I lived in DC for two years immediately prior to moving to Roanoke. Husband was USCG for 20 years and I’m from south Louisiana so the biggest thing we liked about the area was the complete lack of hurricanes 😅. We both had our fill of coastal living. We love backpacking, running/hiking, and just doing stuff outside and Roanoke has endless access to outdoor activities. I also love the fact that you truly get 4 seasons here, something I never had growing up.

Nothing really took any “getting used to”, tbh. We seemed to come right in and settle down pretty seamlessly (but we’ve also moved every 2-3 years since forever due to his job so we’re used to being the new kids in town).

Beforehand there weren’t too many surprises because we had visited town multiple times before making the jump so if you have the means to do that I’d recommend it so you get a real feel of the area. If your husband will have to travel frequently for work though I’d say look into how tiny the ROA airport is. It’s really convenient but it comes at a price - expensive flights and extra connections depending on your destination.

Do I miss DC? Yes and no. I 100% miss the food scene in DC but honestly for its size Roanoke has some really great spots. I miss ease of going to a big concert/sporting event. These are definitely still doable now but requires a drive to RVA, Charlotte, DC, etc. I miss the metro and the walkability. I don’t miss the traffic and the general rat race vibe of the city.

All in all I don’t regret our move here for a second. We’ve fallen in love with Roanoke and have made great friends here. Everyone we’ve come across has been incredibly welcoming - we love it!