Posts by Cristy Carr

Adventure #35: Taubman Museum of Art Prominent among the diverse attractions of downtown Roanoke is the Taubman Art Museum. The first thing you’ll notice about the museum as you enter is its unique architecture. Completed in 2008, the museum facility was named after Nicholas Taubman, former US ambassador, major contributor to the new museum’s construction,…

At the very beginning of 2021, a new natural wonder was added to the National Park System: the New River Gorge in West Virginia. It’s America’s 63rd National Park and the first addition to the National Park System since 2019… and it’s located just a 2 to 3 hour drive from Roanoke! If you’ve never…

The mountains of southwest Virginia hold many treasures, and one of the most amazing is the New River. This river, unique in its geology, geography, and scenic beauty, winds its way north from its source in the corner of North Carolina. On its way to the Ohio River via West Virginia, it cuts a path…

Family adventures take many forms. Sometimes they involve wandering the great outdoors; sometimes, exploring a new small town; sometimes, venturing underground. And sometimes, they involve rewarding yourself and your family for surviving a tougher-than-expected adventure… or just a tougher-than-expected week. Krispy Kreme has a long and storied history of soothing people with simple carbohydrates after…

If your family is looking for a new outdoor adventure and you’re up for a drive, here’s an option our family discovered recently: Brush Creek Falls, near Athens, WV.  A few miles north of Princeton, only a couple minutes off I-77, yet secluded and beautiful, Brush Creek Falls is a perfect day trip destination for…

On some cold, dreary, miserable winter days, you just want to crawl into a hole. Fortunately, you can do just that and still entertain the whole family at Dixie Caverns! Dixie Caverns is not just any hole. This long standing attraction of the Roanoke area celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Back in 1920, the…

Adventure #29: Cascade Falls One of the most treasured local destinations is also one of the most well-known and beautiful waterfalls in the state: the Cascades. The Cascades lies about an hour’s drive from Roanoke, west of Blacksburg, tucked back in the mountains of Giles County. It is one of the most visited places in…

The mountains of Appalachia hold many hidden treasures and tell many incredible stories. One of the most fascinating stories of the mountain past is told in the tiny town of Bramwell, West Virginia. Bramwell lies tucked in a bend of the Bluestone River, north of Bluefield, just miles from the Virginia border. But though it…

While there are myriads of opportunities for adventure and fun in Roanoke and the surrounding mountains, we’ve found there are some familiar, comfortable places we return to again and again. One of those is the Virginia Museum of Transportation, or, as our kids call it, the “train museum”. We’re far from the only family for…