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The 2012 West Virginia Official State Travel Guide Available Now for Free!

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:41:08 +0000

The 2012 West Virginia Official State Travel Guide has arrived and is available free by request or at Welcome Centers statewide, courtesy of the West Virginia Division of Tourism.

Travelers will find all the information they need at their fingertips. Shopping, dining, lodging, outdoor recreation and entertainment is conveniently arranged by travel region. The guide also contains a 2012 calendar of events occurring statewide.

The guide’s compact size makes it easy to carry in a backpack, glove box or saddlebags. In addition, smart phone users can gain immediate access to online information via QR codes on select ads.

The guide was published in cooperation with Miles Media Inc., which has produced the Official State Travel Guide since 2004. It was printed at Quad Graphics in Martinsburg.

To request a free copy of the 2012 Official State Travel Guide, visit the West Virginia Division of Tourism online at www.wvcommerce.org/travel/requestinformation/ordertravelguide.aspx.

Charleston Lauded as One of Sixteen Friendliest Towns by Magazine

admin — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:20:04 +0000

Charleston has been included in a list of the the region’s friendliest towns by Blue Ridge Country magazine. The sixteen friendliest towns were selected from the total votes sent via email to Blue Ridge County magazine. Many of the voters cast their ballots after reading about the campaign in social media sites and local bulletin boards.

“The people of Charleston make our city a friendly and welcoming place to be throughout the year and especially during special events when more people come here,” Charleston Mayor Danny Jones said. “I am blessed to be mayor of my hometown, and I am grateful for how our citizens provide a hometown feel to people who are here for a few days or for a lifetime.”

For the complete list, visit the Blue Ridge Country magazine website at blueridgecountry.com.

West Virginia Power 2011 Schedule

admin — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:05:02 +0000

Listen up, baseball fans! Check out the remaining games of the West Virginia Power from June to August. Batter up!

June 2011

June 16 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
June 17 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
June 18 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
June 19 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
June 21 @ Salisbury, MD for the SAL All-Star Game
June 23 @ Away VS The Hickory Crawdads
June 24 @ Away VS The Hickory Crawdads
June 25 @ Away VS The Hickory Crawdads
June 26 @ Away VS The Hickory Crawdads
June 27 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends
June 28 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends
June 29 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends
June 30 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends

July 2011

July 1 @ Home VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
July 2 @ Home VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
July 3 @ Home VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
July 4 @ Away VS The Lexington Legends
July 5 @ Away VS The Lexington Legends
July 6 @ Away VS The Lexington Legends
July 7 @ Away VS The Hagerstown Suns
July 8 @ Away VS The Hagerstown Suns
July 9 @ Away VS The Hagerstown Suns
July 10 @ Away VS The Hagerstown Suns
July 12 @ Home VS The Hickory Crawdads
July 13 @ Home VS The Hickory Crawdads
July 14 @ Home VS The Hickory Crawdads
July 15 @ Home VS The Hickory Crawdads
July 16 @ Home VS The Charleston Riverdogs
July 17 @ Home VS The Charleston Riverdogs
July 18 @ Home VS The Charleston Riverdogs
July 20 @ Away VS The Savannah Sand Gnats
July 21 @ Away VS The Savannah Sand Gnats
July 22 @ Away VS The Savannah Sand Gnats
July 23 @ Away VS The Charleston Riverdogs
July 24 @ Away VS The Charleston Riverdogs
July 25 @ Away VS The Charleston Riverdogs
July 26 @ Away VS The Charleston Riverdogs
July 28 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
July 29 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
July 30 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
July 31 @ Home VS The Lakewood Blueclaws

August 2011

August 1 @ Home VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 2 @ Home VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 3 @ Home VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 4 @ Home VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 5 @ Away VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
August 6 @ Away VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
August 7 @ Away VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
August 8 @ Away VS The Lakewood Blueclaws
August 10 @ Home VS The Charleston Riverdogs
August 11 @ Home VS The Charleston Riverdogs
August 12 @ Home VS The Charleston Riverdogs
August 13 @ Home VS The Charleston Riverdogs
August 14 @ Away VS The Kannapolis Intimidators
August 15 @ Away VS The Kannapolis Intimidators
August 16 @ Away VS The Kannapolis Intimidators
August 17 @ Away VS The Kannapolis Intimidators
August 18 @ Home VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
August 19 @ Home VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
August 20 @ Home VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
August 21 @ Home VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
August 22 @ Away VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 23 @ Away VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 24 @ Away VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 25 @ Away VS The Greensboro Grasshoppers
August 26 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends
August 27 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends
August 28 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends
August 29 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends
August 30 @ Home VS The Lexington Legends

September 2011

September 1 @ Away VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
September 2 @ Away VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
September 3 @ Away VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
September 4 @ Away VS The Delmarva Shorebirds
September 5 @ Away VS The Delmarva Shorebirds

West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage 2011

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 10:31:08 +0000

The West Virginia Flower Pilgrimage is back for it’s 50th annual run.

This popular attraction that features carpets of beautiful wildflowers at Blackwater Falls State Park extends all the way to surrounding areas such as Dolly Sods, Canaan Valley, the Fernow Experimental Forest and Seneca Rocks.

This year’s events include a program of 24 hikes and tours led by state and regional experts in botany, birding, wildlife and geology. The event is co-sponsored by the West Virginia Garden Club, Brooks Bird Club and West Virginia University.

Skiing in West Virginia

admin — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:05:40 +0000

Ski season has started in West Virginia. Due to the recent snowfall and dropping temperatures, the Snowshoe Mountain Resort was able to open last Wednesday. Winterplace in Ghent also opened last Saturday, offering early season discount, valid until Friday, December 17. Regular season schedule and rate begins on Saturday.

Both resorts offer 14 slopes & trails and four lifts. Special ski and lodging packages are available. For more information and details, visit the Snowshoe resort website at www.snowshoemtn.com and the Winterplace website at www.winterplace.com.

West Virginia State Museum

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:07:50 +0000

Newly renovated, the West Virginia State Museum is now open to the public once more. House in the Culture Center, the museum features relics and memorabilia of West Virginia’s rich history.

There’s something for everybody in the state museum. Children can have a fun time learning and discovering the different artifacts within the museum via an educational scavenger hunt that would take them around various spots in the museum. Civil War buff on the other hand, would surely enjoy the multitude of information and exhibit on battles, heroes, legends and weapons in one of the museum’s Discovery rooms.

The WV Sate Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am to 5pm (12noon to 5pm on Sundays). Admission to the museum is free. Tours of the museum can be arranged through (304) 558-0162 or WVStateMuseum@WVCulture.org.

Driving on the Midland Trail

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Charleston is located strategically at the the heart of the Midland Trail. If you’re plying the US Route 60 in West Virginia, chances are, you’ll pass through the city. But whether you’re staying in Charleston or just passing through, you’re sure to enjoy the magnificent sites in one of the country’s scenic drives.

Midland Trail Scenic Highway Association has come up with a few driving routes on the I-60, passing through West Virginia’s lush landscape. The route takes you through both natural and man-made attractions, appealing to both nature lovers and adventure seekers. The Association’s website has all the guides and details you need for planning this scenics drive. For more information and to request for the destination guide, visit www.midlandtrail.com.

Midland Trail Scenic Highway Association
237 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 343-6001
Fax: (304)344-2210
Website: www.midlandtrail.com

Roane Vineyards

admin — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:34:39 +0000

Located at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, the Roane Vineyards is a pleasant 50 minute drive from Charleston, WV. Wine lovers will surely enjoy the trip out to the vineyard that used to be just an ordinary farm.

Wild grapes were discovered in the property of Paul and Anna-Neale Taylor in 1995. This inspired the couple to try growing grapes in 1996. The following year, they started growing grapes in the main vineyard. Today, there are now eight varieties of French-American hybrid grapes, including some Cabernet Franc grapes. These grapes allows the vineyard to create fourteen different kinds of wine ranging from a dry red to a sweet dessert wine, including seasonal fruit wines like Melomel, Plum, Raspberry and their award winning Elderberry.

The vineyard is open to visitors for a tour and tasting. Don’t have time to drive out of Charleston? Their wines can be brought at the Capitol Market, and a number of fine dining restaurants in the city.

Roane Vineyards
1585 Reedyville Road, Spencer, WV 25276
Phone: (304)927-3200
Website: www.roanevineyards.com

Appalachian Power Park

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:02:29 +0000

On April 9th, baseball season opens with a game between West Virginia Power and the Lexington Legends at the Appalachian Power Park. Home of the minor league baseball team in the South Athlantic League, the stadium is located at the East End of Charleston, WV.

Opened in April 2005, the Appalachian Power Park can seat 6,200 spectators. The field’s dimension spans 330 feet in its left fieled, 400 feet in center field and 320 feet in the right field. The stadium boasts of an authentic locomotive horn, which was given by the Norfolk Southern Corporation, whose track run ajacent to the park.

The park’s most unusual feature though, is a mere electrical outlet in the backstop just behind the home plate. This feature was added to accommodate local businessman, Rod Blackstone, who is one of the biggest and famous fan of minor league baseball. He’s known to bring bread and a toaster to games. He’d make fresh toast right in his seat and toss the freshly toasted bread into the seats around him. He’d yell out “you are toast!” whenever a Power pitcher strikes out a batter.

The stadium also have restaurants open throughout the whole year. There is also a “Fun Zone” behind the center field, where there are numerous games to keep the kids occupied.

Appalachian Power Park
601 Morris Street
Suite 201, Charleston, WV 25301
Website: West Virginia Power Official Website

The Empty Glass

admin — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:18:27 +0000

If you’re in the mood for good food, great conversation and awesome music, head on over to the Empty Glass, one of the pillars of Charleston’s music scene. It has been said that legend have played and legend have been made in this cafe that books only the best and most interesting acts.

You are guaranteed live music every day of the week at The Emply Glass. On Mondays are open mic performances (acoustic on the first three Mondays of the month, electric on the fourth/last Monday). Tuesdays feature original rock-n-roll music of the Spurgie Hankins Band, while Wednesdays have jazz afficionados hopping with the Carpenter Ants Blues Jam. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays feature the best Charleston bands or the up and coming touring bands. Sundays are mellow, with acoustic music from the Spurgie Hankins. Mountain Stage sometimes record at The Empty Glass. After each recording, there is a post-Mountain Stage Jam, hosted by the Carpenter Ants.

Performing at The Empty Glass are Mike Darby’s House O Cards (March 23), Ashleigh Flynn (March 26), The Lucky Daredevil Thrill show (March 27) and The Whiskey Daredevils with the Diablo Blues Band (March 28).

The Empty Glass
410 Elizabeth St Charleston, WV, US 25311
Phone: (304) 345-9893
Website: www.myspace.com/theemptyglass