Moved from NJ in 2013 and bought my home in the Eastern part of Roanoke. Near Bonsack. You have showed me some places I recognize from a distance or passed while driving. Roanoke is NOT a dump. There is always something new and being built everywhere in and around the surrounding towns and cities. Seeing as I grew up in Newark, Roanoke is a breath of fresh air. I love the hills and Blue Ridge Mountains. Glad to be here. And thanks for showing me places I will visit and get to know better in my NEW home state.
Grew up around Roanoke, now live in the City and work downtown. You did a great job of capturing the city, it is truly a great place to live and visit. I'm afraid many locals don't appreciate what they have in Roanoke, it seems like all anyone wants to do is sit on social media and complain about everything. Roanoke has a lot to offer but is also very affordable. There are challenges like every city, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by far. Again, good job capturing the vibe of the city. (Oh yeah, the farmers market is a TRUE farmers market so it is only open on the weekends - during the week the farmers actually grow the produce and work the land, then they come sell the product on the weekend.)
So that's what happened. I thought I saw someone bringing produce out in the morning, so I guess I thought it would be up during the day. Roanoke is a great little city, though. I honestly wasn't expecting it. It was a really pleasant surprise. :)
Poor job growth and it doesn’t meet the living wages. It’s systematically very racists here. Roanoke will not have many young families and if they do then they are struggling. If you have generational wealth or parents well off you probably do like it here. Nobody wants to talk about real issues here as wel
@@MrGreasyJ never heard anyone perfectly describe the place iv lived my whole life... I never had a certain group growing up. had all kinds of friends and the same same later in life... I still can't comprehend some of the things they have gone through. no matter how rich or pour or well off or deep in a hole, lately there is so much death no matter who they are... but there are lots of good ppl here who care. but the rest keep them from uniting... if you cant trust anyone around you then why reach out at all.... idk if things have changed for the better or not.. but giving up can't be an option anymore.. resolve. virgina is for lovers after all......................I'd like to think....
I used to work at Wallstreet downtown. there really are good people that's a fact. and plenty of events and vast amounts of opportunities to reach out to peers. and lots of places to learn about Roanokes history if your interested... just remember, suffering persistence such sorry yet resilience. Resolve.
We moved here in 2005 after many years in the NYC area, and have never regretted it. Roanoke combines my favorite parts of everywhere I’ve ever lived (Denver, Los Angeles, Boone NC, New Haven, Manhattan, Staten Island, Hillsborough NJ), and our 1915 house across from Highland Park in the historic Old Southwest neighborhood makes us feel like we’re always vacationing in a charming B&B (and no mortgage!). The climate is great-long autumn, short winter, shelter from the tornadoes that tear up the state south of here; occasional flooding but the last really intense weather I recall was the derecho in 2012. The rail link gets us to DC in a few hours and to NYC by mid-afternoon, and anywhere we want to go locally is never more than 20 minutes away.
Your wife is so negative and argumentative with you! Why does she dress like a teenager? Y'all are so not compatible and she seems bitter towards you. I couldn't focus on the city for the bickering.
I wanna move there too. I think I like it. I've lived in Los Angeles since 1975 . Tired of Los Angeles. I'm a widow but I'm young at heart. I still love to work and interact with all people.
I want to get out of the Chicago area to a slightly warmer climate and a place with fewer crowds and traffic. But not out in the boonies somewhere…this area looks really lovely…something to consider. Great video. I agree with Nicole…can't pet a fish. 😊
Hi, just wanted to say it was nice to see my hometown on your TH-cam page. The STAR saw while on Mill Mountain. Was designed by my grandfather Carl Hurt. My dad at age 11 help build it. He is part of my family’s heritage and very special to us! I love going up there. It’s amazing to see the views and pick out the areas special visual points. I hope you enjoyed your stay here! And I’m glad I found your channel. Safe travels. Little backstory on myself I was born here 1969 at Memorial Hospital and have lived in our family home since my birth. We live in the Hollins area of Roanoke and it is absolutely beautiful back here. I wouldn’t change it for the world I hope when you were here you got to eat a hotdog at the Roanoke weenie stand. They are the best! Never had any better in my entire life and I have been in a lot of places all over the United States, Canada and Caribbean and Mexico. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Thank you for coming here and putting out this video. It really made it a special day for me today finding it.
Ms. Driver(?), This is a phenomenal history! You must be very proud of your grandfather and father! I am and I don't even know them. Just so you know, the City reported that the structure needs to be replaced. I would say we would definitely want your input on this process. Please contact the City for more details.
Thanks for Sharing your Family Heritage about Mill Mountain ..Great Memories as A Child..Going to Mill Mountain Zoo..Picnics On the Mountain..Riding the Train..and the Carasal ..
I enjoyed watching your video. My family and I have recently relocated back to Roanoke. I grew up here but after college, spent 25 years living in Atlanta. As much as you showed, I promise you only scratched the surface of what's here in the valley. There are so many fantastic restaurants, breweries, live music venues to enjoy. This area is the East Coast Capital of Mountain Biking (only silver level IMBA rated region on the east coast) and the women's US Olympic cycling team is training here for Paris in 2024. There is tremendous positive economic momentum in the region in part driven by the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Fralin Biomedical Research Center. I could honestly go on and on. I was fortunate in my previous career to travel extensively and I can tell you the Roanoke Valley (which also encompasses Vinton and Salem) is a truly special place and I'm lucky to once again call it home. Is Roanoke a dump? No, It's a treasure!
Roanoke and the surrounding area is a great place to live. Regarding the Dr Pepper sign there was a Dr Pepper plant here for years- my dad worked for them in the 1950’s. One interesting fact about the St John’s church is it was made from ballast stone that came over in the ships from Europe and the railroads hauled them from the coast to Roanoke. Nice job on highlighting Roanoke’s features.
Lived here my whole life. Roanoke is nothing unless you moved from a big city or like nature. Also it is not a town. One more correction, it is the second largest star. The largest star is in El paso, TX I believe. It's the largest star that lights up. That's why it's called the star city. People don't break your neck to visit here. Your really waisting your time and money. Notice he is walking through downtown. It is small. I'm impressed he does say roanoke correctly. Also he's in VA not the lost colony of roanoke in NC. Only thing interesting is the name roanoke. It wasn't money but the Indians that lived here used to trade it like money. Again it's not his fault but this video wasn worth making. Save your money or pass roanoke unless you need to p use the bathroom.
I live in Southeast Roanoke in the Morningside neighborhood. It's directly in the shadow of Mill Mountain and my daughter has a view of the Star from her bedroom window. My part of town is known as "poor" and a "sketchy area". I moved from a suburb of Philadelphia in South Jersey in 2015 and to me it is neither. I love this City and the people I have come to know as well. I work at the largest hospital with the only level one trauma center in southwest Virginia and I would not trade any of it for anything. This is an awesome video about my( now)hometown. You did a great job here.
I really appreciate you stopping by our town! It was interesting seeing it through someone else's eyes and made me feel like I've actually taken it for granted a little. You pointed out a lot of things that I've just never noticed, having lived here my whole life. Thank you for your perspective.
Also! If you're ever in Roanoke again, you should stop by Scrambled for breakfast. It's in the City Market Building. Perfect little breakfast spot. Locally owned by some great people.
Been living in the Roanoke Metro area now for 17 years. When I was in the process of moving here, a guy originally from NJ or NY told me that if I liked it half as much as he did, I would love it. I have found that to be true. This place is definitely not a dump lol. We got waterfalls, several lakes, and the Appalachian trail... it's an outdoor lovers paradise. The Peaks of Otter is the crown jewel of the region, IMO.
As a Roanoke native I think you did a pretty good job of describing our city. There's much more that could have been shown. If you decide to come back, get a local to show you around. And you missed Roanoke's legendary diner downtown, the Texas Tavern, which as Texans you would have found amusing. Look up the info on it.
Thanks for reviewing my hometown. It is like any city, good, bad, and the ugly but I wouldn't live anywhere else. My father's name is on the plaque @ the Mill Mountain Star for a time capsule that was buried there by GE. This is the only place I have ever lived, full-time.
I love the church architecture, mainly because I come from England and we have a lot of very old churches dotted around the place. Looks a very nice city.
As a transplanted NYC kid, I have lived in the Roanoke area for almost 30 years. Roanoke is a great place to live. Thanks for a great video. A couple of small critiques: from the top of center in the square you missed seeing The Hotel Roanoke (the large Victorian style structure behind the tower) which was built in 1882 and renovated in the early 1990s by Virginia Tech and now owned by Hilton. Also, the farmer's market is now open Friday/Sat/Sun since it is September. Had you been down on a Sat, it would have been bustling with vendors and people. Really a nice place to live and raise a family.
I like in Roanoke. Wish you would’ve made a left turn while driving down Mill Mtn & drove about one mile to see the most beautifully maintained historic neighborhood in the valley. South Roanoke/Crystal Spring is an idyllic neighborhood of historic houses including several mansions. Shame that you missed that. The homes you showed were in run down neighborhoods. Also wish you would’ve found a better place to eat than Awful Arthur’s. No offense AA - but you’re part of a chain, so not that special… We have great wineries, breweries & many excellent restaurants, especially the “farm to table” ones. Next time you come back for a visit, check out the above as well as our art galleries!
Nice work, guys. As a Roanoke resident I greatly enjoyed it, esp the first 20 mins or so. Interesting to see your home town thru a traveler’s eye. All the best as you go.
As a native Roanoker, raised in the Projects (Lincoln Terrace, at the time) when it was its most notorious, the crime rate is mostly a function of YOUR activities. You go to work, go to school, come home, not engage in elicit activities yourself (buying/selling drugs, robbing/fighting people) then you'll be just fine. I see for certain that even inner-city white folks in Richmond, VA know this to be true as they gleefully move into the city and walk every where they want to and are not bothered by anyone. The locals and their decades-long crime "murder capital" smear campaign is being bourn out for the near absolute lie it is. Just like the reality in Roanoke, here in Richmond the newly-arrived absolutely love and adore the place, while the locals can only seem to find negatives and problems.
I enjoyed your video.I live close to downtown Roanoke in Wasena. I retired from Anthem. Dr Pepper lived in Roanoke Va. You should go out in other parts of the city sometime. The cost of living here is way too much for what people make.
Love it. I visited Roanoke back in May for my first time and I really enjoyed it. Beautiful mid sized city. I really enjoyed the City Market as well. Glad you did a video there!
Roanoke is a solid town. Relatively low cost of living, lots of hiking, biking, camping through out the greater Roanoke valley. Downtown has some decent bars and restaurants. Grandin Court neighborhood has bars and restaurants as well and a historic old movie theater. Great music and concerts at the Jefferson center downtown. More festivals and outdoor concerts per year than probably any place in Virginia. Market square and greater down town has more restaurants and bars in that square mile than any other place in VA. Not bad....
Adding, there are also broadway touring productions put on at the auditorium at the Berglund Center (one of the two local civic centers). These are all out Broadway productions. Roanoke has a minor league hockey team, the Rail Yard Dawgs which plays at the Berglund Center and also has (actually Salem, which is part of Roanoke Valley, merely a 10 minute drive from most anywhere) a class act minor league stadium hosting the Salem Red Sox. Roanoke is less than an hours drive to Smith Mountain Lake with over 500 miles of shoreline. Great fishing and boating as well as great venues, restaurants and camping. Some amazing trout streams and rivers also within short distances. Surrounded by mountains, your never further than 10 to 15 minutes from mountainous scenic roads, the Blue Ridge Parway being one of them. I could go on and as soon as I hit send, I'll probably think, oh yeah, and there's this too. LOL. Oh yeah, before I hit send, the valley also hosts annually the Black College Football HOF game. And I did it. Back. Taubman Museum of Art was the funny structured building and there is also the Virginia Transportation Museum downtown. .
Here's a little excerpt from a website that explains Dr Pepper Day in Roanoke, VA: Dr. Charles T. Pepper was born in Montgomery County, Virginia in 1830. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia and served as a surgeon for the Confederacy in the Civil War. After the war, Dr. Pepper lived in Rural Retreat where he opened his medical practice and Dr. Pepper’s Drug Store. He hired Wade Morrison to work in the drug store and Morrison later moved to Waco, Texas, opened his own drug store and became the co-founder of Dr Pepper. The period (full stop) after “Dr” in the Dr Pepper logo was discarded for stylistic and legibility reasons in the 1950s. Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4 o'clock," was the slogan for an ad campaign for Dr Pepper that began in 1927. A study that year authored by a Dr. Walter H. Eddy "found that human energy dropped to its lowest point at 10:30am, at 2:30pm and again at 4:30pm daily." J.B. O'Hara of Dr Pepper asked Tracy-Locke-Dawson Inc. (an ad agency), to design a campaign around that information. The agency held a contest, and Earle Racey, one of their copywriters, won with his "10-2-4" idea--the idea being that drinking the sugary, caffeinated soda at 10am, 2pm, and 4pm would perk you up and get you through those impending energy drops a half-hour later. The slogan has endured in one form or another ever since. Dr Pepper is a combination of 23 flavors including cola, cherry, licorice, almond, ginger, lemon, orange, molasses and cardamom.
It's sad and disgusting that they tore down the whole Gainesborough neighborhood for what is basically parking but left one block standing and repurposed it for a history theme park. And no one's interested!
Great way to start my day here in New Zealand with a new Lord Spoda video. Looks like a nice place to visit, that backdrop is gorgeous. Thanks for showing us all!
Beautiful cinematography from the Mill Mountain Star just Southeast of Roanoke for the intro. I lived in the area for nearly four and a half years and, besides the Orange Ave. traffic and the flagrant gang activity in NW between Melrose NW and Gainsboro (just avoid it at night), it was a nice city. I think of my time there every time I hike the Appalachian Trail North from 4 Pines Hostel. I look forward to being up that way again soon.
On many of your city videos you mention the sadness of so many empty multistory buildings. One of the reasons is the expenses involved in meeting current building codes - electrical, plumbing, ADA, and fire. In many cases contractors would rather tear down and build anew rather than renovate.
Well Far from a dump. I've always heard good things about Roanoke. Blue collier but safe. Looks well kept.Thanks for the tour! Never been there but now I have. Tell your wife to get some cowboy boots she's from Texas for crying out loud! 😂
You were just 35 minutes away from Floyd, Virginia where you could have visited the Floyd Country Store on a Friday night. Blue Grass and Flat footing for entertainment.
Years ago they did a Lazer light show with smoke machine everywhere while playing Pink Floyd's The Wall movie was being projected on the walls of the buildings throughout downtown. I can't really explain how awesome it was.
Roanoke is nicer looking than I thought it be. Wow cost living cheaper. I should move there. I enjoy how Nicole comes on the videos the latter part, she makes the videos funny with her comments.
As a kid in the sixties, during the winter when we got more snow it seemed, we would heat Dr Pepper, or our moms would, put some lemon or a marshmallow in the hot drink to fight off the cold. We would build trails to sleigh ride down Darby road at the backside of boxley hills, start a fire in an old tire and it would provide heat for hours.
I've spent a lot of time in Virginia Beach. One year I stopped in Roanoke for a night on my way there. Seemed kinda quiet in the morning for a downtown, but hey, I didn't get mugged, which is saying something about an American city these days I guess.
As a trucker most of my life I have been everywhere in this country over and over. I would have to say Roanoke is in the top 5 places to live in this country. But the reason I don't live there is the Democrats as usual have ruined Roanoke. So being raised in Roanoke I would not trade it in for anything. But I will stay in Coeur D Alene, I'd for the time being.
Lived in Roanoke for 9 years, worked downtown.. live in Chicago now. Your video made me miss the mountains! Used to drive all around to kill time back then. Thanks for the awesome tour!
Glad you got to visit my hometown,Roanoke! Southern hospitality, kindness, good food and music are staples here. Home to some amazing festivals and good people. ✌️❤️
I live in the Cave Spring (SW County) area....thanks for a really wonderful video on my hometown. It's a gorgeous place and a great home for many people. Curious, who said Roanoke was a "dump"??
I had read it on one of the local Reddit posts. I was actually expecting it to be a dump when I arrived. I was pleasantly surprised when it was the opposite of a dump, and quite beautiful.
There is a violent crime committed there every weekend, if what the newspapers are reporting is correct. Figuring I can get lovely mountains, architecture, and good places to eat minus increased crime somewhere else. And yes, I have lived there before. Wierdos and homeless people hanging out on church steps. Help us Lord.
I moved to Roanoke in February 2020. Mill Mountain is a favorite place to take my dog, when we aren't walking downtown or in Old Southwest. This gypsy might have found her forever home.
The TH-cam algorithm brought me here and I’m sure glad it did. My mother was born in Roanoke and I have a number of relatives buried there. Thanks for showing the city in it’s best light.
I grew up here. It’s relatively quiet and there’s a rich theater arts culture here. Lots of outdoor things to do. Lots of different types of food downtown. Low cost of living. The only thing about it is, there’s not much opportunity to move up career wise unless you want to be in the medical field or you want to start a restaurant, because people love food here. We also have a yearly car show and there’s a farmer’s market downtown on the weekends. It’s more of a quiet place to retire or just settle, not really a place to move to if you’re looking to grow and build especially if you want to be an actor or filmmaker. Fine art and dance are relatively popular here and roanoke has a dance company, but other than that, there’s not much opportunity to move up in the arts, especially music wise. (I’m a person who is interested in the arts, that’s why I focus on that)
I live in NOVA for almost of my life, but let me tell you: Roanoke is not a dump! Roanoke is a beautiful city in Southwest Virginia. Its has many trails that is great for cardio and hiking. Roanoke has combinations of cities that I been ( Atlanta, NYC, Richmond, Va beach) that is perfect for it location!
Really enjoyed this video since my hubby will be visiting soon to see his cousin who lives there and loves it! Gotta say tho, wish you would’ve left your wife in the hotel. Her negative comments to every single sight you were showing her was pretty annoying. That sign was super rad and yes, fish ARE pets. Appreciate the video and all of your commentary was very helpful! Good luck with her. 🙄
Kept looking for the Coffee Pot ...largest pot of coffee pouring into a cup.... and the Millionaire's Club. .. hole in the wall hamburg joint.. both land marks.. hope they are still there. You made me home sick
Roanoke is my hometown. Built a set of gates for the house on the mountain and the trash cans that are on the corners had all been done in a local welding shop on the upper end of Campbell Ave.
My daughter in law lived in Roanoke most of her life. Her and my son just moved here to northern mn. She said someone was killed just about every night. She said it is a very dangerous town to live in.
Used to live in Vinton just outside of Roanoke. I guess the zoo is no longer up by the star Where you were in the Market place there was a hot dog stand, people lined up just to get their dogs. I used to work downtown and it was a great place. Thank you to taking me back, great memories. For a city I think Roanoke is beautiful. One part of Roanoke had a seedy reputation but those houses were beautiful. Thank you for showing the inside of the science museum, it was changed after I moved.The science museum started out in a very small building, great to see how it has grown. So many wonderful changes.The city was started by the Railroad. Thank you again for showing the beauty of Roanoke.
This my hometown it's nice to see the perspective of a travler and see things I may overlook on the day to day/take for granted..no cap you pass my aunts house lol xD
Geographically, still a jewel. Industrially stll viable. Socially, asleep-@-the-wheel, IMO. Politically, high rate of corruption( as evidenced by recent court case, and that being only tip-of-the-iceberg. Crime? Recent Fresh-faces have pulled a blanket over it, temporarily. But, still within parameters of society as a whole. Prognosis?? Not good. My last visit? 03/22. My home? 37 mi. away. Would I move to Roanoke? Nah! Would I visit again? Business, yes. Socially, maybe, with armed security detail. Would I reccomend it? Detail, yes. Visit, no. I cant lie that well. IMO.
Grew up in Roanoke and love the town, the mountains and all this area offers. As someone else said you missed the old Firehouse, really close to where you were walking downtown. As with everywhere else we have some not so good areas but over all, beautiful. Have some beautiful hiking trails, fishing, rivers and lakes all close by. Most of all anytime I traveled out of town, on my return, seeing the Star on Mill Mountain tells me I’m home.
Some people on Reddit called it that . They were wrong. That said, you have to be a little controversial with the thumb and title to get people to watch, unfortunately.
Nah. Roanoke is a dump. I’ve been watching it go downhill, since I was born here. Townsfolk got mad over an art museum bc it wasn’t a boring brick box…. Parking downtown Roanoke should be listed as a crime. It’s either park on the street; which is next to impossible, or mortgage your house to park in a dark, dirty, homeless shelter aka parking garage. Traffic is absolutely terrible for a city so small. When city council basically criminalized homelessness in this city. I what little respect I had like for Roanoke….
I lived under the New Year's Day Massacre 1995 in Roanoke. Yep, I had only been in that apartment 30 days and had to move again due to all the blood and body matter from the five people murdered upstairs from me. Macher Realty (hope they are out of biss) was a JOKE!!! If you want to see the apt where it happened, 413 41/2 St SW. I can see my second apt from that lookout. It was nice, but I couldn't get a decent job after the murders. My cousin was married in that Catholic Church in the early 90s. She still owns and runs VA Printing on Campbell Ave.
At 21:46, you came upon St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, home of "Roanoke Catholic High School". Nice video. I've lived in the Roanoke Valley since 1965.
I live in Roanoke yes it has changed alot in the past years recently have learned they bus homeless in because we have the best programs for the homeless. We have an all Democrat city council that says alot
Excellent beginning, from the overlook below the star panning the city with the Blue Hills in the background. I strongly suspect that the 60's "urban renewal" folks demolished many structures that, from today's perspective, were worthy of preservation. If the neighborhood you showed us, categorized on the internet as "one of Roanoke's worst," is in fact the case, then it's hardly a deterrent to moving there. Altogether, a slendid looking city. By the way, most city "farmers' markets" do not open daily but typically only once or twice a week. After all, the produce comes from local farms and farmers have a lot of other things to do than display their crops for sale off the farm. Nicole's philosophy of life (shared by you) in which bourbon plays a central role is amusing. I'm supportive. See you both in Nashville.
Thank you, David. The morning I was there someone had put out a few crates of produce so I was thinking they might have the market open every day, as Buffalo (while in Buffalo I saw that they have a farmer's market open every day - near Lafayette Square) does. Anyway, yes, it's a beautiful small city, a much better place that I anticipated. One of the best small cities in the country, IMHO.
The architecture of the homes is so interesting with a flight of stairs leading up to the front door. I imagine it is because of the topography? Living in one of those homes is a good way to keep in shape. And I agree. All of the homes are beautiful--even the ones "on the wrong side of the tracks". Love the churches, too. Magnificent. Thanks for sharing!
Great footage of Mill Mountain and the wonderful downtown area. Sorry so much time was spent in the rundown neighborhoods when there are many beautiful neighborhoods in the city. And no mention of Roanoke's history as a railroad town. Roanoke has a great deal of funky charm - it's been my adopted city for nearly 28 years! Glad you could visit....
This video just popped up on my feed. Great video and thank you for showing it off! Roanoke has a bad rep a lot because of crime, especially compared to some surrounding areas. I have been in and out of Roanoke my entire life as I live 45ish minutes away. My dad drives into Roanoke every day for work as well. I've also been going into Roanoke a lot the past 2 years for work! I'm a commercial photographer and have done photo shoots for many of the businesses there, you actually passed a couple I've done in your video so that was cool for me to see! You were standing right next to one near the market square! Again, thanks for the video and showing a good variety of places. The historical stuff is also really nice to see/hear about. Cheers!
Man, if you talk to a lot of people from Roanoke, they'll act like it's the worst crime hotspot on the East Coast. Honestly, it's my hometown and I still live very close to it and there's not a single part of it that I'd be afraid to walk through at night. Well, maybe Campbell Avenue near the market, but that's entirely because I avoid people in general. 😂😂
Roanoke County violence is growing but it is beautiful around here. Trees swallow you everywhere you go, lots of water around, weekend trips to the beach or to the mountains. One thing to remember folks, humidity and bugs
I live here and i wonder that myself, but it also depends in the time of day and week. Normally on like a Sunday afternoon the streets are insanely busy, especially around lunch time. It all depends on lunch hours and day of the week❤
Moved from NJ in 2013 and bought my home in the Eastern part of Roanoke. Near Bonsack. You have showed me some places I recognize from a distance or passed while driving. Roanoke is NOT a dump. There is always something new and being built everywhere in and around the surrounding towns and cities. Seeing as I grew up in Newark, Roanoke is a breath of fresh air. I love the hills and Blue Ridge Mountains. Glad to be here. And thanks for showing me places I will visit and get to know better in my NEW home state.
It's absolutely not a dump.
Yeah I guess Roanoke would seem nice if you came from Newark
Grew up around Roanoke, now live in the City and work downtown. You did a great job of capturing the city, it is truly a great place to live and visit. I'm afraid many locals don't appreciate what they have in Roanoke, it seems like all anyone wants to do is sit on social media and complain about everything. Roanoke has a lot to offer but is also very affordable. There are challenges like every city, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by far. Again, good job capturing the vibe of the city. (Oh yeah, the farmers market is a TRUE farmers market so it is only open on the weekends - during the week the farmers actually grow the produce and work the land, then they come sell the product on the weekend.)
So that's what happened. I thought I saw someone bringing produce out in the morning, so I guess I thought it would be up during the day. Roanoke is a great little city, though. I honestly wasn't expecting it. It was a really pleasant surprise. :)
Poor job growth and it doesn’t meet the living wages. It’s systematically very racists here. Roanoke will not have many young families and if they do then they are struggling. If you have generational wealth or parents well off you probably do like it here. Nobody wants to talk about real issues here as wel
Comparing Roanoke to a city of similar size in NC it is a toilet bowl .
@@MrGreasyJ never heard anyone perfectly describe the place iv lived my whole life... I never had a certain group growing up. had all kinds of friends and the same same later in life... I still can't comprehend some of the things they have gone through. no matter how rich or pour or well off or deep in a hole, lately there is so much death no matter who they are... but there are lots of good ppl here who care. but the rest keep them from uniting... if you cant trust anyone around you then why reach out at all.... idk if things have changed for the better or not.. but giving up can't be an option anymore.. resolve. virgina is for lovers after all......................I'd like to think....
I used to work at Wallstreet downtown. there really are good people that's a fact. and plenty of events and vast amounts of opportunities to reach out to peers. and lots of places to learn about Roanokes history if your interested... just remember, suffering persistence such sorry yet resilience. Resolve.
We moved here in 2005 after many years in the NYC area, and have never regretted it. Roanoke combines my favorite parts of everywhere I’ve ever lived (Denver, Los Angeles, Boone NC, New Haven, Manhattan, Staten Island, Hillsborough NJ), and our 1915 house across from Highland Park in the historic Old Southwest neighborhood makes us feel like we’re always vacationing in a charming B&B (and no mortgage!). The climate is great-long autumn, short winter, shelter from the tornadoes that tear up the state south of here; occasional flooding but the last really intense weather I recall was the derecho in 2012. The rail link gets us to DC in a few hours and to NYC by mid-afternoon, and anywhere we want to go locally is never more than 20 minutes away.
You have rail to DC??
@@BasicBeachCommunity1 Amtrak
Thank you! I am looking at moving to VA and Roanoke keeps coming up as the place to be.
Back in nyc congestion. Realize now what a va peace of mind is 2004 I met Roanoke . Nice calm lady
Your wife is so negative and argumentative with you! Why does she dress like a teenager? Y'all are so not compatible and she seems bitter towards you. I couldn't focus on the city for the bickering.
Moved to Roanoke in 1997 from Los Angeles. Never regretted It! Outstanding outdoor trails, Greenways and water nearby (Smith Mountain Lake)
Wow that's a big move.
Welcome
I wanna move there too. I think I like it. I've lived in Los Angeles since 1975 . Tired of Los Angeles. I'm a widow but I'm young at heart. I still love to work and interact with all people.
I want to get out of the Chicago area to a slightly warmer climate and a place with fewer crowds and traffic. But not out in the boonies somewhere…this area looks really lovely…something to consider. Great video. I agree with Nicole…can't pet a fish. 😊
Hi, just wanted to say it was nice to see my hometown on your TH-cam page. The STAR saw while on Mill Mountain. Was designed by my grandfather Carl Hurt. My dad at age 11 help build it. He is part of my family’s heritage and very special to us! I love going up there. It’s amazing to see the views and pick out the areas special visual points. I hope you enjoyed your stay here! And I’m glad I found your channel. Safe travels. Little backstory on myself I was born here 1969 at Memorial Hospital and have lived in our family home since my birth. We live in the Hollins area of Roanoke and it is absolutely beautiful back here. I wouldn’t change it for the world I hope when you were here you got to eat a hotdog at the Roanoke weenie stand. They are the best! Never had any better in my entire life and I have been in a lot of places all over the United States, Canada and Caribbean and Mexico. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Thank you for coming here and putting out this video. It really made it a special day for me today finding it.
Ms. Driver(?), This is a phenomenal history! You must be very proud of your grandfather and father! I am and I don't even know them. Just so you know, the City reported that the structure needs to be replaced. I would say we would definitely want your input on this process. Please contact the City for more details.
@@Melvin-cr5cs I will look into it. Thank you for telling me. Hope you have a great day.
Thanks for Sharing your Family Heritage about Mill Mountain ..Great Memories as A Child..Going to Mill Mountain Zoo..Picnics On the Mountain..Riding the Train..and the Carasal ..
I enjoyed watching your video. My family and I have recently relocated back to Roanoke. I grew up here but after college, spent 25 years living in Atlanta. As much as you showed, I promise you only scratched the surface of what's here in the valley. There are so many fantastic restaurants, breweries, live music venues to enjoy. This area is the East Coast Capital of Mountain Biking (only silver level IMBA rated region on the east coast) and the women's US Olympic cycling team is training here for Paris in 2024. There is tremendous positive economic momentum in the region in part driven by the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Fralin Biomedical Research Center. I could honestly go on and on. I was fortunate in my previous career to travel extensively and I can tell you the Roanoke Valley (which also encompasses Vinton and Salem) is a truly special place and I'm lucky to once again call it home.
Is Roanoke a dump? No, It's a treasure!
It is a treasure. And way better than Atlanta!
Roanoke and the surrounding area is a great place to live. Regarding the Dr Pepper sign there was a Dr Pepper plant here for years- my dad worked for them in the 1950’s. One interesting fact about the St John’s church is it was made from ballast stone that came over in the ships from Europe and the railroads hauled them from the coast to Roanoke. Nice job on highlighting Roanoke’s features.
Cool. Thank you for the info, Debbie. :)
Lived here my whole life. Roanoke is nothing unless you moved from a big city or like nature. Also it is not a town. One more correction, it is the second largest star. The largest star is in El paso, TX I believe. It's the largest star that lights up. That's why it's called the star city. People don't break your neck to visit here. Your really waisting your time and money. Notice he is walking through downtown. It is small. I'm impressed he does say roanoke correctly. Also he's in VA not the lost colony of roanoke in NC. Only thing interesting is the name roanoke. It wasn't money but the Indians that lived here used to trade it like money. Again it's not his fault but this video wasn worth making. Save your money or pass roanoke unless you need to p use the bathroom.
LOVE those Blue Ridge Mountains!!!
I live in Southeast Roanoke in the Morningside neighborhood. It's directly in the shadow of Mill Mountain and my daughter has a view of the Star from her bedroom window. My part of town is known as "poor" and a "sketchy area". I moved from a suburb of Philadelphia in South Jersey in 2015 and to me it is neither. I love this City and the people I have come to know as well. I work at the largest hospital with the only level one trauma center in southwest Virginia and I would not trade any of it for anything. This is an awesome video about my( now)hometown. You did a great job here.
What suburb? I'm from Vineland,NJ in Cumberland County
Clementon, Gloucester Township
I really appreciate you stopping by our town! It was interesting seeing it through someone else's eyes and made me feel like I've actually taken it for granted a little. You pointed out a lot of things that I've just never noticed, having lived here my whole life. Thank you for your perspective.
Also! If you're ever in Roanoke again, you should stop by Scrambled for breakfast. It's in the City Market Building. Perfect little breakfast spot. Locally owned by some great people.
Been living in the Roanoke Metro area now for 17 years. When I was in the process of moving here, a guy originally from NJ or NY told me that if I liked it half as much as he did, I would love it. I have found that to be true. This place is definitely not a dump lol. We got waterfalls, several lakes, and the Appalachian trail... it's an outdoor lovers paradise. The Peaks of Otter is the crown jewel of the region, IMO.
Grew upon Pulaski…spent lots of days in Roanoke….
Can't forget the easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway
As a Roanoke native I think you did a pretty good job of describing our city. There's much more that could have been shown. If you decide to come back, get a local to show you around. And you missed Roanoke's legendary diner downtown, the Texas Tavern, which as Texans you would have found amusing. Look up the info on it.
Our daughter was just married inside Texas Tavern last night 01-20-2023 (first ever inside but others have wed on the lot.
@@ladydj0that was a small wedding lol
Thanks for reviewing my hometown. It is like any city, good, bad, and the ugly but I wouldn't live anywhere else. My father's name is on the plaque @ the Mill Mountain Star for a time capsule that was buried there by GE. This is the only place I have ever lived, full-time.
I love the church architecture, mainly because I come from England and we have a lot of very old churches dotted around the place. Looks a very nice city.
Someone commented about the church bricks or something of the church was shipped from Europe.
As a transplanted NYC kid, I have lived in the Roanoke area for almost 30 years. Roanoke is a great place to live. Thanks for a great video. A couple of small critiques: from the top of center in the square you missed seeing The Hotel Roanoke (the large Victorian style structure behind the tower) which was built in 1882 and renovated in the early 1990s by Virginia Tech and now owned by Hilton. Also, the farmer's market is now open Friday/Sat/Sun since it is September. Had you been down on a Sat, it would have been bustling with vendors and people. Really a nice place to live and raise a family.
Same, moved out here in 97' myself from NYC👌🏿
I like in Roanoke. Wish you would’ve made a left turn while driving down Mill Mtn & drove about one mile to see the most beautifully maintained historic neighborhood in the valley. South Roanoke/Crystal Spring is an idyllic neighborhood of historic houses including several mansions. Shame that you missed that. The homes you showed were in run down neighborhoods. Also wish you would’ve found a better place to eat than Awful Arthur’s. No offense AA - but you’re part of a chain, so not that special…
We have great wineries, breweries & many excellent restaurants, especially the “farm to table” ones. Next time you come back for a visit, check out the above as well as our art galleries!
You missed the pinball and arcade museum at The Square. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Roanoke.
That's true
Nice work, guys. As a Roanoke resident I greatly enjoyed it, esp the first 20 mins or so. Interesting to see your home town thru a traveler’s eye. All the best as you go.
Roanoke is a beautiful city..but the crime rate is at an all time high right now,..be careful when downtown late at night..seriously
As a native Roanoker, raised in the Projects (Lincoln Terrace, at the time) when it was its most notorious, the crime rate is mostly a function of YOUR activities. You go to work, go to school, come home, not engage in elicit activities yourself (buying/selling drugs, robbing/fighting people) then you'll be just fine.
I see for certain that even inner-city white folks in Richmond, VA know this to be true as they gleefully move into the city and walk every where they want to and are not bothered by anyone. The locals and their decades-long crime "murder capital" smear campaign is being bourn out for the near absolute lie it is.
Just like the reality in Roanoke, here in Richmond the newly-arrived absolutely love and adore the place, while the locals can only seem to find negatives and problems.
You didn’t show the worse parts of Roanoke. I live in Floyd Va and Roanoke is getting worse and worse every year. Shootings every day almost.
I enjoyed your video.I live close to downtown Roanoke in Wasena. I retired from Anthem. Dr Pepper lived in Roanoke Va. You should go out in other parts of the city sometime. The cost of living here is way too much for what people make.
the avg home is about 300,000
Norfolk southern railway was one if the primary employers in Roanoke until they moved operations to Atlanta
Great video. Roanoke is on my short list for retirement options. I saw nothing to make me want to take it off!
It’s a really nice small city, and the scenery is beautiful. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Love it. I visited Roanoke back in May for my first time and I really enjoyed it. Beautiful mid sized city. I really enjoyed the City Market as well. Glad you did a video there!
It's a great little city!
No, abs not a dump, I seen some of their doctors for 12 years, greatest doctors in the country, Carillon very advanced in medicine
Roanoke is a solid town. Relatively low cost of living, lots of hiking, biking, camping through out the greater Roanoke valley. Downtown has some decent bars and restaurants. Grandin Court neighborhood has bars and restaurants as well and a historic old movie theater. Great music and concerts at the Jefferson center downtown. More festivals and outdoor concerts per year than probably any place in Virginia. Market square and greater down town has more restaurants and bars in that square mile than any other place in VA. Not bad....
Adding, there are also broadway touring productions put on at the auditorium at the Berglund Center (one of the two local civic centers). These are all out Broadway productions. Roanoke has a minor league hockey team, the Rail Yard Dawgs which plays at the Berglund Center and also has (actually Salem, which is part of Roanoke Valley, merely a 10 minute drive from most anywhere) a class act minor league stadium hosting the Salem Red Sox. Roanoke is less than an hours drive to Smith Mountain Lake with over 500 miles of shoreline. Great fishing and boating as well as great venues, restaurants and camping. Some amazing trout streams and rivers also within short distances. Surrounded by mountains, your never further than 10 to 15 minutes from mountainous scenic roads, the Blue Ridge Parway being one of them. I could go on and as soon as I hit send, I'll probably think, oh yeah, and there's this too. LOL. Oh yeah, before I hit send, the valley also hosts annually the Black College Football HOF game. And I did it. Back. Taubman Museum of Art was the funny structured building and there is also the Virginia Transportation Museum downtown. .
City* not town
Great video. Made me feel like I was actually visiting Roanoke, without actually being there. You folks are a great production team.
Thank you, Robert.
Here's a little excerpt from a website that explains Dr Pepper Day in Roanoke, VA: Dr. Charles T. Pepper was born in Montgomery County, Virginia in 1830. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia and served as a surgeon for the Confederacy in the Civil War. After the war, Dr. Pepper lived in Rural Retreat where he opened his medical practice and Dr. Pepper’s Drug Store. He hired Wade Morrison to work in the drug store and Morrison later moved to Waco, Texas, opened his own drug store and became the co-founder of Dr Pepper.
The period (full stop) after “Dr” in the Dr Pepper logo was discarded for stylistic and legibility reasons in the 1950s.
Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4 o'clock," was the slogan for an ad campaign for Dr Pepper that began in 1927. A study that year authored by a Dr. Walter H. Eddy "found that human energy dropped to its lowest point at 10:30am, at 2:30pm and again at 4:30pm daily." J.B. O'Hara of Dr Pepper asked Tracy-Locke-Dawson Inc. (an ad agency), to design a campaign around that information. The agency held a contest, and Earle Racey, one of their copywriters, won with his "10-2-4" idea--the idea being that drinking the sugary, caffeinated soda at 10am, 2pm, and 4pm would perk you up and get you through those impending energy drops a half-hour later. The slogan has endured in one form or another ever since.
Dr Pepper is a combination of 23 flavors including cola, cherry, licorice, almond, ginger, lemon, orange, molasses and cardamom.
It's sad and disgusting that they tore down the whole Gainesborough neighborhood for what is basically parking but left one block standing and repurposed it for a history theme park. And no one's interested!
100% agree is use to be a historic black neighborhood with thriving stores, schools, churches and entertainment!
Great way to start my day here in New Zealand with a new Lord Spoda video. Looks like a nice place to visit, that backdrop is gorgeous. Thanks for showing us all!
Thank you for the kind words, Corey. :)
Beautiful cinematography from the Mill Mountain Star just Southeast of Roanoke for the intro. I lived in the area for nearly four and a half years and, besides the Orange Ave. traffic and the flagrant gang activity in NW between Melrose NW and Gainsboro (just avoid it at night), it was a nice city. I think of my time there every time I hike the Appalachian Trail North from 4 Pines Hostel. I look forward to being up that way again soon.
We recently moved in Virginia from MA. We absolutely love Roanoke aria. Thank you for video!
@Catania Momma Italia Who said we are leftists?
@Catania Momma Italia
Haha yeah Best Comment 🏆🏆
I’m from mass too, lived in upstate New York, Denver and sc in upstate this place is hell hole, is Roanoke Va a good place to move??
On many of your city videos you mention the sadness of so many empty multistory buildings. One of the reasons is the expenses involved in meeting current building codes - electrical, plumbing, ADA, and fire. In many cases contractors would rather tear down and build anew rather than renovate.
I grew up in the Roanoke Valley. Beautiful place indeed. Great video.
Well Far from a dump. I've always heard good things about Roanoke. Blue collier but safe. Looks well kept.Thanks for the tour! Never been there but now I have. Tell your wife to get some cowboy boots she's from Texas for crying out loud! 😂
LOL, right??!!
Thanks for taking me to Roanoke, VA! I would likely not have ever seen the area if not for your video. What a lovely city.
Awesome! That's my goal. :)
I was in a different part of Roanoke the Day you filmed this!! You should go to Lynchburg, Va about 50miles to the East of Roanoke!!!
We will be doing a Lynchburg video, most likely next spring. We'll be visiting several Virginia cities then.
You were just 35 minutes away from Floyd, Virginia where you could have visited the Floyd Country Store on a Friday night. Blue Grass and Flat footing for entertainment.
You guys seriously didn’t go to The Hotel Roanoke?
Years ago they did a Lazer light show with smoke machine everywhere while playing Pink Floyd's The Wall movie was being projected on the walls of the buildings throughout downtown. I can't really explain how awesome it was.
I would have loved to see that. The Wall is my favorite album ever, to this day.
Do you remember when that was exactly???
Roanoke is nicer looking than I thought it be. Wow cost living cheaper. I should move there. I enjoy how Nicole comes on the videos the latter part, she makes the videos funny with her comments.
As a kid in the sixties, during the winter when we got more snow it seemed, we would heat Dr Pepper, or our moms would, put some lemon or a marshmallow in the hot drink to fight off the cold. We would build trails to sleigh ride down Darby road at the backside of boxley hills, start a fire in an old tire and it would provide heat for hours.
You didn't walk over to the Texas tavern and has a bowl of chili !? Great little hole in the wall!
Well, I thought about it, but being from Texas I kind of wanted to stick with strictly Virginia places.
Hey its bed pan Roe-n-broke! No jobs in this place!
Absolutely one of my favorite cities in America. Beautiful place.
It's one of mine now as well.
I've spent a lot of time in Virginia Beach. One year I stopped in Roanoke for a night on my way there. Seemed kinda quiet in the morning for a downtown, but hey, I didn't get mugged, which is saying something about an American city these days I guess.
As a trucker most of my life I have been everywhere in this country over and over. I would have to say Roanoke is in the top 5 places to live in this country. But the reason I don't live there is the Democrats as usual have ruined Roanoke. So being raised in Roanoke I would not trade it in for anything. But I will stay in Coeur D Alene, I'd for the time being.
I loved living in Roanoke
Lived in Roanoke for 9 years, worked downtown.. live in Chicago now. Your video made me miss the mountains! Used to drive all around to kill time back then. Thanks for the awesome tour!
Thank you, Kayce.
Glad you got to visit my hometown,Roanoke! Southern hospitality, kindness, good food and music are staples here. Home to some amazing festivals and good people. ✌️❤️
First place you have shown which is not a DUMP! USA! USA!
I'm long overdue for a return visit to Roanoke. Hopefully, I'll be able to visit again by 2024.😐
I live in the Cave Spring (SW County) area....thanks for a really wonderful video on my hometown. It's a gorgeous place and a great home for many people. Curious, who said Roanoke was a "dump"??
I had read it on one of the local Reddit posts. I was actually expecting it to be a dump when I arrived. I was pleasantly surprised when it was the opposite of a dump, and quite beautiful.
Some of the neighborhoods he was complimenting, you will get robbed on. Not maybe, you actually will get robbed.
Roanoke is the big city to me. I drive from Franklin County to Salem next door every Sunday and I hate how big and full of concrete it is.
There is a violent crime committed there every weekend, if what the newspapers are reporting is correct. Figuring I can get lovely mountains, architecture, and good places to eat minus increased crime somewhere else. And yes, I have lived there before. Wierdos and homeless people hanging out on church steps. Help us Lord.
I moved to Roanoke in February 2020. Mill Mountain is a favorite place to take my dog, when we aren't walking downtown or in Old Southwest. This gypsy might have found her forever home.
Enjoyed this! Roanoke is awesome, and very beautiful...❤
The TH-cam algorithm brought me here and I’m sure glad it did. My mother was born in Roanoke and I have a number of relatives buried there. Thanks for showing the city in it’s best light.
This could have been my comment.
I grew up here. It’s relatively quiet and there’s a rich theater arts culture here. Lots of outdoor things to do. Lots of different types of food downtown. Low cost of living. The only thing about it is, there’s not much opportunity to move up career wise unless you want to be in the medical field or you want to start a restaurant, because people love food here. We also have a yearly car show and there’s a farmer’s market downtown on the weekends. It’s more of a quiet place to retire or just settle, not really a place to move to if you’re looking to grow and build especially if you want to be an actor or filmmaker. Fine art and dance are relatively popular here and roanoke has a dance company, but other than that, there’s not much opportunity to move up in the arts, especially music wise. (I’m a person who is interested in the arts, that’s why I focus on that)
"VIRGINIA is 4 Lovers!!!" etc.
I live in NOVA for almost of my life, but let me tell you: Roanoke is not a dump! Roanoke is a beautiful city in Southwest Virginia. Its has many trails that is great for cardio and hiking. Roanoke has combinations of cities that I been ( Atlanta, NYC, Richmond, Va beach) that is perfect for it location!
You didn't watch the video. :)
I made it clear I was a big fan of the city and thought it was beautiful.
Really enjoyed this video since my hubby will be visiting soon to see his cousin who lives there and loves it! Gotta say tho, wish you would’ve left your wife in the hotel. Her negative comments to every single sight you were showing her was pretty annoying. That sign was super rad and yes, fish ARE pets. Appreciate the video and all of your commentary was very helpful! Good luck with her. 🙄
Kept looking for the Coffee Pot ...largest pot of coffee pouring into a cup....
and the Millionaire's Club. .. hole in the wall hamburg joint.. both land marks.. hope they are still there. You made me home sick
The H&C Coffeepot sign is still here!
@@lindagoodrich8153
Thanks for the info about the Coffee Pot. It has a special place in my heart
Texas Tavern! Can't beat a bowl with and a Cheesy Western!!
Roanoke is my hometown. Built a set of gates for the house on the mountain and the trash cans that are on the corners had all been done in a local welding shop on the upper end of Campbell Ave.
I live in Roanoke, it’s not much to do here but it’s alright! It’s great if you’re older and looking for somewhere to live after you retire 😄
Makes me want to move to Roanoke. I'm out here on the west coast I miss the church bells I used to hear on the east coast.
My daughter in law lived in Roanoke most of her life. Her and my son just moved here to northern mn. She said someone was killed just about every night. She said it is a very dangerous town to live in.
that is so true, shootings every day.
Used to live in Vinton just outside of Roanoke. I guess the zoo is no longer up by the star Where you were in the Market place there was a hot dog stand, people lined up just to get their dogs. I used to work downtown and it was a great place. Thank you to taking me back, great memories. For a city I think Roanoke is beautiful. One part of Roanoke had a seedy reputation but those houses were beautiful. Thank you for showing the inside of the science museum, it was changed after I moved.The science museum started out in a very small building, great to see how it has grown. So many wonderful changes.The city was started by the Railroad. Thank you again for showing the beauty of Roanoke.
We still have the zoo and the weiner stand :)
A lot of ppl have been victims in that city
This my hometown it's nice to see the perspective of a travler and see things I may overlook on the day to day/take for granted..no cap you pass my aunts house lol xD
Geographically, still a jewel. Industrially stll viable. Socially, asleep-@-the-wheel, IMO. Politically, high rate of corruption( as evidenced by recent court case, and that being only tip-of-the-iceberg. Crime? Recent Fresh-faces have pulled a blanket over it, temporarily. But, still within parameters of society as a whole. Prognosis?? Not good. My last visit? 03/22. My home? 37 mi. away. Would I move to Roanoke? Nah! Would I visit again? Business, yes. Socially, maybe, with armed security detail. Would I reccomend it? Detail, yes. Visit, no. I cant lie that well. IMO.
Grew up in Roanoke and love the town, the mountains and all this area offers. As someone else said you missed the old Firehouse, really close to where you were walking downtown. As with everywhere else we have some not so good areas but over all, beautiful. Have some beautiful hiking trails, fishing, rivers and lakes all close by. Most of all anytime I traveled out of town, on my return, seeing the Star on Mill Mountain tells me I’m home.
Roanoke is the Dr pepper capital of the world
No way! Waco has got to be.
Roanoke is so beautiful!!!! I don't know why you would even mention the word DUMP???? WHY???? Video is GREAT!!!!
Some people on Reddit called it that . They were wrong. That said, you have to be a little controversial with the thumb and title to get people to watch, unfortunately.
Nah. Roanoke is a dump. I’ve been watching it go downhill, since I was born here. Townsfolk got mad over an art museum bc it wasn’t a boring brick box…. Parking downtown Roanoke should be listed as a crime. It’s either park on the street; which is next to impossible, or mortgage your house to park in a dark, dirty, homeless shelter aka parking garage. Traffic is absolutely terrible for a city so small. When city council basically criminalized homelessness in this city. I what little respect I had like for Roanoke….
I lived under the New Year's Day Massacre 1995 in Roanoke. Yep, I had only been in that apartment 30 days and had to move again due to all the blood and body matter from the five people murdered upstairs from me. Macher Realty (hope they are out of biss) was a JOKE!!! If you want to see the apt where it happened, 413 41/2 St SW.
I can see my second apt from that lookout. It was nice, but I couldn't get a decent job after the murders.
My cousin was married in that Catholic Church in the early 90s. She still owns and runs VA Printing on Campbell Ave.
At 21:46, you came upon St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, home of "Roanoke Catholic High School". Nice video. I've lived in the Roanoke Valley since 1965.
great video, we live in downtown Roanoke and you got some good footage. much more to see when you come back!
I live in Roanoke yes it has changed alot in the past years recently have learned they bus homeless in because we have the best programs for the homeless. We have an all Democrat city council that says alot
Go down to Melrose and Salem turnpike
Nice work! You captured some of the beautiful homes in Roanoke.
Excellent beginning, from the overlook below the star panning the city with the Blue Hills in the background. I strongly suspect that the 60's "urban renewal" folks demolished many structures that, from today's perspective, were worthy of preservation. If the neighborhood you showed us, categorized on the internet as "one of Roanoke's worst," is in fact the case, then it's hardly a deterrent to moving there. Altogether, a slendid looking city. By the way, most city "farmers' markets" do not open daily but typically only once or twice a week. After all, the produce comes from local farms and farmers have a lot of other things to do than display their crops for sale off the farm. Nicole's philosophy of life (shared by you) in which bourbon plays a central role is amusing. I'm supportive. See you both in Nashville.
Thank you, David. The morning I was there someone had put out a few crates of produce so I was thinking they might have the market open every day, as Buffalo (while in Buffalo I saw that they have a farmer's market open every day - near Lafayette Square) does. Anyway, yes, it's a beautiful small city, a much better place that I anticipated. One of the best small cities in the country, IMHO.
I've thought of moving here many times housing is soo inexpensive
The architecture of the homes is so interesting with a flight of stairs leading up to the front door. I imagine it is because of the topography? Living in one of those homes is a good way to keep in shape. And I agree. All of the homes are beautiful--even the ones "on the wrong side of the tracks". Love the churches, too. Magnificent. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the comment, Barbara. :)
Bedford is where you want to be. Roanoke, not so much...
Great footage of Mill Mountain and the wonderful downtown area. Sorry so much time was spent in the rundown neighborhoods when there are many beautiful neighborhoods in the city. And no mention of Roanoke's history as a railroad town. Roanoke has a great deal of funky charm - it's been my adopted city for nearly 28 years! Glad you could visit....
Hmm. Those neighborhoods didn't seem rundown to me. I like the architecture of very old homes, that's why I went there.
This video just popped up on my feed. Great video and thank you for showing it off! Roanoke has a bad rep a lot because of crime, especially compared to some surrounding areas.
I have been in and out of Roanoke my entire life as I live 45ish minutes away. My dad drives into Roanoke every day for work as well. I've also been going into Roanoke a lot the past 2 years for work! I'm a commercial photographer and have done photo shoots for many of the businesses there, you actually passed a couple I've done in your video so that was cool for me to see! You were standing right next to one near the market square!
Again, thanks for the video and showing a good variety of places. The historical stuff is also really nice to see/hear about. Cheers!
Best lunch is Paul's Greek restaurant worked 3 blocks over from pauls
Very nice informative video! We plan on visiting in the near future. Thank you!
Cool!
Man, if you talk to a lot of people from Roanoke, they'll act like it's the worst crime hotspot on the East Coast.
Honestly, it's my hometown and I still live very close to it and there's not a single part of it that I'd be afraid to walk through at night.
Well, maybe Campbell Avenue near the market, but that's entirely because I avoid people in general. 😂😂
Roanoke County violence is growing but it is beautiful around here. Trees swallow you everywhere you go, lots of water around, weekend trips to the beach or to the mountains. One thing to remember folks, humidity and bugs
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to talk over you".....while she continues to talk over you........Ohhhhh
I live in the true dump of Virginia, Culpeper, aka, VOMITVILLLE!
My father is buried there in the veteran's graveyard, I love Culpeper! Unless it has changed over the years.
I’ve been living here my entire life and the city is kind of falling into disappear in some places, but it’s still beautiful
Looks like one great city. Nice and friendly place.
I am from Brazil. Could anyone explain why some American cities, like Roanoke looks desert on the streets? We can hardly see people on the streets.
I live here and i wonder that myself, but it also depends in the time of day and week. Normally on like a Sunday afternoon the streets are insanely busy, especially around lunch time. It all depends on lunch hours and day of the week❤
@@Cloudybubblesasmr Thanks. It's very kind of you.
@@animalingua6393 of course my friend!💗
I've been here all my life and love it! I haven't finished the video but hope you went to the Texas Tavern!
We saw it but the main reason we didn't go there is because we are from Texas.
I’ve lived in Roanoke my entire life and take a lot of this for granted…thanks for the reminder of how beautiful Roanoke is!!
OK I cheated and looked for the latest video...You can Tune a Piano but you can't Tuna Fish....Nashville!! Go to the American Pickers Shop
Great hotel. Hopefully you got a room with a full balcony!! The city view is awesome!!
Surprised you didn't include hotel Roanoke
Dr . Pepper was named after a Dr from Virginia.
Anyone remember a grocery store called Wade's Supermarket?
Roanoke seems like a hidden gem under most people's radar. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
That's what I thought!