small-town vibes while still providing the amenities and experiences one would anticipate from a big city. Roanoke is a fantastic place to retire to or raise a family.
Perhaps one of the biggest advantages to living in Roanoke is access to first-class healthcare, with medical facilities like the private teaching hospital Carilion Memorial and LewisGale Healthcare System located here. LewisGale has provided Southwest Virginia with exceptional healthcare for more than a century, and Carilion is one of Virginia's largest and most influential hospitals.
Since 1941, The Roanoker has been a staple for anyone who enjoys American comfort food and Southern-style cooking. Locally owned and operated, The Roanoker continues its long-standing tradition of providing good food for good prices. Similarly, Texas Tavern is a classic 10-stool 1930s diner serving breakfast, burgers, and their popular chili. Many locals frequent the tavern so often, they've even picked up on the short-hand lingo used by the cooks.
You can try 419 West for fine dining, a restaurant that blends upscale and casual while serving seafood, steaks, grill fare, and weekend brunch. This sophisticated establishment offers private dining rooms that can be rented and a bar/lounge area.
As for shopping, there are seemingly endless options available throughout Roanoke, particularly for small boutiques and specialty shops, but Tanglewood Mall is just minutes from downtown. Tanglewood has served shoppers for more than 35 years. Inside you'll find national retailers, cinemas, and anchor stores like Barnes & Noble, TJ Maxx, Belk, Kroger, and more.
A seemingly endless list of recreational activities and events is always at your fingertips in Roanoke, but there are a few hotspots that draw crowds more than anywhere else. Roanoke is just a day's drive away from Washington D.C., Richmond, Virginia Beach, and Charlotte and only a few hours from the state's best beaches and several large amusement parks.
Elmwood Park is Southwest Virginia's premier concert and festival venue. Apart from seating 4,000, the venue also provides cascading grass terraces, an art walk with stunning sculptures, and an illuminated fountain near the stage.
Spend a day with your family at the Mill Mountain Zoo, a 568-acre regional park with beautiful scenic views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and more than 35 different species of animal. Nearby you'll find the Roanoke Star, a must-see spot of the iconic Roanoke symbol. The star is the world's largest freestanding illuminated manufactured star.
Nature lovers will appreciate Carvins Cove Reservoir, the second largest municipal park in the nation and a significant water source. Sprawling across 12,700 acres and overflowing with recreational opportunities such as boating, hiking, and biking, Carvins Cove is certainly worth a visit. The cove also has the largest conservation easement in Virginia.
Roanoke also hosts the Blue Ridge Marathon, "America's Toughest Road Marathon," and the Roanoke Ironman. Plus, the Appalachian Trail is considered the most iconic scenic hiking trail in the world.
Roanoke is home to the excellent Roanoke City Public Schools and includes educational institutions like Hidden Valley High, Cave Spring High, William Byrd High, Fleming High, Northcross, Roanoke Catholic, and Patrick Henry High. Radford, Virginia Tech, Carilion, and Virginia Western Community College are also nearby.
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