Fodor's Expert Review Roanoke Star

Even in daylight, the Roanoke skyline is dominated by a star. The 100-foot-tall Mill Mountain Star, constructed in 1949 as a holiday decoration, stands in a city park 1,000 feet above the Roanoke Valley. Normally illuminated in white, on special occasions the star might sport festive colors, like red, white, and blue for July 4. From either of the park's two overlooks, Roanoke, the "Star City of the South," looks like a scale model of a city, framed by wave after wave of Appalachian ridgelines. You can hike or bike the mountain's greenway trail or share your visit on social media via the live "star cam."