Honeymooning in Roanoke (Hampton, Blue Ridge, Floyd: hotel, neighborhood, live)

[SteelCityRising]

We just booked April 4-April 8 at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Downtown Roanoke. I have long admired Roanoke from afar and am excited to finally visit!

Spring is my favorite season. Up here in Pittsburgh we have had a lot of unseasonably warm weather this winter and very little snow. As such we already have crocuses, tulips, and daffodils starting to sprout from the ground. How was winter in Roanoke? Are trees starting to bud yet? Are any flowers starting to come up?

By the first week of April, on average, is there any greenery yet in Roanoke, or is everything still barren and bleak? Usually around late-April Pittsburgh is lush/green again, but I expect it will be earlier this year with the warm winter we've had.

Here are some things we plan to do:

1.) Hike McAfee Knob: On a Wednesday or Thursday, how early would you say the parking lot fills up? If the parking lot is filled can we drive to a neighborhood nearby, park on the street, and walk to the trail? I know you can't park on 311, but can you park on 864?

2.) Pinball Musem

3.) Taubman Museum of Art

4.) Jack Brown's Burger Bar: Any favorite burgers here?

5.) Blue Ridge Parkway/Peaks of Otter

6.) Breakfast: We are breakfast people. The Hampton Inn looks to have a great free breakfast. Is it worth splurging for one morning to do either Scrambled or Scratch Biscuit for breakfast?

7.) Coffee: We are big coffee people. Any suggestions for good local coffeeshops?

8.) Spa: Any suggestions on where we could go to get a massage? I am guessing maybe the Hotel Roanoke?

9.) Waterfalls: My fiancé loves waterfalls? Any good nearby hikes with waterfalls?

10.) Cider: We love hard cider. Anywhere local to grab some hard ciders and/or enjoy cider cocktails?

Any other suggestions?

[Watchful]

By the first week of April, on average, is there any greenery yet in Roanoke, or is everything still barren and bleak? Usually around late-April Pittsburgh is lush/green again, but I expect it will be earlier this year with the warm winter we've had.

THE TREES ARE BUDDING WAY TOO EARLY BUT THEY COME IN STAGES SO HOPEFULLY THERE WILL STILL BE SOME TO ENJOY! IT WAS VERY COLD RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS BUT THEN HAS BEEN UNSEASONABLY WARM SO FAR IN 2023.

Here are some things we plan to do:

1.) Hike McAfee Knob: On a Wednesday or Thursday, how early would you say the parking lot fills up? If the parking lot is filled can we drive to a neighborhood nearby, park on the street, and walk to the trail? I know you can't park on 311, but can you park on 864?

THEY ARE NOW OFFERING SHUTTLES - BUT ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS - TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE PARKING ISSUES BUT I DOUBT THE WEEKDAY WOULD BE A BIG PROBLEM!

3.) Taubman Museum of Art

THE REGULAR EXHIBITS ARE FREE AND THERE IS SOMETIMES AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR A FEATURED EXHIBIT.

IF YOU LOVE BLACK AND WHITE TRAIN PHOTOGRAPHY, THE O. WINSTON LINK MUSEUM IS AMAZING!

4.) Jack Brown's Burger Bar: Any favorite burgers here?

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL BY THE DESCRIPTIONS WHETHER YOU WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NORMAL OR SOMETHING UNUSUAL!

5.) Blue Ridge Parkway/Peaks of Otter

PEAKS OF OTTER IS GREAT - AS YOU CAN HIKE THE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN OR TAKE A SHUTTLE PART WAY UP - IT HAS A 360 DEGREE VIEW FROM THE TOP WHICH IS VERY RARE

OF COURSE YOU WILL WANT TO DRIVE OR HIKE UP TO THE TOP OF MILL MOUNTAIN AS WELL FOR THE VIEW FROM THE STAR

6.) Breakfast: We are breakfast people. The Hampton Inn looks to have a great free breakfast. Is it worth splurging for one morning to do either Scrambled or Scratch Biscuit for breakfast?

SCRATCH IS GREAT AND YOU CAN DO IT FOR LUNCH IF YOU STILL WANT THE FREE BREAKFAST - ACTUALLY I LOVE THEIR BREAKFAST TACOS

IF YOU ARE REALLY "SPLURGING" YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO A SIT DOWN BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL ROANOKE - IT IS WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE HAMPTON

7.) Coffee: We are big coffee people. Any suggestions for good local coffeeshops?

LITTLE GREEN HIVE AND MILL MOUNTAIN COFFEE ARE DOWNTOWN - WALKING DISTANCE FROM HOTEL - I AM PARTIAL TO LITTLE GREEN HIVE

9.) Waterfalls: My fiancé loves waterfalls? Any good nearby hikes with waterfalls?

ROARING RUN WATERFALL IS A NICE HIKE IN BOTETOURT COUNTY NOT TOO FAR AWAY

Any other suggestions?

BLACK DOG SALVAGE IS NOW A REGULAR STOP FOR MANY DUE TO THE SALVAGE DAWGS TELEVISION SHOW - IT REALLY IS FUN TO GO SEE!

WALKS ALONG THE ROANOKE RIVER GREENWAY WILL BE VERY NICE THAT TIME OF YEAR

SINCE YOU SHOULD BE THERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT I ALWAYS RECOMMEND A DRIVE DOWN TO THE LIVE BLUEGRASS AT THE FLOYD COUNTRY STORE - YOU CAN GO IN FOR A WHILE THEN GO HANG OUT ON THE STREET FOR A WHILE - AND THEN GO BACK IN AT YOUR LEISURE - IF THE WEATHER IS NICE THERE WILL ALSO BE MUSICIANS JAMMING ON THE SIDEWALKS! UNPARALLELED!

[SteelCityRising]

Wow, Watchful! Thanks so much for your assistance! You are an asset to Roanoke. My responses to your responses are in red below.

Originally Posted by Watchful

By the first week of April, on average, is there any greenery yet in Roanoke, or is everything still barren and bleak? Usually around late-April Pittsburgh is lush/green again, but I expect it will be earlier this year with the warm winter we've had.

THE TREES ARE BUDDING WAY TOO EARLY BUT THEY COME IN STAGES SO HOPEFULLY THERE WILL STILL BE SOME TO ENJOY! IT WAS VERY COLD RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS BUT THEN HAS BEEN UNSEASONABLY WARM SO FAR IN 2023.

Thanks. Hopefully there will be some greenery around for our hiking and walking.

Here are some things we plan to do:

1.) Hike McAfee Knob: On a Wednesday or Thursday, how early would you say the parking lot fills up? If the parking lot is filled can we drive to a neighborhood nearby, park on the street, and walk to the trail? I know you can't park on 311, but can you park on 864?

THEY ARE NOW OFFERING SHUTTLES - BUT ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS - TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE PARKING ISSUES BUT I DOUBT THE WEEKDAY WOULD BE A BIG PROBLEM!

Thanks. Good to know that the trail is more popular on weekends. We won't rush to try to get there at 7 AM on a weekday then.

3.) Taubman Museum of Art

THE REGULAR EXHIBITS ARE FREE AND THERE IS SOMETIMES AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR A FEATURED EXHIBIT.

Thanks.

IF YOU LOVE BLACK AND WHITE TRAIN PHOTOGRAPHY, THE O. WINSTON LINK MUSEUM IS AMAZING!

Thanks. We may check this museum out too!

4.) Jack Brown's Burger Bar: Any favorite burgers here?

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL BY THE DESCRIPTIONS WHETHER YOU WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NORMAL OR SOMETHING UNUSUAL!

Thanks.

5.) Blue Ridge Parkway/Peaks of Otter

PEAKS OF OTTER IS GREAT - AS YOU CAN HIKE THE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN OR TAKE A SHUTTLE PART WAY UP - IT HAS A 360 DEGREE VIEW FROM THE TOP WHICH IS VERY RARE

Thanks. We will do some hiking around here.


OF COURSE YOU WILL WANT TO DRIVE OR HIKE UP TO THE TOP OF MILL MOUNTAIN AS WELL FOR THE VIEW FROM THE STAR

I forgot about the Mill Mountain Star. We will have to check it out. Our room will overlook the star.


6.) Breakfast: We are breakfast people. The Hampton Inn looks to have a great free breakfast. Is it worth splurging for one morning to do either Scrambled or Scratch Biscuit for breakfast?

SCRATCH IS GREAT AND YOU CAN DO IT FOR LUNCH IF YOU STILL WANT THE FREE BREAKFAST - ACTUALLY I LOVE THEIR BREAKFAST TACOS

IF YOU ARE REALLY "SPLURGING" YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO A SIT DOWN BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL ROANOKE - IT IS WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE HAMPTON

Thanks. I think we will definitely do Scratch for a late-breakfast/early-lunch one of the days.

7.) Coffee: We are big coffee people. Any suggestions for good local coffeeshops?

LITTLE GREEN HIVE AND MILL MOUNTAIN COFFEE ARE DOWNTOWN - WALKING DISTANCE FROM HOTEL - I AM PARTIAL TO LITTLE GREEN HIVE

Thanks. We will check out both coffeeshops!

9.) Waterfalls: My fiancé loves waterfalls? Any good nearby hikes with waterfalls?

ROARING RUN WATERFALL IS A NICE HIKE IN BOTETOURT COUNTY NOT TOO FAR AWAY

Looks great. Thanks. We will check it out, time- and weather-permitting.

Any other suggestions?

BLACK DOG SALVAGE IS NOW A REGULAR STOP FOR MANY DUE TO THE SALVAGE DAWGS TELEVISION SHOW - IT REALLY IS FUN TO GO SEE!

I forgot about this place. We will check it out!

WALKS ALONG THE ROANOKE RIVER GREENWAY WILL BE VERY NICE THAT TIME OF YEAR

Great. We will consider it.

SINCE YOU SHOULD BE THERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT I ALWAYS RECOMMEND A DRIVE DOWN TO THE LIVE BLUEGRASS AT THE FLOYD COUNTRY STORE - YOU CAN GO IN FOR A WHILE THEN GO HANG OUT ON THE STREET FOR A WHILE - AND THEN GO BACK IN AT YOUR LEISURE - IF THE WEATHER IS NICE THERE WILL ALSO BE MUSICIANS JAMMING ON THE SIDEWALKS! UNPARALLELED!

Thanks. Sounds fun!

[Watchful]

Because of the early spring, GREEN will not be a problem. Always the chance of a surprise cold snap but it should not last long. Weather in the NOKE jumps back and forth from wet to dry! Always an adventure!