10 must-see stops on your virtual family road trip

Discover West Virginia on a virtual road trip and hop online for a tour of museums, historic sites and remote destinations without ever leaving your home. There’s plenty to see in the Mountain State and it’s waiting for you and your family to explore online, all just a few clicks away.

1.    Take a tour of the Art Museum of West Virginia University

Peruse featured exhibits that are organized from the collection of the Art Museum of WVU, which includes paintings, prints and works on paper, sculpture, ceramics and folk art.

Click around this 360-degree tour of the museum (which also works in virtual reality (VR) mode if you have a VR headset).

2.    Listen to a tour of the West Virginia State Museum

Take a journey through time as you trek from a pre-historic coal forest into early western settlement and present-day wonders. The West Virginia State Museum is a fascinating experience and a must see for everyone who lives and visits the great state of West Virginia.

Take a video tour guided by Charles Morris, Director of West Virginia Division of Culture and History as part of C-SPAN’s Cities Tour series.

 3.    Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

Harpers Ferry is one of the most history-rich places in the country. Get fresh perspective on its past along the trails of the National Historical Park.

See the beauty of this park on a virtual photo tour.

4.    Green Bank and the National Quiet Zone

Visit the town of Green Bank in the National Radio Quiet Zone where radio, television, cellular and even Wi-Fi transmissions can interfere with military intelligence transmission and scientific research, so they’re practically non-existent. The massive Green Bank Telescope is the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world.

Experience the Quiet Zone in this video from National Geographic.

5.    Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park

Blennerhassett Island is located on a small island in the Ohio River and features a Palladian mansion and museum.  Access the island via a 20-minute sternwheeler ride on the Island Belle departing from Point Park in Parkersburg. The 19th century-style riverboat plies the beautiful Ohio River, carrying today’s passengers into a bygone era.

Take a video tour of this historical state park.

6.    Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine

Take a trip through what once was an operating coal mine. Let Veteran Miners guide you through the past and into the future of mining in West Virginia. In addition to the Coal Mine Tour, enjoy the Coal Camp, which includes a restored coal camp house, miner’s shanty, church, school and more.

Get a preview on this video tour of the experience.

7.    Take a campus tour of West Virginia University

As a land-grant institution in the 21st century, WVU delivers high-quality education, excels in discovery and innovation, models a culture of diversity and inclusion, promotes health and vitality, and builds pathways for the exchange of knowledge and opportunity between the state, the nation and the world.

Take a virtual tour of the university.

8.    Take a campus tour of Marshall University

Marshall University is a public comprehensive university with a rich history as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in West Virginia. Founded in 1837 and named after Chief Justice John Marshall, definer of the Constitution, Marshall University advances the public good through innovative, accredited educational programs.

Take a virtual tour of the university.

9.    Learn about the West Virginia Pepperoni Roll

Originally from the town of Fairmont, the pepperoni roll has a cult-like following in West Virginia. The pepperoni roll is a soft dinner roll wrapped around savory pepperoni. These amazing snacks were first created as an easy lunch for coal miners to eat.

Take a Pepperoni Roll video tour with the Marion County CVB and The Local Palate.

10.    See how it’s made: Blenko Glass

Blenko Glass was boosted to prominence when it adorned the St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. You can also discover their intricate sheet glasswork at the Washington National Cathedral in D.C. and other notable landmarks. Blenko has designed the Country Music Awards trophies and one of their collections is a regular feature of the White House.

See how the glass is designed and crafted in these series of videos from Blenko.

Where will you visit first?

This post was last updated on March 21, 2022