Featured
Alfresco Fun in the Roanoke Valley
Vast lands, heaps of wildlife, a river and three lakes make the Roanoke Valley a great destination for outdoors enthusiasts.
Fishing, hunting, kayaking, paddling and canoeing are only a few of the many activities that make this place a hub for alfresco fun and recreation.
“It’s a great place to live and visit,” says Lori Medlin, president and CEO of the Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).
Rockfish Capital of the World
The Roanoke Valley boasts an... Read More »
Live Music Resonates Through Roanoke Valley
Roanoke Valley music fans no longer have to trek to some distant city to see a great live music show. Local concert venues and area music festivals offer a variety of exciting live music events and fun activities in the Valley throughout the year.
The Festival Park at Carolina Crossroads
After Carolina Dirt, LLC purchased outdoor music venue Carolina Crossroads in October 2010, the new owners renamed the site The Festival Park at Carolina Crossroads, seeking to create a unique concert facility... Read More »
Find Family Fun in the Roanoke Valley
There’s no shortage of fun activities in the Roanoke Valley.
Whether stepping back in time and exploring the valley’s historic sites or gazing at breathtaking scenery and wildlife, one is sure to find something for the whole family to enjoy. “We just have a lot to do here,” says Lori Medlin, president and CEO of the Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Absorb the History
Tuesday through Saturday visitors and residents can journey with a guide or on their... Read More »
Barbecue is Always Cooking in the Roanoke Valley
If you’re looking for barbecue, then look no further: the Roanoke Valley has plenty of finger-licking-good restaurants to choose from.
The secret: some say it’s in the barbecue sauce. Just ask Kimberly Woodruff Amerson, owner of Ralph’s Barbecue in Weldon. She’ll tell you one reason the sauce in the area is so popular is because it “is a little more tangy."
“Other areas such as Charlotte (N.C.) and Richmond, Va., they use a more ketchup-based sauce... Read More »
World Champion Utilizes Lake Gaston for Wakeboard Training
Adam Fields grew up on Lake Gaston and spent a lot of time waterskiing with his family. Then he discovered the sport of wakeboarding and began training hard on the lake.
Today, Fields is a well-known champion wakeboarder. He has won numerous competitions throughout the United States and abroad, and even established a wakeboarding school at Lake Gaston called AF Wake.
“I have trained hundreds, maybe thousands of people from around the world to learn wakeboarding, and Lake Gaston deserves a... Read More »
The Centre at Halifax Community College Hosts a Variety of Great Programming
The Family Fun Series at The Centre opens with a H.I.T.!
The acronym stands for the Halifax Inflatable Tour‚ coming to The Centre at Halifax Community College on Sept. 15.
Kids of all ages will have a ball watching the Fred Garbo Inflatable Theater Company with its big‚ blow-up people and animals. The fun continues outside‚ where Party Town USA will provide inflatable rides for kids to do some bouncing of their own.
The Family Fun Series is the newest addition to a roster of quality programming... Read More »
Aunt Ruby's Peanuts Proves Home-Grown Success
Local resources can often be one of the most valuable assets to a successful business. For Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts in Enfield, proximity to some of the South’s finest peanut crops is the key to success.
“We only process peanuts that have been grown in northeast North Carolina,” says Bob Allsbrook, president of A&B Milling, the company that produces Aunt Ruby’s peanut products. “We believe in buying locally.”
Allsbrook’s father and uncle founded... Read More »
Volunteers Create Paths for Trail Riding at Medoc Mountain State Park
For years, park ranger Ed Wilkerson pondered a frustrating contradiction: How can a park founded as a bridle trail park have no place for horses?
No deep mystery was involved in Medoc Mountain State Park’s missing bridle paths. As the demand for hiking trails grew with the park’s popularity, building bridle paths took a back seat, eventually becoming nearly impossible to develop around existing trails.
Fortunately for the area’s equine community, a happy turn of events in 2007 solved his... Read More »
Waterfowl park in Roanoke Valley brings tourists, visitors
Is that a kookaburra? And is that a pygmy goose standing next to a pink-eared duck?
More than 2,500 endangered birds from around the world live at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park in Scotland Neck. The 18-acre avian breeding preserve was established as a sanctuary in 1989, and officials decided to open it to the public in 2006.
About 25,000 visitors a year tour the park, which has become the largest breeding waterfowl complex in the world. It is also an impressive tourist attraction for the town... Read More »
Fun Things To Do in Roanoke Valley, NC
Getting active is easy in Roanoke Valley, NC, as the area offers a variety of recreational opportunities such as hiking, fishing and boating. In addition, cultural options including museums and historic landmarks are plentiful.
1. Go boating or fishing on the Roanoke River, or set up camp in the area.
2. Explore the 18 acres the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park has to offer, and learn about the importance of waterfowl, wildlife and wetland conservation.
3. Enjoy a comedy, musical, drama or concert... Read More »
Kayakers Find Peaceful and Thrilling Rapids Here
By canoe or kayak, the Roanoke River is a beautiful and, in places, an exciting trip.
Chris Wicker, director of Roanoke Rapids parks and recreation, often paddles the six-mile stretch Roanoke Rapids to Weldon.
“It’s a beautiful place,” he says. “When people paddle the Roanoke in this area, they’re likely to see bald eagles. The last three or four times I’ve been on the river, I’ve seen eagles, blue herons and osprey.”
Deer can be seen along the... Read More »
Medoc Mountain Hosts Outdoor Fun and Adventure
In Hollister, 21 miles southwest of Roanoke Rapids and 325 feet straight up, is a hunk of granite the locals call Medoc Mountain.
“Everyone comes out and says, ‘Where’s the mountain?’” says Nicole Crider, park ranger.
Visitors won’t find a mountain here. The 3,700-acre state park gets part of its name from the elevated remains of ancient peaks worn away by millions of years of erosion. The ‘Medoc’ aspect comes from a wine region in France. One-... Read More »
Barbecue Is Classic Cuisine in this Part of the Country
The Roanoke Valley is smack-dab-with-a-cloth-napkin in the midst of North Carolina barbecue country, where the meat is cooked slow and the sauce has the tang of vinegar.
For a taste of this regional treat, stop by Ralph’s in Weldon, The Barbecue Stand in Scotland Neck or Lynch’s in Hollister.
Kim Amerson, owner of Ralph’s Barbecue, is operating the restaurant her grandfather founded. “We’ve been here since 1941,” Amerson says. “It’s been passed... Read More »
Halifax County Is Known for Its Many Festivals
Harvest season in Halifax County yields a crop of festivals celebrating agriculture.
The Enfield Peanut Festival kicks off the season with street dancing‚ live music‚ food‚ arts and crafts‚ and a pig cook-off the first weekend in October. The festival provides the meat for Friday’s barbecue‚ which draws cooks from all over the county.
“On Saturday‚ we have lots of music – gospel singing and cloggers – and North Carolina Sen. Edward Jones comes every year‚” says Delores Ward of the Enfield... Read More »
Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail Documents the History of the River
Where can you go to see 200-year-old stonework‚ numerous bird species and wildlife‚ the handiwork of high school art students and the inside of a hydro-power flume?
Visitors can experience all this and more at the Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail in Roanoke Rapids.
The Roanoke Canal Museum follows the story of the Roanoke River‚ from the building of the canal to its use for electric power generation.
A painted “river” flows along the museum floor‚ guiding patrons through exhibits focusing on the... Read More »
Great Golf Is Here in Roanoke Valley
Golfers in the Roanoke Valley have plenty of choices to hone their skills.
Scotfield Country Club in Enfield is a public course in a beautiful setting in a rural area of the county.
“It’s quiet here,” says Doug Sellers, course manager. “We have no houses around the course, so it’s very scenic.”
Ponds on three holes complement the landscape, including willows on each side of one fairway.
The course features 6,260 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par... Read More »
The Roanoke Valley Is a Paradise for Anglers and Outdoorsmen
The fishing is world-class in the Roanoke Valley.
Just ask any of the numerous fishing guides here who stay particularly busy during the spring.
“In my experience‚ striper fishing in the Roanoke Valley in April and May is as good as anywhere in the world‚” says Bob Caudle‚ who leads fishing and hunting outings through his company‚ Bucks Unlimited Outdoor Adventures. “It’s phenomenal.”
This area is considered the Rockfish Capital of the World‚ as each spring the striped bass – commonly known as... Read More »
Shopping in Roanoke Rapids, NC
Roanoke Rapids, N.C. has a variety of shopping destinations to choose from. Below is a listing of some of the stores available here.
Appliances
SEARS HOMETOWN STORE, 1211 JULIAN R ALLSBROOK HWY., (252) 537-3523
Book Dealers
CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE, 913 ROANOKE AVE., (252) 537-1547
Boutiques & Gifts
CLAIRE'S, 321 PREMIER BLVD., (252) 535-1258
Clothing
KIDZ KORNER, 1620 E. 10TH ST., (252) 533-1839
HEAD 2 TOE, 1560 JULIAN R. ALLSBROOK HWY., (252) 537-5930
IT'S FASHION, 1215... Read More »
Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park Preserves Endangered Birds
Eastern North Carolina is known for its magnificent wildlife. Bobcats‚ red wolves‚ bald eagles and marsh rabbits are among the animals attracted by the coastal region’s abundant food and temperate climate.
Just as the Roanoke River Natural Wildlife Refuge helps nurture these native species‚ the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park & Eco-Center carries out an equally important mission: preserving endangered waterfowl from around the world.
“What Sylvan Heights is doing is making people aware of the... Read More »
Peanut Distributors Proud to Call Roanoke Valley Home
In historic Enfield, A&B Milling Co. has been shelling out their popular Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts for more than 50 years.
Once the world’s largest raw peanut market, Enfield also is host to an annual peanut festival. Each October, families gather for good food, arts and crafts, entertainment, music, street dancing and, above all, peanuts.
Manager Bob Allsbrook says each batch of Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts is identically roasted to ensure consistency in taste, using only the highest grade of Virginia-... Read More »
Halifax County Arts Council Offers Creative Programs for All Ages
In the Roanoke Valley, cool waters and warm sunsets blend effortlessly on a canvas of rolling farmland, attracting and inspiring artists of all genres.
Leading the way in nurturing and promoting the arts is the 300-member Halifax County Arts Council. Through classes, community events and educational initiatives, the HCAC offers something for all ages and interests.
From yoga and music to drawing and stained glass, year-round classes can be found throughout the community and at the Halifax... Read More »
Roanoke Valley lakes and rivers offer fun fishing
For world-class fishing, it just doesn’t get any better than the waters found in the Roanoke Valley. Whether they swim in the shoals of the Roanoke River or the lakes of Roanoke Rapids, Gaston or Kerr, the fish are large, plentiful and lively, adding up to a fisherman’s dream. Thousands of fish make spawn runs in the river, starting with the hickory shad in March.
“These hickory shad come all the way up to the dam to spawn,” says Bobby Phillips, owner of Carolina... Read More »
