The story below is from our January/February 2022 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Take a walk on the wild side and try something new for your next night out with your partner.
Feel like your date-night repertoire is in a rut? If you find yourself treading a well-worn path back to the same three restaurants each Friday night, The Roanoker’s got your back. We put together four fresh itineraries for a fun night, day or weekend out … whether it’s your first date or your four-hundredth.
Get Cultured
Taking out an art-lover … or someone who thinks they might like to be? An unmissable evening of Friday-night fun is Art by Night. Held on the first Friday of each month from 5-9 p.m. in downtown Roanoke, the event allows folks to stroll through local art galleries after-hours while enjoying refreshments, live music … even artist talks and live demonstrations. You can gallery-crawl your way through downtown at your own pace, often meeting an artist or two along the way (hint: go to Art by Night’s Facebook page to download a map of participating galleries).
Want to take the evening up a notch? Plan to finish your trail at the Taubman Museum of Art, which stays open evenings on first Fridays, as well, offering live music and performance art, a chance to mix and mingle with other art-lovers and professionals, and space to see the museum’s collection in an entirely different light. The Late Nights series, put on by the Taubman’s 110 Society, creates an event around a fresh theme each month. Recent gatherings have included performances by interpretive dancers and an aerial artist, a salsa night, and a surreal masquerade party.
“The Late Nights are a blast!” says Holly DiGangi, the Taubman’s deputy director of development. “Each event is a unique experience in a beautiful space with a great crowd – truly all ages.”
Get Cozy
As temperatures turn frosty, you and your partner might find yourself craving a quiet evening by the campfire, clutching a mug of hot cocoa under the moonlight. If that’s you, book a warm winter evening away at a heated “pod cabin” at Explore Park. Many of these extra-snug, ultra-tiny camp cottages feature picturesque arched ceilings and queen beds, and all come equipped with coffee makers, microwaves, refrigerators, and bath houses located nearby – a perfect choice for anyone who loves the romance of camping under the stars but likes the comfort of a real mattress, too.
“It’s definitely a step above tent camping,” says Don Harrison, owner of Don’s Cab-Inns, which manages the campground. “I look at it like being able to have your own hotel room, but in the woods.”
There’s a fire pit outside your cottage for a campfire dinner and s’mores, and if the logistics of packing gear feels overwhelming, you can rent linens, purchase firewood and fire starters, or even have the staff leave snacks in the cabin ahead of time.
The next day, you can hit the nearby trails at Explore Park, or just kick back at Twin Creeks Brewpub, located in the park’s historic Brugh Tavern, which offers a casual spot for pints and eats on the weekends.
Get Outta Town
There’s always something special about shaking off the ordinary and finding yourself in a new place, and few local couples probably know this better than Christine and Andrew Troester, who met while teaching English in South Korea.
“We started dating there, and a lot of our dating was exploring new cities. It was fun … figuring out how to get here and there … taking the bus, getting directions,” says Christine. “Ordering off the menu was always an adventure!”
The couple spent time living in Hawaii and China, and throughout their travels, they made it a point to get out and explore new spots. When they decided to settle in Roanoke to be near family, they refused to stop exploring – this time as new parents. Together they now keep an Instagram page, @OurRoanoke, to chronicle their latest adventures in and around the Valley.
If you want to steal a page from their playbook, you’re in luck – Southwest Virginia is home to plenty of fun destinations within easy driving distance, many of which make perfect spots for a date – whether you want a fancy cocktail at the 1772 Rooftop on Main in Fincastle, some toe-tapping action at the Friday Night Jamboree at The Floyd Country Store, or a casual beer-and-barbecue night at Beale’s Brewery in Bedford.
As for the Troesters, many of their favorite local adventures together involve a little time outdoors combined with a laid-back spot for food and drink. Christine recommends the Natural Bridge area as a great place to explore – whether you go for the famed rock bridge or rock-hopping at nearby Devil’s Marbleyard, where enormous white boulders (some as big as pickup trucks!) spill down an eight-acre swath of the mountainside.
“That one is probably my favorite because it’s so different from just walking on a trail,” she says. “You’re actually climbing on rocks!”
In warm weather, she and Andrew enjoying cooling off with a dip at a nearby natural swimming hole, Arnold Valley Pool, and then heading over to Great Valley Farm, Brewery & Winery for beer, wine, food trucks or a picnic.
“There’s live music there, and the views are super nice,” she says. “I think that’s kind of what I always look for … not sit-down fancy foods, but to just be able to relax and enjoy the surroundings.”
Travel the World in Half a Day
You might not realize it, but Roanoke is home to food, drink and fun from around the globe.
Lisa Spencer, executive director of Local Colors, still remembers her own surprise when, after moving to Roanoke from Dallas as a newlywed in 2019, she discovered just how much vibrant culture her new home had to offer.
“One of my favorite things to do – my pastime, if you will – is to sample international food,” says the self-proclaimed foodie. “I call it my ‘food adventures.’”
Spencer assumed that leaving a bigger city like Dallas would mean giving up some of those adventures … but she’s quick to admit she was wrong.
“I was so pleasantly surprised when I moved here to just find such an array of different cuisines,” says Spencer … and she’s been determined to share those cuisines with her husband ever since.
Want to share them with someone special, too? Consider an around-the-world walking tour of downtown Roanoke, which will give you and your date a chance to discover a small sampling of the culture Roanoke has to offer (without even boarding a plane!).
You can get started with a late lunch at a casual spot like Caribbica Soul – a favorite of Spencer’s. The restaurant is known for its Caribbean specialties like jerk chicken and braised oxtail. With a full belly, you can then stroll down Roanoke’s historic city market to the corner of Market Street and Salem Avenue, where you’ll find She’s International – a chic boutique stuffed with treasures from far-flung locales. Founded by a former international flight attendant, the shop is filled with global finds, from Turkish jewelry to tulip-shaped handbags from Amsterdam.
In need of an afternoon pick-me-up? You and your date can settle in for Turkish-style coffee, baklava and conversation at Cello Café, a snug eatery on Campbell Avenue. When you’re ready to slow-play your way toward dinner, stroll back down the market and turn right on Kirk. Half a block down, you’ll find yourself at Century Plaza, a gingko allée tucked between tall buildings, where fountains splash under twinkling lights. The courtyard is home to a series of sculptured pillars honoring each of Roanoke’s seven sister cities – Kisumu, Kenya; Pskov, Russia; Florianópolis, Brazil; Opole, Poland; Lijiang, China; Wonju, South Korea and Saint-Lô, France.
You can top off your international exploits with a pisco sour, ceviche and dinner just down the street. Inka Grill Peruvian, located on the ground floor of the Patrick Henry Hotel, is a favorite date night spot for Spencer and her husband.
“They have two locations – one downtown and the one on Brambleton – and both of them have a very intimate, welcoming vibe that, to me, makes it perfect for a date night,” says Spencer.
If, by chance, you’re not quite ready to wrap up your date by the time you finish dinner, you can enjoy a nightcap at Fortunato, where you can order amaro – a traditional after-dinner liqueur from Italy. It’s the perfect place to toast to your adventurous trip around the world together ... without having even left the Valley.
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!