Roanoke is the largest city and largest municipality in Southwest Virginia, and it is often called the Star City of the South—it has a nice ring to it, right? While Mill Mountain, crowned with a star, surrounds the city like a big blue hug, wrapping its arms around the Roanoke Valley. And that enormous star is right up there to remove any doubt about where you are!
Every good boy and girl learn the three Rs—but settle in—I want to teach you about the four Rs every good traveler to the Blue Ridge Mountain’s needs to know: Riner, Radford, Roanoke, and Rocky Mount. I'll guide you from a tiny speck on the map along a crooked road to a University town to the Star City of the South, ending up in the Moonshine Capital of the World. Buckle up, and let's hit the...
Rocky Knob AVA wineries (American Viticultural Area)are clustered along Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountain Range, close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. If this is your first time visiting the East Coast, for good times and great wine, I have three words for you: Blue Ridge Parkway. Road Trip!Rocky Knob AVA – Small But MightyChateau MorrisetteThe Dog Behind the WinemakerVilla AppalacciaCome to...
I set out to explore the Yadkin Valley Wine AVA (American Viticultural Area.) The Yadkin Valley AVA consists of seven counties in western North Carolina, with the Yadkin River as its Southern border. Nearby towns are Elkin, Dobson, Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain, and State Road (yes, that is the town's name!) Believe me, visiting the Yadkin Valley is a real treat! Plus, it is a short drive from...
Corning's iconic Gaffer tops the Little Joe Tower © Jo Clark Corning, a city in New York’s Steuben County on the Chemung River, is inching toward the mark of eleven thousand residents. Named for financier Erastus Corning, the town is in the Finger Lakes region, and it appears everyone has realized the area has exceptional wine and food. But they have so many other amazing things to see and do....
Wine pairings and French Macarons ready for taste testing. © Jo Clark Wine pairings with macarons - not something most people recommend: wine pairings with luscious, addictive French cookies. Oh, yes! But you already know I am not “most people.” On my recent trip to explore New York’s beautiful Finger Lakes, I was treated to a first—wine pairings of Domaine LeSeurre’s Signature Wines and French...
Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean at the Grand Strand's Litchfield Beach © Jo Clark The Grand Strand is, well, grand! Sixty miles of sensational wide, sandy beaches. And enough shells, starfish, sand dollars, and shark teeth to delight serious beachcombers. Let’s look at the numbers: in those 60 miles, you find 14 communities, 11 beaches, 157,000 rooms, and 2,000 restaurants. Then there are...
The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses over Virginia's Route 8 atTuggle's Gap © Jo Clark When people hear the word travel, many think of driving somewhere, like a road trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway. But when people hear “National Park,” they don’t think of a highway. I’m about to change all that. Let me tell you about one of my favorite National Parks, managed by the National Park Service since 1936...
Writer, Jo Clark, on right and travel buddy Audrey Wagner, share their "love" for Rocky Mount When you roll into Rocky Mount, the largest Franklin County, Virginia town, be sure to come hungry and be ready for mountain music. And come prepared to do some serious whiskey tasting. You have just arrived in the Moonshine Capital of the World! The English, Germans, and Scots-Irish immigrants who came...
Buffalo Gals Connie and Carla run a herd of American Bison and the Buffalo and More restaurant. The popular eating place is on Route 8 in Riner, Virginia. Have you heard of it? You will know this shortcut through the mountains if you drive to Radford University or Virginia Tech in Blacksburg from the Blue Ridge Parkway, Martinsville, Floyd, Stuart, Ferrum, or Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Buffalo...