Every Tuesday until we run out of states, I plan to post about family-friendly travel ideas, attractions and events in each one of the US states, taking input mostly from Twitter and Facebook.
We’re going in alphabetical order but starting with the end, so our first state for the series was Wyoming, then we investigated Wisconsin and now we’re moving on to….West Virginia!
The state tourism office isn’t on Twitter or Facebook yet (so you West Virginia folks might want to give ‘em a nudge!) Since their new state slogan is “Open for Business” (a branding move, basically) they should consider reaching out to possible visitors, plus their own residents, with social networking tools.
Hey, even small town and rural people are definitely on Twitter.
When I asked for input, here’s what came in (no one responded on Facebook….)
Twitter Travel Tips for West Virginia
From the Elk Horn Inn (here’s their personal blog) via @ElkHornInn on Twitter – ATVing in southern WV; trout fishing in Elkhorn Creek; Oct. Sky Fest (in honor of the October Sky book and movie - the author was from here) in Coalwood, Pipestem Tram, trainspotting, Gary Bowling’s for music…(note from Sheila - here’s a touching video about Gary’s by West Virginia-based writer/editor/singer Douglas Imbrogno - I love discoveries!)
From Chris Bailey via @Chris_Bailey on Twitter – Near and dear to my heart..Stonewall Jackson Heritage Arts and Crafts Jubilee (Labor Day weekend) 2 miles from my boyhood house..must visit New River Gorge.
From Monica Benoit Beatty via @MonicaBB on Twitter — Berkeley Springs WV fun place to swim for kids. Geo Washington’s bathtub’s there. He was a small dude if he fit in it! (note from Sheila - when we chatted in person this past week, Monica also mentioned the Martinsburg Roundhouse Center, a B&O Railroad attraction.)
From @mechteach via Twitter – Canaan Valley/Blackwater Falls nice in summer/winter, many activities, lots of VRBO/HomeAway rental houses around too.
From Carla via @redyelllow on Twitter – Did you already get [whitewater] rafting on the Gauley or New Rivers? (got it!)
From Peggy via @PeggyCoonley on Twitter — W.Virginia annual Scottish Festival & Celtic Gathering http://www.scots-westvirginia.org
Finally, from the BootsnAll Travel Network – booking West Virginia campgrounds and a first-hand report on whitewater rafting.
Thanks so much for the contributions - the next state in the series is Washington.
Send your highlights to @SheilaS on Twitter or my Facebook page (tell me you’re a 50 state-er if you want to friend me.)
Yes, I know how to search for family travel ideas on a destination or attraction Web site, but a tweet or Facebook recommendation is a much more engaging and public way to spread the word.
My purpose for this series is not only to highlight worthy kid-friendly vacation destinations in all 50 states, but by using Twitter and Facebook to also encourage tourism organizations to learn more about connecting with their visitors using social media and online networks.
Please add your own West Virginia suggestions in the comments below, if we’ve missed anything. Thanks!
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Cool recommendations from the twitterverse. I’ll be in WV in early June and plan on hitting the New river. I’m going to check out all of the other options as well.
Can’t wait for the rest of the states!
Thanks, Carla - I had fun pulling it together!
Thanks for the highlights on West Virginia. Great things to do in the state. Whitewater rafting, camping, fishing, atv riding, rock climbing, horseback riding.
Kim
Thanks for visiting, Kim. My husband had a great time on one of your Songer whitewater trips years ago; I was so jealous! I couldn’t go because I was massively pregnant, and no one even wanted to let me be the raft.
Didn’t see the Facebook solicitation, or I would have recommended these gems from my home state:
Hawks Nest State Park, overlooking the New River Gorge (especially beautiful in the fall) — you can ride a tram down into the gorge!
Nearby is the perfectly kitschy piece of roadside Americana, The Mystery Hole. Must be seen to be believed!
Beckley, W.Va., has a really cool exhibition coal mine that makes you appreciate miners oh-so-much.
Also near Beckley on the W.Va. Turnpike is Tamarack, where you can find an abundance of beautifully made crafts from state artisans and sample food from the chefs at the renowned Greenbrier resort — order the fried-green tomato sandwich and buy a bag of handmade marbles for the kids!
Near the old city of Wheeling — where you can find row upon row of Victorian homes — is the lovely Oglebay Park, home to a absolutely awesome winter lights festival.
And further up in the Northern Panhandle in Newell, home of Homer Laughlin China, maker of Fiesta ware — they have a discount store there too.
(The northern area along the Ohio River was once called Brickyard Bend because of all the potteries located there — Hall China is across the river in East Liverpool, OH.)
And last but not least, my own hometown of Chester is home to the World’s Largest Teapot. Enjoy!
Thanks, Lucy, those are wonderful ideas! (The kids won’t care, but I’m very happy to hear about the Laughlin place; love Fiesta!)