Between the Blue Ridge Mountains in Roanoke, Virginia, and the New River Canyon in West Virginia, a scenic 122-mile journey is perfect for day trips or weekend getaways. Here’s a list of attractions and activities along the way,
Start in West Virginia
The New River Canyon hike and the quaint historic town of Lewisburg make this the perfect start to an epic road trip. The owners offer warm greetings, ice cream, antiques, and stylish cowboy hats, and events such as the Lewisburg Literary Festival, held every August, bring the community and visitors together.
History is rich here, and the best way to immerse yourself is by walking the Lewisburg Historic District. It includes 58 attractions, such as the Barracks, a three-story stone and log structure, Fort Lewis’s oldest building, built around 1789.
Visit the historic General Lewis Hotel and sidestep to the lobby bar, Thistle Lounge, where you can enjoy craft cocktails made from lesser-known liquors and tinctures. If your plans include an overnight stay, this hostel with creaky wooden floors and cozy rooms is at the center of everything in Lewisburg.
The most popular attraction nearby is the New River Gorge, a river where rapids cut through deep canyons. Tourists flock here for hiking, biking, fishing, white-water rides, and bird watching. You can also go horseback riding on the Greenbrier River Walk, which has fantastic scenery. Note: No cell phone coverage exists in these areas, so be prepared to enjoy unhindered peace.
Once you’ve developed an appetite, head over to French Goat for dinner. Order a burger and root side dish—a delicious example of French and Appalachian fusion.
Hike, ride the metro, and drink in Christiansburg and Blacksburg, Virginia.
Less than two hours down State Routes 219 S and 460 E, you can reach the home of Virginia Tech, Jefferson National Forest, world-class tubing, and a cluster of breweries. Stretch your legs on the Huckleberry Trail, which connects Christiansburg and Blacksburg. Its many branches offer 15-mile options, the best of which is the Ada-accessible 1.5-mile Loop in Coal Mine Heritage Park. Or, visit the Jefferson National Forest and hike a mile from Pandapas Pond to choose your adventure on one of the different Poverty Creek trails.
Try the plumbing at the New River Junction for a family experience and a chance to see the beautiful mountains from the water. It’s a lazy float on mild, shallow water, so everyone from kids to grandpa can participate. Order a more fantastic tube to have a cold drink on the go.
Quench your thirst further with six craft beers brewed at Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill, Southwest Virginia’s oldest brewery. If you like wine, then Beliveau Farm Winery offers award-winning wines like Crazy Professor Vidal Blanc. If you love beer and wine, you’re lucky because Beliveau operates Virginia’s only gluten-free brewery.
Stay in a Virginia Tech hotel if you’re having a good time and don’t want to leave. Immerse yourself in campus life, peruse the galleries of the Moss Art Center, and stroll the flower paths of Hahn’s Horticultural gardens.
Shop, learn, and explore in Roanoke, Virginia.
Roanoke, the largest city on the Appalachian Trail, is a 40-minute drive north on Interstate 81. Roanoke is known for its hiking and biking trails, and when hikers stand on the jagged cliffs of McAfee Knob, it becomes the most photographed spot on the trail. If walking isn’t your thing, opt for Roanoke Mountain Adventures’ customized e-bike tour, where you can choose the path and length that best suits your abilities.
Exploring the newly revitalized downtown Roanoke is a must. Start with the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, which highlights the contributions of the African diaspora. Please sit back and consider the recently unveiled statue of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were used in medical research without her consent.
Next, please spend some time at Black Dog Salvage, the home of the Salvage Dawgs on TV, where they recycle and reuse construction waste, turning it into one-of-a-kind household items. Stroll through the warehouse showrooms, peer into the workshop, and bring home souvenirs from Star City. On the third Sunday of each month, Black Dog Rescue hosts a Dog Bowl market featuring local musicians, vendors, and artisans who make handmade, upcycled products.
If you’re staying a night or two, head to Fire Station One, a 100-year-old fire station that reopened as a boutique hotel in 2023. While you can’t slip off a firefighter’s pole, you can stay in one of the seven unique rooms and dine at the in-house Stock cafe, which serves Nordic and Scandinavian cuisine. Or spend the night in the Liberty Trust banking building, which is due to be completed in 2022. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers on-site dining and cocktails at the Vault.
Finally, at the end of your tour, give a sincere sigh and nod to John Denver, who accurately calls this neck of the woods “almost heaven.”
