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Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, the City of Salem is a special place with both small town charm and modern day conveniences. Salem is easily accessible via Interstate I-81, Amtrak and Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, and its vibrant Main Street is its central hub that includes a variety of attractions, restaurants and shops. Here you will discover historic buildings like the 1845 Williams-Brown House, which is also home to the Salem Museum.
Downtown Salem has more than a dozen restaurants, a brewery, two boutique hotels and much more, in a quaint historic setting. Carey Harveycutter, the director of tourism for the City of Salem and a life-long resident, describes Salem’s restaurant scene as “having a little bit of everything within a block and a half of each other.”
While Main Street is undeniably the pulse of the city, it is lively throughout its almost 15 square miles. Roanoke College frequently holds educational and cultural events from art shows to interesting guest speakers.
Referred to as “Virginia’s Championship City” due to its strong sports community, which includes its minor league baseball team the Salem RidgeYaks, Salem hosts numerous prestigious events such as the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball and Softball Championships, along with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. In addition, Salem holds large community events like the Salem Fair (Virginia’s largest fair), Jazz in July and Olde Salem Days, plus its popular Salem After Five Concert Series at the Salem Farmers Market.
With miles of nature trails as part of its Roanoke River Greenway Trail System, there are many opportunities to engage in outdoor recreation along the river—or enjoy lunch on the trail. With Salem’s close proximity to the Appalachian Trail including the premier hiking destination of Virginia’s Triple Crown—featuring McAfee Knob, Dragon’s Tooth and Tinker Cliffs—outdoor adventures are simply remarkable. Carvins Cove, with more than 60 miles of trails in nearby Roanoke, is another amazing area to explore and well known as a world-class mountain biking destination.
Salem’s Southern hospitality and warm sense of camaraderie flowing through its community is widely felt. “It’s the kind of place when you leave a store and they say ‘have a good day,’ they really mean it,” Harveycutter says.
Salem Fair Dates (SalemFair.com)
July 1–July 12, 2026: Mon through Fri: 4pm–10pm. Sat and Sun: 12pm–10pm
Wanna Go?
VisitSalemVA.com
540-375-4044
1001 Roanoke Blvd., Salem, VA 24153
Author: VisitVirginia
