on location: south ❖
randy mink
West Virginia
Sampler
Looking ahead to 150 years of statehood, this Appalachian empire offers mountains of itinerary ideas
New River Gorge National River as seen from the overlook at Hawks Nest State Park. Left: American Mountain Theater in Elkins.
A
n oddly shaped piece of land, with eastern and northern panhandles jutting into surrounding states, West Virginia reigns as a mountain king-
dom unto itself. Situated between the Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, it is a bit hard to classify. Is it Southern or Eastern? Or a high-altitude slice of Middle America? For tour planners, there’s really no need to pigeonhole West Virginia geographically. The main thing to know – its awesome Appalachian setting doesn’t hurt. It was the roadside vistas that most intrigued me on my recent and very first trip to West Virginia. As we rolled through rugged mountain passes and verdant valleys, past rippling ridges, rushing rivers, gurgling creeks and historic hamlets tucked in the hollers, I realized it’s LeisureGroupTravel.com
LeisureGroupTravel.com
June 2012 25
West Virginia Division of Tourism
tourism offerings are exceedingly group-friendly. And the
on location: south ❖ untapped oasis in the sea of tourism.” Her day and multi-day tours in West Virginia and surrounding states range from faith-based to historical, with some centered around special events like the Preston County Buckwheat Festival. “All Tied Up in Knotts” focuses on the hometown haunts of Don Knotts (Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show), who grew in Morgantown. Also popular is “Appalachian Vittles,” a day-long dinearound packed with such treats as buckwheat pancakes and sausage, baked steak, apple bread pudding and pepperoni rolls (first made in Fairmont for coal miners). Mountaineer Country Tours’ nine-day “Civil War Trails and Mountain Rails” covers a number of West Virginia battle sites, including Philippi, and ends up in Maryland. Several guides for the tour company are living history actors (like Stonewall Jackson, Mark Twain, Clara Barton and Mary Todd Lincoln) and singers. Special entertainment includes an old-time radio show (Peterson plays Gracie Allen) and a barbershop quartet Greenbrier County CVB
in which her husband sings lead. Left: Shops like Bella The Corner Gourmet draw groups to downtown Lewisburg. Below: Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine sheds light on mining.
nicknamed the Mountain State for a reason. West Virginia’s average mean altitude is 1,500 feet, the highest of any state east of the Mississippi. MounWest Virginia Division of Tourism
tain lore, from coal culture to moonshine to handicrafts, defines the state for outsiders and piques the curiosity of tourists. For travelers criss-crossing the state by motorcoach, the pleasing, often eye-popping scenery means getting there is half the fun. West Virginia’s renowned tourist trains, a highlight of many group itineraries, penetrate pristine areas inaccessible by road. Forests cover more than 80 percent of the state.
I’m a history buff and found the West Virginia State Museum in Charleston the perfect place to learn what the state
West Virginia also has a special history. The only state born
is all about. Transformed a few years ago into a state-of-the-
out of the Civil War, it seceded from Virginia and declared its
art showplace, the museum offers a journey through West Vir-
statehood in 1863. Sesquicentennial activities are scheduled
ginia, from prehistoric to present. Located in the Culture
across the state in 2013.
Center, in the State Capitol Complex, it abounds with touch-
In addition, many historical attractions are observing the
screen computers, videos and drawers to open. You can step
150th anniversary of the Civil War with re-enactments and
into a log cabin, view Civil War artifacts, hear water dripping
other living history events over the next few years. West
in a simulated coal mine and watch archival footage about
Virginia (then western Virginia) was the site of the war’s first
desegregation at a replica 1950s soda fountain. Besides tours,
land battle, the Battle of Philippi on June 3, 1861. Visitors can
groups can take advantage of free programs that focus on
relive Civil War days at the historical museum and other sites
genealogy and other topics in the museum’s 45-seat Media
in the town of Philippi.
Center. On educational visits for student groups, each student
JoAnn Peterson, of Mountaineer Country Tours, one of
gets a video camera for recording impressions that they edit for
the state’s few receptive operators, calls West Virginia “an
a video blog in the computer lab. Catered meals for groups can
26 June 2012
LeisureGroupTravel.com
West Virginia
There’s only one thing missing!
There’s so much to see and do in Cabell County. Whether it’s nightly or weekly, we can connect you with great places to stay, unique restaurants, cool shopping, fun things to do and interesting places to visit. Stop by or call our office for a FREE Visitor’s Guide
W
VTO
800
URISM.CO
M
-225-5982
1-800-635-6329 | 304-525-7333 www.wvvisit.org Above: Heritage Farm Village • Camden Park • Blenko Glass • Ritter Park • Hillbilly Hotdogs
on location: south ❖ Parkersburg, another historical hotspot on the Ohio River, prospered from nearby oil and natural gas discoveries during the same era. Downtown’s red-brick Blennerhasset Hotel, adorned with turrets, gables and Romanesque touches, opened its doors in 1889 and welcomed businessmen from all over the country. Today, sparkling from a multi-million-dollar renovation completed in 2005, it welcomes tour groups, offering punch-and-cookie and wine-and-cheese receptions, plus culinary classes and demonstrations conducted by its executive or pastry chef. A few blocks away at the 1926 Smoot Theatre, a vaudeville relic saved from the wrecking ball in 1989, the famous “Dessert Tour” features a backstage tour followed by dessert, coffee and live music on stage. A performing arts center, the Smoot hosts plays and concerts. Other downtown attractions include the Oil & Gas Museum (with new Civil War exhibit) and West Virginia Division of Tourism
Blennerhassett Museum. A video at the latter tells the story of Blennerhassett Island, where the Blennerhassetts, an Left: West Virginia Independence Hall, a must-see sight in Wheeling. Below: Travel back in time at Blennerhassett Island in the Ohio River.
be arranged, or there’s a food court in the State Capitol basement. Tours of the Capitol and GoverMichelle Waters/Greater Parkersburg CVB
nor’s Mansion also are available. Another cultural epicenter in Charleston is the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences. Besides art exhibitions and a hands-on science museum, it features planetarium shows and giant-screen movies in the domed theater, plus a performing arts theater with Broadway-style plays and headliners like Willie Nelson and Tony Bennett. Wheeling, an Ohio River city in the northern panhandle, is the cradle of West Virginia statehood. West Virginia
aristocratic Irish family, built a mansion in the late 1700s. A
Independence Hall, an 1859 Renaissance Revival structure
reconstruction of their stately home is the focal point of the
built as a federal customs house and also used as a post of-
Ohio River island (a state historical park), a 20-minute stern-
fice and courthouse, is where West Virginia became the 35th
wheeler ride from Point Park. Parkersburg itineraries often
state during the Civil War. West Virginia’s Declaration of Inde-
include Holl’s Swiss Chocolatier in Vienna; group members
pendence and State Constitution were ratified in its courtroom.
receive a free candy sample and coffee.
An 18-minute video chronicles how the anti-slavery counties
In the Potomac Highlands region of eastern West Virginia,
of western Virginia decided to form their own state. Tour
music theaters and railroad nostalgia make Elkins a magnet
guides, including role-playing, costumed characters like a Con-
for tour groups. American Mountain Theater (AMT), located
federate sympathizer or freed slave, can be arranged for
in the Historic Rail Yard, serves up Branson-style entertain-
groups. On display are Civil War flags and fine furnishings that
ment. Besides its “Premier” two-hour music and comedy vari-
mirrored the opulence of Wheeling society during its industrial
ety show and hour-long “History of American Music Show,” it
boom years in the late 1800s. Once the state capital, Wheeling
presents Southern gospel concerts on selected dates. AMT is
also was known as the “Nail Capital of the World.”
across the street from the Holiday Inn Express, RailYard
28 June 2012
LeisureGroupTravel.com
Sometimes it isn’t how far you travel, but how far back.
FIND YOUR WILD AND WONDERFUL
WVTOURISM.COM | 800-225-5982
V I S I T W V To u r i s m . c o m / C i v i l W a r T O V I E W T H E F I L M S E R I E S “ W E S T V I R G I N I A : C H I L D O F T H E R E B E L L I O N .”
K AT H Y. A . J O H N S O N 2 @ W V. G O V
Marion County CVB
on location: south ❖
Pioneer days come alive at Prickett’s Fort State Park, just north of Fairmont.
restaurant and the depot for the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, which offers excursions in the Monongahela National Forest. Gandy Dancer Theatre opened last June in Elkins as West Virginia’s only dinner theater. Along with chicken, beef and all the fixin’s, audiences enjoy a two-hour Friday or Saturday show with comedy, 1970s and ’80s rock, country music and a gospel segment. Shows can be scheduled on other days to fit into a group’s itinerary. Both Gandy Dancer and AMT put on Christmas shows starting the day after Thanksgiving. Seven miles south of Elkins is Rich Mountain Battlefield, a Civil War site in Beverly. A Union victory there in 1861 gave Federal forces control over much of northwestern Virginia and allowed those counties to form a government that eventually led to the creation of the new state. Beverly’s historic district has several museums and war-related points of interest. Costumed interpreters, period craft demonstrations and a Blue and Gray Choir concert highlight Beverly Heritage Days (July 13-15). Life on the frontier comes alive at Prickett’s Fort State Park in northcentral West Virginia, just north of Fairmont. The park’s centerpiece, a rustic log stockade with blockhouses at each corner, is a re-creation of the original 1774 fort that served early settlers as a refuge from Indian attacks. Costumed interpreters demonstrate pioneer skills like blacksmithing, pottery, weaving (on a 1700s loom) and hearth cooking (maybe bear or venison stew). Sheep and other farm animals are kept outside the fort walls. Groups can picnic in the park; the local Cracker Barrel can provide box lunches. Located at the confluence of Prickett’s Creek and the Monongahela River, the park also has an amphitheater for concerts, an 1859 house open for tours and a visitor center with exhibits and a half-hour video on the conflict between settlers and natives. Heston Farm Winery and Pinchgut Hollow Distillery, a Fairmont fun spot that just opened last year, is a one-stop shop for wine and moonshine. Decorated with farm-themed art and antiques, it offers tours and tastings and has facilities for group meals. The 70- and 100-proof spirits, sold in pig-shaped bottles, are based on “family recipes from generations of moonshiners.” The Heston family has made corn whiskey since before the American Revolution. The distillery is the only producer of buckwheat whiskey in the U.S. and also makes Apple Pie Shine (corn whiskey, apple juice and spices). The New River-Greenbrier Valley area of southeastern West Virginia 30 June 2012
LeisureGroupTravel.com
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: See the article on The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs. Log on to http://leisuregrouptravel.com?p=26806.
abounds with historical sites, outdoor opportunities and intriguing small towns, not to mention one of America’s most famous resorts, The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs. Lewisburg, a tidy town founded in 1787, abounds with freshly painted, vintage buildings, many of them housing restaurants, pubs, art galleries, antique shops and fashion boutiques. The seat of Greenbrier County, historic downtown Lewisburg also is home to the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, West Virginia’s official professional theater. Just south of town in Fairlea, the West Virginia State Fair takes place every August. Underground splendor awaits at Lost World Caverns and Organ Cave. Greenbrier County’s newest attraction is Smooth Ambler Spirits in Maxwelton, a small-batch craft distillery (whiskey, vodka, gin, bourbon) that offers tours and tastings. One of the state’s most popular motorcoach stops is Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia, a retail showcase of top-quality art and crafts. Located just off I-77 in Beckley, it offers demonstrations by quilters, glassblowers, potters and other artisans. Wares range from birdhouses and baskets to West Virginia wines and animal figurines carved from coal. You can pick up cookbooks like Cooking in a Coal Camp and CDs of dulcimer, Celtic or old-time fiddle music. The Greenbrier Shop sells gourmet foods and resort logo items, and Tamarack’s high-end, cafeteria-style restaurant is managed by Greenbrier-trained chefs. Also in Beckley, groups can explore the state’s signature industry at Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, traveling 1,500 feet below ground alongside an experienced coal miner. A collection of restored buildings on the grounds, including Pemberton Coal Camp Church and Helen Coal Camp School, provide a revealing look at early 20th century coal camp life. Theatre West
RIME TIME
Virginia in Beckley presents the classic outdoor dramas Hatfields and McCoys and Honey in the Rock. The latter play, performed since 1961, tells the story of West Virginia’s tumultuous birth during the Civil War. As the only state born of a nation torn, West Virginia captivates travelers with its unique history. Groups will find a treasure
Discover the Greenbrier Valley and experience a tour filled with enchantment, luxury and relaxation. We are home to America’s Resort, The Greenbrier; one of only four operational Carnegie Hall’s in the world; West Virginia’s Official Year-Round Professional Theatre, Greenbrier Valley Theatre; and the city of Lewisburg, named America’s Coolest Small Town by Budget Travel in 2011. Visit greenbrierwv.com/group for complete details about the area. Also, be on the lookout for our new Destination Planning Guide, a quick and easy way to plan your next trip to the Greenbrier Valley!
chest of Civil War lore, mountain culture and small-town hospitality in the hills and valleys of a state with a character all its own. LGT LeisureGroupTravel.com
greenbrierwv.com • 800-833-2068
June 2012 31