Flying to Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) sits 4 miles northwest of downtown, serving the Roanoke Valley, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg 40 miles west. FareOptic compares Delta, American, United, and Allegiant for the cheapest fare into ROA.
Flights to Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA)
*All above fares are one way/round trip. Fares incl. all fuel surcharges, taxes & fees and our service fees. Displayed fares are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed at the time of booking. See all booking terms and conditions.
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Why Visit Roanoke?
A ridge-top parkway with no billboards or stoplights running through the middle of town, the Appalachian Trail's most famous overlook 20 minutes away, and the finest steam locomotives America ever built
The Blue Ridge Parkway -- 469 Miles of Ridge-Top Road With No Commercial Traffic, No Billboards, and No Stoplights, Passing Directly Through Roanoke at the Only City It Touches Along Its Entire Length
America's Longest Linear Park and Most-Visited Unit of the National Park System, Built by Depression-Era Relief Labor Beginning in 1935 and Not Finished Until 1987, With a 45 MPH Speed Limit, 200+ Overlooks, and the Peaks of Otter and Mabry Mill Within an Hour of the CityThe Blue Ridge Parkway (a 469-mile National Park Service road running from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina; free to drive; 45 mph speed limit; no commercial vehicles, billboards, or traffic signals along its entire length) passes directly through Roanoke — the only city the Parkway actually touches in 469 miles, with several access points within minutes of downtown. It is consistently the most-visited unit of the entire National Park System, drawing well over 15 million recreational visits a year, more than the Great Smoky Mountains or the Grand Canyon. The road's construction is a piece of Depression history: authorized in 1933 and begun in 1935 as a public works project to connect the two new national parks and to put unemployed men to work, it was built in segments by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Progress Administration, and contractors. The final segment — the Linn Cove Viaduct around Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina, an engineering solution designed to avoid cutting into the mountainside — was not completed until 1987, 52 years after construction started. The design philosophy was deliberate and unusual for its era: landscape architect Stanley Abbott laid out the road to follow ridgelines and reveal views progressively, banned commercial development in the corridor, used native stone for guardrails and overlooks, and acquired scenic easements on adjacent farmland to preserve the pastoral views. Highlights within reach of Roanoke: the Roanoke Mountain Overlook and the Roanoke Valley Overlook (minutes from the city); Peaks of Otter (milepost 86, roughly 45 minutes northeast — a lodge, a lake, and the strenuous hike up Sharp Top); Smart View and Rocky Knob (south); and Mabry Mill (milepost 176, about 90 minutes south — a restored water-powered gristmill and the single most photographed spot on the entire Parkway). Fall color typically peaks in mid-to-late October at these elevations and draws heavy traffic.
The Mill Mountain Star -- the Largest Freestanding Illuminated Man-Made Star in the World, Built as a Christmas Decoration in 1949 and Never Taken Down
The Roanoke Star (on Mill Mountain, immediately above downtown; free, with a public overlook and parking) is an 88.5-foot-tall steel star wrapped in roughly 2,000 feet of neon tubing, standing on the summit of Mill Mountain at about 1,045 feet above the valley floor. It was built in 1949 by the Roanoke Merchants Association as a temporary Christmas decoration intended to promote holiday shopping downtown. It cost about 28,000 dollars, was lit on November 23, 1949, and was so well received that it was simply left up. It has been illuminated nearly every night since, is visible for roughly 60 miles from the air, and has given Roanoke its nickname — the Star City of the South. The star was originally lit in white; red and blue elements were added, and the color scheme has been used to mark events (it was lit all red for periods after traffic fatalities in the 1970s, and has been lit in various color combinations for holidays and commemorations). The Mill Mountain overlook beside it is the best free view in the city, taking in the whole Roanoke Valley with the Blue Ridge behind it, and it is a short drive up the Mill Mountain Spur Road from the Blue Ridge Parkway or from downtown. The 568-acre Mill Mountain Park around it holds the Mill Mountain Zoo (a small zoo focused on red pandas, snow leopards, and Appalachian species), a discovery center, and a network of hiking and mountain-biking trails connecting down to the Roanoke River Greenway. Going up at dusk to watch the valley lights come on as the star switches on is the standard local recommendation, and it costs nothing.
McAfee Knob and the Appalachian Trail -- the Most Photographed Spot on the Entire 2,197-Mile Trail, an Overhanging Rock Ledge 20 Minutes From Roanoke, and the Triple Crown of Virginia Hiking
A Cantilevered Sandstone Slab Projecting Over a 270-Degree View of the Catawba Valley, Reached by an 8.8-Mile Round-Trip Hike With 1,740 Feet of Gain, Plus Dragon's Tooth and Tinker Cliffs Completing the Triple Crown, All Within 30 Minutes of DowntownMcAfee Knob (trailhead on VA-311 in Catawba, roughly 20 minutes northwest of Roanoke; 8.8 miles round trip on the Appalachian Trail with about 1,740 feet of elevation gain; free, though a parking permit system and shuttle have been introduced at times because the small lot overflows badly) is the most photographed location on the Appalachian Trail's entire 2,197 miles. The summit is a sandstone ledge that cantilevers out over the drop, so a person standing at its lip appears suspended above the Catawba Valley with the Blue Ridge behind — the image that appears on countless AT books, posters, and the film 'A Walk in the Woods.' The view spans roughly 270 degrees across the Catawba Valley, North Mountain, Tinker Cliffs, and the Roanoke Valley. The hike itself is a steady, moderate climb on well-maintained trail with no technical difficulty; the main hazards are the crowds (weekend mornings in fall are extremely busy), the exposed summit in bad weather, and the genuine fall risk at the ledge, where there are no railings and there have been fatalities. McAfee Knob is one third of what local hikers call the Triple Crown: (1) McAfee Knob itself; (2) Dragon's Tooth (a 4.5-mile round trip from the VA-311 trailhead to a 35-foot spire of Tuscarora quartzite standing on a ridgeline, with a final scramble section using iron rungs set into the rock — steeper and rockier than McAfee, and harder than its short distance suggests); and (3) Tinker Cliffs (about 7.6 miles round trip from the Andy Layne Trail to a half-mile of cliff edge with views back toward McAfee Knob). Doing all three in one very long day, or as a 35-mile backpacking loop, is a standing local challenge. Roanoke's position on the Appalachian Trail also makes it one of the trail's more important resupply towns — the AT passes within a few miles of the city, and Roanoke has an unusually developed outdoor-recreation identity as a result, with the Roanoke Valley Greenways, extensive mountain biking on Carvins Cove (a 12,700-acre municipal watershed with more than 60 miles of trail, one of the largest municipal parks in the country), and the Roanoke River Blueway for paddling.
Roanoke and the Norfolk and Western Railway -- How a Village of 400 People Became a City in Twenty Years and Why the Locomotives Built Here Were the Best Steam Engines Ever Made in America
Roanoke exists because of a railroad junction. Until 1882 the site was a village called Big Lick with roughly 400 residents. That year the Shenandoah Valley Railroad and the Norfolk and Western Railroad chose the location for their junction and headquarters, largely because local businessmen raised a subscription to secure it. The town was renamed Roanoke and incorporated as a city in 1884; by 1892 the population exceeded 16,000, and by 1920 it was more than 50,000. The Norfolk and Western Railway built and maintained its locomotives in the Roanoke Shops, and it did something almost no other American railroad did: it continued designing and building its own steam locomotives in-house until 1953, long after every competitor had switched to purchasing diesels from builders like EMD and ALCO. The N&W's reasoning was that it hauled coal, its owners were coal interests, and it could operate steam more cheaply than diesel on its own terms. The result was a series of locomotives generally regarded as the most refined steam engines ever built in the United States: the Class A (a 2-6-6-4 articulated freight engine), the Class Y6 (a 2-8-8-2 compound designed for slow, heavy coal drags), and above all the Class J (a streamlined 4-8-4 passenger locomotive, capable of 110 miles per hour, with a distinctive rounded bullet nose). The Virginia Museum of Transportation (303 Norfolk Avenue SW, downtown Roanoke; admission approximately $12-15) holds the largest collection of N&W steam locomotives in existence, including Class J number 611 — the last surviving example, restored to operating condition and periodically run on excursions — and Class A number 1218. The museum sits in a former N&W freight depot. Adjacent, the O. Winston Link Museum (in the restored 1905 N&W passenger station) holds the photographs of O. Winston Link, who between 1955 and 1960 documented the last years of N&W steam operation in elaborately staged nighttime flash photographs — technically extraordinary images that are among the most celebrated works of American industrial photography.
Downtown Roanoke, the Historic City Market, and the Taubman Museum of Art -- One of the Oldest Continuously Operating Open-Air Markets in Virginia, a Randall Stout Building That Looks Like Nothing Else in Appalachia, and a Walkable Core With a Serious Food and Beer Scene
A Farmers Market Operating on the Same Downtown Block Since 1882, a 2008 Art Museum Whose Folded Steel-and-Glass Roof Was Designed by a Frank Gehry Protégé to Echo the Ridgelines Behind It, the Center in the Square Cultural Complex, and a Downtown Brewery DistrictRoanoke's downtown is unusually intact and walkable for a city of its size, and it centers on the Historic Roanoke City Market (Market Street SE, between Campbell and Salem Avenues) — an open-air farmers market that has operated continuously on the same block since 1882, making it one of the oldest in Virginia. Farmers sell from stalls along the street year-round, with the fullest markets from spring through fall, and the surrounding market building and blocks hold restaurants, a food hall, breweries, and independent shops. The area around the market has become the region's dining and drinking center, with a notable concentration of craft breweries (Big Lick, Parkway, Soaring Ridge, and others, plus Deschutes Brewery's East Coast operation nearby). Anchoring the market square is Center in the Square (a five-story cultural complex holding the Science Museum of Western Virginia, the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, the Roanoke Pinball Museum, a rooftop garden with valley views, and resident theater and opera companies). A block away, the Taubman Museum of Art (110 Salem Avenue SE; free general admission; opened 2008) is the most architecturally assertive building in the region: designed by Randall Stout, who trained in Frank Gehry's office, it is a folded composition of glass, patinated zinc, and stainless steel whose angular roof planes were intended to evoke the surrounding ridgelines and the region's rail infrastructure. It drew both admiration and local controversy, and it holds American art from the 19th century forward, a strong studio glass collection, folk and self-taught art from the region, and rotating exhibitions. Also downtown: the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the O. Winston Link Museum (above), the restored Hotel Roanoke (a 1882 Tudor Revival landmark built by the Norfolk and Western, now a Curio Collection hotel connected to downtown by an enclosed pedestrian bridge over the rail yard), and the Roanoke River Greenway, part of a growing regional network of paved multi-use trail.
Virginia Tech, Radford, and the Blacksburg Corridor -- Why the Airport Is Named Roanoke-Blacksburg and What That Means for Travelers
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport carries both names because Blacksburg, 40 miles west on US-460, is home to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University — Virginia Tech — a land-grant research university with roughly 38,000 students and one of the largest engineering programs in the country. ROA is Virginia Tech's airport: there is no commercial service in Blacksburg itself, and the university's student, parent, faculty, recruiting, and research traffic is a significant share of ROA's passenger base. The practical consequences for anyone booking travel: Virginia Tech's academic calendar drives demand at the airport. Move-in in mid-August, family weekend in the fall, Thanksgiving and winter break departures and returns, spring break, and commencement in mid-May all produce sharp spikes in ROA fares and fill hotel rooms in both Blacksburg and Roanoke. Home football Saturdays at Lane Stadium — where the entry of the team to Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' with 65,000 people jumping in unison is one of the more genuinely intense traditions in college sports — do the same. The drive from ROA to the Virginia Tech campus takes about 45 minutes on US-460, and the Smart Way Bus runs a scheduled connection between the airport, downtown Roanoke, and Blacksburg. Radford University is another 15 miles southwest of Blacksburg. The corridor between Roanoke and Blacksburg along the New River Valley also holds Claytor Lake, the New River (one of the oldest rivers in the world by geological age, and one of the few in North America that flows north), and access to the Jefferson National Forest — which is why the region markets itself heavily on outdoor recreation and why Roanoke has consistently ranked well on lists of small US cities for outdoor access.
The Natural Bridge, Smith Mountain Lake, and the Virginia Highlands -- a 215-Foot Limestone Arch Thomas Jefferson Once Owned, a 20,000-Acre Lake With 500 Miles of Shoreline, and the Explore Park Adventure Complex on the Parkway
A Natural Limestone Arch Surveyed by George Washington and Purchased by Thomas Jefferson in 1774 for 20 Shillings, Now a State Park an Hour North; Virginia's Second-Largest Lake an Hour Southeast With More Shoreline Than the State's Atlantic Coast; and a 1,100-Acre Adventure Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway ItselfRoanoke sits at the center of a set of day trips that cover a striking range. (1) Natural Bridge State Park (about 55 minutes north via I-81, near Lexington; admission approximately $9-10) preserves a 215-foot-high natural limestone arch spanning Cedar Creek — a genuine geological feature formed as the creek dissolved through a limestone ridge and the cavern roof collapsed, leaving the bridge. Its human history is unusual: George Washington surveyed it as a young man and, according to long-standing tradition, carved his initials in the rock face. Thomas Jefferson purchased the bridge and 157 surrounding acres from King George III in 1774 for 20 shillings, built a cabin for guests, and described it in his 'Notes on the State of Virginia' as 'the most sublime of Nature's works.' It remained in private ownership as a tourist attraction for two centuries before becoming a Virginia state park in 2016. US Route 11 crosses over the top of it, so vehicles drive over the arch without necessarily realizing it. (2) Smith Mountain Lake (about an hour southeast) is Virginia's second-largest freshwater lake — a 20,600-acre reservoir created by the damming of the Roanoke River in 1963, with roughly 500 miles of shoreline, more than Virginia's entire Atlantic coast. It is the region's boating, fishing, and lake-house destination, with a state park, marinas, and a large striped bass fishery. (3) Explore Park (milepost 115 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 15 minutes from downtown) is a 1,100-acre county adventure park directly on the Parkway, with mountain bike trails, a zip line and aerial adventure course, disc golf, cabins and yurts, river access to the Roanoke River, and a visitor center. (4) Lexington (55 minutes north) holds Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute, along with the Stonewall Jackson House and the George C. Marshall Museum, and is a well-preserved small historic town worth a half day on its own.
Fall Color, Elevation, and When to Come -- Timing a Blue Ridge Trip
The Roanoke region's single biggest seasonal draw is autumn color, and timing it well requires understanding elevation. The Blue Ridge here runs from roughly 900 feet in the Roanoke Valley to over 4,000 feet on the higher peaks, and leaf color moves down the mountain over several weeks rather than turning everywhere at once. As a general pattern, the highest elevations along the Parkway begin turning in the first week or two of October, mid-elevations peak in mid-October, and the valley floor and lower slopes peak in late October into early November. This means a visitor can effectively chase peak color by adjusting elevation — if the valley is still green, drive up the Parkway; if the ridgetops have already dropped their leaves, stay lower. Peak Parkway weekends in October bring heavy traffic, full overlook parking, and booked-out lodging from Roanoke to Asheville, so midweek travel is markedly better. The other seasons: spring is excellent, with rhododendron and mountain laurel blooming along the Parkway from late May into June and far fewer visitors than fall; summer is warm and humid in the valley but noticeably cooler at Parkway elevations, and it is the season for Smith Mountain Lake and the rivers; winter closes substantial sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway — the Park Service gates segments during and after snow and ice, sometimes for extended periods, and closures are posted on the NPS Parkway real-time map, which is essential to check before planning any winter drive. Roanoke itself gets modest snow, but the ridge above it gets considerably more.
How to Find Cheap Flights to Roanoke VA
ROA Is Small -- Compare All Four Connecting Hubs and Check Charlotte First
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional has only a handful of daily departures per carrier, so fares vary widely depending on which hub you route through. Charlotte (American) is the shortest connection and often the best-priced; Atlanta (Delta) has the most frequency; Washington Dulles and Chicago (United) and LaGuardia (Delta) round it out. Pricing all four rather than accepting the first itinerary shown regularly saves 100 dollars or more.
Virginia Tech's Calendar Drives Demand -- Move-In, Football, and Graduation Spike Fares
ROA is Virginia Tech's airport — Blacksburg is 40 miles west with no commercial service of its own. Mid-August move-in, fall family weekend, home football Saturdays at Lane Stadium, Thanksgiving and winter break, spring break, and mid-May commencement all produce sharp fare and hotel spikes in both Roanoke and Blacksburg. Check the university calendar before booking.
Greensboro, Charlotte, and Richmond Are Drivable Alternatives
Greensboro (GSO) is about 90 miles south, Charlotte (CLT) roughly 190 miles south with far more service and much lower fares, and Richmond (RIC) about 190 miles east. Washington Dulles (IAD) is about 240 miles northeast. If your ROA fare comes back high — which happens often on a small airport with thin competition — pricing CLT or GSO plus a rental car is frequently the cheaper total, especially for a longer stay.
October Fall Color Is Peak Season on the Parkway -- Go Midweek
The Blue Ridge Parkway's October color draws heavy traffic, overflowing overlook parking, and booked-out lodging across the whole corridor. Color moves down the mountain over several weeks: high elevations turn in early October, mid elevations mid-month, the valley floor late October into November. Midweek travel in October gets you the same color with a fraction of the crowd. Spring rhododendron in late May and June is an excellent, much quieter alternative.
Airlines Flying to Roanoke (ROA)
Delta Air Lines
ATL, LGA, and DTW Hub Connections to ROA -- Delta's Southeast and Northeast Network Into Southwest VirginiaDelta Air Lines serves Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) through Atlanta (ATL), New York LaGuardia (LGA), and Detroit (DTW) at various points in its schedule. ATL-ROA is the workhorse and typically the most frequent route at the airport — Atlanta is roughly an hour's flight and connects Roanoke to Delta's entire domestic and international system. LGA-ROA serves the substantial Northeast business and university traffic, including Virginia Tech families. Delta Connection regional partners including Endeavor Air and SkyWest fly the ROA routes on CRJ-200, CRJ-700, and CRJ-900 aircraft. Because ROA is a small airport where each carrier runs only a handful of daily departures, checking all three legacy hubs is worthwhile — the fare spread is often wide.
Key Routes
ATL to ROA (1h 15m nonstop; LGA to ROA (1h 40m nonstop; DTW to ROA (1h 45m; BOS to ROA (via LGA, ATL, or DTW; MCO to ROA (via ATL; LAX to ROA (via ATL or DTW; SEA to ROA (via ATL, DTW, or MSP; Amsterdam to ROA (via DTW or ATL
American Airlines
CLT, DCA, PHL, and DFW Hub Connections to ROA -- American's Mid-Atlantic and Texas Network to the Blue RidgeAmerican Airlines connects Roanoke (ROA) through Charlotte (CLT), Washington Reagan National (DCA), Philadelphia (PHL), and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). CLT-ROA is the shortest — well under an hour, essentially a hop over the Blue Ridge — and it is the highest-value connection at the airport because Charlotte's hub reaches most of the country. DCA-ROA serves the Washington market and the government and defense traffic that runs between the capital and southwestern Virginia. PHL-ROA gives one-stop access to American's transatlantic departures. American Eagle regional affiliates including PSA and Piedmont operate ROA service on CRJ-700 and CRJ-900 equipment.
Key Routes
CLT to ROA (55m nonstop; DCA to ROA (1h 10m nonstop; PHL to ROA (1h 30m nonstop; DFW to ROA (2h 45m; LGA to ROA (via CLT, DCA, or PHL; MIA to ROA (via CLT; PHX to ROA (via CLT or DFW; London Heathrow to ROA (via PHL or CLT
United Airlines
ORD, IAD, EWR, and DEN Hub Connections to ROA -- United's Chicago, Washington, and Rocky Mountain Access to RoanokeUnited Airlines serves Roanoke (ROA) from Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Washington Dulles (IAD), Newark (EWR), and Denver (DEN) depending on the season. IAD-ROA is the shortest and exists largely to feed Dulles' international bank — for Virginia Tech and Radford traffic it is also the most convenient connection to Europe. ORD-ROA covers the Midwest, and EWR-ROA the New York metro. DEN-ROA, when operating, gives the Mountain West a single-stop routing. United Express partners including SkyWest and Mesa operate ROA service on CRJ-200, CRJ-550, and E175 regional jets, with typically one or two daily frequencies per route.
Key Routes
ORD to ROA (1h 45m nonstop; IAD to ROA (1h nonstop; EWR to ROA (1h 40m nonstop; DEN to ROA (2h 55m; SFO to ROA (via ORD, IAD, or EWR; LAX to ROA (via ORD or DEN; IAH to ROA (via ORD or IAD; Tokyo to ROA (via EWR or IAD
Allegiant Air
Nonstop Leisure Routes From ROA to Florida -- the Ultra-Low-Cost Option Giving Roanoke Direct Sunbelt AccessAllegiant Air operates nonstop leisure service from Roanoke (ROA) to Florida destinations, typically including Orlando Sanford (SFB), Punta Gorda (PGD), and St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE), with routes varying seasonally. These are the only nonstops from ROA that are not hub feeders, and for southwestern Virginia travelers heading south they are usually the cheapest option available by a substantial margin. The tradeoffs are the standard ultra-low-cost ones: base fares exclude carry-on bags, checked bags, and seat assignments; flights operate two to four days a week rather than daily, so your dates must fit the schedule; and Allegiant serves secondary airports rather than the primary ones. Price the all-in total before comparing.
Key Routes
SFB (Orlando Sanford) nonstop; PGD (Punta Gorda) nonstop; PIE (St. Pete-Clearwater) nonstop; additional seasonal Florida routes; frequencies run 2-4 days per week and change by season -- check Allegiant.com for the current ROA schedule before planning
Things to Do in Roanoke and the Blue Ridge
Essential Info for Your Roanoke Trip
State / Region
Roanoke, Virginia. Independent city, Roanoke Valley. Population ~100,000 city, ~315,000 metro. The largest city in southwestern Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 170 miles west of Richmond, 240 miles southwest of Washington DC.
Airport
ROA -- Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional, 4 miles northwest of downtown. Delta (ATL, LGA, DTW), American (CLT, DCA, PHL, DFW), United (ORD, IAD, EWR, DEN), Allegiant (seasonal Florida). Alternatives: Greensboro GSO (90 mi), Charlotte CLT (190 mi), Richmond RIC (190 mi).
Currency
USD -- US Dollar
Time Zone
EST (UTC-5) / EDT (UTC-4) in summer -- Eastern Time, same as Washington DC and New York
Blue Ridge Parkway
Free, 45 mph, no commercial traffic or billboards. Access points minutes from downtown -- Roanoke is the only city the Parkway touches in 469 miles. Peaks of Otter at milepost 86 (~45 min NE), Mabry Mill at milepost 176 (~90 min S). Sections close in winter for snow and ice -- check the NPS real-time closure map.
Fall Color Timing
Color moves down the mountain over several weeks: high elevations turn early October, mid elevations mid-month, the valley floor late October into November. Peak October weekends bring heavy Parkway traffic and full overlooks -- travel midweek. Late May and June rhododendron is a quieter alternative.
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg is 40 miles west on US-460, ~45 min from ROA; no commercial service there. The Smart Way Bus connects the airport, downtown Roanoke, and Blacksburg. Move-in (mid-Aug), family weekend, home football Saturdays, breaks, and commencement (mid-May) spike ROA fares and fill hotels.
Emergency Number
911
Most Popular Airlines
Best Airlines for Domestic & International Routes
Frequently Asked Questions on Flights to Roanoke VA
Airport info, Virginia Tech travel, Blue Ridge Parkway access, and hiking McAfee Knob
What airport serves Roanoke Virginia?
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (IATA: ROA) is about 4 miles northwest of downtown Roanoke. Airlines include Delta (ATL, LGA, DTW), American (CLT, DCA, PHL, DFW), United (ORD, IAD, EWR, DEN), and Allegiant (seasonal Florida nonstops). It is a small airport with only a handful of daily departures per carrier, so comparing all the connecting hubs is worthwhile. Greensboro (GSO, 90 miles), Charlotte (CLT, 190 miles), and Richmond (RIC, 190 miles) are drivable alternatives.
Why is it called Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport?
Because it serves Virginia Tech. Blacksburg, 40 miles west on US-460, has no commercial air service of its own, and Virginia Tech's roughly 38,000 students plus faculty, parents, and research traffic make up a significant share of the airport's passengers. The drive from ROA to campus takes about 45 minutes, and the Smart Way Bus runs a scheduled connection between the airport, downtown Roanoke, and Blacksburg.
How far is the Blue Ridge Parkway from Roanoke?
It runs right through the city — Roanoke is the only city the Blue Ridge Parkway actually touches along its entire 469 miles, and there are access points within minutes of downtown. The Roanoke Mountain and Roanoke Valley overlooks are the closest. Peaks of Otter is about 45 minutes northeast at milepost 86, and Mabry Mill — the most photographed spot on the Parkway — is about 90 minutes south at milepost 176. The Parkway is free to drive.
How hard is the hike to McAfee Knob?
Moderate. It is 8.8 miles round trip with about 1,740 feet of elevation gain on well-maintained Appalachian Trail, with no technical difficulty — a steady climb rather than a steep one. Budget 4 to 5 hours. The real considerations are crowds (fall weekend mornings are extremely busy and the small VA-311 lot overflows, so check whether a parking permit or shuttle is in effect), exposure at the summit in bad weather, and the genuine fall risk at the unrailed ledge.
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