Family Weekends

Smart Way Bus – Roanoke to Blacksburg and back daily

• Lodging in Roanoke, Salem, or Christiansburg? The Smart Way Commuter Bus links the Roanoke Valley to Virginia Tech. The start/end point is the Virgina Tech Transit Center transportation hub at Perry Street on campus. Between the Smart Way and the Smart Way Express, getting to Virginia Tech from Roanoke is easy and inexpensive (and free for children ages 0-5). The Smart Way Bus website offers a live map of routes, a schedule for all days of the week, and any changes due to events or repairs. Once you’re in Blacksburg, use the FREE Blacksburg Transit.

Blacksburg Transit

• The Blacksburg Transit is a free and easy public bus system with multiple stops on campus, in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and the region. The “BT” is FREE during Family Weekend to ease your travel to, through, and from campus. Routes can be accessed via the BT app or the BT website, including a live map of every bus route, plus updates or changes to schedule.

Parking On Campus

• We recommend using the free-and-easy Blacksburg Transit, but if you choose to drive to and from campus, you should plan ahead for parking options. Football and/or weekend events will greatly increase on-campus traffic, and there is no free parking on campus. The Park Mobile app is helpful for on-campus parking, with step-by-step instructions on how and where to park. See the Parking Services website for further information on Visitor Parking, a guide and map, Accessible Parking, and special football game-day parking information, or contact 540-231-3200.

Parking Off Campus

• We recommend using the free-and-easy Blacksburg Transit, but if you choose to drive to and from Blacksburg, you should plan ahead for parking options. Visit the town of Blacksburg’s Parking Website to find available parking lots, garages, and street parking, plus a parking map including a list of streets that allow public parking.

Dining On Campus

• On Saturdays and Sundays, there are 10 on-campus locations for families to eat, a-la-carte pricing or single-fee entry (cash or card), open as early as 8:00am until as late as 2:00am. Too many options to list, so see your on-campus dining options here.

Dining Off Campus

• From Cajun to vegetarian, ethnic to homestyle, fast-food to fine-dining, the Blacksburg food scene has plentiful and diverse options.

Note: Vacancy is limited, and this list is NOT comprehensive.

• Blacksburg, VA lodging
• Christiansburg, VA lodging
• Floyd, VA lodging
• Giles County, VA lodging
• Pulaski County, VA lodging
• Radford, VA lodging
• Roanoke, VA lodging
• Salem, VA lodging

Lodging Pro-Tips: If area hotels are too expensive or have no vacancy, you could opt to lodge in Roanoke or Salem and use the Smart Way Commuter Bus for easy transport to Blacksburg, and then the FREE Blacksburg Transit with multiple stops on campus and around town. While on campus during the day, with your accompanying student, you can store daily gear in your student’s residential hall room, or use Squires Student Center lockers and lounges.