I love visiting museums because they take us back in time and through real objects of the time and…read moreexhibits of such, we get to better understand the period and the significance of that time period. The Salem Museum and Historical Society is a local history museum located in the historic 1845 Williams-Brown House, in Salem, Virginia. The museum features exhibits across five floors that trace the area's history from early Native American settlements to the Civil War and modern era. It features permanent and rotating exhibits, such as "The First People of the Roanoke Valley," and offers educational programs, the Logan Library & Archive Room, and a gift shop. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted. Also, ample free on-site parking is available for the convenience of all those who visit the museum. When I arrived a very knowledgeable and friendly museum staff member greeted and welcomed me. The young gentleman quickly explained a little bit about the museum and some of the exhibits located on each floor. I was particularly interested in the Roanoke College History. I had the opportunity of visiting the college last year when I was invited to attend the Sister Cities dinner there, and was very impressed with its buildings and landscaping layouts. Garrett Channell, the Museum's Executive Director, came out of his office to personally greet me and also welcome me to the museum. After visiting the museum I had and opportunity to see him again and complement him for the well organized and clearly labeled exhibits. I then visited the Gift shop, which had lots of books and framed prints for sale, among other things. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its exhibits. And I highly recommend that weather you're a local or a tourist passing by, you stop and give them a visit. I can assure you that you'll be glad you did.

Mainly went to see the exhibit on Lakeside amusement park. They had some cool pictures, souvenirs…read moreand a model of the Shooting Star wooden rollercoaster. No fee to enter. Donations only.

My nonprofit organization hosts an annual fundraising golf tournament every September, and Hunting…read moreHills Country Club has become a much-needed home for our event. For starters, the three directors I coordinate with to put our tournament together, Jordan, Maliah, and Matt, are excellent to work with. They are extremely professional and relate to their clients on a human level. They always demonstrate tireless flexibility in meeting our needs. Additionally, the prices to host our event through them have been reasonable. As for the facility, it is ideal for our fundraiser with its scenic views and a challenging, yet fun, golf course that all of our donors enjoy. Another area of praise to be given is the catering. The lunches they prepare are simply delicious. Some popular items are the roast-beef sandwiches, chicken ciabatta sandwiches, caesar salads, and cobb salads. So many of my golfers have praised their food selections. And so, after struggling to find a new country club that we can rely on, it has been a breath of fresh air to use Hunting Hills Country Club for our fundraising needs.

This review is for: Jake the Bartender, Grayson the Omelet Chef/Cinnamon Roll Genius and the Head…read moreChef, Clay Williams. The club itself isn't that great and tbh smells more than a bit musty in places. The inside of the dining room is dated and from our 2 visits thus far, hit or miss with cleanliness (that's clearly an issue with the management and staff). However, Jake makes a phenomenal margarita and is a great ambassador for HHCC. Grayson is also a great ambassador and delivers omelets with great care. Finally, we haven't met him, but the Head Chef Clay Williams, is clearly exceptionally talented. He doesn't just deliver a great dining experience, he delivers delight. His hummus is excellent; the pasta dish we had was quite perfect (which is hard with bow tie pasta - it's almost always too oily). The bbq chicken wrap and fries were simply delicious. With the variety that we ordered, we feel pretty confident we have an understanding of the Chef's expertise. We'll be going back and we highly recommend dinners at HHCC when Chef Williams is in charge.

This is a really nice stadium. My buddy and I were visiting all the stadiums in the area came…read moreacross the Virginia Tech one and it was awesome. We've got an opportunity to get on the field.

This is one of the most exciting places to take in a college football game. When the Hokies…read morefootball team is playing well and the game intensity is at an all-time high, Lane Stadium is one of the loudest venues in the country. Being a Tech alum, I've attended plenty of games at Lane, and its environment is fun, welcoming and amazing. Although Tech fans want nothing more to see their Hokies win yet nearly all Hokie fans in attendance are respectful (and even friendly) towards their opponents (well, UVa may be an exception, haha). That vibe is contagious and it makes for an overall great experience. Lane Stadium can house 65,000 people - that's a lot! And when Metallica's "Enter Sandman" starts playing to signify the team's entrance it gets crazy. The entire complex is shaking because everyone is jumping up and down. I love it and I'm forever a fan just because of that. If you've never seen a game at Lane Stadium, and you're a college football fan, I urge you to do so. It is an incredible experience that you'll never forget! JV

This is a non-profit piece of history. History from the campaigns of the Pacific and European…read moretheaters. A couple, Joe and Tammy Collins have amassed a great deal of artifacts, from families and gatherings of pieces found from all over. They have put this together for our teaching and for those interested in the memorabilia! Very well put together. Check hours for your visit.

This museum is attached to a small college in one of the more rural college towns I've ever…read morespotted. An outdoor farm museum which charges admission wasn't open. I was offered the chance to peruse some indoor exhibitions for free. The two on display were niche, but appropriate, one room chronicling abandoned rural schoolhouses and the other with various crafts attributes to the region. There aren't a lot of places to stop and refuel in the region, so why not get a little local flavor?

Before visiting this small, but significant museum in the history of the City of Roanoke and…read moreWestern Virginia, I will admit I had no idea who O. Winston Link was. I discovered it one day while visiting the Virginia's Blue Ridge Visitor Information Center, which is housed in the former Norfolk & Western Railway passenger depot, a historic building renovated by industrial designer Raymond Loewy, and located in front of the also historic Hotel Roanoke. The museum is dedicated to the work of photographer O. Winston Link, famous for his 1950s photographs of steam locomotives, and is integrated with the Roanoke History Museum, which covers Roanoke and the region's broader history. For a small admission fee of $6, ones gets to explore Link's iconic photographs, audio recordings, and memorabilia, finding out more about the person himself and his significance to this region and to the field of photography and steam locomotives. We find exhibits on local history, industrial design, and the impact of railroads in Western Virginia's past. Walking through this museum was truly a leaning experience for me. With over over 300 black-and-white and color images, interactive exhibits, audio recordings, original photographic equipment, and a 30 minute movie in the theater about Link's life and works. At the end I visited the Museum's Gifts Shop, where you can buy souvenirs, books, rail-road related items, local history resources, Link's recordings, posters, estate prints, and other merchandise related to O.Winston Link and his famous steam locomotive photography, among other things. I purchased a miniature oil painting by a local artist of Mill Mountain with the Roanoke Star. The I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its significance. The Gift Shop is operated by the Historical Society of Western Virginia and here are two links to their online shop and to other useful information: https://roanoke-history-museum.square.site/s/shop and https://roanokehistory.org/ I would highly recommend this museum to all those interested in steam locomotives, photography, Roanoke and Western Virginia's History, and the life of one man who played an important role in documenting all this for us and future generations to enjoy.

The movie was with it. Please see the movie. I enjoyed the entire experience. The staff was…read morehelpful, the atmosphere amazing and art was beautiful. I cannot wait to see how this museum evolves.

I came here for the relatives, not for the golf, ... nor for the food…read more And while I cannot review the golf course (except to say it's carefully manicured and very pretty), and I can review the food at the club house. It's overcooked and bland. Perhaps some could say the fare is homely ... but you could do better at your own home ... with a microwave. All that being said, the Club House is an important hub for people who live around here, and I wouldn't wish to knock that. But the pretensions that it is a good eatery are just silly.

Beautiful Place! I actually got to enjoy our summer home here! A 500 mile shoreline lake....read more

I'll start by saying that this is the most powerful war museum I've been to. It really stops you in…read moreyour tracks and makes you realize that these boys had lives back home. They had families, girlfriends, friends, farms, etc. No other museum I've been to has been able to capture the detail that this one does. If you get the chance to visit, please talk to Chris if he is around. He was very friendly and gave me my own little tour. He also seems to know everything about all the Bedford boys and their things in the tribute center. I can't say enough good things about this establishment. I will definitely be stopping in when I have more time.

If you're anywhere near Bedford, do yourself a favor and stop by the Bedford Boys Tribute Center…read more It's one of the most heartfelt and moving places I've visited. Dedicated specifically to the Bedford boys and remembering them. The center is small but packed with meaning -- located in the original drugstore where news of the D-Day losses first reached the town. Ken and Linda gave one of the best, most genuine tours I've ever had. You can tell how much care and passion they've put into preserving the stories of the young men from Bedford who were part of Company A. It's not just names on a wall -- these are full lives, memories, families, and sacrifices, honored with much respect and attention to detail. You'll see real letters, uniforms, personal effects... things that hit different when you're standing where their stories started and ended. Thank you, Ken and Linda, for making history personal and for keeping the memory of these men alive. This place deserves every bit of attention it can get.