The story below is from our January/February 2022 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Life in the Roanoke Valley makes it easy to live large, with less. Here are ten of our favorite things to do that won’t cost you a cent.
Everyone enjoys an occasional chance to get fancy – whether that means ordering the best bottle from the wine list at your favorite restaurant, or checking into the Hotel Roanoke for a luxurious night away from home. Still, every once in a while, it’s fun to do something that doesn’t cost a thing. Why not try our suggestions?
Hit the trail!
When it comes to hiking and biking in the fresh air, it’s truly hard to top Roanoke. The area is crisscrossed with trails that plunge into mossy valleys and climb to breathtaking blue peaks. Best of all, most are completely free!
If you’re into chasing waterfalls, consider Roaring Run near Eagle Rock – a relatively easy 1.5-mile trail that’s perfect for littler hikers – or Fallingwater Cascades and Apple Orchard Falls near the Peaks of Otter, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. All offer streamside hiking and stunning cascade views.
And of course, no hiking list would be complete without mentioning the “Triple Crown” – Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob and the Tinker Cliffs – which can be reached one climb at a time or in a single, ambitious, 32-mile loop. Either way, you’ll discover astounding, picture-worthy vistas atop craggy peaks, with plenty of switchbacks and scrambling opportunities along the way.
Get your fill of free tunes.
You might be surprised to discover just how much local music you can hear without laying down a dollar, whether that happens on a nearby college campus, at your favorite farmer’s market, or at the RSO’s popular outdoor performance, Symphony Under the Stars.
But here’s one more free music event that you might not have discovered yet. Music on the Corner is a series of community concerts put on by St. John’s Episcopal in downtown Roanoke. These intimate but open-to-the-public Friday-evening musical gatherings can include selections both sacred and secular, classical and contemporary, with music that ranges from Bach, Beethoven and Mozart to Dan Locklair, Randall Thompson and Camille Saint-Saens. Past performances have included an impressive lineup of musicians (both local and from far and wide), including the Tallis Scholars, the Texas Boys Choir, organist and composer Gerre Hancock, and the Garth Newell Piano Quartet, to name just a few. You can keep up with the series via St. John’s Facebook page or website (check the “Calendar” section).
Stage a skyscraping photo shoot.
You might know Center in the Square as the homeplace of several much-loved museums, from Kids Square to the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, all of which are well worth the price of admission.
But what you might not know is this: perched atop the sixth and seventh floors is a sleek rooftop deck with stunning downtown views, perfect for photos. With a spiraling glass staircase, a lush rooftop garden and even a koi pond, you’ve got plenty of spots to create the perfect shot ... and believe it or not, it won’t cost you anything.
On your way out, don’t forget to make a visit to the first-floor atrium, where you can watch hundreds of colorful fish float in the living coral reef aquarium.
Hear a good yarn.
If you love a soulful story, told live and out-loud (think “The Moth Radio Hour”), consider a drive down to Floyd on the second Saturday of each month, when you can hear community storytelling in an informal open-mic forum at Blue Ridge Story Space, which meets in the June Bug Center for Arts and Education from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Each month, stories are loosely inspired by a common theme, which is revealed beforehand via the group’s Facebook page. You can sign up to share your own five- to seven-minute story, or just kick back and enjoy the show.
Strike a pose.
A yoga pose, that is! Roanoke Public Libraries’ downtown location offers Free Yoga for the People, with instructor Bonny Branch, multiple times a week. Virtual options are available, and in warmer weather, you can even stretch, breathe deeply and recenter in the open air at Elmwood Park. It’s a great, low-commitment way to try yoga for the very first time, or to meet fellow yogis.
Cozy up with a good book (or 10!)
Local libraries aren’t just for yoga, of course. In winter, it feels especially nice to curl up in front of the fireplace at South County Library, where you can enjoy a good read and mountain views through the big glass windows ... and then pop outside to take a brisk walk on the nature trail nearby. In summer, the rooftop patio at the downtown Vinton Branch Library is the ideal spot to park under a shady umbrella with a fresh magazine. And of course, you can also take advantage of a wide array of activities for all age groups, from book clubs to craft classes, cooking demos to weekly Zumba groups – all for free. Stop by a library checkout desk for an events list, or visit the Roanoke City Libraries’ or County Libraries’ websites.
Wander the garden path.
As the weather warms, you’ll find Roanoke abloom with free community gardens. At the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden for instance – not far from the mountain’s famous star overlook (also free!) – you can wander through the newly renovated garden paths, cared for by the Mill Mountain Garden Club. There’s a cascading tiered pond, a tiny stone amphitheater for small gatherings, a fairy garden, a series of park benches with picturesque mountain views, and hundreds of shrubs, trees and flowering native plants.
And tucked next to Colonial Avenue on Virginia Western’s campus, you’ll find the Community Arboretum, a two-acre educational garden where you can get lost in a plant maze, take a rest in the gazebo, or snap photos in front of the masses of springtime tulips.
Find some fun on the farm.
If you’ve ever wanted to get up close and personal with a fuzzy alpaca, Pacabella Farm Alpacas & Boutique in Wirtz might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Founded in 2007, the farm currently offers free tours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – just set an appointment via Facebook or by calling or e-mailing the farm (go to pacabella.com for directions and information). When you visit, owners Robin and John Watson will be on hand to take you down to the barn, where you’ll meet “our four adorable little boys,” says Robin. “You get to feed them, pet them, feel that great fiber ... take selfies! They love to have their pictures taken.” You’ll also get lots of fun educational information about alpacas, too.
After the farm tour, you’ll have the chance to treat yourself at the farm’s alpaca-product boutique, which stocks Pacabella’s homemade felted soap and bath products, as well as stuffies, dryer balls, and ultra-warm, hypoallergenic alpaca clothing like socks, hats, scarfs and gloves – perfect for a blustery January afternoon.
Get schooled!
Many Roanokers know that just up the road, Hardy is home to the Booker T. Washington National Monument and historic site, where the famed author, educator and orator was born into slavery on a tobacco farm in 1856.
But what many don’t know is that visiting Washington’s birthplace is free, and that the 207-acre farm is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (call ahead in case of inclement weather or holiday closures). Kids and adults can explore the visitor’s center, see recreations of period farm buildings (with sheep, pigs, goats and chickens) and take a self-guided walking tour through the rolling hills and wooded meadows while learning about this important (local!) historical figure.
Take a drive on the parkway.
There’s nothing quite so picturesque as a leisurely Sunday drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway toward the Peaks of Otter, especially as a winter sunset flames over the peaks. Pack a picnic lunch or dinner, cue up your favorite podcast or playlist, enter the parkway just north of Bonsack, and then take your time, stopping at all your favorite mountain overlooks as the stars begin to twinkle into view.
*Note: Some sites and events may be affected by COVID-related closures and policies. Please be sure to call ahead or check the website for the latest updates.
The story above is from our January/February 2022. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!