West Virginia
Discover West Virginia’s Wild and Wonderful Side
Wonderful West Virginia adventures.
There is no better time to discover West Virginia’s wild and wonderful side than now. Visitors here will find numerous outdoor adventures, heritage events and down-home hospitality all year long.
West Virginia is the most northern of the Southern states. It is the highest state east of the Mississippi River and lies wholly within the Appalachian Mountain range. The largely forested Mountain State offers breathtaking scenery and special places along every highway and byway.
With boundless forests, rock-strewn streams and awesome star-filled skies, you’ll want to experience every season’s loveliness and every region’s thrills. The Mountain State offers an abundance of recreation options, attracting anglers, climbers, campers, rafters, hunters, hikers, bikers and skiers from across the nation
and world.
Enjoy the luxury of a world-class resort, the cozy hospitality of a local inn or bed & breakfast or a quiet rural cabin or lodge. With their unique characteristics, any one you choose will be memorable.
Historic trails, wildlife and nature preserves can be found throughout the state. Take in the beauty of West Virginia on a hike, car, motorcycle or an excursion train. From wildflower hikes to celebrate the emergence of spring to thrilling motorcycle rides on winding curves, discover the state’s wild side.
Dozens of museums dot the state, from the Huntington Museum of Art, with its nationally acclaimed 19th and 20th century American and European art, to the newly-opened state-of-the-art West Virginia State Museum with its show path through time.
Palate-pleasing restaurants from upscale gourmet to down-home country will satisfy every taste in your travel group.
No matter what your taste in adventure, an exhilarating escape is just a day’s drive from nearly every major city in the East, and well worth the drive or flight from anywhere. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a family reunion or a learning vacation, this is the state for you.
Wild and wonderful pursuits.
Golf
This summer marks the debut of the PGA TOUR’S Greenbrier Classic golf tournament at the historic Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The event, set for July 26 through Aug. 1, will be held on The Old White Course, one of The Greenbrier’s four highly acclaimed golf courses. Indeed, the resort is renowned for its golf reputation: World Golf Hall of Fame member Sam Snead served as Golf Professional Emeritus here from 1994 until his death in 2002. West Virginia’s hills and valleys make for a challenging but fun golfing experience: Stonewall Resort, Oglebay Resort and Parkersburg’s Golf Club of West Virginia are just a few of the links lauded in Golf Magazine, and Raven Golf Club at Snowshoe Mountain Resort has been named to Top 100 lists in Golf Digest and Golf Week. For more information, including a listing of courses by region, visit www.wvgolfing.com. For more information about the Greenbrier Classic, visit www. greenbrierclassic.com.
Civil War Events
West Virginia is home to numerous Civil War sites. The multi-state Civil War Trails program and Civil War Discovery Trail allow visitors to explore the places, people and events of the conflict between North and South. Outdoor dramas such as Grandview State Park’s “Honey in the Rock” dramatize events leading up to the state’s separation from Virginia. Droop Mountain Battlefield and Carnifex Ferry Battlefield www.carnifexferrybattlefieldstatepark.com state parks host re-enactments every other year of their respective battles. Each park features an on-site museum, hiking trails and picnic shelters. For more information about Civil War
sites and events or to download a Civil
War Heritage brochure, visit
www.wvtraditions.com.
101 Unique Places to Dine
Delectable, tantalizing and fulfilling: These are just some of the words used to describe West Virginia’s diverse selection of restaurants. Whatever your taste or dining style, discovering and sampling the Mountain State’s rich food heritage — from down-home country favorites to international cuisine — will without a doubt satisfy your cravings. To assist with your dining experience, the West Virginia
Division of Tourism and the Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia partnered to identify some of the best “can’t miss” eateries across the state. To plan your
dining experience or to print out a copy of “101 Unique Places to Dine,” visit www.wvtourism.com.
Itinerary Builder
Are you planning a trip to West Virginia? Visit the West Virginia Department of Commerce travel planner at www.wvtourism.com and click on “Travel Planner” and build your itinerary.
It’s easy: Just enter your search terms, geographic area and date of visit (if applicable), and you will receive a clickable map of destinations, attractions and events in the area you are visiting. Register on the WV Division of Tourism website.
Whitewater Rafting
Thrill seekers will find that West Virginia boasts some of the finest whitewater rafting in the country. The New River’s famous lower section, with rapids up to Class V, runs through the heart of the 1,000-foot-deep New River Gorge and underneath the longest steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. The Gauley River is called the “Beast of the East” for a reason: Every fall, water released from the Summersville Dam provides the most intense whitewater rafting east of the Mississippi. North of these two rough-and-tumble rivers lies the boulder-strewn canyon of the Cheat River. The Tygart River in east-central West Virginia is home to Wells Falls, which is considered the most powerful, runable drop in the Monongahela River basin. For more information as well as a list of rafting companies, visit www.wvriversports.com.
Festivals and Events
Celebrations abound year round in the Mountain State. The State Fair of West Virginia, held annually in Lewisburg, has been named a Southeast Tourism Society “Top 20 Summer Event for 2010.” This year’s fair, set for Aug. 13-21, features live music, livestock shows, pageantry, rides and more. Bridge Day, West Virginia’s largest festival, is observed annually every third Saturday of October. The event attracts BASE jumpers from around the world eager to parachute off the side of the 876-foot-high New River Gorge Bridge. Travel to the picturesque Swiss village of Helvetia, nestled in the mountains of Randolph County, to celebrate Fasnacht, a pre-Lenten event that has been likened to Mardi Gras. The event concludes at midnight, during which the effigy of Old Man Winter is burned to signify the end of winter. In spring, Pipestem State Park hosts the Irish Heritage Festival; the town of Ireland in Lewis County hosts its own Irish Spring Festival. Both events feature Irish road bowling, Irish foods and other themed activities. Visit www.wvtourism.com to search the Calendar of Events.
Motorcycle Festivals and Scenic Drives/Rides
West Virginia’s curvy roads and mountainous terrain combine to create an exhilarating ride through breathtaking scenery. This summer, gas up the bike and head to one of several motorcycle rallies held throughout the state. The 2010 Snowshoe Freedom Fest on July 15–18 at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in Pocahontas County and the 2010 Wild and Wonderful MountainFest Motorcycle Rally on July 22–25 in Morgantown both feature games, vendors and live entertainment.
For more information, visit www.snowshoefreedomfest.com or www.wvmountainfest.com. For a list of scenic drives or motorcycle events, visit www.wvmountainrider.com and click on “Travel and Recreation.”
There is no better time to discover West Virginia’s wild and wonderful side than now. Visitors here will find numerous outdoor adventures, heritage events and down-home hospitality all year long.
West Virginia is the most northern of the Southern states. It is the highest state east of the Mississippi River and lies wholly within the Appalachian Mountain range. The largely forested Mountain State offers breathtaking scenery and special places along every highway and byway.
With boundless forests, rock-strewn streams and awesome star-filled skies, you’ll want to experience every season’s loveliness and every region’s thrills. The Mountain State offers an abundance of recreation options, attracting anglers, climbers, campers, rafters, hunters, hikers, bikers and skiers from across the nation
and world.
Enjoy the luxury of a world-class resort, the cozy hospitality of a local inn or bed & breakfast or a quiet rural cabin or lodge. With their unique characteristics, any one you choose will be memorable.
Historic trails, wildlife and nature preserves can be found throughout the state. Take in the beauty of West Virginia on a hike, car, motorcycle or an excursion train. From wildflower hikes to celebrate the emergence of spring to thrilling motorcycle rides on winding curves, discover the state’s wild side.
Dozens of museums dot the state, from the Huntington Museum of Art, with its nationally acclaimed 19th and 20th century American and European art, to the newly-opened state-of-the-art West Virginia State Museum with its show path through time.
Palate-pleasing restaurants from upscale gourmet to down-home country will satisfy every taste in your travel group.
No matter what your taste in adventure, an exhilarating escape is just a day’s drive from nearly every major city in the East, and well worth the drive or flight from anywhere. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a family reunion or a learning vacation, this is the state for you.
Wild and wonderful pursuits.
Golf
This summer marks the debut of the PGA TOUR’S Greenbrier Classic golf tournament at the historic Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The event, set for July 26 through Aug. 1, will be held on The Old White Course, one of The Greenbrier’s four highly acclaimed golf courses. Indeed, the resort is renowned for its golf reputation: World Golf Hall of Fame member Sam Snead served as Golf Professional Emeritus here from 1994 until his death in 2002. West Virginia’s hills and valleys make for a challenging but fun golfing experience: Stonewall Resort, Oglebay Resort and Parkersburg’s Golf Club of West Virginia are just a few of the links lauded in Golf Magazine, and Raven Golf Club at Snowshoe Mountain Resort has been named to Top 100 lists in Golf Digest and Golf Week. For more information, including a listing of courses by region, visit www.wvgolfing.com. For more information about the Greenbrier Classic, visit www. greenbrierclassic.com.
Civil War Events
West Virginia is home to numerous Civil War sites. The multi-state Civil War Trails program and Civil War Discovery Trail allow visitors to explore the places, people and events of the conflict between North and South. Outdoor dramas such as Grandview State Park’s “Honey in the Rock” dramatize events leading up to the state’s separation from Virginia. Droop Mountain Battlefield and Carnifex Ferry Battlefield www.carnifexferrybattlefieldstatepark.com state parks host re-enactments every other year of their respective battles. Each park features an on-site museum, hiking trails and picnic shelters. For more information about Civil War
sites and events or to download a Civil
War Heritage brochure, visit
www.wvtraditions.com.
101 Unique Places to Dine
Delectable, tantalizing and fulfilling: These are just some of the words used to describe West Virginia’s diverse selection of restaurants. Whatever your taste or dining style, discovering and sampling the Mountain State’s rich food heritage — from down-home country favorites to international cuisine — will without a doubt satisfy your cravings. To assist with your dining experience, the West Virginia
Division of Tourism and the Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia partnered to identify some of the best “can’t miss” eateries across the state. To plan your
dining experience or to print out a copy of “101 Unique Places to Dine,” visit www.wvtourism.com.
Itinerary Builder
Are you planning a trip to West Virginia? Visit the West Virginia Department of Commerce travel planner at www.wvtourism.com and click on “Travel Planner” and build your itinerary.
It’s easy: Just enter your search terms, geographic area and date of visit (if applicable), and you will receive a clickable map of destinations, attractions and events in the area you are visiting. Register on the WV Division of Tourism website.
Whitewater Rafting
Thrill seekers will find that West Virginia boasts some of the finest whitewater rafting in the country. The New River’s famous lower section, with rapids up to Class V, runs through the heart of the 1,000-foot-deep New River Gorge and underneath the longest steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. The Gauley River is called the “Beast of the East” for a reason: Every fall, water released from the Summersville Dam provides the most intense whitewater rafting east of the Mississippi. North of these two rough-and-tumble rivers lies the boulder-strewn canyon of the Cheat River. The Tygart River in east-central West Virginia is home to Wells Falls, which is considered the most powerful, runable drop in the Monongahela River basin. For more information as well as a list of rafting companies, visit www.wvriversports.com.
Festivals and Events
Celebrations abound year round in the Mountain State. The State Fair of West Virginia, held annually in Lewisburg, has been named a Southeast Tourism Society “Top 20 Summer Event for 2010.” This year’s fair, set for Aug. 13-21, features live music, livestock shows, pageantry, rides and more. Bridge Day, West Virginia’s largest festival, is observed annually every third Saturday of October. The event attracts BASE jumpers from around the world eager to parachute off the side of the 876-foot-high New River Gorge Bridge. Travel to the picturesque Swiss village of Helvetia, nestled in the mountains of Randolph County, to celebrate Fasnacht, a pre-Lenten event that has been likened to Mardi Gras. The event concludes at midnight, during which the effigy of Old Man Winter is burned to signify the end of winter. In spring, Pipestem State Park hosts the Irish Heritage Festival; the town of Ireland in Lewis County hosts its own Irish Spring Festival. Both events feature Irish road bowling, Irish foods and other themed activities. Visit www.wvtourism.com to search the Calendar of Events.
Motorcycle Festivals and Scenic Drives/Rides
West Virginia’s curvy roads and mountainous terrain combine to create an exhilarating ride through breathtaking scenery. This summer, gas up the bike and head to one of several motorcycle rallies held throughout the state. The 2010 Snowshoe Freedom Fest on July 15–18 at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in Pocahontas County and the 2010 Wild and Wonderful MountainFest Motorcycle Rally on July 22–25 in Morgantown both feature games, vendors and live entertainment.
For more information, visit www.snowshoefreedomfest.com or www.wvmountainfest.com. For a list of scenic drives or motorcycle events, visit www.wvmountainrider.com and click on “Travel and Recreation.”
