The Roanoker January/February 2022 - 45

E
Apple Orchard Falls
St. John's Episcopal
veryone enjoys an occasional chance to get fancy
- whether that means ordering the best bottle
from the wine list at your favorite restaurant, or
checking into the Hotel Roanoke for a luxurious
night away from home. Still, every once in
a while, it's fun to do something that doesn't
cost a thing. Why not try our suggestions?
Hit the trail!
When it comes to hiking and biking in the fresh air, it's truly
hard to top Roanoke. The area is crisscrossed with trails that
plunge into mossy valleys and climb to breathtaking blue
peaks. Best of all, most are completely free!
If you're into chasing waterfalls, consider Roaring Run
near Eagle Rock - a relatively easy 1.5-mile trail that's
perfect for littler hikers - or Fallingwater Cascades and
Apple Orchard Falls near the Peaks of Otter, just off the
Blue Ridge Parkway. All offer streamside hiking and stunning
cascade views.
And of course, no hiking list would be complete without
mentioning the " Triple Crown " - Dragon's Tooth, McAfee
Knob and the Tinker Cliffs - which can be reached one
climb at a time or in a single, ambitious, 32-mile loop. Either
way, you'll discover astounding, picture-worthy vistas atop
craggy peaks, with plenty of switchbacks and scrambling
opportunities along the way.
Get your fill of free tunes.
You might be surprised to discover just how much local
music you can hear without laying down a dollar, whether
that happens on a nearby college campus, at your favorite
farmer's market, or at the RSO's popular outdoor performance,
Symphony Under the Stars.
But here's one more free music event that you might
not have discovered yet. Music on the Corner is a series
of community concerts put on by St. John's Episcopal in
downtown Roanoke. These intimate but open-to-the-public
Friday-evening musical gatherings can include selections both
sacred and secular, classical and contemporary, with music that
ranges from Bach, Beethoven and Mozart to Dan Locklair,
Randall Thompson and Camille Saint-Saens. Past performances
have included an impressive lineup of musicians (both
local and from far and wide), including the Tallis Scholars,
the Texas Boys Choir, organist and composer Gerre Hancock,
and the Garth Newell Piano Quartet, to name just a few. You
can keep up with the series via St. John's Facebook page or
website (check the " Calendar " section).
Center in the Square Rooftop
Stage a skyscraping photo shoot.
You might know Center in the Square as the homeplace
of several much-loved museums, from Kids Square to the
Harrison Museum of African American Culture, all of which
are well worth the price of admission.
But what you might not know is this: perched atop the
sixth and seventh floors is a sleek rooftop deck with stunning
downtown views, perfect for photos. With a spiraling glass
staircase, a lush rooftop garden and even a koi pond, you've
got plenty of spots to create the perfect shot ... and believe it
or not, it won't cost you anything.
On your way out, don't forget to make a visit to the firstfloor
atrium, where you can watch hundreds of colorful fish
float in the living coral reef aquarium.
TheRoanoker.com
JAN/FEB 2022 45
ASHLEY FELLERS / COURTESY OF ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL / ASHLEY FELLERS
http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker January/February 2022

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