Posts by Cristy Carr

Now that we are finally getting gorgeous fall weather, the time is right to plan some weekend day trips to enjoy the beautiful scenery and unique attractions within driving distance of Roanoke. So, here are a few fun day trips that our family has enjoyed over the past few years, in the hopes that your…

By the time late summer rolls around, it sometimes seems like the heat will never break – even though school has already started again! So it’s important to have a working knowledge of the area’s ice cream options for hot weather emergencies. We are still educating ourselves on Roanoke’s rich and growing ice cream scene,…

In the dog days of late summer, when you’re waiting for the heat to break, there’s a perfect place to find a cool adventure: Grayson Highlands State Park. Grayson Highlands is tucked away in far southwest Virginia, not far from the North Carolina border, and the attractions it offers are many and diverse. First of…

Adventure #53: Snowflex What do you do if you’re sick and tired of the unrelenting heat of late summer? Pretend it’s winter, of course. And Liberty University can help make that dream a reality with their unique Snowflex Centre. Situated on Liberty Mountain, overlooking the town of Lynchburg, Snowflex is a one-of-a-kind winter sports adventure…

While we love the variety of outdoor adventures that Roanoke and the surrounding areas offer, it’s wise to remind ourselves that not everyone is blessed with the means to enjoy those adventures. That’s why it’s good to celebrate places in the Roanoke area that are specially designed to serve families of all abilities. One such…

Kids of all ages have a day full of adventure waiting for them at the Mill Mountain Zoo. Small but well-kept, brimming with interesting animals, we have found the zoo a perfect place to take visitors or to spend several enjoyable hours with family and friends. Mill Mountain Zoo sits, of course, on the iconic…

The Beckley, WV area is the gateway to a number of historical, recreational, and natural treasures. One beautiful place near Beckley that our family has enjoyed getting to know is the Little Beaver State Park, just east of town and conveniently located just off I-64. Little Beaver State Park is a great place for family…

There’s good news for Roanoke families looking for activities on long sweltering summer afternoons: after being closed for over a year, the Science Museum of Western Virginia is open to the public again! Located downtown in Market Square in downtown Roanoke, the Science Museum is a great place to spend multiple afternoons. Spread over two…

The quiet town of Bedford is home to a number of attractions well worth visiting, many of them centered on its rich and sometimes tragic history. Its scenic location along the Blue Ridge, its outdoor opportunities like Falling Creek Park, its World War II heritage (memorialized in the Bedford Boys Museum and the D-Day Memorial)…

For years, my husband and I enjoyed an era of culinary freedom: we were young, allergy-free, high-metabolism people who could eat whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. And we did! Now we are slightly less young and our metabolisms are slightly slower. Most important of all, we have joined the ranks of the many people…