The Ultimate West Virginia Travel Guide
West Virginia: The mountain state offers a unique blend of natural scenery and history. Here is my West Virginia travel guide outlining the major attractions in West Virginia!
To make it easy for you to navigate the content, I have organized my West Virginia travel guide in two sections. (1) A brief introduction to West Virginia, a little history, some geography, commute, and weather. (2) Major West Virginia attractions, if you wish, you can skip the introduction and move on to the next section West Virginia Attractions.
History: West Virginia was admitted to the union as the 35th state on June 20, 1863. Until 1863 West Virginia was part of Virginia. Virginia was named to honor Queen Elizabeth of England, often referred to as the “Virgin Queen.” The state got its nickname, the Mountain State, the rugged terrain of the scenic Allegheny Mountains that cross the state. West Virginia is a primary coal-producing state, supplying 15 percent of the nation’s coal.
Geography: West Virginia is bordered by Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland on the north and by Virginia on the south. On the east, West Virginia is bordered by Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia; and on the west, it’s bordered by Ohio and Kentucky. The majority of West Virginia is heavily forested, dominated by the Appalachian Mountain System.
Getting There
Flight: Yeager Airport (CRW), Tri-State Airport (HTS) and North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) are the main airports in West Virginia.
Drive: If you live in any of the neighboring or southeastern states, you could easily drive to West Virginia.
Train: Amtrak offers two rail services in West Virginia (1) Capitol Limited connecting Washington-Martinsburg-Pittsburgh-Chicago and (2) Cardinal connecting – New York-Washington-Charleston-Cincinnati-Chicago.
Climate: Summers are hot, with average high temperatures in the range of 82°F – 87°F. Winters are cold, with night temperatures below freezing. Spring is warm and wet, while autumn is temperate and pleasant.
Time zone: Eastern Daylight Time UTC-4
Getting around: I highly recommend renting a car while in West Virginia, Greyhound busses, and Amtrak rail services being the other two options to get around West Virginia.
Best Places To Visit in West Virginia
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is a historic site at the meeting point of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. This is where John Brown started the revolt against slavery in 1859. Today this historic site is open to the public. There is a bus from the visitor center that takes you to the historic district, where you can find some picturesque streets, several exhibits, museums, hiking trails, and battlefields.
Address: 171 Shoreline Dr, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, Entrance Fee: Per private non-commercial vehicle: $20
Seneca Caverns
Seneca Caverns is a cave in Germany Valley near Riverton, West Virginia, which is known to have been used by the native Indians for several ceremonies. Sounds spooky! but don’t worry, you don’t have to go there by yourself, there are several guided tours, led by some very knowledgeable guides.
Address: 3328 Germany Valley Rd, Riverton, WV 26814, Entrance Fee: Several options, find details here
New River Gorge Bridge
The New River Gorge Bridge is an arch bridge 3,030 feet long, over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville, in West Virginia. The bridge receives a lot of visitors and appears on several postcards and wallpapers. On the third Saturday of every October, the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce celebrates “The Bridge Day,” featuring several food vendors, BASE jumping, rappelling, music, and several other activities.
Address: 130 Laurel Creek Rd, Fayetteville, WV 25840, Entrance Fee: No Fee
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I hope you enjoyed reading the post, The Ultimate West Virginia Travel Guide, and I wish it helps you plan your trip to West Virginia.
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