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Attractions

See our Attractions Travel Guide

Attractions in West Virginia offer something for every traveler, from stunning natural landscapes and historic landmarks to family-friendly adventures and vibrant cultural sites.

 

Visitors can marvel at iconic destinations such as the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, explore Harpers Ferry’s rich history, or enjoy the scenic beauty of Blackwater Falls and Seneca Rocks. Charming mountain towns, local museums, unique shops, and lively festivals add to the state’s welcoming atmosphere. Outdoor enthusiasts will find endless opportunities for hiking, rafting, rock climbing, and wildlife watching. With its blend of outdoor fun, heritage, and small-town charm, West Virginia’s attractions make every trip unforgettable, showcasing the best of Appalachian adventure and hospitality. Be sure to visit our Attractions Travel Guide for more information about attractions in West Virginia.

A U.S. Forest Service firefighter uses a drip torch to ignite a prescribed burn. Similar controlled fires are planned across 726 acres of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia this fall to improve wildlife habitat and forest health. (USDA Forest Service photo by Lindsey Winkel)
Attractions

Forest service plans controlled burns on 726 acres in Monongahela National Forest

by Clyde Craig

ELKINS, W.Va. — Federal forest managers plan to deliberately burn 726 acres of West Virginia’s mountain forests this fall, using controlled fires to improve wildlife habitat, restore natural ecological processes, and reduce the risk of destructive wildfires. The U.S. Forest Service announced Friday that it plans prescribed burns in the Monongahela National Forest in the … Read more

adventure tourism have become increasingly important drivers of the state's visitor economy. (Photo: David Sibray)
Attractions

Nearly $20 million in upgrades coming to West Virginia state parks

by David Sibray

BEAVER, W.Va. — Visitors to West Virginia state parks will find new campsites, expanded snowmaking, renovated facilities and extensive infrastructure improvements as the state invests nearly $20 million in parks and forests across the Mountain State. Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced $19.725 million in projects Wednesday at Kanawha State Forest near Charleston. The new campground will … Read more

The New River Gorge Bridge rises above the New River amid autumn foliage in southern West Virginia. Fall brings cooler weather, whitewater recreation and changing colors to the national park region.
Attractions

Autumn changes the New River Gorge and gives travelers new reasons to visit

by David Sibray

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Autumn doesn’t simply change the color of the New River Gorge. It changes how visitors experience one of America’s newest national parks. Cooler weather makes hiking more comfortable. Falling leaves begin to reveal pieces of the gorge’s industrial past that summer foliage can conceal. Whitewater season reaches a crescendo on the nearby … Read more

A sign marks the Beaver Dam Cooperative Wildlife Management Area in Monongahela National Forest, one of several areas where the U.S. Forest Service and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources cooperate on wildlife management.
Attractions

Why West Virginia manages wildlife inside a federal national forest

by David Sibray

ELKINS, W.Va. — Much of the wildlife habitat inside West Virginia’s largest national forest isn’t managed by the federal government alone. For generations, biologists with the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources have worked alongside the U.S. Forest Service to manage trout streams, wildlife habitat, and sensitive species across the Monongahela National Forest. The two agencies … Read more

The center hall at Arthurdale , West Virginia
Attractions

West Virginia town built as Great Depression experiment wins national honor

by David Sibray

ARTHURDALE, W.Va. — A small West Virginia community built from the ground up by the federal government during the Great Depression has received one of the nation’s major historic preservation honors. Arthurdale Heritage received the 2026 Trustees’ Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship Tuesday evening from the National Trust for Historic Preservation during its National … Read more

Snow and ice coat the high-elevation spruce forest at Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia. Winter conditions can arrive in the Allegheny Mountains while lower elevations remain snow-free. (Photo courtesy Rick Burgess)
Attractions

Winter comes early to West Virginia’s highest mountains as forest sites begin closing

by David Sibray

ELKINS, W.Va. — Autumn is just beginning across much of West Virginia, but preparations for winter are already underway in the state’s highest mountains, where recreation facilities in the Monongahela National Forest have begun closing for the season. The closures reflect a defining characteristic of the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia: elevation can produce … Read more