An Appreciation for Beauty and History

Plan to discover some wonderful art and museum pieces for decorating and gifts in Roanoke’s unique museums and historic City Market.  Buff up on your Virginia History before witnessing nature's exquisite fall beauty along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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Day 1:

Put on your walking shoes; Roanoke City’s museum trek includes Taubman Museum of Art and Center in the Square where you can enjoy the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, Science Museum of Western Virginia and Hopkins Planetarium.  Browse and shop at the historic Roanoke City Market for fresh fruit and produce, as well as unique crafts.  Enjoy lunch and dinner at one to the many City Market restaurants.  Awful Arthur’s has the area’s most complete raw bar.  Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine features French, Spanish, Italian and Brazilian dishes.  Experience the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the largest professional orchestra in western Virginia.

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Day 2:

Hope you have more room for history! Try the History Museum of Western Virginia, using a wide variety of artifacts, furniture, clothing and arts to chronicle life in the region from prehistoric times through World War ll.  Any steam left to visit the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the official transportation museum for Virginia?  Celebrate Roanoke’s rich rail heritage through exhibits of diesel, electric and steam locomotives before chugging over to the O. Winston Link Museum Shop. There you can see the collection of acclaimed black and white steam locomotive photographs.  Hungry yet? Try Alexander’s near the City Market for prime Virginia meats and locally sourced organic produce.  Relax at Opera Roanoke tonight as they present a fully-staged production of traditional and operatic works.

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Day 3:

Located only 30 minutes from Roanoke is the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford County.  It serves as the national memorial for US D-Day veterans and is a tribute to the valor, fidelity and sacrifice of all Allied Armed Forces during the D-Day Invasion of Normandy France on June 6, 1944 during World War ll.  It's just a short drive from there to the Peaks of Otter Winery. Choose from a yummy selection of fall apples, homemade cider and butters.  Try their many types of fruit wines and blends, too.  Just a few miles down the Parkway, enjoy lunch at the Peaks of Otter Lodge Restaurant featuring southern fried chicken, catfish, and homemade fruit cobblers.  Hike or take the shuttle up to Sharp Top, affording a spectacular vantage point for capturing fanciful foliage.  Take inspiration from famous naturalists like Thomas Jefferson and Robert E. Lee, who both visited and wrote about this area.   Enjoy your trip back to Roanoke or head on home along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

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