West Virginia
Experiences|Tours

This Moonshine Tasting Room In West Virginia Is One Hidden Speakeasy You’ll Want To Tour

Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine Distillery in West Virginia offers tours and tastings of their historic, family-recipe moonshine.

Published Oct 24, 2018

Written by 

Robin Jarvis

Moonshine has been in the hearts (and veins!) of people for centuries. During prohibition, it was a primary means of income for some West Virginians, and a primary means of forbidden entertainment for others. Fortunately, moonshine is still around and is making a comeback in a more legal fashion than in the past. If you haven't tried shine (lately) then you may be pleasantly surprised at how smooth the taste actually is. And in the Mountain State, there's no better place to get (re)acquainted with moonshine than at the Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine Distillery.

Before you ask: yes, it's that Hatfield & McCoy. (Who else would it be?) And the recipes used at this small-batch distillery have been passed down through direct generations from Devil Anse Hatfield himself.

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Facebook/Hatfield & Mccoy Moonshine LLC

The distillery is even located on land that was owned by Devil Anse, and you can visit, take a tour, and try a sample.

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Google Maps/Levi

Hatfield & McCoy moonshine is a white corn whiskey brewed in small batches using the same recipe Devil Anse used to arrive at a 90 proof alcohol that goes down smooth yet puts is kick in your step. Take a tour and learn about the process as well as some history.

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TripAdvisor/ihatetocook506

After, head over to the bar to sample the drink of the Devil (Anse) himself.

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TripAdvisor/J L

In addtion to bottles and jars of shine you can purchase to take home, there is also a gift shop where you can buy Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine-branded merchandise like t-shirts and hats.

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Facebook/Hatfield & Mccoy Moonshine LLC

Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine is the very first legally-produced shine by the Hatfields and McCoys, but it's safe to say they have generations of hands-on experience. The business is still family-run by direct descendants of Devil Anse Hatfield.

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TripAdvisor/PrincessJas

Have you tried moonshine in this century? It's really good!

The Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine distillery and gift shop is located at 297 James Ave., Gilbert, WV 25621. It's open year-round, Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday/Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tours and tastes are free. Learn more on the official website for Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine.

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Experiences|Tours

Not Many People Know That You Can Take A Ride On A Historically Unique Rapid Transit System In West Virginia

The West Virginia University Personal Rapid Transport system, the first large-scale automated guideway transit in the U.S., is still operational and open to the public.

Published Mar 2, 2023

Written by 

Cristy

Would you believe it if we told you that the first large-scale automated guideway transit system in the U.S. is right here in West Virginia? It's true! Designed as a demonstration project by Boeing, the Personal Rapid Transport (PRT) system at West Virginia University in Morgantown made history when it first launched in the early 1970s. And it's still in use today, nearly half a century later, shuttling WVU students and staff onto and around campus.

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Here's what many people don't know, though: the WVU PRT is open to the public.

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WVU Transportation and Parking / Facebook

That's right, for mere pocket change, you can hop on a groundbreaking, historically unique Personal Rapid Transport vehicle and take a tour around Morgantown and WVU.

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WVU Transportation and Parking / Facebook

Electronically powered, rubber-tired vehicles built on Dodge truck chassis: 69. Stations: 5. Dedicated guideway: 8.7 miles, from the Walnut Station to the Health Sciences Station, with the Beechurst, Engineering, and Towers Stations in between. Miles traveled on that track since 1975: 35 million and counting. Rides per day: 15,000. Passenger trips since 1975: more than 83 million and counting.

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West Virginia University / Facebook

These are the numbers for the West Virginia University PRT (Personal Rapid Transport) system. Pretty impressive, huh?

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West Virginia University / Facebook

Here's something else impressive: the beloved WVU PRT was the first of its kind in the entire nation when it pioneered as a demonstration for Boeing.

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WVU Transportation and Parking / Facebook

President Richard Nixon's daughter was there to take one of the very first PRT rides. And you can still hop on one of these historic shuttles today!

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West Virginia University / Facebook

Free to WVU students, staff, and faculty, the PRT only costs the general public a couple quarters per ride. The PRT typically runs Monday through Saturday during the WVU school year but is usually closed on breaks, including summer break.

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West Virginia University / Facebook

Don't worry, the PRT cabs aren't usually packed this full!

Does the WVU PRT help you get where you need to go on a regular basis? If not, have you ever ridden it just for fun? Learn more about this groundbreaking personal rapid transport system on the West Virginia University website or the WVU Transportation Facebook page.

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Experiences|Tours

This Hatfield & McCoy Airboat Tour Of West Virginia’s Tug Fork River Offers A New Take On An Old Feud

Take a Hatfield & McCoy Airboat Tour on the Tug Fork River in West Virginia to explore historical sites related to the famous family feud.

Updated Feb 15, 2023

Written by 

Cristy

What do you do when you've done it all? Why, you head to West Virginia and take a Hatfield & McCoy Airboat Tour, of course! This fun airboat ride on the Tug Fork River takes you past key historical locations surrounding the ancient Hatfield and McCoy feud from a new angle.

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The southwestern boundary of West Virginia is defined, in large part, by a river: the Tug Fork.

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Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr

The Tug Fork is a 159-mile long tributary of the Big Sandy, and it runs through West Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia, eventually draining into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River.

It's actually fairly common for a river to define a portion of the West Virginia state boundary. But what makes this river significant is which state it separates us from — Kentucky.

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Hatfield Mccoy Airboat Tours/Facebook

And if you know anything about the history of the relationship between Kentucky and West Virginia... then you know it involves the infamous names Hatfield and McCoy.

The Hatfields of West Virginia and the McCoys of Kentucky became sworn enemies around the time of the Civil War...

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Hatfield McCoy Airboat Tours/Facebook

...and their fierce, decades-long family feud has become stitched into American folklore, and more specifically, into West Virginia folklore.

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It's a colorful part of the nation's history, and now you can experience it from a whole new angle.

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Hatfield Mccoy Airboat Tours/Facebook

That would be by speeding up the Tug Fork River on a Hatfield & McCoy Airboat Tour! It is one of the best boat rides in West Virginia!

Relax and enjoy the scenery as you cruise the river.

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Hatfield Mccoy Airboat Tours Facebook Page

Along they way you'll see verdant trees and plants and abundant wildlife while your captain and tour guide give you a run-down on the local history and historical sites associated with the Hatfields and McCoys.

It's a fun, interesting way to spend a portion of the day, and you can do it on your own or with a big group of friends.

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Hatfield Mccoy Airboat Tours Facebook Page

Tours are based out of the Matewan Depot in Matewan, West Virginia, and take about one hour.

To book a memorable ride on this airboat, visit the Hatfield & McCoy Airboat Tours website or Facebook page. Through these two entities, you can also contact them to request more information on availability and pricing.

Have you already embarked upon this awesome Tug River adventure? If so, which part was you favorite? We'd love to read about your experience in the comments section below!

And if you've already done THAT, then here's a list of 15 things to do in West Virginia specially curated just for you!

If you’re still in the mood for more West Virginia adventures, take a look at this video about the abandoned town of Thurmond:

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