trying to narrow down moving options (Roanoke, Blue Ridge: camping, restaurants, triathlon)

[deacon70]

My wife and I are looking at potentially moving south within a few years. We are a Christian family with very soon, 5 kids, 4 of whom will be 10 and under. We love to be outdoors camping, fishing, hunting, bicycling and more recently competing in triathlon. Life is too short to be cold! We want a warmer climate, access to plenty of shopping/restaurants (my wife) and an active Christian community. Does this area fit the bill? Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[headnsouth]

It's quite temperate here, mild winters and hot but not crazyhot summers. Check out roanokeoutside.com and the local outdoor meetup group. The Blue Ridge Marathon's been going & growing for three years, there's trail running and mountain biking in addition to all the hiking. Certainly plenty of churches here.

[Scott94]

Originally Posted by deacon70

My wife and I are looking at potentially moving south within a few years. We are a Christian family with very soon, 5 kids, 4 of whom will be 10 and under.

We love to be outdoors camping, fishing, hunting, bicycling and more recently competing in triathlon. Life is too short to be cold!

Definitely lots of outdoor opportunities around the area. Check out this link which has a great overview of all of the outdoor activities possible. Roanoke also has a very nice Greenway which it is trying to complete in the near future.

We want a warmer climate,

Coming from the north, Roanoke should have a warmer climate than what you have been experiencing, but not something that is totally unsuitable. We get a fair amount of snow in the winters, though it really just depends on the winter.

access to plenty of shopping/restaurants (my wife)

There are many, many restaurants around Roanoke, several of them locally owned. Shopping is also not too bad, especially if you are in downtown or the Valley View area. What you won't find here are some of the more notable upscale restaurants and shopping, such as Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, Crate and Barrel, Banana Republic, and so on. Roanoke also has a severe lack of grocery store options in my opinion, (no Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Publix, etc.) mainly just Kroger, Food Lion, Fresh Market, and the local farmers' market.

and an active Christian community.

There are plenty of churches in the area, and I'm sure you could find one that would fit your needs.

Does this area fit the bill? Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

From what you've posted, I'd say Roanoke should be a pretty good fit. If you haven't already, make sure to give the place a visit first, and check out some of the more notable places (downtown/farmer's market, Grandin Village, Valley View, Mill Mountain Star). Smith Mountain Lake is also about a 30 minute drive and is a nice daycation.

Good luck!

[Watchful]

Yes, yes, and yes. The outdoor opportunities are great. The area will welcome you whether you or church-going or not, and there are plenty of good churches to choose from!

[deacon70]

Thank you all for your replies! I will definitely check out those links

[headnsouth]

A story about the marathon in today's Roanoke Times. I was wrong, this was its 4th year, not 3rd.