Roanoke

Roanoke needs 1 day: heading up Mill Mountain to see the Roanoke Star, the world's largest neon star -built in 1949 and visible from 96 km away on clear nights-, and touring the historic City Market, in continuous operation since 1882, the same afternoon. April-June and September-October bring the mildest weather. It's inexpensive for Virginia. It's known as the 'Star City' for its iconic monument, and it's the most common starting point for the Virginia stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, with mountain trails just minutes from downtown.