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David Sibray

David Sibray is the founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of West Virginia Explorer, a news and travel magazine devoted to the state’s history, tourism, outdoor recreation and economic development. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390 or at editor@wvexplorer.com
Diners gather inside Oddfellers in downtown Richwood, where locally sourced Appalachian ingredients and from-scratch cooking have helped make the restaurant a destination for visitors exploring the surrounding mountains, trout streams, and hiking trails.
Dining / Nightlife

Food historian says West Virginia’s culinary scene is finally finding its flavor

by David Sibray

WHEELING, W.Va. — For generations, ambitious chefs were expected to leave Appalachia to make a name for themselves. Big cities offered larger markets, broader audiences, and greater opportunities than West Virginia’s small cities and mountain towns. But according to West Virginia food historian and chef Matt Welsch, that narrative is beginning to change. Rather than leaving … Read more

Mountain bikers enjoy one of Putnam County's growing trail systems. Local officials say expanding outdoor recreation opportunities are helping redefine the county as a destination for hiking, biking and other outdoor adventures in West Virginia.
Travel / Transportation

Once known for sports tourism, Putnam County is becoming an outdoor recreation destination

by David Sibray

WINFIELD, W.Va. — For generations, Putnam County was a place travelers passed through rather than a destination in itself. Positioned between the Charleston and Huntington metropolitan areas, the county became known for youth sports tournaments, shopping, and suburban growth rather than mountain adventures. Today, that identity is changing. As West Virginia gains national attention for … Read more

A young girl gathers ripe blackberries from a fencerow during the height of midsummer berry season, a tradition that has marked summers in rural America for generations. (Getty Image)
Food

How midsummer wild berries connect people, wildlife, and West Virginia’s forests

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In midsummer, West Virginia’s forests yield one of their richest annual harvests. Blackberries spill over abandoned fence rows. Raspberries brighten sunny hillsides. Blueberries and huckleberries ripen on the state’s highest mountains. For generations, families have carried buckets into the woods to gather berries for cobblers, jams, and pies. Yet these fruits nourish … Read more

An instructor guides educators through the Lower New River Gorge, where whitewater rafting offers hands-on lessons in geology, hydrology and teamwork. (Courtesy of ACE Adventure Resort)
Whitewater Rafting

West Virginia teachers invited to discover the New River Gorge as an outdoor classroom

by David Sibray

OAK HILL, W.Va. — Teachers who first experience the New River Gorge on a recreational whitewater rafting trip often return with their students, turning one of Appalachia’s best-known adventure destinations into an outdoor classroom for lessons in geology, ecology, hydrology, and teamwork. That’s one reason ACE Adventure Resort is launching a new Teachers Raft Free … Read more