West Virginia

Introduction

Geography

Cities

• Charleston is the state's capital and largest city.
• Huntington
• Parkersburg
• Wheeling
• Morgantown
• Weirton
• Fairmont
• Beckley
• Clarksburg
• Martinsburg.

Sights and Activities

West Virginia's Motto is 'Wild and Wonderful'. There are tons of wonderful things to do here. Seneca Rocks is one of the foundations of Rock Climbing in America. The New River Gorge is one of the oldest rivers in North America. The white water rafting in the Gorge is one of the best in the world. In fact in October during the Gauley River release, the Gauley River becomes the number one technical river the world. Other then white water rafting there is beautiful scenic hikes, mountain biking and world class rock climbing. In the winter there is skiing at Snowshoe Mountain and Canaan Valley. Located in Green Bank is a radio telescope by the only 100 square mile radio silent zone in America. This zone was setup in the 1960s so that they could do radio astronomy in the area.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

By Train

Two trains, operated by Amtrak, travel to and from the state of West Virginia.

• The Capitol Limited operates between Washington DC and Chicago, stopping in Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, West Virginia.
• The Cardinal/Hoosier State travels between New York and Chicago, stopping in a number of places in the state.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

West Virginia has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Hotel and Motel Chains

There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include:

• Motel 6
• Super 8
• Days Inn
• Quality Inn
• Red Roof Inn
• Howard Johnson
• Best Western
• La Quinta Inns and Suites
• Holiday Inn
• Econo Lodge
• Travelodge
• Hilton
• Choice Hotels
• Ramada
• Radisson
• Starwood Hotels
• Marriott Hotels