Roanoke Virginia, called “The Star City of the South” lies in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Many people claim that Roanoke’s close proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains makes it the ideal spot to view the magnificent fall turning of the leaves in the mountains, a colored quilt like extravaganza that visitors come from all over the world to witness.

Fly into Roanoke Virginia from anywhere in the world and come through the Roanoke Airport. You’ll think you’ve landed in a small southern town when you come off the airplane and through the Roanoke Airport doors -- the Roanoke Airport itself is small and intimate compared to most national and international airports. Chances are slim that you’ll have trouble finding your luggage, as this airport is only two levels, and can be viewed end-to-end with no trouble.

After you’ve flown into the Star City, you’ll notice that Roanoke tourism is blessed with The Jefferson National Forest and the Appalachian Trail that extends over the northwestern edge of Roanoke County. These outdoor parks offer visitors a chance to camp, hike, or hunt during their Roanoke vacation. The famous Blue Ridge Parkway also passes through the Roanoke Valley and offers those who travel to Roanoke Virginia the chance to view the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

Virginia Map

Travel to Roanoke Virginia and besides the Shenandoah Valley, and the Blue Ridge Mountains, enjoy the Roanoke Virginia Center in the Square, the city’s focal point of cultural activity. Within the square you can visit the Science Museum of Western Virginia, Hopkins Planetarium, the Roanoke Museum of Fine Arts, the Mill Mountain Theater and the Roanoke Valley History Museum. You can also visit the Roanoke Virginia Farmer's Market on Saturday and Sundays and buy a few fresh homegrown vegetables to tide you over until lunch.

Your Roanoke Vacation can be made even more fun by visiting the various other area attractions including the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the Harrison Museum of African American Culture and the Mill Mountain Zoo, just outside the city limits of Roanoke. You’ll also want to take the chance to visit the famous Roanoke Star that sits atop Mill Mountain, a beacon welcoming visitors and reminding them of how the Native Americans named the Shenandoah Valley "daughter of the stars."

There’s a variety of great places to stay while on your Roanoke vacation. Try a local bed and breakfast such as the Rose Hill Bed & Breakfast, located across the street from Roanoke’s Highland Park. While staying at the Rose Hill you can enjoy home-cooked meals, off-street parking, afternoon tea, and homemade chocolates in each room. Once you’ve settled in you can also schedule a chance to visit some of Roanoke’s beautiful historic colleges and universities, such as the women’s college Hollins University, established in 1842.

Roanoke tourism is always glad to have you, and you can tell from the courteous service and old fashioned southern hospitality that each and every one of the people you encounter in Virginia would love to make your Roanoke vacation a true pleasure.