Bridge for Appalachian Trail, crossing the James River, Virginia, Fall 2017
Photo: WilderAddict / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Things to do in Roanoke Metro

Parks, trails, events, restaurants, and everyday local life.

Car-dependent

Roanoke County

37 restaurants and cafes, 7 parks. Trails: Carvins Cove Natural Reserve, Appalachian Trail. Trailheads, parks, youth sports, and suburban errands shape weekends.

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Very walkable

Roanoke City

207 restaurants and cafes, 65 parks. Trails: Mill Mountain Park, Roanoke River Greenway. Markets, breweries, concerts, greenway rides, and mountain access are the local rhythm.

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Walkable

Salem

63 restaurants and cafes, 17 parks. Trails: Havens Wildlife Management Area, Appalachian Trail. Sports, Roanoke College, local restaurants, and quick valley access shape weekends.

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Use this page as a starting point, then open the area guides for the underlying numbers and source notes.

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Sources and freshness

How to read the data for Things to do in Roanoke Metro.

Still choosing between Southwest Virginia markets?

This page is focused on Roanoke Metro. Use the region split below to keep nearby towns, commute patterns, and local data straight.

Current guide

Roanoke Metro

A walkable small city with a Level I trauma center and miles of mountain greenway, for a lot less than the coast costs.

Roanoke CountyRoanoke CitySalem
Companion guide

New River Valley

Where Virginia Tech, the New River, and the Blue Ridge all meet, with some of the lowest tax rates in the region.

Montgomery CountyRadfordPulaski CountyGiles CountyFloyd County
Open NRV guide