sillybilly

My husband and I, with our two small children will be in the Roanoke, VA area over Thanksgiving day. We are traveling through on a road trip visiting several Virginia and North Carolina areas and would like to celebrate the holiday. I have no idea where to eat. Something nice and relaxing would be great. We are not sure where we will be staying yet. Still working on that. I am not at all formiliar with the area. Thanks, Kathy

sillybilly

woops. familiar

GoTravel

Either the Hotel Roanoke or take a ride to Natural Bridge Virginia and eat Thanksgiving at the Natural Bridge Hotel.

morninglory8

Hotel Roanoke is a lovely and grand southern style with an elegant dining room. Another restaurant we love is called Metro, a little pricey, but excellent food.

Betsy

Also recommend Hotel Roanoke for a traditional Southern Thanksgiving dinner.

I grew up in Roanoke and was there a few weeks ago for my high school reunion. We stayed at the Amerisuites near the airport though Hotwire. Be careful, as some of the areas near and in downtown can be pretty dicey.

I just checked the Hotel Roanoke web page (it's a Doubletree)and typed in Nov 23 thru Nov 26 as sample requested dates. There's a $79 internet rate for a nonsmoking room with two double beds for those dates. A premium room with two doubles is $104 for those dates. I'd snap that up in a second.

There used to be a big football game in Roanoke over Thanksgiving, with a parade and other festivities. Not sure if this still is the case, but it wouldn't hurt to check it out and book your hotel early if so. Otherwise, you won't have a chance!

If you arrive the day before Thanksgiving, be sure to head over to the Roanoke Downtown Market. It's within walking distance. If the weather's nice you may enjoy a ride up to the top of Mill Mountain. There's a children's zoo up there with a little "zoo choo" to ride. You can't miss it--there's a huge neon star atop that shines at night.

Betsy

The star is on top of the mountain, not the zoo choo. I'm on my trigger-happy PC, which posted the message above before I was finished.

Betsy

Hey, I just read your relocation thread. What's the status of your search?

sillybilly

Thanks so much for the advice! The hotel Roanoke sounds and looks great. I will make reservations today. I think I will have to stop at the natural bridge while on the way to Charlottesville. It looks really neat. We have not made any desicions yet on where to move. We will be in Pensacola for one more year. We don't want to have to pay capital gains taxes on our home if we move before two years. We've been here only for one year this December. My husband and I really need to scope out Virginia and North Carolina first. Once we have seen these areas, we can begin to narrow our choices and start looking for jobs. We are stopping in Greenville, SC, Asheville, NC, Roanoke area, and Charlottesville. We may also stop for the night in chattanooga, TN on our way home. Betsy, what do you mean by dicey? Is the hotel Roanoke downtown?
Thanks again, Kathy

sillybilly

We plan to stay in Roanoke and Charlottesville two days each. Thinking to stay an extra day. Which of the two cities would you recommend for that extra day? Roanoke is closer to the natuarl bridge. Charlottesville looks like it might have good downtown area to walk around. We need to be able to get a feel of what it would be like to live and work there. I know three days is not much, but its all we've got. Thanks!

schlegal1

Charlottesville does have a cute pedestrian area downtown where you can walk, shop, eat, catch a mvie, or sometimes an outdoor show (although they are now closed for the season). I think it would be well worht some extra time there.

The Natural Bridge is cool (although very touristy) and there is also a zoo and wax museum nearby that might interest your kids. You can look at http://www.naturalbridgeva.com/ to get an idea of activities and prices (it's expensive given that it's a natural bridge that you just look at; $12/adult, $6/kid)

schlegal1

I meant the outdoor music venue is closed for the season, not the entire pedestrian mall.

Betsy

Hi Kathy. Most areas of Roanoke are perfectly safe, but like any city, there are pockets where you may not want to take a stroll at night. Hotel Roanoke sits on a piece of property about the size of one square block or more near downtown Roanoke. Actually there's an enclosed bridge from the property connecting it to downtown. There's lots of landscaping on the hotel property, and it's very safe IMHO.
It's the nicest hotel in Roanoke.

cmcfong

Kathy, while you are in that general area stop by Floyd, VA on a Friday night for great bluegrass. Locals can tell you where to go.
Also for a great meal on the Parkway, try the Black Dog at Chateau Morrisette.

shaya

The Hotel Roanoke is beautiful and I am sure they would do a lovely Thanksgiving dinner.

Also, you may want to check out Billy's Ritz if it is still there - only a walk across the pededtrian bridge from the Hotel. The food was wonderful when we went there - probably 5 years ago the last time.

lscott

YOu might try the jail! There's a song by Tom T Hall about being stuck in the Roanoke jail and being served fried baloney and gravy 3 times a day.

sillybilly

Yuk! I don't think I could stand that meal once a day. I reserved the 23 and 24 of November at the hotel Roanoke. I am on a list for the 25th. Football game that weekend. We also reserved a spot for the Thanksgiving dinner. 34.95 / adult and my kids are free (they are 3 and 1). A little pricey, but I bet I spend that and more when we have the holiday at home. We can't wait!! I am trying to find something in Charlottesville for the 21 and 22. The hotels seem a bit more expensive there. At least the ones near downtown. Thank you all for your input. We will try to see as much as possible. The hotel Roanoke seems very well located.
Thanks again, Kathy in Pensacola, with blue sunny skies and a cool 64 degrees.

kmchick

I LOVE Roanoke!!! I visited for the first time a couple weekends ago with two friends, we wandered the downtown well after dark and felt perfectly safe. Given a choice I would move to Roanoke over Charlottesville. It has most of the same amenities without the terrible traffic.

sillybilly

I am so glad you loved Roanoke kmchick. I hope we love it too. This is alittle stressful I must say. Making all these reservations in four different cities that I haven't even visited before. I just hope that we can have a great time and relax while taking in all the new surroundings. We are really excited to take this trip. I hope my kids will not cry or complain too much while driving all these miles. What am I thinking. Of course they will!!! HA,HA

Just need to make reservations in Asheville for two days and chatanooga for one day. Asheville is expensive! But I can't wait to visit and take it all in.

Thanks, Kathy

matthews1965

You and your family should be enjoying our marvelous Hotel at this point. You are probably not checking this site, however, in case you are try to have breakfast at the Roanoker restaurant. This typlifies our hospitality and good ole southern cuisine. Also, if you venture to the farmers market area and want a "Roanoke" staple - try the "Roanoke Weiner Stand". I am not only a native Roanoker, I have lived here 52 of my 56 years. Also, have you learned about our lake? It is quite amazing,splendid mountains meet the water! Roanoke is very, very special.
Perhaps if we correspond I can share more about my hometown. I am a realtor with Long and Foster, but I am not trying to sell you a house, what I am doing is what I would do for anyone considering our city. By the way I was a member of Hotel Roanoke Management in the 80's. My husband and I will be at the Hotel Friday night and Sat. for a reunion of The Royal Kings as my husband is the MC. This evening features 3 "Roanoke" bands. Walk down the stairs to the ballroom and take a listen. (not for the youngsters unless they are into rock n roll and Jimmy Buffett) Please post back to me if you would like a tour. However you approach this enormous life decision, give Roanoke a long look. It's a wonderful city and an amazingly versitile city for family life.