Visiting Roanoke - all recommendations welcome

[Watchful]

If you are there on a Friday - I would recommend the one-hour journey down to Floyd, VA to experience the live bluegrass night ("Friday Night Jamboree") at the Floyd Country Store. Amazing way to spend four bucks.

[parasol]

Originally Posted by Blue Moon Athena

Actually, if one isn’t boating/fishing/swimming there really is not a whole lot to do around Smith Mountain Lake. The entertainment at the lake IS the lake and little more. There are a handful of shops and restaurants in Westlake, near the Hales Ford Bridge on Route 122 and in what is being touted as “downtown Moneta” which is also on Route 122. But aside from that, it’s mostly rural with enclaves of community developments. Some that made it and some that didn’t and sit empty and unfinished.

A half day should easily get you to central part of the lake and back to Roanoke. As someone else suggested, you may want to combine your drive to the lake with a drive elsewhere. Heading away from the lake and in the opposite direction of Rocky Mount, you may want to see the city of Bedford. It has a cute downtown area with shops and places to eat.

Bedford sounds great and right up me and my travelling companion's alley. From pictures, the lake area looks really pretty and I'm usually content with just a scenic walk. I have zero natural beauty where I live - unless you count congested roadways and decaying palm trees!

If there's any other towns or areas within an hour or two of Roanoke that you think we'd enjoy please feel free to let me know. It's fun to research the places we could go even if we don't get to experience everything on our list.

[parasol]

Originally Posted by PaperTrail

If you choose to head down to the lake and want to do some light hiking/strolling, it might be worth it to head on down to the state park. As Athena mentioned, there's not a lot to do around the lake area other than play on the water and/or maybe find a nice spot to just relax and take in the scenery. Bridgewater Plaza right at the main bridge (Hales Ford Bridge) has a few upscale nick-knack (sp?) spots, and there are definitely a few new places that I haven't explored yet in the new downtown Moneta.

A nice little day-loop might be heading down to the lake, doing a bit of shopping and hitting the state park, then swinging up to Bedford, which has a great little downtown and is home to the National D-Day Memorial. There are a few good places to eat there in town (Clam Diggers for great seafood, Court St. Pizza for yummy but unhealthy Italian, or the Bedford Social Club for a fancier night out).

From there, U.S. 460 shoots you back to downtown Roanoke in about 45 minutes.

Excellent! Sounds like a perfect way to spend the day.

Watchful, we won't be there on a Friday. Saturday through Wednesday is the only flight available, unfortunately.