Posts in category 'Local Spotlights'

When friends come to visit the Roanoke Valley, you don't just "show them around." You give them a day they won't stop talking about on the drive home. The secret? Start early, support local, and let the mountains do what they do best.

• The Morning Hike

Begin the day before the rest of the world wakes up with a sunrise hike to McAfee Knob—one of our families most favorite and also the most photographed spot on the entire Appalachian Trail.

The early morning climb is peaceful, the air is crisp, and when you reach the overlook the view stretches across the Blue Ridge Mountains like a real life painting! If you're lucky (or brave), yo...

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There are places that are more than buildings.

Places that hold memories, spark connection, and quietly shape the soul of a neighborhood.

The Grandin Theatre is one of those places.

For nearly a century, this historic theatre has stood as a landmark in Roanoke not just as a movie house, but as a gathering place for the community. It has weathered change, growth, and generations of stories, remaining a constant where people come together to laugh, reflect, celebrate, and connect.

Walking into the Grandin feels different. You sense its age in the best possible way with the original details, the patina, the echoes of decades of shared experience...

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A Realtor's Take on The Roanoker's Look at Roanoke's Neighborhoods

At MKB REALTORS®, we spend our days helping people find homes across Roanoke and Southwest Virginia. Because of that, we pay close attention anytime someone thoughtfully tells the story of this region and its neighborhoods.

Recently, The Roanoker published a feature titled "The Neighborhoods That Shape Roanoke's Character." It is a well done, deeply local piece that captures something we see every day in our work. Roanoke is not defined by one zip code or one type of buyer. It is shaped by many distinct neighborhoods, each...

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As someone who grew up in the Alleghany Highlands, I can honestly say there's nowhere else quite like it. This quiet corner of Virginia isn't just beautiful - it's home to me. Life moves a little slower here, and that's part of what makes it so special. In a world that's always rushing, there's something grounding about growing up in a small town where everyone waves, you bump into at least 3 people you know at the grocery store, and nature is always just a few steps away.

Whether you're a fellow local, a weekend visitor, or someone just discovering this area for the first time, I hope you'll find as much joy in these places as I always have.

1. Falling Spring Falls

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