Visitor Information
Contact the West Virginia Division of Tourism (tel. 800/CALL-WVA or 304/558-2200; www.callwva.com), for its very comprehensive travel guide as well as maps and other travel information. Very knowledgeable travel counselors will offer advice, suggest travel ideas, and make reservations for you if you so desire.
Eight welcome centers, staffed daily from 9am to 5pm November to April and 8am to 6pm May to October, are strategically placed along major road routes and state borders. For exact locations, contact the Division of Tourism.
For information on the state's myriad outdoor recreational activities, contact the Division of Tourism or head to the website of West Virginia State Parks (www.wvstateparks.com).
Getting There
By Plane -- West Virginia has nine commercial airports. For more information on flying into the state, consult the West Virginia Department of Transportation Aeronautics Commission (tel. 304/558-3436; www.wvdot.com).
By Train -- Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) provides service to several major cities, including White Sulphur Springs and Charleston, via its Cardinal train. MARC commuter rail service (tel. 866/743-3682; www.mtamaryland.com) is available from Washington, D.C., to Harpers Ferry.
By Car -- The major north-south interstate is the four-lane I-77 which runs south out of Cleveland, through West Virginia, and down to Charlotte. The other major interstate is I-79, which enters the state just north of Morgantown from Pittsburgh and runs southwest until Charleston, where it intersects with I-64, which runs from Virginia to Charleston, and on into Kentucky. I-81 runs from Maryland through the northeast corner of the state and into Virginia.
Special Events
The annual State Fair of West Virginia (tel. 304/645-1090; www.wvstatefair.com) has featured family-friendly livestock exhibits, a carnival, concerts, food, and other fun for over 80 years. It's staged in mid-August at the State Fairgrounds in Lewisburg. On West Virginia Day, commemorating the date the state was granted admittance to the Union (June 20, 1863), celebrations, concerts, parades, and fireworks are staged in various cities all over the state. For more information, check out www.callwva.com.
