Inside Appalachian Escapes: Themed rentals, escape rooms, and a love letter to West Virginia
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — What began as a search for an affordable retirement option has turned into one of southern West Virginia’s most imaginative tourism ventures. Nate Adams and his wife, Rachel Adkins, are the founders of Appalachian Escapes , a growing collection of themed vacation rentals near the New River Gorge that combine art, storytelling, and Appalachian culture. “We didn’t set out to move to West Virginia—or to create a bunch of immersive vacation rentals,” Adams said. “But that’s exactly what happened.” Adkins’ family roots in West Virginia and eastern Kentucky made the region…
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West Virginia winter cold weather tips: WVU experts share ways to stay active
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As late winter settles in across West Virginia, mountaineers are entering the coldest stretch of the year—a time when snow, limited daylight, and frigid temperatures can take a toll on mental and physical health. However, experts at West Virginia…
Travel and outdoor insurance matter for backcountry adventures in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia backcountry is having a moment. From high ridgelines and spruce forests to deep river gorges and winter slopes, the Mountain State has become a magnet for travelers who want something wilder than a roadside overlook. These…
Inside West Virginia’s National Radio Quiet Zone, where scientists listen to the universe
GREEN BANK, W.Va. — The universe is a strange place. And it is never truly silent. Across the vast darkness it whispers, in radio waves older than Earth, in particles carried on solar winds, in faint rhythms beating from stars long dead. If we listen carefully, we…
Is it more cost-effective to restore or rebuild in West Virginia downtowns?
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As communities across West Virginia consider options for aging buildings, one key question keeps coming up: Is it more cost-effective to demolish and rebuild or to restore what’s already there? According to real estate development consultant David…
WorkForce West Virginia to host Feb. 4 virtual job fair as employers seek workers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As West Virginia employers continue to navigate a tight labor market, WorkForce West Virginia will host a statewide virtual hiring event on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to connect businesses with job seekers across the Mountain State. The online event will…
Helvetia, West Virginia: Where Swiss tradition and Appalachian spirit defy time
HELVETIA, W.Va. — History will tell you the name Helvetia is derived from the Helvetii, a Celtic tribe that once peopled the region now known as Switzerland. But here in the mountains of West Virginia, where fact and folklore mingle, Helvetia simply means…
West Virginia hosts outdoor economy summit as communities rethink economics
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For many West Virginia communities, outdoor recreation is no longer a quality-of-life extra. It’s the new economic infrastructure that’s attracting private investment, supporting small businesses, and helping retain and attract a…
West Virginia Pepperoni Roll Museum to open this spring in Fayetteville
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — One of the most iconic foods in West Virginia is getting its own permanent home. Rachel Adkins, best known locally as a short-term rental host, announced plans to open the West Virginia Pepperoni Roll Museum in Fayetteville this spring. The small…
Milder-than-average winter favored for West Virginia through February
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the calendar passes Midwinter Day on Jan. 15, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say late winter in West Virginia is likely to lean milder than average overall, even as the Mountain State remains vulnerable to…
Webinar examines housing stairway safety in growing West Virginia small towns
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As remote work reshapes where Americans choose to live, small-town housing in West Virginia has emerged as a central issue in the state’s economic revival. Communities once defined by vacant upper floors and underused downtown buildings are seeing…
Morrisey awards $2.1 million for business-ready sites in 23 W.Va. counties
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ahead of the start of the 2026 legislative session, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has awarded $2.1 million in grants aimed at preparing “business-ready” development sites across 23 counties in West Virginia. In an announcement released Monday from…
Jan. 15 marks Midwinter Day, but the most wintry weather is ahead in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — By mid-January, many West Virginians will notice a subtle but welcome change: daylight is beginning to stretch a little longer each afternoon. That small gain of sunlight can create the impression that winter is already easing its grip….
Travel and outdoor insurance matter for backcountry adventures in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia backcountry is having a moment. From high ridgelines and spruce forests to deep river gorges and winter slopes, the Mountain State has become a magnet for travelers who want something wilder than a roadside overlook. These…
Is it more cost-effective to restore or rebuild in West Virginia downtowns?
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As communities across West Virginia consider options for aging buildings, one key question keeps coming up: Is it more cost-effective to demolish and rebuild or to restore what’s already there? According to real estate development consultant David…
WorkForce West Virginia to host Feb. 4 virtual job fair as employers seek workers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As West Virginia employers continue to navigate a tight labor market, WorkForce West Virginia will host a statewide virtual hiring event on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to connect businesses with job seekers across the Mountain State. The online event will…
Helvetia, West Virginia: Where Swiss tradition and Appalachian spirit defy time
HELVETIA, W.Va. — History will tell you the name Helvetia is derived from the Helvetii, a Celtic tribe that once peopled the region now known as Switzerland. But here in the mountains of West Virginia, where fact and folklore mingle, Helvetia simply means…
West Virginia hosts outdoor economy summit as communities rethink economics
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For many West Virginia communities, outdoor recreation is no longer a quality-of-life extra. It’s the new economic infrastructure that’s attracting private investment, supporting small businesses, and helping retain and attract a…
Milder-than-average winter favored for West Virginia through February
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the calendar passes Midwinter Day on Jan. 15, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say late winter in West Virginia is likely to lean milder than average overall, even as the Mountain State remains vulnerable to…
Webinar examines housing stairway safety in growing West Virginia small towns
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As remote work reshapes where Americans choose to live, small-town housing in West Virginia has emerged as a central issue in the state’s economic revival. Communities once defined by vacant upper floors and underused downtown buildings are seeing…
Morrisey awards $2.1 million for business-ready sites in 23 W.Va. counties
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ahead of the start of the 2026 legislative session, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has awarded $2.1 million in grants aimed at preparing “business-ready” development sites across 23 counties in West Virginia. In an announcement released Monday from…
Jan. 15 marks Midwinter Day, but the most wintry weather is ahead in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — By mid-January, many West Virginians will notice a subtle but welcome change: daylight is beginning to stretch a little longer each afternoon. That small gain of sunlight can create the impression that winter is already easing its grip….
Ticks on the rise in West Virginia: WVU experts warn of Lyme, alpha-gal risks
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Two West Virginia University experts are warning residents and visitors that ticks are more prevalent than ever, and encounters with them are increasingly causing serious health risks. According to Timothy Driscoll, an associate professor of…
How to research historic homes in West Virginia: Free state webinar offers tools
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Homeowners, local historians, and community members interested in historic homes in West Virginia will have an opportunity later this month to learn how to research the history of their properties through a free, beginner-friendly webinar hosted by…
Vape shops and gray-area drugs put West Virginia towns at a regulatory crossroads
BECKLEY, W.Va. — They’re hard to miss in downtowns and along highway strips in West Virginia with their neon-bright window graphics, flavor names splashed across posters, and glass cases filled with sleek devices and colorful packaging. Over the past decade,…
Farmington Mine Disaster still echoes across West Virginia coal country
FARMINGTON, W.Va. — Before dawn on November 20, 1968, a thunderous explosion ripped through Consolidation Coal Company’s No. 9 mine outside this Marion County town, sending smoke, flames, and debris high into the cold West Virginia sky. Within hours, the tragedy would…
Why paranormal tourism is booming in almost heaven West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Paranormal tourism is booming across West Virginia, but the increase in ghost tours, haunted history walks, and supernatural-themed events doesn’t necessarily reflect a rise in belief in the paranormal. According to David Sibray, publisher of West…
West Virginia family communications expert shares Thanksgiving conflict tips
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With Thanksgiving approaching, a West Virginia family communications expert says the stress that builds long before the holiday can set the stage for arguments at the dinner table, but there are effective ways to keep gatherings calm, meaningful,…
West Virginia announces 2026 veterans art show for America250 celebration
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Department of Tourism has announced plans for a 2026 Veterans Art Show, inviting West Virginia veterans to help commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary through original works of art. The exhibition, part of the statewide America250…
Traditional West Virginia holiday remedies: Appalachian cures for overindulgence
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Holiday overindulgence has a long association with West Virginia, where homecomings are celebrated in a big way. Though it now boasts one of the lowest rates of alcohol consumption in the U.S., that wasn’t always the case. In the 1800s and…
First documented poltergeist in U.S. haunted this historic W.Va. town
MIDDLEWAY, W.Va. — The Wizard Clip haunting, the first documented poltergeist in America, occurred in the late 1700s in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. Though centuries have passed, its legend endures, earning residents the nickname “Clippers” to…
West Virginia-made comedy “Ambrosia!” nominated at Delaware film festival
BECKLEY, W.Va. — The momentum behind “Ambrosia!”—an award-winning West Virginia–made screwball comedy—continues to build as filmmakers announced that the film has been nominated for Best Picture at the Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival. A…
First Lady invites community for gingerbread contest, mansion tree decorating
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia First Lady Denise Morrisey is inviting students, educators, and artisans from across the state to help celebrate the holiday season through two creative initiatives hosted at the state culture center. This year marks the launch of the…
Biggest of the year, Beaver Moon will light November sky, recall early West Virginia history
BEAVER, W.Va. — For those who step outside on Wednesday to look up, the full moon that rises over West Virginia will be more than a pale, familiar globe. It’s the closest and brightest full moon of the year—a supermoon popularly known as the “Beaver…
Prehistoric burial mound in West Virginia contains remarkable secret
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Rising above the end of this city’s central avenue, the prehistoric Criel Mound—one of the largest burial mounds in West Virginia—has long captivated both onlookers and archaeologists alike. Over the years, its origins have sparked countless…
Horror film shot in West Virginia, ‘Self Help’ to hit theaters nationwide on Halloween
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A horror-thriller filmed in Huntington in 2024, “Self Help” is set for a nationwide theatrical release on Halloween through Mainframe Pictures. The rollout will include “Mischief Night Sneak Previews” on Thursday, Oct. 30, followed by a…
Friday Night frights and delights light up West Virginia this Halloween season
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Film fans across West Virginia are in for a frightfully fun weekend as Halloween-themed screenings, premieres, and film festivals take over theaters and community spaces from Huntington to Saint Albans. From cult classics to indie horror debuts,…
West Virginia trout stocking Jan. 5: biologists stock 46 waters statewide
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources in Charleston announced that hatchery crews stocked trout in 46 lakes and streams across West Virginia during the week of Jan. 5, continuing the agency’s winter trout-stocking program. West…
West Virginia trout stocking resumes in lakes and streams statewide
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Trout stockings have resumed in select lakes and streams across West Virginia, the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources announced, restoring a seasonal boost to recreational fishing around the state. Brett McMillion, director of the division, said…
Mountaineer Heritage Season opens, reviving a West Virginia hunting tradition
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The winter woods in West Virginia are echoing with the traditions of an earlier era as the state’s four-day Mountaineer Heritage Season for deer, bear, and turkey opened Thursday. The special season runs Jan. 8–11 and is open across all 55…
Charleston, West Virginia, celebrates record-breaking year in tourism
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s reputation as a destination for sports tourism was on full display in Charleston in 2025 when major athletic events brought visitors, national attention, and millions of dollars in economic impact to the region. From cycling…
These five sports are rapidly growing in West Virginia communities
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Sports in West Virginia will always include Friday-night football, high school basketball, and hunting and fishing, but the landscape is changing. A handful of “next wave” sports are gaining players quickly. Proponents say that’s because they…
West Virginia Tourism wins gold Adrian award for ‘Screen-Free Summer’ campaign
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Tourism has earned international recognition for its consumer branding efforts, receiving a Gold Adrian Award from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International for its “Screen-Free Summer” campaign….
Beneath West Virginia’s Greenbrier Valley, a vast underground world draws adventurers
LEWISBURG, W.Va. — Beneath the bluegrass pastures of eastern West Virginia lies one of the most extensive cave networks in North America—a hidden landscape of winding tunnels, underground streams, and limestone formations that attract explorers, scientists, and…
White Grass cross-country skiing elevates winter in Canaan Valley, West Virginia
CORTLAND, W.Va. — Cross-country skiing is enjoying quite a renaissance. As snow-loving retirees, energetic youths, outdoor enthusiasts, and adventurous families search for quieter ways to explore winter landscapes, more people are looking beyond traditional downhill…
West Virginia state parks to ring in 2026 with 24 First Day hikes across the state
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia state parks will welcome the New Year by inviting residents and visitors to step outside, lace up their boots, and explore the state’s public lands during 24 free, guided First Day Hikes on Jan. 1, 2026. Held at 21 state parks and…
Bumper nut, acorn crop and disease reduced West Virginia buck harvest in 2025
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bumper crop of nuts and acorns and localized outbreaks of hemorrhagic disease contributed to a significant decline in the West Virginia buck harvest during its firearms deer season in 2025. According to the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources,…
Snowshoe Mountain opens 2025–26 ski season with fresh snow, free lift tickets
SNOWSHOE, W.Va. — Snowshoe Mountain, the largest ski resort in the Mid-Atlantic, opened the 2025–26 winter season Friday with a fresh burst of natural snow and strong early turnout. Resort officials reported four to five inches of overnight snowfall, providing skiers…
Three powerful reasons to hike West Virginia when the temperature drops
BECKLEY, W.Va. — West Virginians know winter differently. When the leaves fall, and the chatter of summer tourism fades, the Mountain State and its Appalachian neighbors enter a season that feels quieter, older, and somehow more honest. For hikers willing to lace up…
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Flood risk outpaces warnings, advocates say, as W.Va. considers changes to resiliency fund
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the W.Va. House of Delegates considers changes to Senate Bill 390, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition warns that the state risks narrowing its flood strategy at a time when disasters are becoming more frequent, more costly, and more destructive….
We asked AI how its own data centers could pollute West Virginia. Here’s what it had to say
(The following article was generated partly by ChatGPT in response to a prompt about how data centers pollute. As ChatGPT is powered by data centers, one might expect it to lean toward a positive statement about the impact on West Virginia.) DAVIS, W.Va. — Data…
Inaugural W.Va. Outdoor Economy Summit to unite leaders around $2.1 billion growth
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s outdoors are more than a scenic backdrop. They’re a strategic economic asset. That message will take center stage February 17–18, 2026, when leaders from across the state and region convene for the inaugural West Virginia…
West Virginia State Parks Foundation launches online merchandise store
HURRICANE, W.Va. — The West Virginia State Parks Foundation has launched an official online merchandise store, offering supporters a new way to celebrate West Virginia’s parks while directly supporting projects across the state park system. The online shop features…