The Salem center point is about the area of Roanoke College and 1 mile west of Salem Football Stadium.
The Salem area experiences four different seasons each year, and chances are you'll find something to appreciate no matter when you visit. In July and August, highs usually reach the upper 80s or low 90s, while winter temperatures usually top out in the upper 40s.
Salem experiences about 210 sunny days each year, and rainfall is relatively constant throughout the year. May and July tend to be the rainiest months, however, with about 4 inches of precipitation each.
Plan your visit around some of Salem's popular annual events, and you're sure to have a great time. The Salem Fair is Virginia's largest fair, and it attracts crowds from late June through early July. Have a blast on the carnival rides, tour the agricultural and livestock competitions, check out the live music and magic shows, and sample the fair food.
In September, Olde Salem Days welcomes hundreds of artists and crafters to downtown Salem for a big, old-fashioned street fair. In October, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival is a must for music lovers, history buffs, and families looking to take a step back in time.
Need an excuse to get out and explore the great outdoors? Stop by the GO Outside Festival, which includes a weekend of outdoor recreation, gear demo stations, craft beer samples, and tons more family friendly fun. If craft beer is up your alley, don't miss Microfestivus, which welcomes almost 60 brewers to the Roanoke area for beer tastings and local food.
When you apply standard hotel discounts to your rate, you'll save even more on your stay in the Salem area. For example, AAA members save at the Super 8 Salem VA and the Days Inn Salem.
AARP members and senior travelers get an average of 10 percent off standard room rates at the Quality Inn Salem and the Baymont Inn & Suites Salem Roanoke Area. Government employees and members of the military get guaranteed low rates at the Comfort Suites Salem and the Howard Johnson Inn and Conference Center Salem.
You'll find the ideal balance of amenities, size, and price at these best-value options in Salem.
Stay at the Super 8 Salem VA, and you'll be on the city's west side near the Moyers Sports Complex and the Salem Civic Center. Choose from double, queen, or king standard rooms, and enjoy basics like flat-screen TVs with cable programming, free wireless internet access, and coffee makers. Start your day right with a complimentary continental breakfast, and take advantage of the free on-site parking to get even more value from your stay in Salem.
With its location right off Interstate 81, the Quality Inn Salem offers convenient accommodations for guests looking to explore the Blue Ridge area. All 50 guest rooms at the Quality Inn include minifridges, coffee makers, and microwaves for your convenience. Wireless internet access is free in all rooms, and with the hotel's cable programming, you won't miss a minute of your favorite shows. Indulge in a complimentary buffet breakfast in the morning, and take a dip in the outdoor pool on a hot summer afternoon. You'll always find free coffee in the lobby area, and the hotel offers free parking for all types of vehicles.
If you need a little extra space, you can't go wrong at the Baymont Inn & Suites Salem Roanoke Area, located on Salem's northeast side. Choose from standard rooms or suites, and look forward to amenities like private balconies, microwaves, and minifridges. Use the free Wi-Fi to plan your day in Salem, and hit the gym or the seasonal outdoor pool to stay in shape. Fuel up at the complimentary breakfast buffet before starting your day. Book the Baymont Inn & Suites' 3,500 square feet of event space for a small- or medium-sized function.
Just east of Salem, the Sleep Inn Tanglewood is convenient to Tanglewood Mall, Virginia Western Community College, and Roanoke City Hall. This midrange hotel has 70 well-appointed rooms with essentials like workspaces, microwaves, minifridges, and free Wi-Fi. Head over to the nearby gym to fit in a workout, or stop by the hotel's business center to catch up on work. Don't miss the Sleep Inn's complimentary breakfast buffet in the morning.
For a cool spot along the Roanoke River, make your way to Salem's Riverside Park. Bring your gear and take advantage of the park's fishing access, or get grilling and enjoy a meal al fresco. Not far away, Longwood Park is another family friendly spot and is ideal for outdoor gatherings. Spend the morning swinging, sliding, and climbing, and then sit down to lunch under one of the picnic shelters.
Music fans, animal lovers, sports buffs, and car enthusiasts are bound to find a full calendar of events at Salem's major event spaces. The Salem Civic Center hosts concerts, car shows, and dog shows, while the Salem Stadium and the LewisGale Field hold sporting events and large musical performances.
When you're ready to get out and explore, there's no better destination than the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just a short drive west of Salem, this range is home to the stunning Blue Ridge Parkway, part of the Appalachian Trail, and plenty of hiking trails and scenic overlooks.
Whether you're looking for outdoor adventures or a relaxing place to get away from it all, make Salem's Blue Ridge Country your destination.
Below are reviews of the city of Salem, VA from an actual visitor's perspective.
Great city!
History
Good area!
The city of Salem is where my family roots are. It continues since childhood to be a favorite little mountain town.
I didn't come to sightsee. I had an appointment at the Blue Ridge Cancer Care treatment center 1 block away.
Lots of Descent activities for a big family. Wonderful places within close proximity to our hotel to fèed us all. The people for the most part are Great... And it can be very cost efficient when attempted appropriately. We'll stay again. And recommend this facility.
We were just passing through, but would like to explore the area in the future.
Quaint college town. Nice restaurants.
Loved that we could do day trips from Baymont by Wyndham to the Appalachian Trail, Roanoke Star, Natural Bridge, Salem family connections from long ago, and Fall leaf colors. Just a few things we got to do. Also, it didn't hurt that we could walk to our favorite fast food, Burger King either! Hope to return to do more next Spring! Regards, Celeste M. Thomas
We were in town for our daughter's travel softball tournament. We did not get much time to look around.
Convenient location close to I-81
Love the city and dinning was awesome!
A lot if business in the area.
Good restaurant. Friendly staff.
The town is very quaint and our son attends Roanoke College.
Ate at Mac and Bobs. Was able to sit outside. Good food and drinks!
I loved the fact that there was never heavy traffic. No 3PM rush hour traffic. :)
There are hiking trails for various levels of hikers.
Lots of restaurants and stores of all kinds all very close. People in this part of VA are loaded with southern charm.
I used to live there. A great town.
Friendly people . Clean and organized City.
Traffic wasn't bad on that side of the city during our visit. 👌
Hotel is close to the wedding venue.
Fast food was close by.
Beautiful town
Very attractive area which I have always liked.
Very attractive area which I have always liked.
Beautiful views.
Nice area, friendly people.
Everything was close by! We were less than 5 miles from pizza, starbucks, civic center!
My home town is a great place to visit and live.
The beautiful mountains scenery!!!
Sam's hotdogs on Main Street are the absolute BEST.
Frank's Pizza and Parkway Brewing Company!
The shopping mall, the view of mountains, friendliness of the people.
Did not go into Salem. Games were in Troutville, so we were off #581 mall area for meals.
The shopping mall, the view of mountains, friendliness of the people!
Nice college town!
Restaurants are convenient to hotel. Easy to get around in town.
Small with everything we needed!
Cute town, enjoyed the park.
Beautiful area of VA.
It was easy to find Kroger and Walmart and most importantly, the Vistar eye surgery center.
Salem is a very quiet and out of the way town. There are a lot of retail stores/ fast food stores and strip malls in the area.
Our room was comfortable, clean and the staff was very professional, friendly and polite! I came for a wedding, that is all.
Very good selection of restaurants!
I love Salem. Lovely city.
We like the location and it is convenient to our favorite stores and restaurants.
Salem was fantastic!
Convenient location.
Great place to stay!
The room was neat and clean, the staff are very friendly and courteous, the bed is very comfortable, and breakfast was delicious. Antique store, Mexican restaurant was delicious.
Salem is a very nice place with great businesses to visit and shop.
Very clean, comfortable and excellent service. Didn't do much in town, had too much fun at hotel.
The mountain views were nice.
Roanoke College. Our grandson is attending Roanoke College and it was his 21st birthday.
Roanoke College
The mountains!!!
Very friendly staff.
Clean and nice
Salem is clean and pretty.
Cute city with many good restaurants & grocery store
Jersey Lilies
Excellent location. . . . off I-81
I love Salem. Very nice area.
Wedding in Catawba - beautiful area!
Salem is a city of about 25,000 located in the Roanoke Valley of Virginia. It has many historical homes, quaint shops, good restaurants and is home for one of the finest schools in the country, Roanoke College. The Roanoke River flows through the city and the rest of the valley with a greenway for walking, biking and access to fishing and canoeing. There are many any other attractions, events, restaurants, colleges and universities, parks, etc. in the Roanoke Valley.
Clean, quiet, and that small town feeling.