Virginia Welcome Center — Attraction in Roanoke Rapids

This is the Virginia Welcome Center located at Mile Marker 0 as you enter into the state from North Carolina along I-95 North. This welcome center is also called the Skippers Safety Rest Area, so if you see that name, it is the same thing as this welcome center. One thing to note about this welcome center is that only cars are allowed here. Trucks will need to go up the road about 37 miles to their first truck rest area in the state.

When you drive into the welcome center, you will easily see the big building central to the welcome center. The first thing you need to do is park, and there is ample parking available at this welcome center for the most part. As noted above, due to the size of the welcome center, only cars are allowed to enter. Since I live in this state, I have been to several rest areas and welcome centers over the years. This one is smaller than some other ones, but at least you don't have to worry about trucks. Don't let that fool you though, as there is a lot to explore here, especially inside the building. The visitor center portion of the building is staffed from 8:30 am to 5 pm daily and is on the left side of the building. Here you can get brochures, lodging options, road construction and so forth. Inside, there is also a large compass on the floor, marking the directions. The right side of the building houses all of your indoor vending options, as well as the restrooms. Although the visitor center portion is open select hours, the restrooms and vending are available 24 hours daily. To the left of that building, there is also another small covered outdoor vending area.

The restrooms here were well maintained and clean. I have always had that experience too every time I have stopped in here on the way home to Virginia Beach. The vending area inside has lots of drink and snack options as well. They had more options than some other welcome centers and rest areas I have visited in other states.

Now, to the grounds of the welcome center. Just outside the building, there is a sign where you can use your phone to rate this welcome center. There is open space to the left, right and back of the welcome center building. The last time I was here there was a small play area to the right of the welcome building, but I did not see it any longer on this visit. They do have several picnic tables and grills that you can use if you wanted to cook something up and eat here. I will note that all of the picnic tables I saw were uncovered. There is a good amount of space to walk around and take in the sights. There is some info in the park areas about the Pollinator Habitat Program too. Most know the theme for the state is that Virginia is for Lovers. There is a LOVE sign to the left of the welcome center building where you can take some pictures. Right next to that, you will also find the marker for the Blue Star Memorial Highway in Virginia.

In the end, this is an excellent welcome center, and have had some great experiences here every time I have stopped in here. You can get just about anything you need to know about the state here. You can also tale a break and stretch the legs. Be sure to explore the state if you can, since there's lots to love about the state. I do have a tip for those of you that stop here and are heading to eastern Virginia (Hampton Roads) along US 58 East. When traveling through Emporia and Southampton County, be sure to watch your speed. Emporia alone is nicknamed the speed trap capital for the state. There are no rest areas along US 58 East heading to the coast as well. If your travels take you to this welcome center, it is totally worth...

We stopped into the Virginia Welcome Center Rest Area in July, 2023. It was a nice rest area. I have found that most of Virginias rest areas the I've stopped at over the years tend to be pretty nice. It was a nice place with the actual visitors center in its own room kind of in the back of the building to the right, with folks to help you with your questions. I browsed the good amount of pamphlets and such before I got on my way. There were folks helping other travelers with their questions and such. They sounded knowledgeable, although I wasn't really listening and was just browsing the info. The mens room itself wasn't the cleanest at the time I was there, and had some minor issues. For the most part it was decent. A lot of the cleanliness depends on the folks using them at the time. So it can be hard to keep up on, and sometimes seem less clean than they may normally be. The Welcome Center building itself was quite nice with seating and a nice size counter/table that you could relax or have a quick snack or sandwich (if you have one). Although there are vending machines for snacks. The counter or table, was kind of like a center piece of the room. But I really liked it. The outside of the building and walks are made of a really nice brick face. It was all very nice. They also had some nice signage for pictures or just to make you feel good. They had a big "LOVE" sign near the building that looks great. I wish I would have taken a picture of it. Even the "Welcome to Virginia" sign (between the parking lot and I-95, looked kind of nice. It also looked like they had an area for picnic's or such off in the shade trees. But it looked so much cooler in the shade. It being quite hot out, I didn't explore the area as much as I might to walk around and loosen up. I saw steps or a bridge (sorry can't remember for sure). There was plenty of parking and of course, the easy off/easy on to I-95. Just a nice welcome center and/or rest...

Stopped at the Virginia welcome center/rest stop while towing a trailer, and the vibe was surprisingly peaceful. It had a chill energy overall—lots of RVs, campers, trailers, and fellow travelers hauling all kinds of things. Felt like a little temporary community of people either starting fresh or just passing through. What really stood out was the number of older couples and families snapping photos in front of the big “LOVE” sign, that classic Virginia landmark that makes it clear you’ve officially crossed state lines. I’ve always loved how each state has its own unique way of greeting you when you arrive, especially after white-knuckling your way past semis, impatient drivers, and getting honked at for going a little too slow while towing. Virginia definitely reminds you—gently but firmly—that it’s for lovers… not for speeders. And if you know, you know: those speeding fines out here can be wild.

The rest area itself had a solid layout. Plenty of vending machines (though overpriced, of course), a good number of picnic tables, and lots of open space to walk your dog if you’ve got one with you. I noticed an ATM on site too—convenient, but I’d bet it charges a solid little fee before you feed that cash right into a vending machine that wants $4 for a bottle of water. Still, when you're tired, hungry, or just need a break from the road, it hits the spot.

If you’re planning to rest or nap in your vehicle, just be prepared: the sound of the highway is definitely present, but honestly, I’d still take this over having nowhere to stop at all. Whether you’re traveling solo, hauling your life in a trailer, or just passing through, this place delivers what you need: a moment to breathe, a photo op, and a quick taste of what Virginia is all about. Thanks for the warm...