what to make sure i see on a trip to west virginia
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One of the things I love nigh about traveling is the ability to learn things on every trip – and sometimes the biggest thing I learn is how many underrated places there are out in that location.
When it comes to underrated places in the United states, I think the state of W Virginia definitely fits the bill.
This little state covers less than 25,000 square miles and has a population just over ane.vii one thousand thousand. It doesn't really have a major airdrome, and is oftentimes a pass-through state for people traveling from north to south.
(Fun fact: Westward Virginia was formed as a country during the Civil State of war, when it seceded from Virginia and became a literal edge state between the Union and the Confederacy.)
But West Virginia deserves to be more than just a pass-through country!
With lots of open space and history and outdoor activities to bask, West Virginia is a great destination on its own, as my hubby Elliot and I recently discovered on a West Virginia road trip.
The best time of year for a Due west Virginia road trip
The dandy thing nigh planning a West Virginia road trip is that yous don't need a ton of time to actually go a feel for the state since it's relatively small (tenth smallest in the country, in fact).
Unlike some other states where seven days might but let yous to scratch the surface, you really tin can see a good bargain of West Virginia in just a week.
Since this itinerary focuses heavily on outdoor activities, I think the best time of year to visit is between May and October.
July and August are ordinarily the busiest months for travel anywhere within the Us since kids are off school for the summer, and information technology's the same in Westward Virginia.
If you want to avoid the worst of the crowds (and the humidity; Due west Virginia gets very muggy in the summer), I'd recommend visiting in belatedly bound (mid-May through the first role of June) or early autumn (mid-September through mid-October).
Any earlier or later on in the yr, and you'll find that many of the seasonal activities, restaurants, and shops won't be open. (Elliot and I visited in the first half of May, and things were just starting to open up for the season.)
How to get to West Virginia
West Virginia is a land-locked state sandwiched betwixt Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. Information technology'southward a mountainous state, existence mostly covered by the Appalachian Mountains and the forests these ancient mountains are associated with.
West Virginia does not have whatsoever large airports itself, only its major cities are driving distance from hubs similar Pittsburgh, PA; Charlotte, NC; and Washington, DC. Elliot and I drove from where we live only outside of Cleveland, Ohio, in near four hours.
Driving is definitely how I would recommend getting to and around Westward Virginia. Like most places in the US, information technology's best explored via road trip.
Yous can search for rental cars here if you need ane.
seven-day West Virginia road trip itinerary
This one-calendar week Due west Virginia route trip itinerary has you starting out in the capital city of Charleston and ending in Morgantown, merely you could easily opposite this itinerary or end dorsum where you lot began since driving distances aren't besides far here.
I should also note that, while this itinerary is based on a trip my husband and I planned and took ourselves, information technology certainly doesn't cover everything at that place is to see and practise in the state!
Total driving distance: This trip is roughly 520 miles, if you start in Charleston and end in Morgantown.
Mean solar day one: Charleston
Commencement your Due west Virginia hazard in the capital letter metropolis of Charleston, located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers in the western role of the state. While Charleston is the largest city in West Virginia, information technology feels more similar a small town – and it is, really, with a population of but over 45,000 people.
Elliot and I drove from our home virtually Cleveland, Ohio, on Day 1 of our road trip, arriving in Charleston in the belatedly afternoon. This still left the states some time to caput into the city center for a bit of exploring, which is what I recommend doing today.
Nosotros started our exploring in Charleston at the West Virginia State Capitol, which is a beautiful gold-domed building on the Kanawha River that dates dorsum to 1924. Guided tours of the capitol are offered nigh days of the calendar week (reservations required), just even if y'all aren't going on a tour you can appreciate the architecture and beautiful capitol campus.
If you arrive in Charleston earlier in the day, you might want to visit a local museum like the Westward Virginia State Museum (open up Tuesday-Sat, and access is free!), or the Clay Center, which is dwelling to the Juliet Art Museum, Avampato Discovery Museum, and Caperton Planetarium and Theater.
Be sure to popular into the Capitol Market, too, which is an indoor-outdoor marketplace located inside an old train station. You tin can shop for everything from plants and fresh produce to vino and Westward Virginia-fabricated gifts hither.
Next, head into the downtown celebrated commune for a walk along tree-lined Capitol Street, where yous can end into local shops similar Taylor Books, and grab dinner at a spot similar The Block or Blackness Sheep.
Elliot and I didn't really know what to expect from Charleston, and were really overjoyed past the historic downtown area.
Full bulldoze fourth dimension: Our bulldoze fourth dimension from Cleveland was virtually 4.5 hours, but once yous get in in Charleston you lot can explore a lot of it on foot.
Where to stay in Charleston: At that place are a wide choice of chain hotels in and effectually Charleston. For a hotel correct downtown, consider the Courtyard Charleston Downtown/Civic Centre. If you don't mind staying a piddling ways out of town, the Hampton Inn Charleston – Southridge is the meridian-rated hotel in the urban center (this is where Elliot and I stayed).
Day 2: To New River Gorge
Grab some coffee and a breakfast sandwich from Starlings Coffee & Provisions, and get ready to hit the road today! It'southward time to head south to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, the newest national park in the The states.
The bulldoze is a brusque one (merely a little over an 60 minutes), so there's no need to rush. Definitely make a stop at Cathedral Falls, a roadside waterfall merely past Gauley Bridge.
Yous could also make a detour to Hawk'due south Nest State Park, where the Hawk's Nest Overlook offers upwards some stunning views of the New River.
Your eventual destination is the town of Fayetteville, which bills itself as the "Coolest Minor Boondocks." It is indeed very cool, with lots of small local shops and restaurants to enjoy.
Catch dejeuner at the Cathedral Cafe (which, yes, is a cafe located inside an old church) before heading just a couple miles down the road into New River Gorge National Park.
To become to the Canyon Rim Visitor Eye (1 of three company centers in this 53-mile-long park), you'll take to drive over the iconic New River Gorge Bridge, which is the longest single-arch bridge in the western hemisphere.
At the visitor middle, you can learn a bit about the history of the area and visit a couple overlooks with fantabulous views of the bridge. (Note that one of the overlooks does require climbing a bunch of stairs.)
After this, y'all have a couple different options of things to do depending on your interests and how much you want to squeeze into the residue of your afternoon.
I would recommend a brusk hike and a bulldoze to round out your first solar day in the New River Gorge.
The drive is the Fayette Station Road, which is a mostly one-way road with lots of hairpin turns that takes yous down into the gorge, across the New River on a modest railroad bridge, and back up out of the gorge on the other side. This used to be the only way to cross the New River before the New River Gorge Span was congenital in the 1970s, and now makes for a fascinating driving tour.
The Fayette Station Road begins most the Canyon Rim Company Centre, and takes about an hour to bulldoze without any stops.
If you want to hike earlier doing this drive, then I'd recommend the Endless Wall Trail, which is ane of the about pop hikes in the park. The trail traverses first through a hemlock forest, and eventually takes you out to a lookout above the "Endless Wall," which is a long cliff face popular with rock climbers.
This moderate trail can be hiked as a 2-mile out-and-back from the Fern Creek parking area to Diamond Point (which is what Elliot and I did), or you can practise information technology in a 2.7-mile loop – but if you practise the whole loop, annotation that you'll take to walk a half-mile back to your car along a road.
If y'all want to drive the Fayette Station Road outset and hike later, so I recommend heading for the Long Point Trail instead, which is the other nearly-pop hike in the park. This 3.two-mile hike leads out to a rocky outcrop that offers upward incredible views of the New River Gorge Bridge.
Afterwards, caput back into Fayetteville for dinner. I recommend either Pies & Pints (for pizza and beer) or The Pinkish Pig (for barbecue).
Total drive time: 2.5-ish hours
Sample costs for today: None! New River Gorge National Park and West Virginia land parks are FREE to visit!
Where to stay in Fayetteville: We stayed in a cute, art-filled apartment at the Lafayette Flats, located in a historic building in Fayetteville. In that location are four apartments here to choose from: the Nuttall flat (the one we stayed in), as well as the Quinnimont, the Corten, and the Boil flats. For more New River Gorge accommodation suggestions, read this mail.
Day 3: Take a chance in the Gorge
Chances are if you've come to the New River Gorge, information technology's because you've heard all about the fantastic adventure sports hither. By far the most pop chance to have in the Gorge is to go whitewater rafting.
There are a couple different rafting options to cull from, with the nearly popular being a full-twenty-four hours rafting trip downward theLower New River. This trip starts out with a fairly relaxing float (perfect for enjoying the scenery along one of the oldest rivers in the world!), but somewhen puts you over Class IV and 5 rapids as you approach the New River Gorge Bridge.
This is the trip Elliot and I did, and nosotros would both definitely recommend it every bit a must-practise.
Nosotros rafted with ACE Gamble Resort, but there are several local outfitters who offer this same trip. (You can book a similar trip hither, or directly with any of the local companies like ACE, Adventures on the Gorge, W Virginia Adventures, or River Expeditions.)
Check out this video I made from our rafting trip:
If y'all're traveling with kids or anyone who is unsure about rafting, you can also float down the calmer Upper New (minimum age for this section is 5-6). Meanwhile, for the truthful daredevils, look into rafting on the nearby Gauley River in the autumn, which is more intense and marked as existence simply for experienced rafters.
In the summer, there's a half-twenty-four hour period version of many of these rafting tours, but I really recommend going for the full day trip. Tiffin and all your gear is included, and it's an run a risk you won't shortly forget.
Volume a Lower New River rafting trip here.
Once yous return from the river, y'all'll probably want to head back to your accommodation for a proper shower (though in that location are shower facilities at most of the rafting outfitters), so I recommend just relaxing for the rest of the evening.
Maybe take a stroll through Fayetteville, grab dinner, and bask an ice foam from The Stache.
Total drive time: Less than an hour
Sample costs for today: Whitewater rafting can range anywhere from $100-$150 per person
Where to stay in Fayetteville: Once more, I highly recommend one of the apartments at Lafayette Flats. We stayed in the Nuttall apartment and loved information technology (the soaking tub was peculiarly welcomed this day after rafting).
Day 4: More New River Gorge
Believe information technology or not, in that location's still lots more to do in the New River Gorge!
This morning, you might desire to try out some mount biking on some of the single-rails trails in and effectually the park. You can hire a Expedition mountain cycle from Arrowhead Bike Farm, and caput directly out on their miles of trails.
Or, if you're like Elliot and I, one of y'all can get mountain biking, and the other can exercise another hike. (Elliot is really into cycling and mount biking, while I decidedly am not! Then while he hit the trails for a couple hours, I went and did some other hike.)
The Long Betoken Trail is merely around the corner from Arrowhead Bike Farm, so if you lot didn't do that hike on Day 2 of you lot trip, that could exist an choice for you lot this morning time.
If you DID already hike this trail, at that place are enough of other options nearby, too, including visiting the "ghost town" of Thurmond at the bottom of the gorge.
After your morning of outdoor adventuring, render to Arrowhead for lunch at the Handle Bar + Kitchen, which is a laid-back restaurant and beer garden. Sip local craft beers and refuel at a picnic table outdoors (their brats and tacos are all good!).
This afternoon, head out on the official Scenic Bulldoze that loops around the park. You tin stop at Grandview for some excellent gorge views (and there are some hiking trails there, too), and at the Sandstone Visitor Center to learn about the area'due south Indigenous history. Sandstone Falls is also nearby if you accept plenty time.
On your way back to Fayetteville, you lot might also want to stop briefly at Babcock State Park to see the famous Glade Creek Grist Mill, which you lot've probable seen earlier in promotional materials most Due west Virginia.
This has the potential to be a very long day depending on how much you desire to encounter/do, merely information technology will assistance you hit upwards the final of the highlights of New River Gorge National Park.
Total bulldoze time: 2-three hours depending on which stops you brand
Sample costs for today: Mount bike rental $35-$75
Where to stay in Fayetteville: We loved our stay in the Nuttall apartment at Lafayette Flats in Fayetteville. If these apartments are booked, there are hotels in Beckley including a Hampton Inn (the summit-rated hotel there), a Courtyard by Marriott, and a Country Inn & Suites
Day 5: To Canaan Valley
Fuel up this morn in Fayetteville with breakfast at Woods Iron Eatery before behest farewell to the New River Gorge and this office of the state.
You'll be heading east today, to an area known equally Canaan Valley. Only the drive is brusk (only about 3 hours if you go straight there), and so y'all may as well brand a few stops along the way.
The first end I'd recommend is to run across Summersville Lake, which is but up United states of america-19 from Fayetteville. This cute lake is a pop summer resort spot, and at that place'southward a nice viewpoint you tin stop at if you lot plug "Long Point Overlook" into your Google Maps (just make sure information technology's the i on the lake, though!).
Adjacent, leave the main highway and caput into the mountains so you tin visit the Falls of Hills Creek and Cranberry Glades Botanical Expanse, both off of WV-39.
Cranberry Glades is super interesting because it'southward an area inside the Monongahela National Forest protecting the largest area of bogs in West Virginia. There's a short half-mile boardwalk here through the bogs (you'll achieve the parking lot for it earlier you lot get to the Nature Center), and it's a nice place to finish and stretch your legs.
You could stop in at Snowshoe Mountain Resort for tiffin side by side, or simply proceed on to Canaan Valley.
If you have time this afternoon/evening, the Canaan Valley Resort has a scenic chairlift ride that offers upwardly some stunning views of this beautiful expanse. The chairlift ride is long (it can take about twenty minutes each fashion!), and definitely worth the ticket price if the atmospheric condition is good.
This night, depending on where you make up one's mind to stay, you can catch dinner at the Canaan Valley Resort, or head into the towns of Davis or Thomas where there are lots of local restaurants to choose from.
Total drive time: 4 hours
Sample costs for today: Scenic chairlift ride: $8 per adult
Where to stay in Canaan Valley: In that location are lots of options to cull from! You could stay at the family unit-friendly Canaan Valley Resort, volume a room at the hip Billy Cabin in Davis (it personally gives me Schitt's Creek vibes – in a practiced way!), or book one of the Golden Anchor Cabins in Dryfork if you're later something more than romantic.
Nosotros actually spent 2 nights in a cabin, and 1 night at the Billy Motel.
Day 6: Waterfalls, wilderness, and small WV towns
Today will be sort of a grab-bag of things you can do around the towns of Davis and Thomas. These towns – each with a population of less than 1000 people – are cute, artsy towns with an interesting history.
The Davis brothers (one of whom was named Thomas Davis) opened a coal mine then a railroad near the town of Thomas in the 1880s. The Davis Coal and Coke company brought jobs and prosperity to Thomas, which lasted through the 1920s.
Start your morn with breakfast at Milo's Cafe in Davis, which is located inside the Bright Morning time Inn. The breakfasts are large, filling, and delicious.
Then spend some time exploring Thomas, which has lots of cute old brick buildings that now house absurd shops and galleries. The Thomas Commercial Historic Commune is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is worth exploring for an hour or so.
Side by side, make the curt drive to Blackwater Falls Country Park. This park is named for the 57-human foot falls that cascade down the Blackwater River. You tin visit the falls and its viewpoints (which do involve a couple hundred steps, FYI), taking some time to admire the tannin-tinted waterfall.
Also in this park, you might want to visit Elakala Falls, Lindy Bespeak, and the Pendleton Bespeak Overlook, all of which involve short hikes to accomplish.
Later on exploring the park a bit, head dorsum into Thomas for lunch. The near famous place to eat here is the Purple Fiddle, which is a restaurant and live music venue. Acts large and small-scale have performed at the Purple Fiddle, and they have live music almost every day of the week. At that place are often free concerts effectually lunchtime, so definitely check their schedule to encounter what's on.
Other skilful lunch spots include Picnic in Thomas and Big Belly Cafeteria in Davis.
This afternoon, head to Dolly Sods Wilderness, a unique spot within the Monongahela National Forest that is popular with hikers. Dolly Sods sits atop a large plateau, and is known for its trails featuring large boulders and incredible views.
There are lots of trails hither under 5 miles in length, with the most pop being the Bear Rocks Trail.
This night, head back towards the Davis/Thomas area for dinner. If y'all didn't become to the Purple Fiddle for lunch, consider going for dinner. Or, Farm Up Tabular array is as well a good selection in Thomas.
Full drive fourth dimension: two hours
Sample costs for today: $ten-$20 for music at the Purple Fiddle (though some concerts are gratis)
Where to stay in Canaan Valley: Again, at that place are lots of options to choose from! You could stay at the family-friendly Canaan Valley Resort, volume a room at the hip Billy Cabin in Davis (information technology personally gives me Schitt's Creek vibes – in a proficient style!), or book ane of the Golden Anchor Cabins in Dryfork if you're after something more romantic.
24-hour interval 7: Seneca Rocks choose your own adventure
Today is going to exist full of adventure, so I promise you're prepare!
Nosotros're going to caput to the area around Seneca Rocks, where towering fins of Tuscarora quartzite rising out of the landscape like the craggy backs of dinosaurs. These interesting rock formations were formed by stone beingness folded more 250 1000000 years ago equally the Appalachian Mountains were but settling into existence.
And in one particular spot, y'all tin can climb these jagged fins of rock on a via ferrata!
"Via ferrata" is an Italian phrase that translates to "iron route" or "the iron way," and describes a climbing route in the mountains that melds hiking with rock climbing.
The via ferrata you tin do here is a privately-owned form run by a company called NROCKS. The course has you climbing on two of those incredible "fins" of stone, and crossing an epic break span betwixt them.
You lot get a climbing harness and helmet, and acquire how to use the system of steel cables and rungs affixed into the rocks in order to stay safe equally y'all channel your inner mount goat. Groups are small (ours consisted of vi climbers and one guide), and the experience takes on average iii-5 hours (information technology took our grouping 4).
This is a pretty challenging activeness, but I recall information technology'southward one of the almost unique things I've done while traveling in the US! (Read all nearly our tour here!)
RELATED: Climbing a Via Ferrata in West Virginia: Crazy Fun or Just Plain Crazy?
However, I'm fully enlightened that even the most outdoorsy of people might accept i look at this and say "no cheers." This is NOT an activity for anyone who is actually petrified of heights, and I wouldn't expect everyone to want to do it!
If you fall into this latter camp, you can still spend your morning getting an upwards-close look at some of these rock fins at the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center. Here, there's i large and impressive rock fin, with a challenging hiking trail that takes you close to the tiptop.
Seneca Caverns are likewise nearby, where y'all tin go on an clandestine cave tour suitable for the whole family.
After your morn via ferrata adventure or hike, brand the drive to the top of Spruce Knob next, which is the highest bespeak in Westward Virginia at four,863 feet. At that place's a short trail hither that takes you around the peak to various viewpoints.
This would exist a overnice place to have a picnic dejeuner (which I recommend bringing with you for this solar day!).
On your drive back to the Thomas/Davis surface area, yous might also desire to end in to a local West Virginia distillery. My selection is Even so Hollow Spirits, which is a small farm-to-bottle distillery in a beautiful valley in the mountains.
If you want a truly stunning bulldoze to get here, make certain your Google Maps takes y'all via Whites Run Road. This is a mostly unpaved route (so be careful if it's wet), but seriously and then, so cute.
Once at Yet Hollow, tastings inside their distillery barn are free. They run an impressively local and sustainable distilling performance, and produce several dissimilar types of small-batch whiskies. Elliot came home with a couple bottles!
After this, you've earned a well-deserved rest this evening after a jam-packed weeklong road trip in West Virginia.
Even if you're non staying there, the Baton Motel is a cracking place to cease for a cocktail and dinner (dinner currently served Wed-Sat) tonight.
Total drive fourth dimension: 2.5-iii hours depending on where you're staying
Sample costs for today: The via ferrata costs $125 per person.
Where to stay: You could stay at the family unit-friendly Canaan Valley Resort, book a room at the hip Billy Motel in Davis (it personally gives me Schitt'south Creek vibes – in a good way!), or book one of the Golden Ballast Cabins in Dryfork if you're after something more romantic.
If you have more time…
Even though W Virginia isn't exactly the largest state, information technology was impossible to cover every single corner of it in this itinerary. We focused on outdoor activities on our trip, merely there are several places already on our "next time" list.
If you accept more than time to spend in Westward Virginia, here are some additional places you might desire to visit/things you might want to practice:
Other WV towns to visit:
- Harper's Ferry – This was the top place everyone said we should visit in West Virginia, simply sadly we didn't have time. Harper's Ferry is in the far eastern corner of the state, where West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia see (very convenient to Washington, DC). The town is total of history (it's home to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, a Civil War Museum, and John Chocolate-brown'south Fort) and sits at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
- Morgantown – This hip college town is home to West Virginia University, and sits near the Pennsylvania border. There are good museums and parks to visit here, and it's as well shut to more good whitewater rafting on the Cheat River.
- Matewan – If y'all're interested in the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feuds, you need to head to the southwestern function of West Virginia. The boondocks of Matewan in Mingo County would brand a good finish, where yous can visit the Matewan Depot Welcome Center & Museum to learn about the feuds, as well as the Matewan Massacre in 1920.
Other WV experiences to accept:
- Cass Scenic Railroad – We didn't make it to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, and I'thousand lamentable about it! Here you tin ride the Cass Scenic Railroad, an 11-mile long heritage railway where tours happen on a railroad train pulled by a steam locomotive. You need to dedicate half a day to this experience if y'all desire to do the full trip.
- West Virginia Penitentiary or Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – If hunting for ghosts sounds like fun, you might want to make time to tour either the West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville or Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston. The Westward Virginia Penitentiary is a gothic-style prison house that operated from 1876-1995, while the aviary operated from 1864-1994 and is now a National Historic Landmark. They both offer historical tours, equally well as paranormal-focused ones.
- Stay at The Greenbrier – Lastly, if information technology'southward history and luxury you're subsequently, y'all may want to add staying at The Greenbrier to your West Virginia bucket listing. This iconic mount resort is a National Celebrated Landmark, and offers everything from golfing to spa services. You lot can even tour a Cold State of war-era bunker built to hold all of Congress.
READ Side by side: 10 Awesome Things to Do in New River Gorge National Park
There you have it! A corking 7-day West Virginia road trip itinerary that yous tin experience free to steal. This country is seriously perfect for whatsoever outdoors-lover, and I hope this itinerary has convinced you lot that West Virginia should be more than but a pass-through state.
Who'southward ready to programme a West Virginia road trip now?
Source: https://www.dangerous-business.com/west-virginia-road-trip-itinerary/
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