We had the best time weekend in Star City! While it was freezing, we still managed to explore Roanoke, Virginia.
We like visiting Roanoke because the trip isn't too far ( 2 hours 30 minutes) & there's plenty of fun spot to stop to break up our trip. If you take 64 to 81, these fun pit stops are on the way:
1. Charlottesville
2. Afton Mountain Overlook (Exit 99)
3. Lunch in Stuart’s Draft - Exit 94 has a Panera, Starbucks & Chick-fila all with a drive thru!
4. The Drive Thru Safari Park in Natural Bridge
5. Natural Bridge State Park in Natural Bridge
6. Luray Caverns in Luray
We stayed at Hotel Roanoke, one of our favorite hotels in Virginia. This stunning Tudor-style hotel is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains & is on the National Register of Historic Places (built in 1882).
It’s right next to Market Street Walkway, and there’s a glass tunnel that goes over the train tracks. It has a map of spots in Downtown Roanoke: Virginia Museum of Transportation, Elmwood Park, Mill Mountain Greenway & Taubman Museum of Art.
It’s about 10 minutes from Mill Mountain - the big STAR! Mill Mountain has biking & hiking trails, a zoo & a playground. The views are gorgeous from the top!
The hotel’s food is delicious plus there is a Starbucks in Steam Coffee & Eatery in the conference center.
For my full review, click here.
*The hotel rooms do not have large closets. A pack & play won't fit in them!
Besides eating at the hotel, we ate on the patio at Fork in the Alley, ordered to-do from Mellow Mushroom, and grabbed treats at The Sweet Donkey Coffee.
During our weekend trip, we were able to explore two spots with our little ones.
Mill Mountain is one of the most scenic spots in Roanoke. It is a part of the Roanoke Park System, and this 568 acres park is home to the famous Roanoke Star! There’s so much to explore here: hiking, biking & equestrian trails, Mill Mountain Park, Mill Mountain Zoo. Since it was so cold during out visit, we only explore between the Roanoke Star & the play area. This was a paved walk & it was really easy for our little ones. You could easily spend 3-4 hours here!
For my full review, click here.
We also visited Center in the Square, and our littles loved it! This massive building has 6 floors of adventures: Harrison Museum of African American Culture, Kids Square Museum, Mill Mountain Theatre, Roanoke Pinball Museum, Roanoke STARCADE & the Science Museum. Because of time, we were only able to explore the first floor & Kids Square, children’s museum. We spent an hour & 45 minutes here, and my children did not want to leave, even though they were exhausted. This made our drive home really smooth!
We loved all the interactive & pretend play opportunities at this museum. The Town is the largest play area, and there are 10 themed play areas, like a bank & grocery store. The Forest has tree forts & climbing obstacles. There are blocks, sensory walls, trains, trucks, and a glow room!
Looking for more weekend getaways and day trip ideas? Check out this post on 6 adventures around Richmond that are perfect for day trips or weekend getaways!
Don't forget to tag @thewestendmom and #thewestendmom in your adventures! I love seeing all the fun your family has!