Let’s be honest, Roanoke, VA is the real capital of the South

If you’ve never heard of Roanoke, Virginia, it’s a small area in southwest Virginia that is the perfect mix of city life and classic American suburbia. Roanoke is the perfect place to call home because it embodies everything the South is about.

It’s the Star City of the South

Our name – and icon – says it all. The Mill Mountain Star stands 88.5 feet tall, overlooking the Roanoke Valley. The largest freestanding, illuminated manmade star in the world was constructed in 1949 and has been welcoming visitors to Roanoke ever since. It is illuminated in white every night, and shines red, white and blue on special occasions. If you’re looking for a great date spot, check out the star’s overlook at sunset.

Home of the railroad

As early as the 1850s, the Norfolk and Western Railroad was the largest employer in the Roanoke Valley until recent years. Really, the railroad is the reason Roanoke exists. The legacy of N&W is seen throughout the valley in decor, restaurants and hotels. Trains still run on the tracks daily, and AmTrak is bringing a station here soon. Looks like Roanoke will remain a railroad town for years to come.

History surrounds us

You don’t have to walk very far in Roanoke to find a historic landmark. A popular site for senior pictures, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge in Downtown Roanoke actually has a very interesting story. The bridge, formerly known as the Henry Street Bridge, divided the city into the black and white segments. Who better to represent the joining together of the city than the man who had a dream to see it happen?

Just across the railroad tracks stands the beautiful Hotel Roanoke. It was constructed in 1882 as the premier social center and lodging for railroad passengers. Surviving a terrible fire and the great depression, the hotel was donated to Virginia Tech in 1989 and was listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1996. Today, it’s a full-service hotel, restaurant and conference center and it serves as lodging for the Miss Virginia Pageant. It also holds its annual Christmas tree design competition to benefit the United Way. The hotel has famously housed Aerosmith, Douglas MacArthur, George Takei and Presidents Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush Sr.

Nature is in your backyard

It isn’t unusual to see deer, rabbits, snakes and sometimes bears in your backyard. One summer, we even had frogs and ducks living in our pool. If farm animals strike your fancy, you don’t have to drive very far at all to see cows and horses.

Beautiful views galore

Speaking of nature, have I mentioned the Appalachian Trail runs through Roanoke? We’re nestled right in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, an offshoot of the Appalachian Mountains, and that means there’s a hike for everyone. Hike up to the Mill Mountain Star, Peaks of Otter, Dragon’s Tooth, Devil’s Marble Yard, or the challenging six-mile round trip of McAfee Knob.

Better than Granny’s cooking

Once you’ve worked up an appetite from all that hiking, stop by The Homeplace Restaurant. It’s only one minute from the beginning of McAfee Knob. The Homeplace is a family-owned restaurant in an old farmhouse, and it’s all about Southern cooking. Pick two meats to share and it comes with all the fixins: biscuits, cole slaw, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy and pinto beans. Stay for the dessert – cobbler and ice cream.

You like sports? We’ve got ’em.

America’s pastime has a home here. You can catch the minor league Salem Red Sox all spring and summer long. If football is more your speed, we’re less than an hour from the Virginia Tech Hokies and less than two hours from the Virginia Cavaliers and James Madison Dukes. Or root for a local high school team in the fall – my high school won the state championship twice.

Even in the winter, we’ve got plenty to watch. The Virginia Tech ice hockey team’s home rink is in Roanoke, and 2016 will see the first season of the Southern Professional Hockey League “Rail Yard Dawgs.” Or if you’d rather participate in the events, Roanoke hosts the Blue Ridge Marathon, “America’s Toughest Marathon,” every April.

It’s very artsy

If you’re not a sports person, Roanoke has you covered. There are countless local amateur theatre troupes who put on multiple shows a year. The Burglund Center also hosts the “Broadway in Roanoke” series, where touring Broadway shows perform. Popular shows include Beauty and the Beast, Guys and Dolls and Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (coming in 2017).

Elmwood Park has a new outdoor concert venue with a very festival-like atmosphere. I saw Christina Perri and Colbie Caillat last summer in the 4000+ capacity amphitheater. Food trucks set up for the event, and the summer vibes were perfect. In the winter, Elmwood Park also hosts the only outdoor ice skating rink in the area.

What’s more Southern than the county fair?

The Salem fair is an event looked forward to for months by the entire valley. It boasts carnival rides, petting zoos, games, great food and a Fourth of July fireworks show. The Salem Fair is the largest fair in the state, with over 350,000 attendees each year.

The community

Whether you’re rallying behind your favorite sports team or rallying behind a local high school student battling cancer, you’ll never find a community stronger than Roanoke’s. The Drumstick Dash 5K every Thanksgiving Day supporting the local Rescue Mission and homeless community, is just one example of how Roanoke tends to see the bigger picture.

Whether you own a farm or work in the Wells Fargo tower, or maybe you live in South County or Vinton, or whether you root for Virginia Tech or UVA, Roanoke people just get it. And if you visit, I guarantee you will, too.