These 17 Unique Day Trips in West Virginia Are a Must-Do

One of the best parts about living in West Virginia is the opportunity for adventure. From outdoor attractions to bustling city life, small-town communities, quirky roadside attractions, and historic sites, there's no shortage of unique ways to experience the Mountain State. The next time you're inspired to search for the "best day trips in West Virginia," we hope this list provides some ideas. From beautiful overlooks to iconic landmarks, this list of fun things to do in West Virginia has a little something for every kind of adventurer. Ready to get started? Let's take a look at some West Virginia day trips!

1. Hawk's Nest State Park - Ansted

Located in Ansted, West Virginia, Hawk's Nest is one of West Virginia's most famous pieces of scenery. No matter the season, this beautiful state park will leave you in awe. In fact, there's even a skylift that will take you to one of the most beautiful overlooks in West Virginia.

In this video from Adventures Are Out There, take an adventure to Hawk's Nest State Park. This beautiful region of West Virginia is perfect for spontaneous day trips near the New River Gorge:

2. Summersville Lake - Summersville

Tucked away in Nicholas County, this beautiful lake is positively stunning year-round. It's especially popular during the summer when visitors visit to swim and sunbathe. With water so blue, some folks even refer to this as the Little Bahamas of West Virginia.

3. Timberline Mountain Ski Resort - Davis

Set on Timberline Mountain, this resort is great for skiing and snowboarding and has beautiful lodging! Learn more about planning a trip to the Timberline Resort, one of the best winter destinations in West Virginia.

4. Lost World Caverns - Lewisburg

Lost World Caverns near Lewisburg, WV, are underground natural caverns. These caverns go 120 feet below the surface! The coolest part is that you can embark on your own self-guided tour of these magnificent caverns on one of the most memorable West Virginia day trips.

5. Cass Scenic Railroad - Pocahontas County

Cass Scenic Railroad, located in Pocahontas County, is an 11-mile-long railroad. Visit Cass Railroad in the fall for a fantastic view of the West Virginia fall foliage. The colors will leave you in awe! There's truly so much to explore on the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia.

6. Clay Center - Charleston

Tucked away in Charleston is the amazing Clay Center. They have hands-on learning activities for children, concerts, and even an electric sky theater. The Sky Theater will absolutely blow you away! No matter your age, you'll find something to love about the Clay Center, one of the best family-friendly day trips in WV.

7. GoMart Ballpark - Charleston

Drive down to the capital city, Charleston, to enjoy a baseball game at our very own GoMart Ballpark. Formerly the Appalachian Power Park, this ballpark is home to the Dirty Birds.

8. West Virginia State Penitentiary - Moundsville

Take a tour of the West Virginia State Penitentiary, located in Moundsville. This penitentiary has quite a history. This haunted prison is on the Department of Justice's Top Ten most violent correctional facilities in America!

Check out the infamous West Virginia State Penitentiary if you can stand a little creepiness in your day trips in West Virginia. Learn more in this video from AmysCrypt:

9. Pearl S. Buck Birthplace - Hillsboro

The birthplace of Pearl S. Buck, a famous American writer, is located in Hillsboro. This historic house is also a museum and still has some original furniture that belonged to Pearl Buck and her family. This attraction may keep temporary hours, so be sure to visit the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace website before planning your visit.

10. The Mystery Hole - Ansted

The Mystery Hole in Ansted is a fun and quirky place to visit. You will be blown away by gravity's mind tricks in this West Virginia attraction. Learn more about the baffling Mystery Hole in West Virginia.

11. Exhibition Coal Mine - Beckley

Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley offers underground coal mining tours by veteran coal miners. Wouldn't it be amazing to hear first-hand some of what these coal miners had to do in that very mine? It would be like a living history book. For an unforgettable adventure, you can sign up for a railroad tour of the Exhibition Coal Mine for a historic day trip in WV.

12. Winterplace Ski Resort - Ghent

Winterplace Ski Resort boasts nine lifts, 27 trails, and even snow tubing. In fact, many consider Winterplace Ski Resort to have the best snow tubing in the entire state. If you're looking for a WV winter day trip, put Winterplace at the top of your list.

13. The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad - Romney

The Potomac is famous for the rails passing through "The Trough," an area known for bald eagle sightings. Learn more about this scenic West Virginia train ride you'll love.

14. Bridge Day on the New River Gorge Bridge - Victor

Once a year, there's a Bridge Day Event held on the New River Gorge Bridge. There's BASE jumping, rappelling, and bungee jumping! Not to mention the fact that this bridge is the third-highest vehicular bridge in America. Learn more about Bridge Day on the New River Gorge Bridge.

15. Camden Park - Huntington

Camden Park is a beloved theme park in West Virginia famous for its carousel, haunted house, and plenty of family-friendly games and attractions. Learn more about this old-school theme park in West Virginia that everyone in your family will love. Camden Park is one place you must add to your WV summer day trip bucket list.

16. Burning Rock Off-Road Park - Sophia

Burning Rock Park is a great place to ride the ATV trails, zip line, camp, and much more. If you're looking for an adrenaline-fueled day trip in West Virginia, Burning Rock Off-Road Park is a must.

17. The Gauley River

If you are up for an adventure, grab a paddle and a helmet and jump into a white-water raft on the Upper Gauley River. The Gauley River is a 105-mile-long river in West Virginia that merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River. Learn more about how you can spend some quality time on the beautiful Gauley River in West Virginia.

One of the best day trips near you in Southern West Virginia is whitewater rafting. Check out a rafting trip on the Gauley River in this video from Sarah Kester:

We hope this list provides some inspiration for the next time you search for day trips in West Virginia! What are some of your favorite West Virginia adventures? Be sure to share them with us through our nomination page.

For more fun things to do in West Virginia, check out our list of unforgettable West Virginia day trips— there's one for each month of the year!