Shirley’s Big Backyard
Is Ready to Explore
How big is our BIG BACKYARD? We claim all the Roanoke Valley and want to share it with you. When you are not busy enjoying our charming location, nestled in the Virginia woods just minutes from Downtown Roanoke, we suggest that you explore the best that the Roanoke and Shenandoah Valleys have to offer in outdoor recreation, culture and history, shopping, and food and beverage. Spend a day outside or inside and finish it up with a good meal and drink and never stray further than 15 or 20 minutes from your home base at Shirley’s Bed and Breakfast (quick note: we hope that our cozy suites, oversized tubs, heated outdoor pool, and/or oversized decks with a complimentary beer or wine make it hard to want to leave our little nest! Just saying!!)
We suggest you start your day with our hearty southern-styled breakfast and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while you take in the sights and sounds of Virginia’s Blue Ridge region. Ok, ok, we know, you came to go explore and we want you to see the best that Virginia has to offer.
Let’s start with outdoor recreational opportunities that are so close to Shirley’s B&B that you can almost touch them from one of our beautiful decks. Smith Mountain Lake offers over 20,000 acres of fresh, cool water for boating, fishing, and lakeside relaxation. Looking for something a little more active, take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or better yet take your bike or hiking shoes and find your special spot with breathtaking vistas and views. You might even pass one of those famous thru hikers on the Appalachian Trail. We suggest taking a walk to McAfee Knob or Dragon’s Tooth. Pack an extra candy bar and give a lucky hiker a little “trail magic” while you are out and about. Bet you didn’t know about the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests either. Those two forests have over 2,000 miles of trails for every level of outdoorsperson.
Did we mention that we have a few famous sites right in Roanoke? Explore Mill Mountain Park and visit the famous Roanoke Star and enjoy panoramic views of Roanoke Valley and our fair city. Downtown Roanoke has many spots that are fun for a visit. Elmwood Park hosts music concerts and festivals in a downtown urban setting. There are miles and miles of paved greenways that crisscross the city and there are outfitters who can set you up with a bike, e-bike, and even kayaks and canoes. Not bad! For sports fans, you can catch a baseball game at the Salem Red Sox at the nearby stadium.
Maybe it’s a rainy day or you have already been in the great outdoors and want a little indoor time without missing out on anything that Roanoke has to offer. Art enthusiasts can explore the wonderful Taubman Museum of Art, the largest art museum in southwestern Virginia, and guess what, it’s free! The Taubman Museum showcases 19th and early 20th century American and Appalachian art. For the scientist, we are lucky to have the Science Muesum of Western Virginia, featuring interactive exhibits on health, earth science, technology, and includes a butterfly garden and bug zoo. History buffs can visit the O. Winston Link Museum, dedicated to railroad photography, and a great connection to the next-door Virginia Museum of Transportation. Located in a historic freight station, the museum offers large collections of
locomotives, classic cars, and other transportation artifacts. Local heritage your thing? We also have the Vinton History Museum which presents artifacts and exhibits that bring local history to life.
All this touring and exploring has had to make you a little hungry and thirsty. The Roanoke Valley will not disappoint. For a little upscale fare, we suggest the River and Rail Restaurant which serves southern-inspired cuisine with a twist; utilizing fresh, seasonal ingredients in a wonderful atmosphere. Want something a little more grab and go but with a lot of history? Try the Texas Tavern, a Roanoke institution since 1930, and make sure you order the famous “Cheesy Western” burger in the small 10-stool diner. You can’t go wrong . . . actually you can go wrong by not finding one of Roanoke’s yummy places to eat.
Any beer drinkers out there looking for a place to have a cold, frosty local brew? We got you! Several local breweries are located near us, including Big Lick Brewing Company and the Parkway Brewing Company. Wine your thing? We have a ton of wine shops and a few local wineries near Roanoke. How about bourbon? We suggest a stop at Brady’s Distillery in Downtown Roanoke.
If you are hungry or thirsty in Roanoke, you have no excuse. We are surrounded by hundreds of places that offer tasty food, a good drink, live music, and the warm hospitality that defines Roanoke.
BUT we want you to know this . . . this is just a short taste of what can be experienced and enjoy at Shirley’s B&B. We didn’t even begin talking about live music, shopping, colleges and universities, golf, or just wandering around Downtown Roanoke’s historic downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. We will warn you now, however, Roanoke can become addictive and if you find yourself on Zillow looking for a home here . . . you’ve been warned!
Go enjoy a taste of our Blue Ridge way of life and know we are ready to serve your needs when it comes to exploring what we like to call Shirley’s BIG BACKYARD!!
