 Home / U.S. State Travel Guides / U.S. Vacations / U.S. National Parks / U.S. State Highpoints / U.S. Road Trip Planning  WEST VIRGINIA TRAVEL GUIDE
Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to West Virginia! Hopefully this page helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to West Virginia. Take note that I build and maintain this website as both a hobby and public service. I take joy in performing travel research and sharing my experiences and adventures. I do not make any profit from this website, and you will see no ads on it. Your constructive feedback about this site and its content is encouraged. Please email me if you have any suggestions or ideas for improvement.  OVERVIEWTOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN WEST VIRGINIA✮ Cycle the Greenbrier River Trail, one of the premier rail trails in the U.S. ✮ Take a scenic rail journey on the Cass Scenic Railroad ✮ Stay at The Greenbrier resort, one of the finest luxury destinations in the U.S. ✮ See the New River Gorge Bridge and consider a guided walk across a platform below the bridge with a company called Bridge Walk ✮ Explore the historic district of Harpers Ferry (and perhaps walk along a portion of the Appalachian Trail while you are there) ✮ Tour a decommissioned prison at West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville ✮ Go whitewater rafting on the Gauley River, one of the most famous rafting trips in the country ✮ Soak in a hot springs bath at Berkeley Springs State Park ✮ Visit some of West Virginia's beautiful waterfalls (e.g. Blackwater Falls, Falls of Hills Creek, etc.) ✮ Experience the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, one of the finest wilderness areas on the East Coast If I could select only one place to visit in West Virginia, I would probably choose New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here. 5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN WEST VIRGINIANorthwestern & Northcentral West Virginia (including Morgantown) ✮ Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park, Parkersburg - take a sternwheeler riverboat from Point Park to visit this Palladian mansion ✮ Coopers Rock State Forest, Bruceton Mills - some of the most scenic views in WV; 50 miles of hiking and biking trails, plus rock climbing ✮ Fort Boreman Park, Parkersburg - visit a hilltop Civil War fort that boasts scenic views of Parkersburg and the Ohio River ✮ Mon River Trail/Caperton Trail - excellent 30-mile partially-paved rail trail that travels from the WV/PA line to Prickett's Fort State Park ✮ Mountaineer Field, Morgantown - large and famous college football stadium; home of the West Virginia Mountaineers ✮ Museum of American Glass, Weston - a small but highly-rated glass art museum ✮ Philippi Bridge, Philippi - supposedly the oldest covered bridge in West Virginia ✮ Prabhupada's Palace of Gold, New Vrindaban - huge and impressive spiritual attraction built by the followers of Hare Krishna ✮ Pricketts Fort State Park, Fairmont - visit a reconstructed refuge fort from the late 18th century ✮ Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston - tour a historic insane asylum ✮ Valley Falls State Park, Fairmont - offers four waterfalls and several miles of hiking and biking trails ✮ West Virginia Botanic Garden, Morgantown - a small botanic garden with four miles of hiking trails ✮ West Virginia Penitentiary, Moundsville - guided and unguided tours of a decommissioned prison; some tours focus on the paranormal ✮ World's Largest Teapot, Chester - see a 14-foot tall giant teapot that is one of West Virginia's best roadside attractions Northeastern West Virginia (including Berkeley Springs and Harpers Ferry) ✮ American Mountain Theater, Elkins - a theatre showing mostly southern gospel and bluegrass concerts ✮ Appalachian Trail Conference Headquarters, Harpers Ferry - the headquarters of the organization that oversees the Appalachian Trail ✮ Audra State Park, Buckhannon - walk a trail under an impressive rock overhanging; good hiking and mountain biking trails; swimming hole ✮ Bears Rocks Preserve, Davis - offers some of the best and most-photographed scenic views in the state; edge of the Dolly Sods Wilderness ✮ Berkeley Springs State Park, Berkeley Springs - soak in hot springs baths; other spa treatments are also offered ✮ Bickel Knob Observation Tower, Monongahela National Forest, Elkins - scenic views from a firetower off forest road 91 (Stuart Memorial Dr) ✮ Blackwater Falls State Park, Davis - several excellent waterfalls plus scenic views from Lindy Point and Pendleton Point; 20 miles of trails ✮ Douglas Falls - take a short walk to view a scenic 35-foot tall waterfall that lies just outside of Blackwater Falls State Park ✮ Dolly Sods Wilderness Area - one of the premier wilderness areas on the East Coast; fantastic outlooks and hiking/backpacking trails ✮ Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, Elkins - offers several different scenic railroad journeys ✮ Gandy Danver Theatre, Elkins - dinner theatre similar to what you'd experience in Pigeon Forge, TN or Branson, MO ✮ Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Harpers Ferry - tour several historic buildings in downtown Harpers Ferry ✮ Monongahela National Forest - one of the biggest and best wilderness areas on the East Coast; many excellent trails and waterfalls ✮ NROCKS Outdoor Adventures, Circleville - guided tours of one of the premiere "via ferrata" climbing spots in North America ✮ Orr's Farm Market, Martinsburg - top-rated pick-your-own farm with an excellent farmer's market ✮ Seneca Caverns, Riverton - offers excellent guided cave tours, although it's currently closed as of 2022 ✮ Seneca Rocks, Monongahela National Forest - see, hike, and/or rock-climb one of the most famous natural landmarks in West Virginia ✮ Smoke Hole Caverns & Log Cabin Resort, Cabins - great underground guided cave tours ✮ Spruce Knob, Riverton - take in the views from the top of West Virginia; you can drive (in season) or hike to the top ✮ Summersville Lake - West Virginia's largest and most popular lake; has a 60 mile shoreline with cliff-jumping; excellent boating/kayaking ✮ Wonderment Puppet Theater, Martinsburg - one of the top puppet theaters in the U.S. (if not the #1 best) Central & Southern West Virginia (including Charleston, Riverton, White Sulphur Springs, and New River Gorge National Park) ✮ ATV/ORV-ing in Oak Hill - one of the best spots in West Virginia for ATVing ✮ Babcock State Park, Clifftop - famous for its historic Glade Creek Grist Mill; excellent hiking trails plus a campground with cabin rentals ✮ Beartown State Park, Hillsboro - take a short boardwalk trail to see unusual rock formations and overhanging cliffs ✮ Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine & Youth Museum, Beckley - descend 1,500 feet into a former coal mine on a guided tour ✮ Bridge Walk, Lansing - guided tours of the New River Gorge Bridge from a catwalk that is 25 feet below the main deck of the bridge ✮ Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, Cass - take an 11-mile scenic train ride ✮ Cathedral Falls, Gauley Bridge - 60-foot waterfall on Cane Branch near the Gauley River Bridge ✮ Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, Hillsboro - visit the last significant Civil War battle site in West Virginia ✮ Falls of Hills Creek, Monongahela National Forest - see three scenic waterfalls, including a 65-footer ✮ Green Bank Observatory, Green Bank - science center and guided tours to the enormous Green Bank Telescope (GBT) ✮ Greenbrier Government Relocation Facility, White Sulphur Springs - visit a Cold War-era bunker ✮ Greenbrier, The, White Sulphur Springs - one of America's grand luxury resorts; surrounded by the beauty of the Allegheny Mountains ✮ Greenbrier River Trail - an outstanding 78-mile partially-paved rail trail that travels from North Caldwell to Cass; arguably WV's #1 rail trail ✮ Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests - old fire tower with great opportunities to spot raptors ✮ Hawks Nest State Park, Ansted - offers a scenic overlook plus hiking trails, jetboat rides, an aerial tramway, and whitewater rafting ✮ Heritage Farm Museum & Village, Huntington - excellent open-air living history museum focusing on Appalachian history and culture ✮ Lost World Caverns, Lewisburg - excellent guided cave tours ✮ Monongahela National Forest - one of the biggest and best wilderness areas on the East Coast; many excellent trails and waterfalls ✮ Mothman Museum, Point Pleasant - quirky museum about a local rumored beast ✮ New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - relatively new national park with great hiking trails and the impressive New River Gorge Bridge ✮ New River Gorge Bridge, Fayetteville - 1/2 mile long dramatic steel arch bridge over the Never River; one of the highest bridges in the U.S. ✮ Pinnacle Rock State Park, Bramwell - features a famous sandstone rock formation that you can climb up ✮ Pomona Salt Cave and Spa, White Sulphur Springs - receive spa services in a salt cave constructed into the side of a mountain ✮ State Capitol Building, Charleston - impressive 1932 capitol with a large, gold-leafed dome ✮ Tamarack, Beckley - famous art and cultural center ✮ West Virginia State Museum, Charleston - good exhibits on West Virginia history & culture ✮ Whitewater rafting the Gauley River - one of the most famous whitewater rafting destinations in the U.S. ✮ Zip-lining in Lansing - several companies in the area offer excellent zip-lining tours (e.g. ACE) Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in West Virginia? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com. For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links: KY | MD | OH | PA | VA BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN WEST VIRGINIA✮ Fayetteville - a small town close to New River Gorge National Park & Preserve and many outdoor activities (including whitewater rafting) ✮ Harpers Ferry - a small town with a lively tourist historict district; Harpers Ferry National Historic Park and Appalachian Trail are both here ✮ Lewisburg - a very small city with an attractive and historic Main Street district that has boutique shops and art galleries My favorite small town in West Virginia is Harpers Ferry. I think one day is generally enough time to spend exploring this town and the national historic park that is embedded within it. You could maybe do two days if you included a day hike on the Appalachian Trail, which passes directly through the town. If you want to visit New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, stay in or near Fayetteville or Beckley. Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire U.S. WHAT IS WEST VIRGINIA FAMOUS FOR?✮ coal mining ✮ mountain scenery ✮ national forests ✮ outdoor activities ✮ waterfalls ✮ whitewater rafting Click here if you'd like to explore what other U.S. states are famous for. NATIONAL PARKS IN WEST VIRGINIANational Parks ✮ New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - a relatively new national park with great hiking trails and the impressive New River Gorge Bridge National Recreation Areas ✮ Gauley River National Recreation Area ✮ Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area National Forests ✮ George Washington & Jefferson National Forest ✮ Monongahela National Forest National Historical Parks / Other National Parks & Properties ✮ Appalachian National Scenic Trail ✮ Bluestone National Scenic River ✮ Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park ✮ Chesapeake Bay ✮ Harpers Ferry National Historical Park ✮ Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail If you are visiting New River Gorge National Park for the first time, I recommend spending 2 days there. Try to hike on a few of the park's trails. For more information on West Virginia's national parks, visit the West Virginia page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here. STATE PARKS IN WEST VIRGINIANorthwestern & Northcentral West Virginia (including Morgantown) ✮ Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park, Parkersburg - take a sternwheeler riverboat from Point Park to visit this Palladian mansion ✮ Coopers Rock State Forest, Bruceton Mills - some of the most scenic views in WV; 50 miles of hiking and biking trails, plus rock climbing ✮ Pricketts Fort State Park, Fairmont - visit a reconstructed refuge fort from the late 18th century ✮ Valley Falls State Park, Fairmont - offers four waterfalls and several miles of hiking and biking trails Northeastern West Virginia (including Berkeley Springs and Harpers Ferry) ✮ Audra State Park, Buckhannon - walk a trail under an impressive rock overhanging; good hiking and mountain biking trails; swimming hole ✮ Berkeley Springs State Park, Berkeley Springs - soak in hot springs baths; other spa treatments are also offered ✮ Blackwater Falls State Park, Davis - several excellent waterfalls plus scenic views from Lindy Point and Pendleton Point; 20 miles of trails Central & Southern West Virginia (including Charleston, Riverton, and White Sulphur Springs) ✮ Babcock State Park, Clifftop - famous for its historic Glade Creek Grist Mill; excellent hiking trails plus a campground with cabin rentals ✮ Beartown State Park, Hillsboro - take a short boardwalk trail to see unusual rock formations and overhanging cliffs ✮ Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, Cass - take an 11-mile scenic train ride ✮ Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, Hillsboro - visit the last significant Civil War battle site in West Virginia ✮ Hawks Nest State Park, Ansted - offers a scenic overlook plus hiking trails, jetboat rides, an aerial tramway, and whitewater rafting ✮ Pinnacle Rock State Park, Bramwell - has a famous sandstone rock formation that you can climb up To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here. BEST WATERFALLS IN WEST VIRGINIANortheastern West Virginia (including Berkeley Springs and Harpers Ferry) ✮ Blackwater Falls in Blackwater Falls State Park ✮ Douglas Falls near Blackwater Falls State Park ✮ Elakala Falls in Blackwater Falls State Park ✮ Red Creek Falls in Dolly Sods Wilderness ✮ Upper Seneca Creek Falls in Monongahela National Forest Central & Southern West Virginia (including Charleston, Riverton, and White Sulphur Springs) ✮ Cathedral Falls in Gauley Bridge ✮ Falls of Hills Creek in Monongahela National Forest ✮ High Falls in Monongahela National Forest ✮ Sandstone Falls in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve For a listing of all known waterfalls in West Virginia, visit the World Waterfall Database. BEST SCENIC DRIVES IN WEST VIRGINIA✮ Highland Scenic Highway - a seasonal 43-mile paved route that follows WV-39 and WV-150 through Monongahela National Forest ✮ Midland Trail (WV-60) - a 120-mile paved route from Charleston to White Sulphur Springs via Ansted; take a detour to New River Gorge My favorite scenic drive in West Virginia is the Highland Scenic Highway. There are four scenic overlooks along this seasonal road. I believe the entire road is open in winter, but travel is highly discouraged from November to April as a 23-mile section on WV-150 is not maintained in winter. The 20-mile section of WV-32 from Harman to Thomas might also be a good drive, but I'm not sure if it has any scenic views or not. I know it leads to several great attractions though, including Blackwater Falls State Park and Canaan Valley State Park. US-219 from Lewisburg to Elkins also seems like it would be a decent route to drive. I'm not sure if it has any scenic views of its own though. For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here. BEST RAIL TRAILS IN WEST VIRGINIANorthwestern & Northcentral West Virginia (including Morgantown) ✮ Deckers Creek Trail ✮ Mon River Trail/Caperton Trail - an excellent 30-mile partially-paved rail trail that travels from the WV/PA line to Prickett's Fort State Park ✮ Panhandle Trail Central & Southern West Virginia (including Charleston, Riverton, and White Sulphur Springs) ✮ Greenbrier River Trail - an outstanding 78-mile partially-paved rail trail that travels from North Caldwell to Cass; arguably WV's #1 rail trail Both the Greenbrier River Trail and the Mon River Trail/Caperton Trail are considered amongst the premier rail trails in the United States. Take note that the Mon River Trail has two sections, but the Caperton Trail connects both of them. I'm not exactly sure why they don't just call the entire trail one name. For detailed information on all known rail trails in West Virginia, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website. BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS / THEME PARKS IN WEST VIRGINIA✮ Camden Park, Huntington ✮ Splash Zone, Clarksburg BEST MUSEUMS IN WEST VIRGINIANorthwestern & Northcentral West Virginia (including Morgantown) ✮ Archive of the Afterlife: A Paranormal Museum, Cameron ✮ Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum, Wheeling ✮ Museum of American Glass, Weston ✮ Oglebay Institute Glass Museum, Wheeling ✮ Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston ✮ West Virginia Penitentiary, Moundsville Northeastern West Virginia (including Berkeley Springs and Harpers Ferry) ✮ Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Harpers Ferry Central & Southern West Virginia (including Charleston, Riverton, and White Sulphur Springs) ✮ Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine & Youth Museum, Beckley ✮ Clay Center, Charleston ✮ Heritage Farm Museum & Village, Huntington ✮ Mothman Museum, Point Pleasant ✮ Museum of Radio & Technology, Huntington ✮ West Virginia State Museum, Charleston BEST DAY HIKES IN WEST VIRGINIANorthwestern & Northcentral West Virginia (including Morgantown) ✮ Raven Rock Trail, Coopers Park State Forest Northeastern West Virginia (including Berkeley Springs and Harpers Ferry) ✮ Appalachian Trail & Loudoun Heights Loop ✮ Bear Rocks and Lions Head Loop, Dolly Sods Wilderness ✮ Big Schloss via Wolf Gap Trail, Wolf Gap Recreation Area ✮ Blackbird Knob Trail to Blackbird Knob, Dolly Sods Wilderness Area ✮ Blackwater Falls State Park trails (e.g. Blackwater Falls, Lindy Point Overlook, etc.) ✮ Blackwater Canyon Trail, Monongahela National Forest ✮ Chimney Top/North Fork Mountain Trail, Monongahela National Forest ✮ High Falls, Monongahela National Forest ✮ High Knob Tower Trail, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests ✮ Maryland Heights, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park ✮ Rohrbaugh Overlook, Dolly Sods Wilderness ✮ Seneca Rocks Overlook, Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area ✮ Spruce Knob, Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area ✮ Table Rock Overlook, Monongahela National Forest ✮ Tibbet Knob Trail, George Washington National Forest (Lee District) ✮ Upper Falls of Seneca Creek, Monongahela National Forest Central & Southern West Virginia (including Charleston, Riverton, White Sulphur Springs, and New River Gorge National Park) ✮ Castle Rock Trail, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve ✮ Cowpasture Loop, Monongahela National Forest ✮ Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve ✮ Falls of Hills Creek, Falls of Hills Creek Scenic Area, Monongahela National Forest ✮ Long Point, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve ✮ Turkey Spur Rock, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve The highpoint of West Virginia is Spruce Knob (4,861'). You can drive-up (in season) or take a day hike (moderately difficult) to reach the top. BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN WEST VIRGINIA✮ Cranberry Wilderness in Monongahela National Forest ✮ Dolly Sods Wilderness ✮ Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN WEST VIRGINIA✮ ATV/ORV-ing in Oak Hill ✮ Backpacking the Cranberry Wilderness in Monongahela National Forest ✮ Backpacking the Dolly Sods Wilderness ✮ Backpacking the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area ✮ Bouldering in the town of Bozoo ✮ Bouldering at Coppers Rock State Forest ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Cacapon River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Cheat River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Coal River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Elk River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Greenbrier River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the South Branch of the Potomac River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Summersville Lake ✮ Cycling the Greenbrier River Trail ✮ Cycling the Mon River Trail/Caperton Trail ✮ Cycling the Panhandle Trail ✮ Day hiking Chimney Top/North Fork Mountain in Monongahela National Forest ✮ Day hiking in Dolly Sods Wilderness ✮ Day hiking in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve ✮ Mountain biking the Arrowhead Bike Trails ✮ Mountain biking in Kanawha State Forest ✮ Mountain biking in Mountwood Park ✮ Mountain biking at the Snowshoe Mountain Resort ✮ Rock climbing Coopers Rock State Forest ✮ Rock climbing at Meadow River ✮ Rock climbing at New River Gorge ✮ Rock climbing at SenecaRocks ✮ Rock climbing at Summersville Lake ✮ Skydiving in Huntington or Morgantown ✮ Tubing the Cacapon River ✮ Tubing the Cheat River ✮ Tubing the Potomac River ✮ Tubing the Tygart River ✮ Whitewater rafting the Lower Gauley River ✮ Whitewater rafting the Upper Gauley River ✮ Whitewater rafting the Lower New River ✮ Whitewater rafting the Upper New River SKI RESORTS IN WEST VIRGINIAWEST VIRGINIA TRAVEL TIPSUNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN WEST VIRGINIA✮ buckwheat cakes ✮ hot dogs / slaw dogs ✮ paw paw ✮ pepperoni rolls For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in West Virginia (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website. For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here. For a list of the top-rated beers to try in West Virginia (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website. OTHER KEY WEST VIRGINIA INFORMATIONCharleston Major Airports: West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW) in Charleston (although it's fairly small) Largest Cities: Charleston (48,356), Huntington (46,382), Morgantown (30,485), Parkersburg (29,388), Wheeling (26,766), Martinsburg (19,087) Primary U.S. Interstates: I-64, I-68, I-70, I-77, I-79, I-81 State Highpoint: Spruce Knob (4,861') in Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area in northeastern West Virginia; you can drive-up (in season) or take a day hike (moderately difficult) Professional Sports Teams: None Funny or Unique Town/City Names: Fame, Friendly, Gassaway, and Left Hand Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here. Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia  Charlie the Coal Miner in Shinnston, West Virginia ROAD TRIP GUIDEBOOKSIn addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.  
 
 
 
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