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.
Seventy-eight percent of West Virginia is forested. That makes it the third most forested state in the U.S. and, some might say, ideally suited to treehouses. But building an honest-to-goodness house in the trees is no easy task, according to Paul Breuer, who’s completed a second such house in the woodlands near the New River … Read more
The West Virginia Agriculture Advisory Board has released a five year-strategic plan for West Virginia agriculture, which Commissioner of Agricultural Ken Leonhardt says he hopes to initiate immediately. Titled “A Shared Agenda for Growing West Virginia’s Agricultural Economy,” the plan focuses on several areas—connecting producers to market opportunities, creating infrastructure needed to grow the agriculture … Read more
Thousands of miners and loggers once lived in the little valley through which West Virginia’s newest rail excursion runs. Trout swim and deer browse where a century ago striking miners bombed the line that rail-bikes and little engines now follow. Peace, quiet, and history are chief reasons more than 1,200 guests pedaled or boarded open … Read more
Eight years have gone by since Joy Malinowski established the Cooper House Bed & Cocktail in historic Thomas, West Virginia. Those of us in the Tucker County tourism industry did not predict this would be the beginning of a cult following based upon overnight accommodations—a Cult of Joy! Her avant-garde attitude toward travel has since … Read more
A new national heritage area established in March will attract financing and tourism to eastern West Virginia and western Maryland—a region that encompasses millions of acres of forest and some of the state’s best-known scenic landscapes. The Smoke Hole Countryside[/caption] Phyllis Baxter, executive director for the heritage area, says visitors and residents can expect to … Read more
WVExplorer now offers news briefings through Alexa devices, allowing the leading publisher of West Virginia news and travel information to reach beyond the thousands of daily visitors it already reaches. According to publisher David Sibray, the owners of devices such as Amazon Echo, Echo Auto, Amazon FireTV Stick, Amazon FireTV, and Amazon Fire TV Cube … Read more
Many businesses in Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties may be eligible for benefits as a result of their locations in federally designated “Historically Underutilized Business Zones” or “HUBZones.” The Robert C. Byrd Institute is joining the U.S. Small Business Administration and Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation March 26 in presenting a free workshop on the matter … Read more
After winter’s passed and before the trees leaf out, the West Virginia forest bursts into a profusion of colorful flowers. No one understood this Appalachian magic better than Earl Core, the naturalist for whom the 100-acre Core Arbortum at West Virginia University is named. Core literally wrote the book on West Virginia plants in 1952 … Read more
To bolster growth in the emerging craft-beverage economy—including the production of sodas, teas, beers, wines, and spirits—the Robert C. Byrd Institute will sponsor “Craft: A Farm-to-Bottle Summit” April 8 in South Charleston. Participants will explore ways that craft products can engage various interests in agriculture, hospitality and tourism to build markets for this growing business … Read more
Organizers of the sixth annual spring wildflower walk set for April 6 at Saint Albans City Park are expecting more participants as word of the event grows and ancillary programs are developed. More than 150 people joined in last year’s walk, which follows the park’s nature trail through the wooded hills that skirt the city … Read more
