 scroll down for alphabetical list of state destinations   TIME Eastern Standard Time NEIGHBORING STATES Virginia Kentucky Ohio Pennsylvania Maryland REGION Mid Atlantic States West Virginia: Fall Foliage West Virginia, nearly 80 percent covered by forests and therefore one of the most tree-packed states, might be the most underrated fall foliage destination in the USA. Its varied topography provides a fall color show that begins in West Virginia in September in the most mountainous and highest-elevated areas and continues well into November in the lower-lying areas and Ohio River basins. Visitors can plan their leaf-peeping vacations to West Virginia throughout the autumn and aren’t limited to just a couple weekends. West Virginia boasts stunning vistas and mountain overlooks just about anywhere in the state you can imagine. The New River Gorge in southern West Virginia is home to the state’s largest one-day festival, Bridge Day, which is strategically planned for the peak of fall-color season in the area. Fall festivals abound in the Mountain State. It’s an Appalachian tradition to celebrate the harvest with events such as the Pumpkin Festival and the state’s rich forestry tradition with the Forest Festival.
|  West Virginia offers whitewater rafting, snow sports, canoeing, hiking and backpacking, hunting, fishing, camping, wildlife viewing, and large tracts of wilderness. The caretakers of West Virginia's rich history bring the past to life for visitors through Civil War re-enactments, historic dramas and theater productions, and the preservation of historic sites. The unique West Virginia geography teems with variety; historic trails, pristine wildlife areas, hand-crafted art objects, country fairs and some very upscale hotels and resorts. In West Virginia, the golf courses are as exciting and challenging as a scenic drive on one of its mountain roads. Travelers from across the globe who visit West Virginia just to see the “country roads” they’ve envisioned through the famous John Denver tune are never disappointed. West Virginia is quite rural and, surrounded by the Appalachians, truly lives up to its “Mountain State” nickname. Nearly 80 percent of West Virginia is covered in forests, and each fall leaves turn breathtaking shades of orange, purple, red, yellow and brown in a fantastic show of nature's glory. Charleston, the West Virginia capital, is home to many interesting attractions but none more so than the old-time flavor and charm of downtown Charleston itself. Visitors can shop in the hustle and bustle of Charleston Town Center, one of the largest urban malls in the USA, or they can dart into one of the many unique shops and boutiques in Charleston’s Renaissance Village. Just a short drive away is New River Gorge National River and Tamarack, the largest collection of quality West Virginia crafts, art, gourmet food, books and recordings. WEST VIRGINIA HOTELS ATTRACTIONS Beckley The largest collection of West Virginia crafts, art, books, music & gourmet foods can be found at TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia. Some 1,500 feet of underground passages have restored the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. BECKLEY HOTELS Berkeley Springs For more than two centuries (history) visitors have traveled to this tiny mountain town to soak up warm mineral waters. BERKELEY SPRINGS Charleston There are Civil War exhibits at the West Virginia State Museum in the West Virginia State Capitol Complex. In South Charleston the second largest burial mound of the Adena Culture Chieftains still stands in the heart of town. CHARLESTON HOTELS | Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut DC Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming | |
Charles Town In or near Charles Town the George Washington Heritage Trail, a 112-mile scenic loop driving tour, passes by several homes owned by General Washington’s family. CHARLES TOWN HOTELS Flatwood A civil war fortification site, battleground and farm settings typical to the Appalachians at the turn-of-the-century are highlighted at Bulltown Historic District. Grafton The Mothers Day Shrine is a historical church which serves as a museum to Mothers Day and its founder Anna Jarvis. The Anna Jarvis House at Webster was her home. The 1854 house has been restored to the period. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park A walk down the brick streets of this restored pre-Civil War town transports visitors back to 1859 when abolitionist John Brown staged his raid on the US Arsenal there. HARPERS FERRY HOTELS Huntington The Heritage Farm Museum & Village preserves and recreates the region’s Appalachian heritage and culture. The Huntington Museum of Art complex includes 10 exhibition galleries. East of Huntington in the Metro Valley is Blenko Glass at Milton where visitors can watch artisans creating handmade glassware. HUNTINGTON HOTELS Lewisburg A walking tour of Historic Lewisburg would include The Old Stone Church, built in 1783. The Lost World Caverns is another attraction, and about an hours drive from the town are the New River Gorge National Park and Pipestem Resort State Park. LEWISBURG HOTELS Martinsburg Located in the Eastern Panhandle, Martinsburg has seven historic districts. The Belle Boyd House was the home of the Civil War spy Belle Boyd who supplied information to the Confederacy. The General Adam Stephen House was built by the Revolutionary war hero and Triple Brick Museum has artifacts and memorabilia of Old Martinsburg. MARTINSBURG HOTELS Morgantown Home of West Virginia University , Morgantown provides access to the Allegheny Trail, a 330-mile trail that stretches from southern West Virginia to Pennsylvania. MORGANTOWN HOTELS New River/Greenbrier Valley Some of the towns with historic districts are Bluefield, Bramwell, Hinton, Fayetteville, Lewisburg and Union, and about an hours drive from Lewisburg are the New River Gorge National Park and Pipestem Resort State Park. Parkersburg/Wood County Mid-Ohio Valley history and culture are intertwined with the Ohio River, the focal point of Parkersburg. The mansion on Blennerhassett Island is decorated with original pieces and visitors can get there on sternwheelers. The Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History is in downtown Parkersburg. PARKERSBURG HOTELS Free guided tours are available of Fenton Art Glass. Other attractions are Lee Middleton Original Dolls, the nation’s largest doll factory, and the Oil & Gas Museum. Nearby is the North Bend State Park and Rail Trail, a multipurpose recreational trail. Potomac Highlands Much of this region is devoted to vast tracts of national and state forest and wilderness areas, among them the Monongahela National Forest, George Washington National Forest and Lost River State Park. Near Droop Mountain Battlefield is Beartown State Park. There are also many scenic rail journeys here, including the Cass Scenic Railroad, the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, and the Potomac Eagle in Romney. Richwood The southern gateway to the Monongahela National Forest and to the federally protected Cranberry Wilderness. Salem Fort New Salem is a collection of relocated log structures representing the original frontier settlement of the 19th century. Shepherdstown One of West Virginia’s oldest towns has earned its place on the Civil War Discovery Trail. During the Battle of Antietam the entire town served as a vast hospital. It is situated over the Potomac River site where James Rumsey, inventor of the steam engine, first successfully used steam to propel a boat. SHEPHERDSTOWN HOTELS Summersville Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park is an important Civil War battle site. SUMMERSVILLE HOTELS Weston Located in the Mountain Lakes region, Weston is in the heart of Stonewall Jackson country. The Jackson's Mill Historic District including the Jackson Family Mill Museum. Just south of Weston is Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park. Weston is also home to the West Virginia Museum of American Glass. WESTON HOTELS Wheeling Nestled along the banks of the Ohio River, Wheeling is the hub of the Northern Panhandle. WHEELING HOTELS For a glimpse into the past, visitors can tour Victorian Old Town exploring homes like The Eckhart House. They can tour the Point Overlook Museum, the West Virginia Independence Hall, and Wymer's "General Store" Museum inside the Wheeling Artisan Center. Other attractions include the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum in Elm Grove, the Capitol Music Hall which is home to many forms of entertainment, the Museums of Oglebay Institute and the adjacent Glass Museum. Just south of Wheeling, at Moundsville, is Grave Creek Mound, one of the largest Conical mounds constructed during the late Adena Period from about 250-150 B.C. North of Wheeling is Tomlinson Run State Park. Photo courtesy David E. Fattaleh and the West Virginia Division of Tourism | |||
| home / United States / regions of America / cities of the United States / hotels and resorts in America / feature articles on destinations in the USA / news snippets / handy links / other resources / About Us: Travel Tidings USA features vacation travel information for the cities and regions of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. General topics covered include dining, lodging, shopping, travel accommodations, attractions, hotels, pet friendly hotels and resorts, AAA 4 Diamond Hotels, AAA 5 Diamond Hotels and more. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information at info@traveltidingsusa.com! | |||
