Best West Virginia Attraction (2018)

A historic national landmark in the mountains of West Virginia, The Greenbrier has been luring guests with its mineral springs since 1778. Modern day visitors still come for the world-renowned mineral spa, as well as for the 55 other activities with the Allegheny Mountains as a backdrop. Once a classified relocation facility for the U.S. Congress, the Bunker at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs now welcomes all visitors to explore this fascinating bit of history.
Photo courtesy of The Greenbrier

Purportedly one of West Virginia's most haunted sites, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum opened its doors in 1864. By the 1950s, the facility was operating way over capacity with inhumane conditions. The hospital has since closed, but visitors can still tour the National Historic Landmark to hear about its storied past and paranormal present.
Photo courtesy of iStock / BDphoto

For more than 30 years, the radio program “Mountain Stage with Larry Groce” has been the home of live music on public radio. Recorded in front of an audience and heard weekly on 200 NPR stations across the country, Mountain Stage is the longest running program of it’s kind. Established stars and emerging artists of all genres have a home on Mountain Stage, from world music to soul, bluegrass to R&B, traditional to the modern. Each week listeners across the country experience Mountain Stage on radio, but there’s nothing like attending the show in person.
Photo courtesy of Mountain Stage

Watch a sunset from Grandview in West Virginia's New River Gorge National River, and it's easy to see how the area got its name. The Main Overlook is 1,400 feet above the New River, offering some of the most breathtaking scenery anywhere in the park.
Photo courtesy of Visit Southern West Virginia

A tour of the fascinating Green Bank Observatory site starts at the Green Bank Science Center, where hands-on exhibits bring the world of radio astronomy to life. Bus excursions bring visitors into the center's restricted zone for a close up look at the Green Bank Telescope, the world's largest fully-steerable telescope.
Photo courtesy of iStock / ablokhin

Discovered in 1942, West Virginia's Lost World Caverns bring visitors 120 feet below the surface of the earth to see a series of impressive cave formations, including a 30 ton stalactite known as The Snowy Chandelier and a column of glittering white calcite called The Bridal Veil. No matter the weather outside, the cave maintains a 52-degree temperature throughout the year.
Photo courtesy of Lost World Caverns

This nearly 4,000-acre national park is home to the town Harpers Ferry, a historically noteworthy town of the 19th century. Visitors enjoy both history and outdoor recreation here, in a region that feels like you’ve traveled back in time. Harpers Ferry is a National Historic Park and National Monument where you can learn about John Brown’s attempt to overthrow slavery, see historic battlefields and hike through nature along the river. With the unique combination of attractions – cultural, educational, active and relaxing – it’s no wonder nearly 500,000 people visit Harpers Ferry every year.
Photo courtesy of NPS Photo

At the center of Blackwater Falls State Park in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia is the 57-foot waterfall that gets its name from its tannic-tinted waters. It's one of the most photographed sites in the state.
Photo courtesy of iStock / zrfphoto

One of the world's largest off-roading trail systems winds through the Appalachian Mountains of southern West Virginia – the same area where much of the famous Hatfield-McCoy feuding took place. Today, the region offers some of the best ATV, UTV and dirt biking trails in the world.
Photo courtesy of iStock / suriya silsaksom

Occupying the most famous island on the Ohio River, Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park protects a Palladian mansion, built by wealthy aristocrats in 1789 and transformed into a museum.
Photo courtesy of iStock / MsNancy