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Come journey with us as we explore and highlight the people and places that make the Blue Ridge and Southern Appalachian Mountains special and unique

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Virginia’s Blue Ridge: A Premier Destination For Outdoor Recreation, Unique Attractions, Diverse Culture & Culinary Experiences

Posted on November 29, 2021June 10, 2022 By Exploration Local
Adventure, Tourism
Credit: Kenton Steryous

Virginia’s Blue Ridge is made up of the City of Roanoke at its heart and surrounding communities within an hour radius, including the City of Salem, Botetourt County, Franklin County, and Roanoke County.

The region offers a refined, authentic, Metro Mountain adventure nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s a premier destination for outdoor recreation offering over 1,000 miles of trails for adventure. Roanoke is the largest city along the Appalachian Trail, and the region is home to the Virginia Triple Crown, showcasing three of the best hiking trails in the Commonwealth of Virginia – Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs.

In this episode, I sit down with Kristine McCormick, Outdoor Experiences Manager at Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, and we talk about many of the things that have earned Roanoke the distinct honor of being nominated as the top “Place to Raise An Outdoor Family.”

We talk about the Farmers Market that dates back to 1882, museums, restaurants & craft breweries, festivals, and an interpretive greenway that allows visitors and locals alike to explore from downtown to the summit of Mill Mountain, Roanoke’s highest point. We also talk about multi-purpose trails, southern hospitality, fine arts, and the fact that you don’t have to leave the City of Roanoke to experience outdoor adventures. But we also talk about the surrounding areas that are close by too; where you can experience trails, rivers, lakes, and easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I’m excited to branch out of my beautiful area here in western NC and return to the state where I first fell in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains. I truly hope you enjoy this episode.

Kristine McCormick
Outdoors Experience Manager
Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge
101 Shenandoah Avenue, NE

Roanoke, VA  24016
www.visitVBR.com
Phone: (540) 342-6025 Ext. 125

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Triple Crown
Roanoke, Virginia
GO FEST
Hiking in Roanoke
Mill Mountain Park
Be A #Trailsetter

Mike Andress, Host
Exploration Local Podcast

Email: mike@explorationlocal.com

Website Link
Instagram: explorationlocal
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/explorationlocal/ 

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❮ Previous Post: Gorges State Park with Kevin Bischof, Park Superintendent
Next Post: Beech Mountain Resort: A Premier Multi-Season Resort & The Highest Ski Resort In The East ❯

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