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Travel in West Virginia offers countless benefits, especially as the remote-work revolution draws new residents from big U.S. cities seeking adventure, relaxation, and a slower pace of life. Known for its stunning mountain scenery, outdoor recreation, and welcoming small towns, West Virginia provides the perfect escape for travelers looking to unwind and explore nature without venturing too far from home. Visitors can hike scenic trails, discover hidden waterfalls, enjoy cozy cabin stays, and experience local culture through charming shops, Appalachian cuisine, and vibrant festivals. As more remote workers settle in the Mountain State, travel within West Virginia becomes even more rewarding, with easy access to breathtaking parks, peaceful retreats, and friendly communities that make every trip feel like a refreshing getaway.

A surviving version of West Virginia Explorer from Aug. 18, 2000, shows the website helping readers explore the Mountain State months before Wikipedia launched in January 2001.
Travel / Transportation

Before Wikipedia, this website was helping people explore West Virginia

by Bianca Bosworth

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Before Wikipedia, WVExplorer.com helped people navigate the Mountain State. More than 25 years later, it reaches more than 100,000 monthly readers looking for places to visit, things to do, and communities to explore. “We bring businesses an audience that’s already interested in West Virginia,” said Lori Noble, the publication’s new advertising director. … Read more

Paddlers make their way down the Greenbrier River in southeastern West Virginia, where cool mountain water, forested shorelines and higher elevations have long provided an escape from the summer heat. (Photo courtesy Kirstin Cole)
Travel / Transportation

‘Coolcations’ are surging as travelers escape the heat. West Virginia’s Greenbrier Valley is ready

by David Sibray

LEWISBURG, W.Va. — At the southern end of the Allegheny Mountains, where the Greenbrier River enters a landscape of bluegrass pastures, mineral springs and cavernous limestone, a West Virginia valley is finding itself particularly well suited to one of the travel industry’s fastest-growing summer trends. They are called “coolcations”—vacations chosen at least partly to escape … Read more

A couple enjoys the cool shade of a West Virginia forest during a summer hike. The state's high elevations, dense woodlands and frequent passages of cool Canadian air often create refreshing conditions that have drawn travelers to the mountains for generations.
Travel / Transportation

Why summer heat never lasts in West Virginia and why travelers have loved it for generations

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Every summer,  the cool morning arrives almost like clockwork. After days of sticky afternoons, something changes. Thunderstorms rumble across the mountains, the wind shifts, and the following morning, windows are open again. Front porches fill with coffee drinkers. Campgrounds stir earlier than usual. Visitors who expected another sweltering July day discover that … Read more

A kayaker paddles through a spectacular bloom of pink water lilies at Plum Orchard Lake Wildlife Management Area near Pax, one of southern West Virginia's most peaceful paddling destinations. The 202-acre lake is known for its quiet coves, excellent fishing and abundant wildlife.
Travel / Transportation

Hidden New River Gorge lake, Plum Orchard welcomes visitors after $1.2 million makeover

by Will Reedy

PAX, W.Va. — Millions of travelers visit the New River Gorge each year, but relatively few discover nearby Plum Orchard Lake, a quiet mountain retreat where anglers, paddlers and campers trade crowds for calm water and forested shorelines. Now, more than $1.2 million in improvements is making one of southern West Virginia’s hidden outdoor destinations … Read more

George Washington and the Seneca leader Guyasuta overlooking the Ohio River near the mouth of Big Sandy Creek during Washington's 1770 expedition through the Ohio Valley. The two longtime acquaintances camped together before discussing the frontier lands that would later become part of West Virginia.
Travel / Transportation

George Washington’s lost West Virginia: Five places you can still visit today

by Clyde Craig

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — Long before he became the first president of the United States, George Washington was an explorer, surveyor, soldier, and ambitious young land speculator drawn to the vast wilderness beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Much of what is now West Virginia was then the Virginian frontier—an untamed wilderness of towering forests, broad rivers, and … 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

Just a few hours from Washington, D.C., West Virginia's high country offers cool summer evenings that have drawn Mid-Atlantic travelers for generations. (WVExplorer Image)
Travel / Transportation

As the eastern U.S. bakes, West Virginia’s mountains offer a cooler escape

by Bianca Bosworth

BECKLEY, W.Va. — By late afternoon in Washington, D.C., summer settles over the city like a heavy blanket. Heat radiates from sidewalks and office buildings. The marble monuments along the National Mall shimmer in the haze, while commuters hurry between air-conditioned offices, Metro stations, and cars. Even after sunset, the pavement continues releasing the warmth … Read more

A West Virginia Division of Natural Resources police officer talks with a recreational boater during a routine safety check. Officers across the state increase boating safety patrols during the busy Fourth of July holiday, reminding visitors that alcohol and drugs can impair judgment, balance and reaction time on the water.
Travel / Transportation

Drinking is dangerous even if you’re not driving the boat this Fourth of July

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As thousands of boaters head to West Virginia’s lakes and rivers for the Independence Day holiday, state natural resources police are reminding visitors that alcohol can be dangerous long before anyone takes the helm. Read more: Best swimming holes in West Virginia While many people associate boating under the influence with an … Read more