Communities in West Virginia offer residents a welcoming atmosphere, affordable cost of living, and a strong sense of connection to nature and neighbors alike. From charming small towns to vibrant cities like Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia communities provide friendly neighborhoods, excellent schools, and access to outdoor recreation right at your doorstep. Residents enjoy a slower pace of life, surrounded by the state’s beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests, as well as rich local culture, historic sites, and community events that bring people together.
With safe streets, local businesses, and a true spirit of Appalachian hospitality, living in West Virginia communities means enjoying a high quality of life and a supportive, tight-knit environment where everyone feels at home. Be sure to visit our Communities Travel Guide for information about communities in West Virginia.
Do you have a favorite West Virginia ramp dinner or festival you’d like to share with the public? We’d like to hear from you. Now in its fifth year of publication, our guide to 2018 Ramp Feasts and Festivals is annually visited by more than 10,000 visitors, according to publisher and editor-in-chief David Sibray, who encourages readers to share the list … Read more
West Virginia’s official weather-predicting groundhog, French Creek Freddie will leave his den Feb. 2 to predict the approach of spring and is inviting visitors to join him at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center at French Creek south of Buckhannon, West Virginia. “We’re excited to see everyone come out this year, including those who travel … Read more
The fourteenth annual West Virginia Small Farm Conference begins on February 21 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, West Virginia. “West Virginia has over 20,000 farms. Most of those operations are small. This gives West Virginia one of the highest percentages of small farms in the country,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. “These … Read more
Hunters in West Virginia harvested 3,160 black bears during the combined 2017 archery and firearms seasons, which is the second highest recorded bear kill in state history. Due to more abundant mast production in 2017, the Division of Natural Resources expected a decrease in the archery harvest and an increase in the December firearms harvest … Read more
Preliminary counts indicate hunters harvested 108,160 white-tailed deer in West Virginia during the 2017 hunting seasons. The 2017 harvest was four percent below the 2016 harvest of 112,384 deer and 15 percent below the five-year average of 127,803, according to a report published today by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. A breakdown of the … Read more
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is requesting original color wildlife paintings for the 2019 edition of the award-winning West Virginia Wildlife Calendar. The deadline for submitting artwork is Feb. 19, 2018. Paintings may depict popular game and fish species, or feature the state’s other wildlife, such as snakes, frogs, turtles, salamanders, bats, songbirds, … Read more
Participation in the USDA’s Senior Farmers Market Nutrient Program increased in West Virginia in 2007, underscoring the value of farmers markets in terms of health and economics, says the state’s commissioner of agriculture. “Farmers markets are about more than just supporting your local farmer. They are viable options to distribute healthy food to citizens,” commissioner … Read more
West Virginia’s eagle population is growing, according to a spokesman for the state’s “Eagle Brigade,” which is conducting a survey of eagles and other raptors in the southern and north-central state on Jan. 6. Fifty bald eagles and a golden eagle were counted in January 2017, and 40 bald eagles were counted in March, according … Read more
Sign up for the West Virginia Explorer newsletter by January 15, 2018, and be entered to win a two-day, two-night ski getaway at Canaan Valley Resort & Conference Center. The drawing is one of many annual drawings offered to recipients of the West Virginia Explorer newsletter, according to publisher and editor-in-chief David Sibray. “Once you’re … Read more
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will start its 2018 trout stocking season January 2, though two stocking locales will be added to the schedule and one will be removed, according to Paul Johansen, chief of the division’s wildlife resources section. The 2018 stocking schedule contains several changes, Johansen said. The Greenbrier River in Pocahontas … Read more
