West Virginia Travel Guide

West Virginia is a state in the South of the United States of America. It's often called the "Mountain State", being the only state in the USA to lie completely within a mountain range (in this case, the Appalachians). West Virginia is bordered by five states, on the east by Virginia and Maryland, the north by Pennsylvania, and the west by Ohio and Kentucky. Originally part of the state of Virginia, the residents of the counties that became West Virginia split from the rest of the state in part due to a disagreement over the issues of slavery and secession. These counties elected to remain with the Union, and the new state was born on June 20, 1863. The population of the state today is around 1.7 million people. The capital city is Charleston, and the state motto is"Mountaineers are always free."

West Virginia Travel Guide - Regions

* Northern Panhandle -- the western pandhandle of the state, between Ohio and Pennsylvania. Home to Wheeling.
* Mountaineer Country -- West Virginia's technology corridor, bordering the south of Pennsylvania. Home to Morgantown and Fairmont.
* Eastern Panhandle -- part of the state's Civil War heritage, bordering Maryland near Baltimore and Washington DC. Home to Harpers Ferry.
* Potomac Highlands -- tucked away in the Allegheny Mountains and the Monongahela National Forest, with much of the state's skiing and caving. Home to Elkins and Spruce Knob, the state's highest point.
* Lakes Region -- the central part of the state, with lots of lakes, rivers and streams. Home to Summersville, Buckhannon and Sutton.
* Mid-Ohio Valley -- bordering the Ohio River, and the site of much of the state's glassmaking. Home to Parkersburg.
* Metro Region -- the state's urban center. Home to Charleston and Huntington.
* New River Region -- the southernmost part of the state, with whitewater rafting and beautiful parklands. Home to Fayetteville, Beckley, Bluefield and Lewisburg.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Cities

* Bluefield
* Charleston
* Beckley
* Charles Town
* Huntington
* Hurricane
* Lewisburg
* Morgantown
* Parkersburg
* Wheeling
* White Sulphur Springs

West Virginia Travel Guide - Other Destinations

Monongahela National Forest -- over 919,000 acres of forest stretching from near Elkins to Richwood.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Understand

Once considered the southernmost of the North, the northernmost of the South, the easternmost of the West, and the westernmost of the East, West Virginia is nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Ohio River to the west. Rich in natural resources, physical beauty, and traditional culture, West Virginia's charm is that of being "off the beaten path". West Virginia is a destination for white water rafting, kayaking, skiing, climbing, golf, mountain biking, hiking, and off-roading. It is the only state that is entirely contained in Appalachia. Its location between the mid-west and eastern seaboard of the United States means that over 60% of the United States population lives less than 500 miles from West Virginia.

West Virginia is abundant in natural resources, being primarily known as a major producer of coal since the 1800s - in fact, it's the number-two coal producing state in the US. However, it has never been a particularly wealthy state, particularly outside the larger towns; per capita income is quite low, and the poverty levels are some of the highest in the nation. From the point of view of the traveller, this isn't necessarily a negative. The people in rural areas may not have much material wealth, but they're down-to-earth, grateful for what they have, and very friendly and hospitable, and this attitude toward life generally applies to people in the larger cities as well. You'll receive a very warm welcome, as long as you respect their Southern politeness and try to return it in kind (which means: be patient, smile, engage in small talk, and no jokes about hillbillies or inbreeding).

As a visitor, you'll find that West Virginia has a lot to offer. There's beautiful natural scenery, quaint mountain towns, delicious down-home country food, traditional handicrafts, lots of pioneer and Civil War history, outdoor activities of the rollicking and stately varieties, and great cultural opportunities. The pace of life is slow and relaxed, but with so many exciting things to do, West Virginia is a wonderful destination for a quiet getaway or a weekend adventure.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Talk

Given its position as a boundary state between the North and the South, your perception of the West Virginia dialect will probably depend on where you're from. People from the North think that West Virginians have a Southern accent, whereas people from the South perceive them as speaking a more Northern dialect. Nevertheless, most West Virginians do have at least a bit of a Southern twang, particularly if you venture into the more remote mountain communities.

There is no single West Virginia dialect. In areas of the state which border Ohio and Pennsylvania, the pronounciations tend to be more northern, with the primary marker being the long "I" sound. Some will voice the dipthong "aye" in the northern style, while others make the "ah" sound. Those in the interior of the state speak in a manner more like people from Kentucky or southern Virginia.

Variations in dialects can be traced to immigration patterns. The coal fields of the southeastern part of the state were the destination of miners immigrating from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In the more industrialized areas along the Ohio River, the immigrant population was comprised of large numbers of eastern European immigrants.

In the most southern part of the state, there are communities which are almost entirely African-American. During the mine wars of the late 1800s, mine owners hired former slaves from the southern states to replace striking miners. Because these communities tend to be segregated (by choice), the dialects of the southern slaves live on in their speech.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Getting There

By car

There are three main interstates in West Virginia: I-64 crosses the lower third of the state from Kentucky into Huntington, through Charleston and Beckley, and then past Lewisburg into Virginia. I-77 moves up the western third of the state, from Virginia into Bluefield, through Charleston and then past Parkersburg into Ohio. I-79 begins in Charleston and continues through Morgantown into Pennsylvania.

Interstates that only cross a piece of West Virginia include I-70, which crosses from Ohio to Pennsylvania through the northern panhandle, past Wheeling; I-68, which branches off I-79 near Morgantown and passes through Preston County into Maryland; and I-81, which crosses from Virginia into Maryland and Pennsylvania through the eastern panhandle, past Martinsburg.

By bus

Greyhound stops in Beckley, Bluefield, Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg and Wheeling.

By train

Amtrak offers two routes that pass through West Virginia.

* The Cardinal / Hoosier State route — between New York and Chicago daily — stops in White Sulphur Springs (WSS), Alderson (ALD), Hinton (HIN), Prince (PRC), Thurmond (THN), Montgomery (MNG), Charleston (CHW) and Huntington (HUN).
* The Capitol Limited route — between Washington, DC and Chicago three times a week — stops in Harpers Ferry (HFY) and Martinsburg (MRB).

The Maryland Rail Commuter ferries passengers between Martinsburg and Washington, DC on weekdays.

By plane

West Virginia is served by one major airport:

* Yeager Airport (IATA: CRW), in Charleston. Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways offer over 70 flights daily to 10 major cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, DC.
There are over 30 smaller airports in the state, seven of which offer regular commercial flights to other cities:
* Harrison/Marion Regional Airport (CKB) in Clarksburg. Continental offers daily flights to Cleveland.
* Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB) in Lewisburg. Delta and US Airways offer daily flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, New York and Washington, DC.
* Mercer County Airport (BLF) in Bluefield. Colgan Air offers daily flights to Washington, DC.
* Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport (PKB) in Parkersburg. Continental offers daily flights to Cleveland.
* Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW) in Morgantown. Continental offers daily flights to Cleveland.
* Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) in Beckley. Colgan Air offers daily flights to Washington, DC.
* Tri-State Airport (HTS) in Huntington. Delta and US Airways offer daily flights to Charlotte and Cincinnati.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Thins To Do

* West Virginia's rugged nature lends itself well to outdoor sports like fishing, hunting, horseback riding, hiking, biking, camping, golfing, windsurfing, water skiing and scuba diving. However, much of West Virginia's outdoor tourism comes from two particular sources:

* If you like to hit the slopes, there are several popular ski resorts in the state:

* Alpine Lake, near Terra Alta
* Canaan Valley, near Elkins
* Elk River Touring Center, near Marlinton
* Snowshoe Mountain, near Elkins
* Timberline, near Elkins
* Winterplace, near Beckley

* White-water rafting is also extremely popular and can be done on several rivers in the state, although the most popular - and the most commercial - are the New River and the Gauley River near Fayetteville.

* West Virginia also has an abundance of caverns and underground grottos to tour.

* Lost World Caverns near Lewisburg
* Organ Cave near Lewisburg
* Seneca Caverns near Elkins
* Smoke Hole Caverns near Elkins

There are 47 state parks and forests in West Virginia; some of the notable ones are:

* Berkeley Springs State Park near Berkeley Springs, with its warm mineral-water spas.
* Cathedral State Park near Aurora is a national historic landmark with old-growth forest.
* Hawks Nest State Park near Fayetteville features a tram up to a lodge overlooking the New River Gorge.
* Pipestem Resort State Park near Princeton has scenic overlooks of the Bluestone Gorge.
* Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park near Weston is home to the Stonewall Resort, one of West Virginia's premier resorts and conference centers.
* On Bridge Day, in October, you can also go BASE jumping or rappelling from the scenic New River Gorge Bridge near Fayetteville, the longest steel-arch bridge in the western hemisphere.
* Explore West Virginia's coal heritage by driving the Coal Heritage Trail from Bluefield to Beckley, where you can visit the Exhibition Coal Mine.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Eat

Traditional West Virginia cooking is broadly similar to Southern cuisine, but it's technically part of the Appalachian style of cooking, which was mostly subsistence-based, meaning that people ate what they could grow or catch themselves. This style of cooking emphasizes wild or cultivated plants, berries, nuts, wild game and corn. While this does mean that some West Virginians eat opossum, squirrel and raccoon, you won't find them on any restaurant menus (unless you visit the Roadkill Cook-off in Marlinton). Foods like fried chicken, sausage, cornbread, green and pinto beans, greens, squash casserole, mashed potatoes, fresh cucumbers and onions, ripe tomatoes, pickles and berry cobbler are commonly found throughout the state.

* The pepperoni roll is an unexpected little West Virginia specialty that was reportedly invented in Fairmont in 1927, and was often used as a miner's lunch in early days. It's a soft bread roll with pepperoni baked inside, yielding a moist and spicy snack; variations include slices versus strips of pepperoni, the inclusion of cheese (pepper jack, mozzarella or provolone), tomato sauce and banana peppers. They're popular throughout the state, ubiquitous in convenience stores, and can be found from small family bakeries up through local eateries.
* One of West Virginia's most famous (or infamous?) foods is the ramp, or wild leek, a wild onion similar to a scallion that is much beloved in the area, even though the flavor is so potent that the garlicky scent will linger on a person for days after consuming them. There are even ramp festivals throughout the state in spring, with the best-known being held in Elkins, Richwood and Helvetia.
* As with many country communities, home canning is a popular activity in West Virginia. You'll see lots of home-canned vegetables, pickles, jellies and jams for sale around the state, with apple butter being a particular favorite. In fact, West Virginia's state fruit is the apple - specifically, the yellow Golden Delicious, which was discovered in West Virginia and has been grown in the state since 1912. There are apple butter festivals every September near Logan and October in Berkeley Springs and Salem, as well as apple festivals in October in Martinsburg and Clay, the home of the Golden Delicious.
* West Virginia has lots of mountain streams brimming with river fish, and the brook trout — the state fish — is commonly found on local menus.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Drink

Although most people probably think of home-distilled whiskey and moonshine when they think of West Virginia, the state has a burgeoning wine industry these days. Wineries can be found all over the state; some also produce specialty products like mead and fruity melomel, and cooking wine made from ramps. A small selection of wineries is below:

* Forks of Cheat Winery in Morgantown
* Kirkwood Winery in Summersville
* Lambert's Vintage Wines in Weston
* Roane Vineyards in Spencer
* Wolf Creek Winery near Lewisburg

However, if you really want to sample local moonshine, you can still get it at legal distilleries in the state:

* West Virginia Distilling Company in Morgantown
* Isaiah Morgan Distillery in Summersville

West Virginia Travel Guide - Buy

* Being a coal state, West Virginia gift shops routinely stock coal sculptures, which are surprisingly lightweight and make for a unique souvenir. However, they're frequently tacky (with googly eyes glued onto bears, turtles, what have you), so you'll have to keep your eyes peeled for the really nice ones.

* Another major West Virginia industry is handblown glass, with several very nice factories whose wares can be found in gift shops statewide. Some of the major ones are below, although other prominent local glass factories and sales outlets can be found in Weston, Morgantown and Wheeling.

* Blenko Glass near Huntington
* Fenton Art Glass near Parkersburg
* Hinkle's Dying Art Glass in Buckhannon

* If you're looking for a one-stop-shop to peruse a variety of local specialties, there are a couple of really good markets in the state:

* Tamarack is a statewide collection of handmade crafts, art and cuisine showcasing the best of West Virginia. It's located in a large complex near Beckley, and is well worth a stop if you're travelling up I-77 and want to purchase something really nice from the state.

* The Flatwoods Factory Outlet Stores near Sutton is home to Poplar Forest, a cooperative representing over 200 juried West Virginia artists and craftsmen.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Places Nearby

On the eastern and southern border, Virginia, of which West Virginia was originally a part, has Shenandoah National Park and Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson.

To the west, Kentucky is rich in horse related attractions, including the Kentucky Horse Park and the Kentucky Derby.

Three states are on the northern border. Ohio has the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the only Y-shaped bridge in the world. Pennsylvania is the home to five-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers and to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Maryland is where The Star Spangled Banner was written and is home to the US Naval Acadamy.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Transportation

Highways form the backbone of transportation systems in West Virginia, with over 37,300 miles of public roads in the state. Airports, railroads, and rivers complete the commercial transportation modes for West Virginia. Commercial air travel is facilitated by airports in Charleston, Huntington, Beckley, Lewisburg, Clarksburg, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Wheeling, and Parkersburg. Cities like Charleston, Huntington, Clarksburg, Fairmont, and Logan have bus-based public transit systems. Charleston also has a limited number of trolley cars that run primarily through the downtown area. West Virginia University in Morgantown boasts a PRT (personal rapid transit) system, the state's only single rail public transit system. Developed by Boeing, the WVU School of Engineering and the Department of Transportation, it was a model for low-capacity light transport designed for smaller cities. Recreational transportation opportunities abound in West Virginia, including hiking trails, rail trails, ATV off road trails, white water rafting rivers, and two tourist railroads (Cass Scenic Railroad, and the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad.

West Virginia is crossed by several interstate highways. I-64 enters the state near White Sulphur Springs in the mountainous east, and exits for Kentucky in the west, near Huntington. I-77 enters from Virginia in the south, near Bluefield. It runs north past Parkersburg before it crosses into Ohio. I-64 and I-77 are merged in a stretch of toll road known as the West Virginia Turnpike, on which construction began in 1952. It runs from just east of Charleston south to the exit for Princeton. I-68's western terminus is in Morgantown. From there it runs east into Maryland. I-79 enters from Pennsylvania and runs through the state to its southern terminus in Charleston. I-70 briefly runs through West Virginia, crossing the northern panhandle through Wheeling. I-81 also briefly runs through the eastern panhandle where it goes through Martinsburg.

Rail lines in the state used to be more prevalent, but many lines have been discontinued because of increased automobile traffic. Many old tracks have been converted to rail trails for recreational use, and the state is still served by a few commercial lines for hauling coal and by Amtrak.

Because of the mountainous nature of the entire state, West Virginia has several notable tunnels and bridges. The most famous of these is the New River Gorge Bridge, which was at a time the longest steel-arch bridge in the world with a 3,031 foot (924 m) span. The bridge is also pictured on the West Virginia state quarter.

West Virginia Travel Guide - Stay Safe

Be careful when driving on mountain roads, especially in the winter. West Virginia is susceptible to fairly large snowfalls, which can make the roads treacherous if not impassable.

Article Source: Wikipedia