Hurricane Helene Update
We are thinking of our neighbors in SWVA and are grateful for the first responders and organizations that are providing assistance. Virginia's Blue Ridge region (Cities of Roanoke & Salem and Counties of Botetourt, Franklin, & Roanoke) was fortunate to sustain minimal damage from the storm and our local businesses are open and ready to welcome visitors. Learn More
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Downtown Roanoke
Downtown Roanoke in Virginia’s Blue Ridge
Downtown Roanoke is the largest metropolitan area in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
It’s a vibrant city center that’s pedestrian friendly and features a variety of great local restaurants & breweries, shops & boutiques, attractions & museums, unique art studios & galleries, outdoor recreation, and public spaces that regularly host live music and special events.
Downtown Roanoke is also known for its Market Square area, where you’ll find the Historic Roanoke City Market - Virginia’s oldest continuously operated open-air farmers market. A Saturday afternoon “on the market” is the perfect opportunity to check out locally-made and grown products from an impressive collection of vendors and artisans.
Market Square is also home to the iconic City Market Building, a food hall with local restaurants serving various types of cuisine, as well as Center in the Square, a multi-story building that houses multiple museums and arts organizations, in addition to a beautiful rooftop patio space that’s free to the public.
However, Downtown Roanoke is much more than just what you find in Market Square, though that part is certainly great.
Other fun sections of Downtown Roanoke to visit include:
- West Station District on Salem Avenue - Places of Interest: Big Lick Brewing Company, Beamer’s 25, Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje
- Kirk Avenue - Places of Interest: Lucky, The Spot on Kirk, Fortunato, Stellina
- Church Avenue - Places of Interest: 16 West Marketplace, Bread Craft, Texas Tavern
- Elmwood Park: a popular venue for concerts and festivals; public art along the Elmwood Art Walk
- S Jefferson Street - innovation district connecting to Roanoke’s growing medical center | Places of Interest: 5 Points Music Sanctuary, Dr Pepper Park at The Bridges, Starr Hill Pilot Brewery & Side Stage
Check out the following pages to learn more about fun things to do in Downtown Roanoke.
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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.
