I’ve lived in the South for 20 years and this is its most underrated city—with historic hotels and scenic mountain views

New hotels, restaurants, and an artisan market have revitalized the "Star City of the South."

Roanoke, Virginia

• The beating heart of Virginia's Blue Ridge region, Roanoke is packed with an assortment of hiking trails, vintage shops, and historical sites.
• Stay at Fire Station One Boutique Hotel, a seven-key property where guests can buy the in-room furnishings.
• Visit the Roanoke Star at sunset for panoramic views of the Roanoke Valley and the Blue Ridge mountains.
• Dine on globally inspired eats, like harissa-dressed potatoes and a French-style goat cheese salad, at Bloom Restaurant & Wine Bar.
• Spend a night out at the speakeasy inside 202 Social House, a vibrant downtown hub with craft cocktails.

It’s been more than 20 years since I lived near the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, but the region’s undulating peaks keep pulling me back. In Roanoke, the mountains provide an enchanting backdrop for a mid-sized city—small enough to get around on foot or by bike, but large enough to have a variety of fun things to do. 

During a recent visit to the "Star City of the South," I stayed in a fire station-turned-boutique hotel and dined on small plates. And every time I stepped outside, the mountains loomed large, calling me to get a closer look by heading up Mill Mountain. 

Miles of trails snake through Roanoke, adding an outdoorsy vibe to this underrated southern city. New hotels, creative cafes, and a year-round artisan market have cropped up in the last few years, making it an impressively well-rounded destination. “We're seeing more tourism, and people are coming to understand that this little city in the mountains has a lot going on,” says Mark Ferguson, co-owner of the downtown Roanoke shop Woodshed: An Appalachian Joint. “There are terrific restaurants, first-rate hiking, kayaking, and nature access on a scale that not many places on the East Coast have.”

And it's easier than ever to get there: as more urbanites seek solitude in the Blue Ridge, Amtrak has launched a twice-daily service from Washington, D.C. to Roanoke on the Northeast Regional. Now, there's no excuse not to visit.

Here's what you need to know before planning a trip to Roanoke, Virginia.

Best Hotels & Resorts

The Promissory Hotel

This boutique property is housed in a 1912 bank building with striking neoclassical design and 27 rooms, including loft-style abodes and two-bedroom suites. Music lovers will want to book The Promissory Hotel for shows at its on-site performance venue, The Exchange Music Hall. The hotel’s forthcoming restaurant, ¡Suerte!, will serve Spanish tapas and wine when it opens in the summer of 2026.

The Liberty Trust

Like the Promissory Hotel, this charming property is located in an old bank, too. Originally built in 1910, The Liberty Trust has seven stories and 54 rooms, and has undergone a thorough restoration to preserve its stunning Beaux Arts and Greek Revival design, including its towering columns, bronze doors, and a marble-filled lobby. The hotel’s shared-plates restaurant, the appropriately named Vault, has a private dining area in a former walk-in safe.

Fire Station One

Furniture maker Txtur teamed with Old School Partners to transform this Georgian Revival-style, 1907 firehouse into a seven-room hotel and showroom where guests can purchase the sofas, beds, art, and other decor. Fire Station One is housed in a bright-red brick building replete with rich period details, like an original spiral staircase connecting the first and second floors and pressed-tin ceilings. Linger over drinks and Scandinavian-style sandwiches inside the Nordic-inspired Stock Bistro & Bar. “I go there all the time,” Ferguson says. “You can sit on the couches in the furniture store, and it's like sitting in a living room and having people bring you food.” 

The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center

Often called the “Grand Old Lady on the Hill,” The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center recently wrapped up a $14 million facelift that gave its 327 rooms new contemporary custom furniture, updated technology, and an expanded spa. The circular 1882 Lobby Bar (named for the year of the hotel’s founding) has a captivating night sky mural on its ceiling, while a cozy lobby fireplace makes an inviting respite on cold winter days. “My husband and I love to sit by the fireplace and have some food and drinks,” Ferguson says.

The Stone House 

This three-bedroom, two-story guest house dates back to 1911 and is filled with upcycled treasures from the neighboring Black Dog Salvage, an antique warehouse run by the same owners. Guests at The Stone House benefit from a prime location next to the Roanoke River Greenway and the Grandin Village neighborhood, a quaint shopping and dining destination.

Best Things to Do

The Grandin Theatre

Showing new and classic movies, The Grandin Theatre anchors the historic Grandin Village district with its dazzling art deco design and an illuminated marquee that transports visitors to the golden age of cinema. The theater also serves the best popcorn in town, says Ferguson, who once worked here as a projectionist. Stop here before or after dinner at one of the neighborhood’s many independent restaurants. 

Taubman Museum of Art 

Located in a spectacular curved steel and glass building designed by a protégé of Frank Gehry, Taubman Museum of Art celebrates its 75th year in 2026. “It's such a gorgeous, unique piece of architecture that I think adds texture to the Roanoke skyline,” Ferguson says.

The museum will host several exhibitions to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary this year, including "Washington’s Greatest Victory: Yorktown and American Art" (July 2 to Nov. 11), which highlights George Washington’s military legacy, and "American Made: Paintings and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection" (Oct. 9, 2026 to Jan. 24, 2027), displaying American paintings and sculptures by Mary Cassatt, Rembrandt Peale, and others.

Center in the Square

This seven-story building in the heart of downtown contains several museums, a living reef aquarium, and Six and Sky Rooftop Grille, where guests can take in splendid views of the Roanoke Valley while dining on seafood and steak. Center in the Square also has a candy shop, an arcade, and a pinball museum, all enjoyed by kids and adults alike. 

Harrison Museum of African American Culture

After moving to a standalone space in the historically Black neighborhood of Northwest Roanoke this year, the Harrison Museum of African American Culture has more space for its rotating exhibits. Spotlighting the contributions of African Americans in Southwest Virginia, the museum’s first showcase in its new space focuses on the achievements of Black doctors and the medical community. 

Roanoke River Greenway

The Virginia Blue Ridge region (which includes Roanoke and surrounding communities within an hour's radius) has hundreds of miles of trails that nature lovers can tackle on foot or by bike. The Roanoke River Greenway, the premier trail in the heart of Roanoke, follows the river for 14.2 miles, taking you past the parks, breweries, and restaurants of the Wasena neighborhood. “At many points, you feel like you're out in the country,” Ferguson says. “It's a great way to connect with nature.”

Best Shopping

Black Dog Salvage

A paradise for upcycling fanatics, Black Dog Salvage sells restored mantels, furniture, art, clothing, and home decor. The business and its owners also starred in the TV show “Salvage Dawgs,” which aired from 2012 to 2020. Starting in the fall of 2026, Black Dog Salvage will also host a bike and outdoor gear shop from Roanoke Mountain Adventures, catering to outdoorsy types. The beloved business is also expanding with a second warehouse, which will hold most of its architectural salvage materials. 

“My house is from 1927, and I've bought so many things there that help keep my house’s historic character,” Ferguson says. 

Woodshed: An Appalachian Joint

Recently relocated to a new downtown location, Woodshed: An Appalachian Joint sells regionally made soaps, t-shirts, jewelry, and "Y’all Means All" stickers from West Virginia’s Base Camp Printing Company. 

“[The store] was inspired by Appalachia’s rich history of making things by hand,” says Ferguson, who owns the store with husband Alexander Dykes. Shoppers can also purchase items online, and the artisan market will debut a cafe in the coming months. 

Chocolatepaper

As the name implies, Chocolatepaper​​ is a haven for chocoholics. It has a variety of truffles, plus chocolates shaped like the Roanoke Star, which make for great souvenirs. Located in the Roanoke City Market Building, Chocolatepaper also has quirky gifts, including funny socks, creative stationery, and more. 

Roanoke Antique Mall

In an off-the-beaten-path strip mall, Roanoke Antique Mall sells rare finds sourced from the mid-1800s up to midcentury modern. “I have found so many good deals there over the years,” Ferguson says. “There is an extraordinary collection of household goods at Roanoke Antique Mall—everything from cocktail glasses to vintage mixers and toasters. There are so many beautifully crafted products for your home that have the charm of yesteryear.”

Nightlife

Golden Cactus Brewing

With everything from burlesque shows to live music to craft markets, Golden Cactus Brewing is a unique entertainment spot and a top-notch brewery in Roanoke’s West End neighborhood, tucked inside an industrial building that used to be a soda bottling factory. A walk-up window next door serves smashburgers, fish and chips, and other hearty fare. “It’s just a fun environment,” Ferguson says.  

The Park

An LGBTQ+-friendly bar, The Park Dance Club attracts a broad cross-section of Roanoke residents, including gay and straight partiers of all ages, Ferguson says. DJs, drag shows, and good cocktails add to The Park’s appeal.

202 Social House 

Ferguson says the clubby, dimly lit speakeasy in the back of this downtown Roanoke restaurant serves stellar cocktails and elevated bar food. 202 Social House doesn’t take reservations and is first-come, first-served.

Best Restaurants

Crystal Spring Grocery Co.

Crystal Spring Grocery Co. customers can pick up cheese straws made in Virginia and fried chicken sandwiches, and, on Thursdays, sample cabernets and Chardonnays at weekly wine tastings. Chef Matthew Lintz uses regional purveyors and his experience in the fine dining industry to elevate simple sandwiches and salads into mouth-watering bites that blend sweet, salty, and crunchy.

Bloom Restaurant & Wine Bar 

Since opening in 2019, this locally sourced, seasonally focused small-plate restaurant has become a hotspot in the Wasena neighborhood, with influences from Appalachia and around the globe. Produce from Magnolia Farms, baked goods from Bread Craft, and trout from Smoke in Chimneys pop up on Bloom's dinner menu, which embraces beef, poultry, seafood, and plenty of plant-based dishes, like the popular harissa-topped potatoes aioli.

Owner Nate Sloan recently teamed up with business partner Thomas Ceddia to open another restaurant downtown. Dorothy & Frank’s melds Southern cuisine with Middle Eastern spices to create dishes like broiled Virginia oysters with Aleppo pepper.

RND Coffee Lounge 

Customers come to this Black-owned, small-batch roaster in the Wasena neighborhood for creative coffees infused with house-made syrups and hot bagel sandwiches. Local entrepreneur Steffon Randolph founded RND Coffee Lounge and tapped his brother Quincy, a former cook at the old Michelin-starred Blackbird in Chicago, to helm the kitchen. Quincy says his culinary chops helped him develop the cafe menu and a line of non-dairy frozen dessert bars, Crème Fresh, with Bloom owner Nate Sloan. 

Viet Sub

Viet Sub serves Ferguson’s favorite banh mi sandwich. Filled with your choice of meat or tofu, radish, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, and jalapeno, the sandwiches are served on French bread that’s chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. “This sub just knocks it out of the park,” says Ferguson.

Best Time to Visit

While the city maintains its allure year-round, nothing beats visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall, when the leaves dazzle viewers with multicolored hues. Spring also beckons nature lovers, who can enjoy the redbud and dogwood trees in bloom. 

How to Get There

Roanoke’s location makes it easy to reach for mid-Atlantic and Southeast travelers. By car, it’s about four hours from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, three hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, and six hours from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Two trains a day run from D.C. (five hours) and Philadelphia (eight hours), and one daily train comes from New York (nine hours) on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional line. Several major airlines, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines, service Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport (ROA), a 10-minute drive from downtown Roanoke.

How to Get Around

Visitors with a car can explore the scenic drives, Mill Mountain, and the small towns surrounding Roanoke. However, much of the downtown area can be done on foot, by bike, or by scooter. 

“For a city its size, it has a lot of urban bike lanes, and I bike around the city all the time,” says Ferguson. Travelers can rent bikes from Roanoke Mountain Adventures or Cardinal Bicycle. 

For another two-wheel transport option, look for the orange Spin scooters around town. Riders scan the scooters’ QR codes to rent and travel between museums or move through different neighborhoods. 

Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge also suggests a self-guided walking tour route that includes two dozen attractions, historic buildings, and parks along the way.

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