Updated Jun 22, 2024

West Virginia Road Trip Ideas: 11 Best Road Trips + Itinerary

Discover the best road trips in West Virginia for every season and interest.

Updated Jun 22, 2024

Written by

Chris Muras

Trip Ideas|Road Trips

Updated Dec 15, 2023

This Rural Road Trip Will Lead You To Some Of The Best Countryside Hidden Gems In West Virginia

Explore a rural West Virginia road trip featuring six scenic and historic stops.

Updated Dec 15, 2023

Written by

Cristy

Country roads are the best roads - in West Virginia, at least - which is why you'll want to add this rural West Virginia road trip to some of the state's best countryside hidden gems to your itinerary! With six stops in just over an hour of drive time, this WV road trip packs a punch (in terms of natural beauty and historic significance) without costing you a fortune in gas ... which is yet another reason to love it.

1. Union

alt — Rural Heritage Quilt Trail / Facebook

Any West Virginia road trip through the countryside should arguably start in Monroe County, somewhere along the Heritage Quilt Trail that surrounds Union, West Virginia. Green pastures, rolling hills, rugged mountains, old barns ... it doesn't get much more beautiful or peaceful than this!

2. Cooks Old Mill

Once you've driven some of Monroe County's backroads, point your car toward Cooks Old Mill in Greenville. This quiet, privately owned historical park is a beautiful, peaceful, picturesque place for a stroll and a break from your WV road trip.

3. John Henry Historical Park

Almost everyone in America has heard the legendary folk tale of John Henry, the man who raced a machine to tunnel through a mountain. But almost no one realizes that this fabled event is said to have taken place right here in West Virginia. This stop alone makes this route one of the best road trips near me in West Virginia.

4. Hinton Railroad Museum

The least rural of all these rural road trip in West Virginia stops, the Hinton Railroad Museum represents the massive amount of miles of railroad track winding through even the most remote regions of West Virginia.

5. Historic Subsistence Farms

Countryside hidden gems - they sound so idyllic, don't they? They are, but living in the remote back country in days gone by was also hard. Get a feel for that side of the story at two historic subsistence farms along the route to Sandstone Falls, the Trump-Lilly Farm and the Richmond-Hamilton Farm, both now part of the New River Gorge National Park.

6. Sandstone Falls

Sandstone Falls is the most famous of the hidden gems on our list, but it's still well worth a stop while you're in the area! Spanning the New River as it does, it's the Mountain State's widest waterfall. It's really a perfect spot to end this West Virginia road trip.

And there you have it, a short and sweet WV road trip packed with out of the way natural and historic treasures.

You know what they always say ... "Country roads, take me home to the place I belong: West Virginia!" Map this road trip for yourself on Google Maps.

What are your picks for the best road trips near me in West Virginia? Tell us in the comments!

Now that you've got your road trip figured out, what about snacks? Check out our road trip snacks list!

Looking for more unique places for road trips in West Virginia? Take a look at these hidden gems in West Virginia.

Trip Ideas|Road Trips

Updated Sep 23, 2023

Take A Thrilling Road Trip To The 7 Most Abandoned Places In West Virginia

Explore fascinating abandoned places in West Virginia, each with unique histories and eerie atmospheres.

Updated Sep 23, 2023

Written by

Rachel Whetstone

Abandoned places intrigue us with their sad histories and hidden stories. If you are looking for some fascinating abandoned places in West Virginia, we've got you covered. Some are slowly returning to nature, so visit soon before they are lost forever.

Some of the locations on this list are on private property. As always, use caution around ruined buildings, be safe, and also get permission before entering any buildings on private property. It's exciting to learn all about abandoned West Virginia; just make sure you take proper precautions to experience them.

Check out our interactive map.

Get ready to check out some abandoned places near me in West Virginia!

1. Hilltop House Hotel

This once magnificent hotel was left structurally unstable after a fire and has now been abandoned. Check out this video tour of Hilltop House Hotel. It remains one of the creepiest places in West Virginia. Read further on about the Hilltop House Hotel.

As of early 2023, there are plans in development to transform this abandoned West Virginia hotel into a luxury resort.

2. St. John's Episcopal Church

This abandoned church suffered great damage during the Civil War and was eventually replaced by a new church. The ruins are now considered part of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and remain one of the creepiest abandoned places in West Virginia.

3. Virginius Island

This island was once home to the Shenandoah Pulp Mill and a surrounding town. The entire town is now in ruins, but you can visit and tour via a bridge in Harpers Ferry. Then you can claim to have visited one of the most fascinating ghost towns of West Virginia.

4. Old Sweet Springs Resort

Sweet Springs was once a popular vacation destination, with guests of the resort finding relaxation and healing in the spring waters. The resort closed in 1930, and the building has been abandoned since 1993. Although it has been slated for restoration as of 2015, it remains one of the most popular examples of abandoned places near me in West Virginia.

5. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

This abandoned West Virginia park closed after a couple of tragic accidents resulting in the deaths of children. It's now privately owned but sometimes opens for October tours. See what it’s like to explore this abandoned amusement park:

6. Thurmond

This town is one of many ghost towns in West Virginia, with just five residents now, but it is kept well-preserved by the National Park Service. It's one of the most photographed abandoned places in West Virginia. Get an in-depth look at the history of Thurmond:

7. Kaymoor

You'll have to hike to get to this abandoned old mining town, but it's worth it to see the old buildings and mining equipment. This is definitely one of the best abandoned West Virginia places to see!

Have you seen any of these abandoned places in West Virginia? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

If you want to make a road trip out of this, consider renting! Check out what RVShare has to offer!

Some of the creepiest places in West Virginia aren't quite abandoned but are available for tours and ghost hunting. Take a look at West Virginia State Penitentiary or the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.

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West Virginia Road Trip Ideas: 11 Best Road Trips + Itinerary

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West Virginia Castle Road Trip

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This Rural Road Trip Will Lead You To Some Of The Best Countryside Hidden Gems In West Virginia

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Take A Thrilling Road Trip To The 7 Most Abandoned Places In West Virginia

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All Stories

How To Help After Hurricane Helene

The Stunning Hike in Nebraska Where the Drive is Worth the Final View

The Audubon Center in North Dakota Where You’ll See More Than 12 Waterfowl Species in a Single Afternoon

The Up-and-Coming City in Kansas That’s Perfectly Sized

The Audubon Center in Illinois Where You’ll See More Than 15 Bird Species in a Single Afternoon