One Great Weekend: Adventure in Roanoke and Virginia’s Blue Ridge

Roanoke and Virginia’s Blue Ridge have everything I need for a great weekend getaway. Whether you want to hike, bike or paddle there are countless ways to explore the outdoor playground of the Blue Ridge Mountains. After a day’s worth of adventuring return back to the city where you can unwind and relax; enjoy a great meal, sip some great craft brews or take in some live music. A mix of outdoor adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains followed by some urban adventures is the perfect recipe for a great weekend in my book. A weekend is just long enough to fall for the charms of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, here are my recommendations for a great weekend in Roanoke, Virginia.

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Things to Do in Roanoke and Virginia’s Blue Ridge

Biking the Greenway in Roanoke

With cycling paths and bike shops everywhere it doesn’t take long to realize that Roanoke is a bike town. In fact, Virginia’s Blue Ridge is designated as a Silver-Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and is the only destination on the east coast with this honor. So with all this I had to explore Roanoke by two wheels.

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We rented bikes with Roanoke Mountain Adventures and set off to ride along the Roanoke Valley Greenway, a 26 mile trail that winds along the Roanoke River through several of the city’s parks. During our afternoon ride we stopped at Black Dog Salvage, an architectural salvage and design business made famous by the TV show Salvage Dawgs. This shop is filled with antiques as well as some gorgeous furniture designed from reclaimed finds.

Kayaking on the James River

Aside from hiking and biking one of the best ways to experience Virginia’s Blue Ridge is by water. We drove up to Twin River Outfitters, in the town of Buchanan about 30 minutes north of Roanoke. Twin River Outfitters offers everything from easygoing tube trips to overnight kayak and canoe adventures.

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Steve and I went for a half day kayaking adventure down the James River. With stunning views of the Shenandoah Mountains and the trees just starting to hint at fall it was a perfect day to be out on the water.
This section of the James River is mostly flat with a couple of fun class I and II Rapids (one of which I ended up going down backwards) just to keep things interesting.

Hiking to the Roanoke Star

There are countless hiking trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains but you don’t even have to leave town for a great hike. High up on Mill Mountain the 88 foot tall Roanoke Star can be seen from anywhere in the city. While you can drive right up to the Star I think hiking up Mill Mountain was the more fun option. The trail up Mill Mountain is about 1.5-2 hours round trip and the climb makes the views from the top that much sweeter.

Pinball Museum

Roanoke may be the gateway to Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains but there is indoor fun to be had as well. With over 60 vintage pinball machines dating back to the 1930s (seriously, how cool is that?) the Pinball Museum in downtown Roanoke is a blast from the past.

The best part?

Your inner pinball wizard can play every single game, no quarters needed.

Breweries in Roanoke

After all that adventuring you’re going to want to relax and unwind a bit and luckily Roanoke’s beer game is strong. Of course you’ll find local Virginia breweries like Star Hill Brewing and Three Notch’d Brewing Company but Roanoke has also attracted West Coast favorites like Ballast Point and Deschutes.

I sampled some of the in town breweries during my weekend (purely for research, of course) and definitely came away impressed. First on deck was Big Lick Brewing Company, a local Roanoke favorite that is making a name for itself throughout Virginia. A 6,000 square foot beer garden with ample indoor and outdoor space has fast become a gathering spot for Roanoke beer fans and with an ever changing menu there’s always something new to try. I was also super excited to head to the east coast outpost of Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery. I’ve been on a hazy IPA kick lately and Deschutes’ Fresh Haze IPA immediately became my new favorite beer while Steve was a fan of their Obsidian Stout.

Where to eat in and around Roanoke

Scratch Biscuit Company

There may be no food that’s more southern that a fluffy biscuit and Scratch Biscuit Company is one of the tastiest ways to start your day in Roanoke. During the week locals and in-the-know visitors stop by for loaded biscuit sandwiches including the Cowboy Crippler; a behemoth biscuit piled with brisket, sausage, pulled pork hash browns and cheese. On Sunday’s they offer a special brunch menu. I loved the Mediterranean Benedict, a biscuit Benedict with eggs, fried green tomatoes and bacon topped with a cilantro-lime tzatziki sauce.

Breadcraft

When I hear about a bakery that makes amazing artisinal breads and delectable pastries you know I just have to go and that’s how I ended up at Bread Craft early on a Saturday morning. A broccoli cheddar quiche, an almond croissant and an expertly prepared cappucino is a great way to fuel your mountain adventures.

Tuco’s Taqueria

It’s no secret that I love tacos so immediately upon arriving in Roanoke I made a beeline for Tuco’s Taqueria. Housed in a former garage this modern industrial space is livened up with bright Mexican-inspired murals. The menu is heavy on tacos ranging from classic to creative; pork carnitas with pickled onion and cotija cheese are always a solid choice while the southern comfort with fried catfish and poblano slaw are south meets southwest on a plate.

Foot of the Mountain Cafe

30 minutes north of Roanoke off Interstate 81 in Buchanan, Virginia Foot of the Mountain Cafe has become a Blue Ridge favorite. Known for creative takes on southern comfort food and over the top burgers this cafe run by chef Brian Williams has been racking up accolades since opening in 2015. I judge a southern restaurant by it’s fried green tomatoes and the ones at Foot of the Mountain, with a crispy cornmeal crust and addictive remoulade, are the best I’ve had anywhere.

Blue 5

Live music and great food are always a good idea and lucky for me Blue 5 had me covered on both accounts. I’d had several people recommend their ribs over the weekend so I ordered a half rack, covered in a bbq sauce with the just the right balance of sweet and heat. The smoked gouda mac and cheese and the collard greens proved they didn’t slack when it came to sides as well. Blue 5 also hosts live music with a lineup of local and national acts.

Rockfish Food & Wine

Located in the historic Grandin Village neighborhood Rockfish Food & Wine offers elevated takes on southern classics. We started with a dip trio with handmade crackers to start the evening. The bleu cheese mousse took me straight back to my trip in Italy’s Piedmont while the pimento cheese and black eyed pea hummus had deliciously southern roots. Seared scallops with an edamame and shiitake corn succotash was the best of late summer on a plate.

Blue Cow Ice Cream

When I spotted Blue Cow Ice Cream during my bike ride along Roanoke’s greenway I pulled over immediately. Is there anything better than ice cream on a hot summer afternoon? Blue Cow Ice Cream churns out small batches with locally sourced ingredients and flavors change seasonally. Scoops of sea salt brickle and chocolate brownie in a scratch-made waffle cone made me a Blue Cow fan for life.

Planning your own trip to Roanoke and Virginia’s Blue Ridge? Pin these images for later!

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