ROANOKE, Virginia: Is It A DUMP? What We Actually Saw

We visited Roanoke, Virginia, and were surprised at what we saw.
Travel Vlog 139

[@jacksagrafsky4936]

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.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It's absolutely not a dump.

[@Johnnyjingles87]

Yeah I guess Roanoke would seem nice if you came from Newark

[@nerio1975]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip then change the stupid clipbait!!! The 300k ppl is the conglomerate of roanoke, Salem and Vinton cities, and up just before the pandemic, we were one of the main cities to have convention events. Also 2 main colleges have their schools of medicine, Virginia tech and Radford, so definitely roanoke is not a dump!!!!

[@acajonnymac]

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.)

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

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. :)

[@MrGreasyJ]

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

[@Johnnyjingles87]

Comparing Roanoke to a city of similar size in NC it is a toilet bowl .

[@KessboxHero]

​@@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....

[@KessboxHero]

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.

[@dulcarnon]

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.

[@BasicBeachCommunity1]

You have rail to DC??

[@brianadlich4406]

@@BasicBeachCommunity1 Amtrak

[@mega-doula5222]

Thank you! I am looking at moving to VA and Roanoke keeps coming up as the place to be.

[@lo90zstuybrooklyn11]

Back in nyc congestion. Realize now what a va peace of mind is 2004 I met Roanoke . Nice calm lady

[@angelahorn2239]

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.

[@melissadriver7615]

Hi, just wanted to say it was nice to see my hometown on your KZbin 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.

[@Melvin-cr5cs]

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.

[@melissadriver7615]

@@Melvin-cr5cs I will look into it. Thank you for telling me. Hope you have a great day.

[@dylanmcallister3038]

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.

[@dylanmcallister3038]

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.

[@markegerpetersen8731]

Moved to Roanoke in 1997 from Los Angeles. Never regretted It! Outstanding outdoor trails, Greenways and water nearby (Smith Mountain Lake)

[@nickhill8612]

Wow that's a big move. Welcome

[@msdecemberloveangel8236]

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.

[@annabelleb.8096]

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. 😊

[@deb8119]

LOVE those Blue Ridge Mountains!!!

[@gregorylionberger6589]

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!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It is a treasure. And way better than Atlanta!

[@anarchy_burger_]

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.

[@jonathanmorgan3186]

What suburb? I'm from Vineland,NJ in Cumberland County

[@anarchy_burger_]

Clementon, Gloucester Township

[@ronswansonsalterego8533]

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.

[@_AmericanTraveler]

Same, moved out here in 97' myself from NYC👌🏿

[@godscommandmentsaretruthis2837]

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.

[@susanhawkins3890]

Grew upon Pulaski…spent lots of days in Roanoke….

[@danbailey96]

Can't forget the easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway

[@debbiecopening3407]

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.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Cool. Thank you for the info, Debbie. :)

[@jeffrey-em8hg]

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.

[@coreymickanuik8199]

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!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the kind words, Corey. :)

[@wanderingangelstudio1359]

The KZbin 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.

[@drewo6388]

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!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It's a great little city!

[@sharonandrews2568]

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.

[@ladydj0]

Our daughter was just married inside Texas Tavern last night 01-20-2023 (first ever inside but others have wed on the lot.

[@KeepNitReal1980]

@@ladydj0that was a small wedding lol

[@MarkMorrow]

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.

[@surinfarmwest6645]

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.

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

Someone commented about the church bricks or something of the church was shipped from Europe.

[@thetoothlesscarnivore]

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.

[@brandykellis879]

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. ✌️❤️

[@robertbombace9153]

Great video. Made me feel like I was actually visiting Roanoke, without actually being there. You folks are a great production team.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Robert.

[@kaycerush965]

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!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Kayce.

[@wapiti3750]

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.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome! That's my goal. :)

[@jennylynn82173]

Lovely! Your drone footage is always so cool!! Really appreciate every aspect of your videos- you’ve got something special with this 😊

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Jennifer! :)

[@ElenaYa-r2h]

We recently moved in Virginia from MA. We absolutely love Roanoke aria. Thank you for video!

[@ElenaYa-r2h]

@Catania Momma Italia Who said we are leftists?

[@nickhill8612]

@Catania Momma Italia Haha yeah Best Comment 🏆🏆

[@jamesbigworld]

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??

[@lisaarrington103]

you did a great job capturing the essence of Roanoke! you gained a fan! happy travels!!

[@DavidBrown-fo2wl]

Enjoy your videos. I was born here in Roanoke in '67, and have lived here over 50 years. Love the mountains, and people are generally pretty friendly in my estimation. Thanks for honest reporting, and glad you got to enjoy!

[@Materialworld4]

Thanks Lord Spoda, I really appreciate the way you expose with great care each town and territories highs and lows. I never know what to expect you to come across in your adventures, but I know it will be good. Have a great week!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thank you. :)

[@jonathanscott388]

I grew up in the Roanoke Valley. Beautiful place indeed. Great video.

[@cwa2012]

Your videos are the best hands down. I always look forward to new videos and in the meantime I'm going back to watch all the ones from the beginning. Thank you!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!

[@johne2311]

You missed the pinball and arcade museum at The Square. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Roanoke.

[@nickhill8612]

That's true

[@serennosquadcast8297]

great video, we live in downtown Roanoke and you got some good footage. much more to see when you come back!

[@browningbelgium2326]

Thanks for the tour of Roanoke. It was well done and I saw many familiar places. It's my favorite town to go to when on vacation. You get a thumbs up!

[@ZacharyMeeks86]

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.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I would have loved to see that. The Wall is my favorite album ever, to this day.

[@morganbrooke1345]

Do you remember when that was exactly???

[@mikemurphey6361]

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.

[@benlaw4647]

Enjoyed this! Roanoke is awesome, and very beautiful...❤

[@dianelane-morris3576]

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!!

[@dickwright5361]

You do the best travel log of anyone. Just outstanding. Keep up the great job! 👍🏻

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thanks!

[@truebetold65]

Absolutely one of my favorite cities in America. Beautiful place.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It's one of mine now as well.

[@stevemergy6087]

Very nice informative video! We plan on visiting in the near future. Thank you!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Cool!

[@joshuaciresoli2927]

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.

[@tenchi144]

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

[@shannonbrown3493]

Been here since 2008! Moved back to my hometown of Tidewater in late 2017, stayed less than 2yrs! I was ready to come back to peace & beauty! I was back living in Roanoke by Spring 2019! The LORD knows exactly what's best for you.

[@barbaragraham6886]

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!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the comment, Barbara. :)

[@markboden4592]

What a beautiful little city! The downtown is awesome. Thank you for all of your excellent and entertaining videos.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the kind words, Mark. :)

[@carlsmith1943]

Thanks for the footage of my hometown! I enjoyed it very much!

[@dwayneshively8590]

I’m born and raised in Franklin County Va~So…. Right next door 38 years of this beautiful area!!! Great job!!!

[@goodbook6865]

That is a cool walkaround! The city seems decent and not bad at all. I am glad that you also went different parts of it.

[@marim423]

I love living in Roanoke Moved here eighteen years ago and have always been grateful for the beautiful energy in this community

[@rernardgrant9770]

I appreciate your video on Roanoke, Va. Even though I've been through town many times, I did not get to see many of the beautiful neighborhoods Roanoke has to offer.

[@tomayres4237]

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!!!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We will be doing a Lynchburg video, most likely next spring. We'll be visiting several Virginia cities then.

[@kelleyb69]

I was excited to find this. I just moved here in March from Ga. I haven’t made my way around much. I absolutely love it here and it’s beautiful. Loved your video.

[@lincolnstern2080]

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....

[@DavidDeelLoco]

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. .

[@tomcat8001]

City* not town

[@ladyruby684]

GREAT VID! Hit all the marks! LOVE the signage, the train and excellent fortune in timing, overall. 😊 This channel always delivers for the Armchair Traveler!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!

[@truthseeker1009]

Thank you for this footage. What a great introduction to the City of Roanoke, Virginia.

[@Counselor77]

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.

[@lindagoodrich8153]

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....

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Hmm. Those neighborhoods didn't seem rundown to me. I like the architecture of very old homes, that's why I went there.

[@davidikciwyz6772]

Just recently discovered your page. Really enjoy the videos,how great it would be to travel the country and explore the land.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for watching, David. :)

[@greenbrown7776]

Great video. Roanoke is on my short list for retirement options. I saw nothing to make me want to take it off!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It’s a really nice small city, and the scenery is beautiful. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[@operationaltactics1006]

I really enjoy your videos. I think I've almost seen them all. Very interesting and a really cool project. Thanks for doing it! Have a great day :)

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, OT!

[@barbaratrubenbach115]

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.

[@erincampbell2284]

We still have the zoo and the weiner stand :)

[@bobbyhodges6363]

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.

[@hikaruyasha7849]

Born and raised in Roanoke for my entire 25 years of life. Love it here and never want to leave

[@gilliangallimore1934]

Watching your travels around all the states of America from Melbourne Australia. Thank you enjoyed your travels very much and seeing some wonderful cities and towns across America . What a interesting and diverse country but sad to see so many wonderful historic cities and towns in decay but at the same time such wonderful architecture in the historic homes and country towns. Happy travels ..

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the comment, Gillian. :)

[@stephenmoerlein8470]

Roanoke seems like a hidden gem under most people's radar. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That's what I thought!

[@adrianjohnson650]

I'm long overdue for a return visit to Roanoke. Hopefully, I'll be able to visit again by 2024.😐

[@frankscarborough1428]

Visiting Roanoke with you was fun! Enjoyed very much

[@alanwilliamson9350]

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.

[@TrumpetReady]

Great Video! Thank you for posting!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Sheri. :)

[@Raccoon_Mama.]

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"??

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

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.

[@GGLINSKY]

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!

[@LikoLovesBooks]

I live near Roanoke, it's very pretty and nice to visit! Thank you for capturing the community!

[@judithhickok1677]

I am watching your new videos and the older ones out of order. You do such a great job making me feel like I'm there taking the walks and drives with you. Thank you. Love the sound of your voice also and enjoy your darling wife's personality. Roanoke is a beautiful city and location. Wish I had known about it in my younger years when I moved around a lot.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the great comment, Judith!

[@hiimjai6064]

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)

[@valjean2036]

There He is!!! Woot woot luv watching these!!

[@evabradford3713]

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.

[@maggie742]

that is so true, shootings every day.

[@welfordnewton5965]

Congratulations. Enjoyed the tour

[@jamesphillips496]

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.

[@WilliamCrew]

Me and my son love Roanoke. We always have a nice time when we go there from Richmond

[@Melvin-cr5cs]

As a native Roanoker living in the Richmond area, with tons of love for both places, I am truly happy you and your son enjoy going to Roanoke. Be well.

[@horseplop9]

You pick such interesting spots. Keep up the great work lord

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, UC. :)

[@carmenz7863]

I live in Bedford about 40 minutes from Roanoke and the parkway is one of the most beautiful places you can travel especially during fall! Great video!

[@KeepNitReal1980]

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.

[@davidgonzales2274]

I enjoy seeing these historical locaftions especially.

[@mschristyz]

It used to be called Big Lick, founded by the railways. The Liberty building just had a remodel job looks fantastic now. The murals on the side of the building where it said Virginia carriage factory, was hidden behind other buildings that is now a parking lot. When they brought the buildings down they saw these murals and repainted them the original color. Beautiful city but it's a hand full of folks that make it not so pleasant all the time. In NW Roanoke, most of those huge houses are split into small apartments that are over priced. Many of those homes could be refabed and made into beautiful homes but the cost is outrageous. Great video as well.

[@KenG557]

You missed the beautiful historic Hotel Roanoke!

[@lindagoodrich8153]

Not to mention not a single shot of the beautiful Roanoke River that flows through the city!

[@toddmiller5884]

@@lindagoodrich8153 And floods every time there's a hurricane.

[@christinewheeler6443]

This is an awesome video. I went there with my daughter and her family. We had a great time. The city was fun and interesting...well done. I sent this video to my daughter and her family....

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the kind words, Christine!

[@TBeezley1]

Great drone shots over downtown. We moved to the side of a ridge just outside Roanoke in 1998...moved from the gang-infested suburbs of Chicago with our five-year-old son. One of the best moves of our lives. I'm a native cheesehead, but my secret identity is mountaineer. Glad you enjoyed our lovely city.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!1

[@sharonsollars7797]

I lived in Roanoke for 30 years ! It’s a great place to live ! !

[@bradleysmith1566]

Beautiful job! I truly believe I have been everywhere you have been!

[@IsabelKidd]

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!

[@donaldmilhoan6379]

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.

[@michaelajohnson8559]

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 😄

[@kyhokie]

A friend and I inquired about buying the building you mentioned would make a good pub, several years ago. The proposed price didn't make sense for the work and location. Great job capturing Roanoke.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the comment, Bill. That's too bad about that building. It would be a great pub!

[@wndowpayne]

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

[@Melvin-cr5cs]

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.

[@quickcanary]

I live 1:45 from Roanoke and have been there many times. When this video popped up in my feed, I knew I had to watch it. Nice job on the vid! Next time you're in town, I recommend eating at the New Yorker Deli (great sandwiches if you're looking for something casual) or Alexander's if you're looking for something significantly more upscale. You were right there across from it near the beginning of your vid. Come back anytime!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We loved it there. :)

[@Over60sowhat]

I LOVE that One Hour Cleaning sign! That would look so good pointing at a shower area!

[@jackieporter5705]

Very nice, so much more to see though! Including the bedroom communities of Salem and Vinton. The airport has the most beautiful views and the suburbs are quite nice as well as South Roanoke. You did indeed drive through the worst of it!

[@bthomson]

Yes! Your timing is perfect!

[@DoBetterWorld]

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.

[@cujo2you388]

my hometown, i really miss the place. thanks for taking me back 😊👍 still as beautiful as ever