Roanoke rocks the arts | Easy Escapes

As visitors approach Roanoke, Va., they won’t be able to miss the world’s largest freestanding illuminated man-made star that looms over the city.

The Roanoke Star and Overlook site is situated on top of Mill Mountain and at 1,045 feet, provides stellar views of the entire Roanoke Valley. The star, itself, is visible for sixty miles from the air. It’s a good place to start a visit to Roanoke; to get the lay of the land.

Down below, Roanoke is bisected by the Roanoke River. It sits just west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As the largest municipality in Southwest Virginia, it serves as the commercial and cultural hub of the region.

Roanoke takes this role seriously and has become the perfect home for the region’s museums, performing arts venues, and artists of all stripes. Roanoke’s vibrant arts community converges in the heart of downtown, offering diverse galleries, studios, and theaters.

A must see, The Taubman Museum of Art’s history goes back over 64 years to its beginning as the Roanoke Fine Arts Center. Traveling exhibits, programming, the permanent collection of 19th and 20th century paintings, and a central location make The Taubman an important part of Roanoke’s identity.

For a stunning collection of outdoor art, take the walking public art tour that starts at the Center in the Square and winds through Elmwood Park. The tour ends with a visit to Roanoke’s LOVEwork sculpture which stands nine feet wide and five feet tall and ties into Roanoke’s rail heritage and Virginia’s tourism message that “Virginia is for Lovers.” The LOVEwork was designed by internationally known Roanoke artist Eric Fitzpatrick. Elmwood Park is also the premium concert and festival venue for the region.

Visitors will be dazzled by the more than 300 color and black and white photographs taken by photographer O. Winston Link, now displayed at the O. Winston Link Museum. His works interpret the last days of steam locomotives along the Norfolk and Western Railways.

Stop by Appalachian Press which highlights the art of letterpress and silk screen while. Owner, John Reburn uses a vintage letterpress with the mission to pay homage to the labor and elegance of past traditions.

The Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University features the work of renowned, emerging, and regional artists. Check out schedules for the Roanoke Symphony and The Grandin Theater, specializing in foreign, art-house, independent and children’s films.

Visit Black Dog Salvage, the brainchild of Mike Whiteside and Robert Kulp with the idea of preserving Southwest Virginia’s architectural past. These “Salvage Dawgs” specialize in reclaiming and reselling industrial fixtures from mantels and doors to vintage plumbing and art tiles found in historic homes. The popularity of their craft landed the crew a TV show in 2012 which airs on DIY Network, HGTV, and GAC.

Roanoke also likes to show off its culinary arts. Choose from a range of international traditions at The City Market Building. For lunchtime refinery, dine at the historic Regency Room at The Hotel Roanoke. Find wholesome, delicious food made from original recipes at Wildflour Restaurant and Bakery or join the locals for a favorite meal at Rockfish Food & Wine. Rise and shine to enjoy breakfast at The Roanoker, named by Southern Living as one of Virginia’s five best breakfast spots.

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Roanoke rocks the arts | Easy Escapes."