Roanoke, VA voted Best Mountain Town

Roanoke Earns Designation

as Best Mountain Town

More than 85,000 votes were cast in the annual contest by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine.

ROANOKE, Va. (November 1, 2012) – Roanoke came out on top of a mountain of votes as a Best Mountain Town in the November edition of Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine.

The results, which were announced Nov. 1, ranked Roanoke as the top mid-sized mountain town over Asheville, N.C.; Morgantown, W.Va.; and Charlottesville, Va. among others.

More than 85,000 votes were cast in the annual voting by magazine readers to pick the top outdoors locations in the Blue Ridge region, spanning nine states. Roanoke joined the winner’s circle with Best Outdoor City – Chattanooga, Tenn., and Best Small Mountain Town – Hot Springs, N.C.

The magazine noted Roanoke’s perfect location and growing reputation as one of the nation’s top outdoor destinations.

 “Roanoke is the best outdoor town on the East Coast and others are starting to see what we in the region already know,” said Pete Eshelman, director of outdoor branding for Roanoke Regional Partnership. “Not only is Roanoke surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is also home to more than 600 miles of trails and 22 miles of urban greenways.”

Well-known assets such as the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, James River, and Smith Mountain Lake are also located in the Roanoke Region. The region also includes 24 rivers and creeks, 1.5 million acres of national forest, and the second largest municipal park in the U.S. (Carvins Cove).

Read the full article from Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine at http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/outdoors-travel/the-best-mountain-towns and learn more about the area’s outdoor opportunities at www.roanokeoutside.com.

Learn More About the Roanoke Region of Virginia:

Pete Eshelman

Director of Outdoor Branding

Roanoke Regional Partnership

www.roanoke.org

www.roanokeoutside.com

540-343-1550 x104

pete@roanoke.org