Anybody in West Virginia?
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Sam_Julier
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Congratulations! Enjoy your trip. It sounds wonderful.
Sam
Sam
I grew up in Morgantown, went to WVU and graduated Fairmont State College (associates degree in criminal justice). Blackwater Falls is also a good place to visit. Congrats! I hear there are a lot of drug problems in the state now; I left 33 years ago for more opportunities.
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I live in rural West Virginia.. the best parts of this state to me are not buildings or structures. We have lots of streams and rivers that are excellent for fishing and kayaking. We are also loaded with trails for riding ATVs and UTVs. Also tons of hiking and biking trails. So to me the best parts of living here is offroad and Wild Wonderful West Virginia.
Since you asked about waterfalls.. its not spectacular but Kanawha Falls is a great little drive.. we do it every year or so but we go riding offroad near there.
If i can suggest a possible road trip for you.. Cumberland Falls was very nice. Its near Corbin KY.
Since you asked about waterfalls.. its not spectacular but Kanawha Falls is a great little drive.. we do it every year or so but we go riding offroad near there.
If i can suggest a possible road trip for you.. Cumberland Falls was very nice. Its near Corbin KY.
I used to live there. Well, Marietta Ohio actually, but spent many days on Blennerhaset Island. Lots of history in that part of the country. Prob closed now, but before you leave take a trip over the river to Marietta. They have a great museum there all about the early settlements in that area. That's where Geaorge Washinton spent time surveying all the land to give away to anyone moving west.
The Sternwheeler Festival in October is just amazing. Marietta still has hand operated locks along the Muskingam River. Well worth the trip.
The Sternwheeler Festival in October is just amazing. Marietta still has hand operated locks along the Muskingam River. Well worth the trip.
I grew up in Parkersburg, spent many weekends on Blennerhassett. Nice area with nice people.
Spruce Knob is my absolute favorite place on earth. The first couple of miles of the trail near the peak is truly Heaven on Earth.
Spruce Knob is my absolute favorite place on earth. The first couple of miles of the trail near the peak is truly Heaven on Earth.
I just checked, Spruce Knob and Seneca Rocks are closed :\
Originally Posted by krismoriah72
I live in rural West Virginia.. the best parts of this state to me are not buildings or structures. We have lots of streams and rivers that are excellent for fishing and kayaking. We are also loaded with trails for riding ATVs and UTVs. Also tons of hiking and biking trails. So to me the best parts of living here is offroad and Wild Wonderful West Virginia.
Since you asked about waterfalls.. its not spectacular but Kanawha Falls is a great little drive.. we do it every year or so but we go riding offroad near there.
If i can suggest a possible road trip for you.. Cumberland Falls was very nice. Its near Corbin KY.
Cumberland Falls is nice-but KY just closed the state park last week...
I live in rural West Virginia.. the best parts of this state to me are not buildings or structures. We have lots of streams and rivers that are excellent for fishing and kayaking. We are also loaded with trails for riding ATVs and UTVs. Also tons of hiking and biking trails. So to me the best parts of living here is offroad and Wild Wonderful West Virginia.
Since you asked about waterfalls.. its not spectacular but Kanawha Falls is a great little drive.. we do it every year or so but we go riding offroad near there.
If i can suggest a possible road trip for you.. Cumberland Falls was very nice. Its near Corbin KY.
Cumberland Falls is nice-but KY just closed the state park last week...
Guess they don't want us humans infecting the squirrels?
Originally Posted by Dave9
It's a beautiful place, ruined by people who want a way out and self-medicate instead. Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
Yes it is like stepping back in time, but in a bad way, when you consider what the midwestern hills were like back in time.
Hopefully you have a scenic resort vacation isolated from the reality of that region. Ignorance is bliss.
Despite my negativity, congratulations, I wish the best for you! Please leave for your own safety.
In spite of Dave, WV is a beautiful state with very down to earth friendly people. Beckly is a dump..no question. But Lewisburg is a beautiful little town. Get off the beaten path and enjoy the state.
It's a beautiful place, ruined by people who want a way out and self-medicate instead. Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
Yes it is like stepping back in time, but in a bad way, when you consider what the midwestern hills were like back in time.
Hopefully you have a scenic resort vacation isolated from the reality of that region. Ignorance is bliss.
Despite my negativity, congratulations, I wish the best for you! Please leave for your own safety.
In spite of Dave, WV is a beautiful state with very down to earth friendly people. Beckly is a dump..no question. But Lewisburg is a beautiful little town. Get off the beaten path and enjoy the state.
Wow, I didn't realize WVA had a drug problem. Surely it is not the entire state! I mean I am from MD and live in Texas now and have family in WVA, N and S Carolina, PA, etc and they all have their bad areas as well. I am sure there are worse places in DALLAS, Baltimore and other big cities then all of WVA..... anyhow, my Grandparents lived in Berkley Springs WVA and when I was a kid it was so peaceful and living in the country was fun - last time I was there 15 yrs ago I could not recognize the place - houses everywhere!!
Check out Harper's Ferry in WVA.
Originally Posted by Mtnbikerva1
John_pifer What do you enjoy?
I am curious why you chose WVA for honeymoon?
I LOVE WVA I live now in Va. I live too close to Washington D.C. and there is too many swamp rats and anti USA people here, now.
I will be able to give you some focused recommendations if you tell me what you enjoy.
Do you live in Tennessee or Indiana now?
We live in Nashville.
I had originally booked 7 nights in Costa Rica, at 3 different resorts, including Royal Corin Thermal Hotel and Water Spa, next to Arenal Volcano, the Cloud Forest in Monteverde, and Punta Islita on the Pacific Coast.
So, when our flights got canceled, we decided to go and get away from it all. We really enjoy nature and wilderness areas, driving on remote mountain roads, and seeing areas that are different and old-fashioned. Plus, neither of us had ever been to WV and we wanted to go!
We really liked WV.
John_pifer What do you enjoy?
I am curious why you chose WVA for honeymoon?
I LOVE WVA I live now in Va. I live too close to Washington D.C. and there is too many swamp rats and anti USA people here, now.
I will be able to give you some focused recommendations if you tell me what you enjoy.
Do you live in Tennessee or Indiana now?
We live in Nashville.
I had originally booked 7 nights in Costa Rica, at 3 different resorts, including Royal Corin Thermal Hotel and Water Spa, next to Arenal Volcano, the Cloud Forest in Monteverde, and Punta Islita on the Pacific Coast.
So, when our flights got canceled, we decided to go and get away from it all. We really enjoy nature and wilderness areas, driving on remote mountain roads, and seeing areas that are different and old-fashioned. Plus, neither of us had ever been to WV and we wanted to go!
We really liked WV.
Originally Posted by Dave9
My favorite spot is getting the H3CK out of that S-hole.
It's a den of meth and heroin addicts, where you can't walk alone for a mile without a gun.
It's a beautiful place, ruined by people who want a way out and self-medicate instead. Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
Yes it is like stepping back in time, but in a bad way, when you consider what the midwestern hills were like back in time.
Hopefully you have a scenic resort vacation isolated from the reality of that region. Ignorance is bliss.
Despite my negativity, congratulations, I wish the best for you! Please leave for your own safety.
This was hilarious! You have a great dry sense of humor!
Yes, West Virginia does have issues, and its fair share of ne'er-do-wells, as does every state. To us, it seemed that the state has sort of been "left behind". We stayed in Parkersburg (Out West) for a couple of nights, and then drove from there, through Charleston, down to the Fayetteville area (Hico, to be exact, a few miles from the New River Gorge Bridge/National River).
The parts of West Virginia that we saw, looked, to us, very mid-20th Century. Lots of post-WWII homes, many of which, sadly, haven't been maintained. Many have even fallen in, or are in the process of collapse.
I read that WV has the oldest per-capita pop. of seniors, of any state. Young people are moving out to find work, because there's a decline in coal, oil and gas, and chemicals. So, the population is declining.
Charleston was a cool looking city. It has a downtown section, with the typical mid to late 20th century tall office bldgs, and a lot of the city, with it being so hilly and craggy, seems perched on cliffs. It is a city I'd like to go back to and explore when times return to normal.
We had a wonderful time in Hico. We rented a nice 2BR "cabin", which was actually a nice, fully-furnished house with all the amenities, including a full kitchen, satellite TV, gas grill on the spacious front porch (I cooked out all 3 nights we were there), and hot tub.
We explored lots of trails around the bridge, including the Endless Wall Trail, which was awesome.
There is a road that goes down one side of the gorge and up the other, starting at the Visitor Center on the east side of the river. I did an awesome run, down the east side of the gorge, next to the bridge, and up the other side, and then back down to the bottom, where the wife picked me up. Awesome views of the bridge and gorge. Got in 10 miles.
Yesterday, we decided to chance the 3.5-hr drive up to Spruce Knob (highest point in WV - 4800'), even though someone here said it was closed. Well, they did have a barricade sign blocking the road, but someone had moved it slightly, and we were able to drive around it and get up there. Just gorgeous up there, although the blowing mist and fog obscured the view from the observation tower. We also went to Spruce Lake. It was really cool, getting to drive around all those deserted fire roads. It felt like one of the most remote, deserted locales I've ever been to, Despite the fact that it's not all that far removed from civilization. I'll tell you this - if we would have had a vehicle problem or a crash or something, it might have taken a while to get going again, especially since much of the area doesn't have cell reception.
To get to Spruce Knob from the Hico area, I chose a route that had us in the Monongahela National Forest, almost the whole way. The roads that I love - Crooked, twisting, turning, undulating, up, down, switchbacks...are just endless in this part of WV. Paradise for motorcycle riders and sport-driving enthusiasts...though I didn't see anyone else enjoying the roads, except for aggressive mining truck drivers and bro-dozers, who think they own the road, and don't respond well to being passed (read: they downshift and attempt to speed up when you pass!). Seriously, we encountered SEVERAL very aggressive drivers! We tried to see the Green Bank radio telescope, but, again, due to the current situation, it was closed and we could only see a small part of the receiver (but we could tell it's huge).
My favorite spot is getting the H3CK out of that S-hole.
It's a den of meth and heroin addicts, where you can't walk alone for a mile without a gun.
It's a beautiful place, ruined by people who want a way out and self-medicate instead. Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
Yes it is like stepping back in time, but in a bad way, when you consider what the midwestern hills were like back in time.
Hopefully you have a scenic resort vacation isolated from the reality of that region. Ignorance is bliss.
Despite my negativity, congratulations, I wish the best for you! Please leave for your own safety.
This was hilarious! You have a great dry sense of humor!
Yes, West Virginia does have issues, and its fair share of ne'er-do-wells, as does every state. To us, it seemed that the state has sort of been "left behind". We stayed in Parkersburg (Out West) for a couple of nights, and then drove from there, through Charleston, down to the Fayetteville area (Hico, to be exact, a few miles from the New River Gorge Bridge/National River).
The parts of West Virginia that we saw, looked, to us, very mid-20th Century. Lots of post-WWII homes, many of which, sadly, haven't been maintained. Many have even fallen in, or are in the process of collapse.
I read that WV has the oldest per-capita pop. of seniors, of any state. Young people are moving out to find work, because there's a decline in coal, oil and gas, and chemicals. So, the population is declining.
Charleston was a cool looking city. It has a downtown section, with the typical mid to late 20th century tall office bldgs, and a lot of the city, with it being so hilly and craggy, seems perched on cliffs. It is a city I'd like to go back to and explore when times return to normal.
We had a wonderful time in Hico. We rented a nice 2BR "cabin", which was actually a nice, fully-furnished house with all the amenities, including a full kitchen, satellite TV, gas grill on the spacious front porch (I cooked out all 3 nights we were there), and hot tub.
We explored lots of trails around the bridge, including the Endless Wall Trail, which was awesome.
There is a road that goes down one side of the gorge and up the other, starting at the Visitor Center on the east side of the river. I did an awesome run, down the east side of the gorge, next to the bridge, and up the other side, and then back down to the bottom, where the wife picked me up. Awesome views of the bridge and gorge. Got in 10 miles.
Yesterday, we decided to chance the 3.5-hr drive up to Spruce Knob (highest point in WV - 4800'), even though someone here said it was closed. Well, they did have a barricade sign blocking the road, but someone had moved it slightly, and we were able to drive around it and get up there. Just gorgeous up there, although the blowing mist and fog obscured the view from the observation tower. We also went to Spruce Lake. It was really cool, getting to drive around all those deserted fire roads. It felt like one of the most remote, deserted locales I've ever been to, Despite the fact that it's not all that far removed from civilization. I'll tell you this - if we would have had a vehicle problem or a crash or something, it might have taken a while to get going again, especially since much of the area doesn't have cell reception.
To get to Spruce Knob from the Hico area, I chose a route that had us in the Monongahela National Forest, almost the whole way. The roads that I love - Crooked, twisting, turning, undulating, up, down, switchbacks...are just endless in this part of WV. Paradise for motorcycle riders and sport-driving enthusiasts...though I didn't see anyone else enjoying the roads, except for aggressive mining truck drivers and bro-dozers, who think they own the road, and don't respond well to being passed (read: they downshift and attempt to speed up when you pass!). Seriously, we encountered SEVERAL very aggressive drivers! We tried to see the Green Bank radio telescope, but, again, due to the current situation, it was closed and we could only see a small part of the receiver (but we could tell it's huge).
Originally Posted by mattwithcats
A few suggestions...
Cass Scenic Railroad, Cass WV...
The Shay logging locomotives are not running, but The Last Run Restaurant is open for takeout on select days, check their Facebook page for time and menu.
Whittaker Station is accessible by road, you may want to take a picnic lunch up there...
Babcock State Park, Clifftop WV
Bring your lunch, enjoy a walk on one of the many trails.
Make sure you leave a note on your dash stating when you left, where you went, and estimated return time. Saved my bacon once...
Davis and Elkins College, Dolly Sods, Beckley Science museum ( probably closed), etc...
There is also a rail to trail running from Beckley to Cass, need to find more info on it...
We didn't have time for any of those, but look forward to seeing those next time!
Thanks for the suggestions!
A few suggestions...
Cass Scenic Railroad, Cass WV...
The Shay logging locomotives are not running, but The Last Run Restaurant is open for takeout on select days, check their Facebook page for time and menu.
Whittaker Station is accessible by road, you may want to take a picnic lunch up there...
Babcock State Park, Clifftop WV
Bring your lunch, enjoy a walk on one of the many trails.
Make sure you leave a note on your dash stating when you left, where you went, and estimated return time. Saved my bacon once...
Davis and Elkins College, Dolly Sods, Beckley Science museum ( probably closed), etc...
There is also a rail to trail running from Beckley to Cass, need to find more info on it...
We didn't have time for any of those, but look forward to seeing those next time!
Thanks for the suggestions!
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Congratulations! Hawk's Nest State Park is fairly close by you on US 60, that's a pretty spot. Hope you guys have a good time over there, some scenic, rugged country in that part of WV.
Wish we could have. Many parts of it were closed due to the current situation.
Congratulations! Hawk's Nest State Park is fairly close by you on US 60, that's a pretty spot. Hope you guys have a good time over there, some scenic, rugged country in that part of WV.
Wish we could have. Many parts of it were closed due to the current situation.
Originally Posted by mrsilv04
If you go to the New River Gorge bridge, take the time to go down to the old bridge and cross it. It will put it into perspective how huge of an accomplishment the new bridge was.
Don't speed or do anything to attract the attention of the police in Gauley Bridge, WV.
"The Charleston Gazette reported in 2010 that, in the previous three and a half years, Gauley Bridge police had issued 5,057 speeding tickets — more than any other city or town in the state. The town's population was 614 at the time.".
I did that! Actually ran across the bridge at the bottom of the gorge (it had a plaque that stated its build date as 1997, but I assume it was built in the place of the old bridge).
If you go to the New River Gorge bridge, take the time to go down to the old bridge and cross it. It will put it into perspective how huge of an accomplishment the new bridge was.
Don't speed or do anything to attract the attention of the police in Gauley Bridge, WV.
"The Charleston Gazette reported in 2010 that, in the previous three and a half years, Gauley Bridge police had issued 5,057 speeding tickets — more than any other city or town in the state. The town's population was 614 at the time.".
I did that! Actually ran across the bridge at the bottom of the gorge (it had a plaque that stated its build date as 1997, but I assume it was built in the place of the old bridge).
Originally Posted by gfh77665
Congrats! You guys take a great picture. I don't have a lot of WVA info, but I did visit the historic Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greenbrier
The Texans had their training camp there a few years ago. Even if its not fully open right now its great to look around at the structures and landscaping. Best wishes for a long and happy marriage. If you ever get down to TX, look me up.
Thanks! We went by there today, but it's closed. Security wouldn't even let us drive around and look.
Congrats! You guys take a great picture. I don't have a lot of WVA info, but I did visit the historic Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greenbrier
The Texans had their training camp there a few years ago. Even if its not fully open right now its great to look around at the structures and landscaping. Best wishes for a long and happy marriage. If you ever get down to TX, look me up.
Thanks! We went by there today, but it's closed. Security wouldn't even let us drive around and look.
Originally Posted by zzyzzx
Check out Harper's Ferry in WVA.
We considered doing that.
We decided to extend our trip by a couple of days. Ended up deciding to go to Newport News/VA Beach area. We're staying in Hampton, VA. tonight and tomorrow night. We hope to get some good take-out, run on the beach, see the shipyards, local bridges and landmarks, and just generally explore while avoiding people.
It'll be the first time either of us have been to this area. So, suggestions are welcome. Places to go, things to see, restaurants, etc.
We'll drive home Sunday.
Check out Harper's Ferry in WVA.
We considered doing that.
We decided to extend our trip by a couple of days. Ended up deciding to go to Newport News/VA Beach area. We're staying in Hampton, VA. tonight and tomorrow night. We hope to get some good take-out, run on the beach, see the shipyards, local bridges and landmarks, and just generally explore while avoiding people.
It'll be the first time either of us have been to this area. So, suggestions are welcome. Places to go, things to see, restaurants, etc.
We'll drive home Sunday.
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