A few weeks ago, an Axios Richmond reporter made a disparaging reference: “What the hell is west of Roanoke?”
I wrote a column defending “What the Hell is West of Roanoke?” that got attention on transit bulletin boards and some speaking invitations.
I also received a lot of fan mail (I think the writers at Axios also received mail, but perhaps of a different nature).
Not all of the fan mail came from west of Roanoke.
We also heard from Arlington readers who confessed they had never been west of Roanoke and wanted to visit to see this part of the state for themselves. “He drives on the interstate, stops at small town cafes, listens to locals, etc.,” he wrote. “So, we are planning a road trip to Bristol and beyond to Cumberland Gap later this spring.”
I thought I would offer this reader some suggestions on what to see and do, but I came up with a better idea. Why not ask yourself?
Well then, here you go!
For someone visiting Arlington (who I don't want to name), what would you suggest they see and do on this side of the state?
We've created a form for you to fill out to share your travel advice. This will be used in a future column.
Don't limit yourself to travel advice for West Roanoke. Unless flying into the country, in-state visitors to southwestern Virginia must travel to the Shenandoah and Roanoke Valleys (down Interstate 81 or Route 11) or the Southside and Lynchburg (down Route 11). (If you are going via the line) Coming soon on US 460) — so consider this a general invitation to share travel advice from across Cardinal's coverage area.
If you have photos of your favorite travel spots to show off, please share them with us at news@cardinalnews.org. Please include your name and location and put “Travel” in the subject line. Be sure to give credit if you use it.
This is my small contribution. If you're traveling down the Shenandoah Valley, we recommend stopping in the town of Buchanan to see the town's famous swinging bridge over the James River (see photo above). If you're brave enough, you can even walk across to the other side.
These are some of my travel tips. What do you all have?
