The perfect cure for Fourth of July shenanigans? The Floatilla to Starr Hill(a)! Curious what a Floatilla is? Check this out: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLz8q3RxeiN/?hl=en
The Floatilla is a self-guided adventure. This is a set date and ballpark time to encourage as many folks as possible to float the river. While you're on your own for the float, here are some helpful tips to ensure a fun, safe, and easy float!
Your Floatilla Check List:
PARKING PLAN
Parking is ***very limited***. Team up in two cars, drop one car at the gravel lot take-out next to Honey Tree and near Starr Hill Brewery, and carpool back to the new put-in near Roanoke Mountain Adventures for an easy exit strategy.
Parking at the put-in:
- Large gravel parking lot off of Winchester (cut through the new skatepark to get to the river.)
- River House gravel parking lot (off of 8th St. SW)
- Carpool highly encouraged (seriously)
Only have one vehicle? Park it at the take-out and Uber, bike, or scooter to the put-in.
**Maps/Details/ETC can be found here: https://roanokeoutside.com/how-to-do-the-love-float/**
FLOATS
Bring whatever floats your vibe — inflatable couches, unicorns, ducks, SUPs, kayaks, tubes — go wild.
NEED GEAR?
Call Roanoke Mountain Adventures (540-525-8295) or visit their website to rent a tube, kayak, or paddleboard. Supplies are limited.
BYOPump
BRING YOUR OWN PUMP or risk watching everyone else float away while you sweat it out on shore. Roanoke Mountain Adventures has a few, but the line gets long fast, and the last one on the river is a rotten egg!
FLOAT AT YOUR OWN RISK
The Floatilla is a low-key group hangout in a public space. There are no waivers and no lifeguards. All participants should know how to swim and manage themselves in a body of moving water. Footwear is highly encouraged, but flip-flops are not recommended. And don't be that barefooted person.
STARR HILL HANG OUT
Once you finish your float, meet up at Starr Hill! They will keep the party going in their outdoor space with live music, a foam party, and plenty of room for folks to spread out and relax. They'll have Smokin' Nick's food truck on site, their new kitchen will be open, and they'll be pouring 22 beers on tap, along with craft seltzer cocktails, wine or seltzer slushies, cider, wine, canned cocktails, and NA options. There's something for everyone!
TLDR
When: Sunday, July 5 at 1 PM (just a suggested time, you can start earlier/later).
Where: You can start anywhere in the Wasena Park area (near The Green Goat, Roanoke Mountain Adventures and new skatepark). The end location is Starr Hill Brewery.
How: You're in charge of shuttling yourself to and from the start and Starr Hill (CARPOOL).
What to bring: A float, a pump, your friends, a cooler, snacks, sunscreen, a speaker, and get ready to FLOAT.
See you out there!
Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge 101 Shenandoah Avenue NE Roanoke, VA 24016 (540) 342-6025 (800) 635-5535
Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge is committed to cultivating an atmosphere that welcomes and celebrates the unique backgrounds, abilities, passions, and perspectives of our vibrant community. As our region’s only destination marketing organization, we have a responsibility to showcase the best the Roanoke Region has to offer, and those assets and strengths come in varied forms. We embrace differences in race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, language, visible and invisible disabilities, and all the intersecting identities that make Virginians and visitors alike so unique. We believe our differences make us stronger– and better.
