Awards & Accolades for Virginia's Blue Ridge

It should come as no surprise that the Roanoke Region in Virginia's Blue Ridge has received numerous awards and accolades over the past few years.

With our outstanding quality of life, stunning natural beauty, and wide variety of activities, the region constantly finds itself on 'Top 10' lists and other rankings from numerous publications and organizations.

 

 

 

 

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People in Virginia's Blue Ridge take a tremendous amount of pride in where they live, and they're excited to share our culture and character with visitors.

Many of these awards and titles are thanks to the hard work and passionate commitment of locals who do so much to make the Roanoke Region a wonderful place to live, work, play, and visit.

It gives Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge great pride to be able to partner with the community and help celebrate this ever-growing list of awards, accolades, and recognitions.

People worldwide are learning what makes Virginia's Blue Ridge the perfect place to experience a metro mountain adventure, and we hope you'll experience it for yourself.

The following is a list of awards and accolades for the Roanoke Region in Virginia's Blue Ridge:

• Roanoke - America's Best Towns to Visit in 2026 | CNN | 2026

• Roanoke - Top 100 Best Places to Live in 2026 | Livability | 2026

• Roanoke - Best Place to Raise an Outdoor Family - (Best of the Blue Ridge Awards) | Blue Ridge Outdoors | 2026

• Mill Mountain Park (Roanoke) - Best Bike Park - (Best of the Blue Ridge Awards) | Blue Ridge Outdoors | 2026

• Blue Ridge Marathon - Best Running Event (Best of the Blue Ridge Awards) | Blue Ridge Outdoors | 2026

• Blue Ridge Parkway - Best Public Lands (Best of the Blue Ridge Awards) | Blue Ridge Outdoors | 2026

• Smith Mountain Lake - Best Lake (Best of the Blue Ridge Awards) | Blue Ridge Outdoors | 2026

• Roanoke - Virginia's Best Mountain Towns | Travel + Leisure | 2025

• Roanoke - Best Destination for Fall Colors | USA Today 10Best | 2025

• Roanoke - Top Adventure Town | Blue Ridge Outdoors | 2023

• Roanoke - 25 Best Hiking Cities in the U.S. | CNN | 2023

• Roanoke - Fun Fall Weekend Getaway Destination | TODAY with Hoda & Jenna | 2023

• City of Roanoke Achieves Highest Score of 100 Points in the 2023 Municipal Equity Index - an assessment that evaluates cities on their inclusivity towards LGBTQ+ individuals | Human Rights Campaign (HRC) | 2023

• Roanoke - 12 Best Cities in the U.S. for Mountain Bikers | Two Wheeled Wanderer | 2023

• Virginia's Blue Ridge - The Best U.S. Cities for Biking | AAA | 2022

• Roanoke - Best Mountain Towns in the United States | Outside | 2022

• Roanoke - Best Virginian Cities to Bring Your Pets | Trazee Travel | 2022

• Smith Mountain Lake - 12 Best Places to Buy a Lake House in the U.S. | Travel + Leisure | 2022

• Blue Ridge Parkway - America's 7 Most Romantic Road Trips for Couples | MSN | 2022

• Fincastle - Every State's Most Charming Small Town | MSN | 2022 

• Roanoke - Best Places to Live in Virginia in 2022 | The Apartment Guide | 2022

• Smith Mountain Lake State Park - The South's Best State Parks | Southern Living | 2022

• Roanoke - Where to Go in the South in 2022 | This is My South | 2021

• Roanoke - The 10 Most Scenic East Coast Cities | WorldAtlas | 2021

• Roanoke - Top 20 Cities to Pursue Faraway Jobs | LinkedIn | 2021

• Roanoke - 9 Quaint Southern Spots for a Destination Wedding | Southern Living | 2021

• Smith Mountain Lake - Top 8 Beaches in Virginia | Lonely Planet | 2021

• Roanoke - 12 Beautiful Places to Visit on the East Coast | Hand Luggage Only | 2021 

• Blue Ridge Marathon - Hardest Races in the World | Runner's World | 2021

• Roanoke River - 3rd Place for Best Urban Kayaking Spot in the United States | USA TODAY 10Best | 2021