I'm not arguing that the night life is great - it's not.
What I was saying is there are nicer areas of Roanoke. SW Roanoke, South Roanoke, etc. The downtown is directed at young people who don't know how to have a good time or old people who think they're having a good time. Roanoke is a nice place for family, and retirement.
During the school year i'm at College, during the summer I live at the Lake. During the inbetween times I am out enjoying the mountain roads cruising, spending time with my friends, doing things around the house, doing car stuff, or going back and forth from the lake (fall/spring).
It more has to do with the individual and their daily tasks/lifestyle rather than the actual downtown city scene - cause we know that sucks here! haha I'm not 21 and I can still tell you that. If you're young and you want to have fun, you better travel on the weekends or be a student at Roanoke College - otherwise the drinking/club/party scene isn't too great - unless you make it great, with your group of friends.
During the summer, the lake is where it's at. (NOT MANGOS) hahaha