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8 Haunting and Beautiful Places to Visit in West Virginia
From a ghostly hotel to a small-town Halloween fantasia to a pair of legendary creatures said to roam the woods, West Virginia has bountiful offerings sure to bewitch all kinds of visitors.
Sponsored By West Virginia Department of Tourism
When you think about visiting West Virginia, you probably imagine craggy mountains, rushing rivers, and the rich history of the Appalachian region. But for visitors seeking an encounter with enchantment, the state has a lot to offer.
Not far from the banks of the Ohio River in Parkersburg stands the stately Blennerhassett Hotel, opened in 1889 by Colonel William Nelson Chancellor, a self-made millionaire who felt the town needed high-class lodgings suitable for wealthy travelers. According to legend, the hotel is also home to a number of spectral figures who appear in the night, dressed to the nines in the fashions of bygone years—men in top hats, women in furs.
On the far side of the state, in the small town of Rock, you can find the eerie remnants of the Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, the Ferris wheel and swinging attractions rusting away, slowly being reclaimed by the wilderness. And in Kenova, a stone’s throw from the Kentucky and Ohio borders, a historic waterfront home creates a vivid and memorable display every October, decorating thousands of jack-o’-lanterns with the help of volunteers.
For visitors fascinated by legendary creatures, West Virginia offers not just one but two museums celebrating local cryptids, the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton and the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, just across the river from Ohio. (You can even follow a statewide paranormal trail packed with eerie sites to discover.)
If you’re aiming to explore a place with natural beauty and ethereal history, you can definitely find it in West Virginia.
Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism.
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