
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 13, 1995                   TAG: 9508150083
SECTION: DISCOVER ROANOKE VALLEY                    PAGE: 12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BEST OF THE REST

More skiing: Winterplace in Ghent, W.Va., is about a two-hour drive from Roanoke. Massanutten near Harrisonburg, is also about two hours away. Snowshoe/Silver Creek in Slaty Fork, W.Va., takes about three hours to reach from Roanoke. Wintergreen, near Winchester, also is about three hours away. And Canaan Valley/Timberline outside Davis, W.Va., can be reached in about four hours. But please note: These ski areas are in places where it snows a lot, so drive times can vary considerably depending on road conditions.

Center in the Square: With the Science Museum of Western Virginia, Hopkins Planetarium, Roanoke Valley Historical Museum, the Art Museum of Western Virginia, and Mill Mountain Theatre, this is a great place to kill time on a cold winter's day. You can even kill two days if it's really cold and you take your time. In downtown Roanoke, 540-342-5700.

The Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville: Another indoor activity on a cold day. Visitors are greeted by Clawd, a 9-foot tall replica of a giant Ice Age sloth. There also are exhibits on the age of reptiles, the age of mammals, and the Dan River People, which chronicles the lives of American Indians who lived in Southside Virginia. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. To get there from Roanoke, take U.S. 220 south to the Collinsville exit, continue south on U.S. 220 Business, and follow the signs to the museum. For more information, call 540-666-8600.

Virginia Tech basketball: As sports go, college basketball is about as exciting as it gets, especially if you have 10,000 crazed Tech fans filling the school's Cassell Coliseum. The men's Hokies typically play about 15 games at home each year. The women play about 13 home games a season. Tickets run around $10. For more information, call 540-231-6731.

The Roanoke Express: As interest in ice hockey continues to grow nationally, so, it seems, does attendance at Roanoke Express hockey games. The team begins its third season at the Roanoke Civic Center Rrroundhouuuusse!!! in October. The fun continues into April. The number of home games total about 35 and most tickets are under $10. For more information, call the Express office at 540-989-4625 or the Roanoke Civic Center box office at 540-981-1201.

by CNB