Roanoke County Explore Park

Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 115, Explore Park spans hundreds of acres of rolling hills, pristine woodlands, river frontage, hiking trails, and historical buildings, all about 15 minutes from downtown Roanoke. The park, operated by Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism, offers rental venues suited to weddings, corporate retreats, and community gatherings, with no restrictions on catering or event planners. Outdoor rental spaces include Riverside Village and the Houtz Barn Field, a pastoral meadow setting with historical buildings, including a barn, as a backdrop for tented celebrations and social events; renters may bring in their own tents, tables, chairs, and even bounce houses. For indoor gatherings, the Arthur Taubman Center offers a full floor of meeting and party space with a fireplace, built-in wooden bar, breakout rooms, and a walkout deck overlooking the park's natural surroundings. The Explore Park Visitor Center, which includes the Blue Ridge Room and the Blue Ridge Parkway Museum, can also be rented for evening events when the facility is closed to the public. Guests can extend a visit with fourteen miles of hiking and biking trails, the Tree Top Quest aerial adventure course, and a craft beer or Virginia wine and cider at Twin Creeks Brewpub.