Virginia is quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite states with its wineries overlooking valleys, sweeping horse country, and stunning fall foliage.

We were looking for a nearby weekend getaway with my parents recently and happily found it in Roanoke, Virginia. The “star city of the south” is about 250 miles outside of D.C. It boasts a downtown full of charm, farm-to-table restaurants, and lots in between.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the historic Hotel Roanoke during our visit. It’s a beautiful hotel that, much like the rest of the city and area, was a product of the booming railroad industry. Roanoke, the city, was built around the railroad, and you see it just about everywhere.

You’re greeted with floor to ceiling wood panels and leather wingbacks when you first walk into the Hotel Roanoke lobby, as well as the southern hospitality they’re known for. The hotel itself is in a prime location, connected to the downtown area by a covered and well-lit overhead tunnel that overlooks the railroad tracks.

Hotel Roanoke was originally built to serve as way to break up a long train ride many years ago. We were happily upgraded, and I can say confidently that I probably would have forgotten about my final destination had it been long ago. Amtrak is also expanding its service to Roanoke. You’ll be able to travel by train to and from the city on October 31st of this year.

Where to Eat

We followed the rail walk to Billy’s for dinner. I couldn’t recommend this place more. The cocktails were excellent and the tomato bisque was one of the best I’ve had. Since we were there for such a short time, we only had time to enjoy dinner and brunch the next day.

We went to Local Roots for brunch, a sustainable, farm-to-table restaurant. It feels like you’ve just discovered a locals-only coffee shop complete with an energy that’s just contagious from the moment you first walk in. Mimosas are full of freshly-squeezed orange juice, and this is the place for you if you’re a Bloody Mary fan. The eggs Benedict (one of my all-time favorite brunch staples) and the vanilla maple brioche french toast were the stars of the show. The french toast was topped with sliced nectarines and crumbled peanut brittle. Needless to say, we could have stayed there for hours.

What to do 

You have to make your way up to the star if you’re going to be in Roanoke. The Roanoke Star overlooks the whole city at one hundred feet high. There are all sorts of hiking trails you can take – and even a zoo. The overlook is beautiful, and I can only imagine being there in the fall as the leaves are turning.

Antiques and Treasure Hunting

New To Me

New to Me, a few stores down from Local Roots, is a fun consignment shop with an assortment of items. They had everything from rattan end tables to silver candlesticks to Lilly Pulitzer maxi dresses. I ended up coming home with a huge treasure: a set of silver flatware. I’ve been searching for a good vintage set and this one was as complete as I’ve seen them. It must be close to service for 14 people, including loads of serving spoons and forks – even seafood forks.

Black Dog Salvage

If you’ve ever seen the show Salvage Dawgs on DIY Network, you’ve heard of this amazing place. We had such a great time poking around Black Dog that I’ve got a whole separate post on it. You can read it here.

Taubman Museum of Art

Mom and I were determined to check out the Judith Leiber temporary exhibit at the Taubman Museum of Art while we were in town. We sent the guys to the Virginia Museum of Transportation and booked it over to the Taubman.

The museum has a crisp, modern feel to it. It reminded me of the open, airiness I found in the Denver Art Museum. The Taubman is wonderfully curated and admission is free to the public.

I fell in love with this late 19th century Chinese tea set. The bamboo handles and the dragons winding around the pieces are Chinese symbols of good luck.

Judith Leiber‘s famous couture women’s accessories – especially her minaudières – can almost always be seen on the red carpet. One of my personal favorites is this asparagus bag. I highly recommend taking some time to read her story. It’s truly inspiring. Harper’s Bazaar wrote a piece last year on her journey from Hungary through the Holocaust to becoming an icon.

The Earthly Delights: Judith Leiber Handbags “Gardens & Flowers” exhibit at the Taubman did not disappoint. The collection at the museum was donated by Roanoke couple Sydney and Rosalie Krisch Shaftman, whose full collection is well over one hundred pieces. The exhibit displayed now through October 22nd is a portion of theirs with a theme of whimsical flowers and gardens.

The Virginia Museum of Transportation

The Virginia Museum of Transportation is a must-see, especially if you’re bringing the family. There are classic cars, miniature train sets, and a rail yard that features several large locomotives and rail cars. I’m always in awe of just how big locomotives are when you see them up close.

They also had the old Norfolk & Western’s old china on display. There’s just something so romantic about train travel years and years ago that always gets me.

I’m sure we’ll be back to the Roanoke Valley soon – hopefully this time to enjoy spiked apple cider and check out some of the fall foliage.