Washington, DC is a very ‘green’ city with its many parks and abundant trees. When it comes to the outdoors though, Washingtonians tend to flock to our neighboring states, Maryland and Virginia. Fall is such a beautiful season to enjoy the outdoors; nights and mornings can be crisp but temperatures during the day are mostly very mild with a warm yellow sun sitting low in the sky, highlighting the yellows, browns, and reds of the trees and fields.
A perfect time to pack a sweater, some good hiking shoes and..go on a weekend getaway. Recently, we did just that by exploring the town of Roanoke, Virginia and we decided to make the most of our time by taking an Amtrak Virginia train to get there. Here’s all about our “railway” weekend:
Getting there: sit back and relax on Amtrak Virginia
Most of us know the drill when going on a weekend trip: don’t waste any time and hit the road straight out of work on a Friday night. Only to get stuck in commuter traffic. Unfortunately a reality in many big cities. This time, we decided to really unwind instead by booking our Amtrak Virginia train to Roanoke from Alexandria, Virginia. Despite the small parking lot at the station, we found several open spaces, right in front of the building. At a cost of $15 per day it’s a little bit more expensive than say – the long-term parking at Dulles airport – but for a weekend getaway, you’re not breaking the bank.
The Train Ride
Of course, we were also super excited to take our little one on the train and though traveling light, we did not have to worry about carrying snacks and beverages or about TSA lines for that matter! A very helpful train conductor helped us on board and to some comfy seats and we were happy to see there was plenty of space to stow the stroller plus our bags fit comfortably in the spacious overhead luggage racks.
And that’s when you can really sit back and relax. There are 120v outlets, a restaurant car (basic snacks, lunch kits, hot coffee, soft drinks) and a quiet car for those that want to really submerge into a good book, or take a nap. We did a little of both and after 4+ hours we arrived at our destination: Roanoke, Virginia.
About Amtrak Virginia
For most of us living in DC, we automatically think of DC to NYC as the classic Amtrak route. However, there are many great destinations to be reached in Virginia by rail. On this particular route, I spoke to a handful of travelers that were thrilled that they didn’t have to sit in traffic to make it to their Virginia Tech games. Check out more of their Virginia routes here.
Where to stay
The golden days of railroad transportation fueled the fast growth of Roanoke, a town then called “Big Lick”. Around 1882 railroad magnate Frederick J. Kimball picked this town to be a major railroad junction and with it came a steady flow of money from industry and travelers. Those travelers found a place to stay at the newly built Hotel Roanoke.
Renovated and restored in 1993, Hotel Roanoke (a Hilton Property) with its Tudor style façade sits slightly elevated overlooking the city and of course, the railroad. Which means our walk from the brand new Amtrak Virginia Roanoke Station to our hotel room was literally a two-minute walk. The rooms are comfortable, its classic details well preserved, its location very convenient to the downtown attractions, Hotel Roanoke was just what we needed for our weekend getaway.
What to do in Roanoke
Go on a brisk hike
Especially when arriving in Roanoke later in the evening, you will not miss the iconic “Roanoke Star”, beaming with pride on nearby Mill Mountain. It is actually the world’s largest freestanding illuminated man-made star. Mill Mountain (which has a zoo on it, and hiking trails) can be hiked all the way up to the star, and we certainly gave it a good try but one wrong turn and a baby in a stroller proved a little too much this time to go all the way. We hiked to Mill Mountain from downtown which is doable but allocate plenty of time for this day activity.
Visit the many craft breweries
The reward for hiking (even if you don’t go all the way to the top) is waiting for you in one of Roanoke’s craft breweries. And boy they have that mastered it here. We visited three craft breweries; Deschutes Brewery, Big Lick Brewing Company, and Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers. All three have a very own distinct character and you’ll simply have to try some beers at each of them. We loved the space at Big Lick, and the collaboration they have with Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje, a taco and tequila restaurant right across the street. They will deliver food to you at the brewery as you’re indulging in some fine brews. We thought it wise to eat some food before hitting three breweries so we actually had lunch there before, more about that below.
It’s difficult to pick a favorite but we certainly loved the barrel aged beers they served at Deschutes, we bought a friend a nice bottle as a little souvenir.
Eating
As mentioned, we were quite hungry after our hike so we chose Tuco’s Taqueria, conveniently located across from Big Lick Brewery. At the risk of sounding cliché, you really are transported to Mexico as you enter this stylish, colorful and modern space. Tasty chicken, pescado, and chorizo tacos and plenty of chips and salsa with some solid margaritas made for a fine lunch, before hitting some of the local craft breweries.
Leisurely walking from brewery to brewery we made sure we worked up an appetite for dinner at Local Roots restaurant, a place that is consistently recognized for its quality food and wine by publications such as Wine Spectator and USA Today.
And it did not disappoint. A vegetable salad (roasted broccoli, delicata squash, lemon, sweet potato, herbs, robiola cheese) and charcuterie board with lamb liver mousse were perfect appetizers to precede a handmade pappardelle with braised lamb neck and the Prince Edward Island mussels that I find myself still salivating over. Made with Benton’s bacon and rye whiskey, you should not be embarrassed to slurp up the leftover broth after there are no more shellfish left. So good!
The Verdict
Roanoke in Virginia’s beautiful the Blue Ridge Mountains celebrates the good things in life. There is no doubt that one travels to this place to enjoy the outdoors, and to be inspired by friendly Roanokers who take pride in their individual crafts. Traveling by Amtrak Virginia and seeing the gorgeous rolling hills slide by made our trip so much more relaxed and even more memorable.
Our point of improvement would be the departure time on Sunday. An 8:45 am departure keeps you from enjoying more of Roanoke. I spoke to some of the conductors about it and they said that there may be more departures in the future pending the success of this route.
Deschutes Brewery in Virginia? I would have expected that in Oregon. Looks like a cute town. I take Amtrak all the time but usually just to NYC.
I love using Amtrak and have taken it to San Francisco many times. It’s so comfortable and allows us to whiz by traffic that’s so common here in California. Roanoke looks like a nice town to visit. Love the look of the old stone entrance at Mill Mtn plus the more modern edge to the places you ate and drank at.
My son lives in Virginia now, so this is a great idea for when I go to visit him! Love taking the train!!
What a fun little getaway! Love train rides, they’re so relaxing. Hotel Roanoke sounds amazing and we love the Tudor style of the architecture. Love that you shared three breweries too because we love microbreweries! We find them whenever we travel. Great post!
I am a big fan of train travel – and it’s great to get a feel for what it’s like on Amtrak in the US. Roanoke looks like a great break and I love the look of the hotel.
Looks like a good holiday spot. The hikes are doable and interesting.
The info on the eateries is helpful.
I wish I lived on the East Coast sometimes so I could take advantage of all the places Amtrak goes! I haven’t heard of Roanoke, but actually have friends in Alexandria so will have to check that out next time I visit.
I love taking Amtrak. I find it so much civilized and comfortable than flying. Roanoke sounds like a great destination!
So I’ve just added this onto my list for my eventual USA trip – Sometimes train trips like this is what makes the trip complete 😀 – I’m glad you mentioned the craft breweries to visit in Roanoke, that is definitely a must do haha.
I’ve only ridden trains in the US a few times – Amtrak from Berkeley to Sacramento about a half a dozen times, and it was a wonderful experience!
Scott and I are planning some Virginia trips in 2018 since we’re just one state over, so I’ll definitely reference this post when we do!
The mystery of Roanoke has intrigued me for quite some time now but it seems that the present day Roanoke is full with so many fun things to do, see, and eat! I would love to get my hands on a bottle of that barrel aged beer from Deschutes for my boyfriend’s Christmas present!
Love the wilderness and open spaces in these areas. I understand why people from bigger cities flock these areas. No matter how many parks you build inside a big city, you will never get the warmth and pleasure of a real jungle or even a real village out there.
I never think to take an Amtrak train. I will have to keep that on my radar going forward because I love traveling by train! We love hiking so a hike up Mill Mountain would definitely be something we’d be interested in, and craft breweries are always a plus too! Sounds like a really great trip overall!
If only Amtrak would come to 🇨🇦 Canada!
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