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Flying South for the Winter

Monday, November 1st, 2010

Southern WV’s high elevations and low valleys make for perfect places to birdwatch – especially this time of year when lots of northern birds are passing through on their way south for the winter.

One of the greatest spots for watching all that air traffic is the Hanging Rock Raptor

Hanging Rock Observatory Tower

Observatory Tower in Monroe County.

At Hanging Rock, you’ll have a chance to view lots of different raptors – hawks, falcons, eagles, and owls.  Just last week, 126 sightings of bald eagles were recorded, a record sighting for one day.

Why are there so many bird sightings here?  Peters Mountain’s dominate ridge runs northeast to southwest, the same route the birds take and the funnel effect of the mountains create great updrafts so that the birds don’t have to exhaust as much energy as they migrate on toward warmer temperatures.

A little rusty on your bird identification?  No worries.  A visit to the Tower on any day of the week during fall will be met with two or three die-hard birders who are camped out for the day watching and counting the birds.

Insider’s Tip:  Plan to make a trip to Hanging Rock before mid November to ensure you catch a glimpse of the migration and don’t forget your binoculars.  After all, when was the last time you saw a bald eagle in the wild?

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Haunted Happenings & Halloween Events, Southern West Virginia-Style

Monday, October 4th, 2010
Haunted Southern West Virginia...

Haunted Southern West Virginia...

Updated for 2010

Everyone knows what makes October in southern West Virginia spook-tacular.  It’s the haunted houses!  No, wait, it’s the festivals!  Right?

Actually, it’s both.  Plus, the colors.  We have great leaves.  Adds to the atmosphere.  Of course, when it’s dark out, the colors don’t matter, and all that crunching is probably letting whoever’s hiding in the woods know EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE!  MWWAHAHAHA!

Too much?  Sorry.  A blog isn’t the best place to scare people.  So we put together a list of some Halloween haunts that will do just that.  Plus, there’s a big list of activities that aren’t scary at all, right down below.

Here are both calendars.  And here’s hoping you have a happy and safe southern West Virginia Halloween this year…

HAUNTED HOUSE CALENDAR
5th Annual Haunted Hotel:  This one’s in Mount Hope, WV, in the former Mountaineer Hotel.  Open October 15, 16, 22, 23, 25-30 from 7-10 pm.  $8 admission or $6 plus two can food items to be donated to the Raleigh County Homeless Shelter.   Children 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Little Beaver State Park Haunted Trail:  Oct 22-31st.  Dark until 10 weekdays, until 11 weekends.  $6 for adults, $4 for children 304-763-2494

MSU Forensic Investigation Association’s Annual Haunted House: Takes place at the Crime Scene House, 703 S Kanawha St. The house will be open from October 13-31st (closed on Oct 17, 20th and 24th).  Times:  Mon-Wed and Halloween Sunday 7-11pm; Thurs-Sat 7-Midnight.  Cost is $8 Mon-Wed and $10 Thurs-Sat and Halloween night.  There is a different theme every year at the house – the theme this year is “Scary Movies”.

MSU’s Criminal Justice Club will host “MSU Solve that Crime” a real life version of the popular board game Clue.  Dates are Oct 8,9, 15 and 16th at  MSU’s O’Dell Hall located at 210 Minnesota Avenue in Beckley.

For more information about both of these MSU events visit the Mountain State University blog

First Annual Fright Nights @ The Resort at Glade Springs: Once the sun sets, visitors travel down the Haunted Trail where the nightmare begins.  Haunted hay rides, horse rides and carriage rides.  $15 Adults, $10 for ages 12 and under.  http://www.facebook.com/GladeSpringsWV?v=app_6009294086

16th Annual Second Creek Haunted Trail: This is a haunted trail that benefits the community as well as families in need. It’s the 16th year of operation and the trail sees upwards of 1500 guests each year! Dates are Oct 15, 16, 22, 23, 29,  and 30th. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for under 12. No children under 5 allowed. Open from dark to 11pm.   www.wvhauntedtrail.com
304-645-7450 or 304-645-2696

Princeton City Park Haunted Trail: Hours will be at the from dark-11pm   October 16, 22, 23, and 30th.  Park at the Princeton Rec Center then take a hayride to the park.  The Trail will be in Princeton City Park.   Admission is $5/person. Info: 304-487-5040.

The Haunted House in Pineville: Opens on October 22nd and runs through October 30th from 7-10 pm.  Located in the old Sears building in downtown Pineville.    Admission is $5 per person and proceeds benefit the Wyoming County 4-H.  304-732-6255 ext 11.

Haunted History Tours: This one’s at the Whipple Company Store in Scarborough.  Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays in Oct.  No one under 21 yrs of age. This is NOT a haunted house of smoke and mirrors, nothing is fake, this is  authentic haunted history. $25 per person. 8:30 to 11 pm.  Flashlights provided. http://www.whipplecompanystore.com/hauntedhistorytours.html

NOT-SO-SCARY-STUFF CALENDAR

Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze:   Each weekend in October, the Okes Family Farm in Shady Spring will feature a different event, such as pumpkin carving and painting, homemade apple butter to sample and buy, hay rides, bonfires and an acre-and-a-half corn maze. For more information, call 304-673-3268 or 304-673-3308 or visit www.okesfamilyfarms.com.

Tailgate Halloween: The Youth Museum of Southern WV will present the 24th Annual Tailgate Halloween in uptown Beckley from 11am to 1pm on Saturday, Oct 30th.

Autumn Fest in Pineville:  from 5 to 9pm this Saturday, Oct 23rd.  Includes a Halloween Tailgate Party for children, annual chili cook-off, pie-baking contest, pumpkin decorating contest, cake walk,  adult and children’s costume contests and more.  Fest info 304-732-6255 ext 11.

Pipestem’s Annual Pumpkin Run: October 30, 2010 www.pipestemresort.com
304-466-1800 or 800-225-5982  31st Annual 5k, 10k Pumpkin Run.  Get out there and run your pumpkins off!!

Byrnside Branch Farm: Open Fridays – Sunday through November 7th.  Corn maze, pumpkins, hayrides, mini-horse and wagon hitch ride, antique tractor train ride.  Located in Union, WV. www.byrnsidebranchfarm.com or 304-772-3131

Cinderella Pumpkin Farm: Open Monday – Friday through October.  Features hayrides, moon bounce, corn maze and more. Red Sulpher Springs, WV. www.cinderellapumpkinfarm.com

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The Boys Scouts of America & West Virginia

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Just in case you haven’t heard: the Boy Scouts Of America are coming to West Virginia!

All of them.  (Well, almost all of them.)

Scouts Gathered for the Arena Show

We are the new home of not only the Boy Scout’s of America’s fourth and largest High Adventure Camp but also the site for future Boy Scout Jamborees.

It’s one thing to be told that there will be 40 to, oh, I don’t know, 50,000 scouts each year, and approximately 200,000 visitors coming to the Jamboree in West Virginia in 2013.

But it’s another thing entirely to attend the last Jamboree being held at Fort A.P. Hill, VA and see it for yourself.

Our staff, as well as representatives from the WV Division of Tourism, hosted a “Welcome to WV Booth” at the Jamboree that began on last Monday, July 26th.  All we can say is WOW!  The boys, leaders, and all of the visitors seemed very excited about the new location and we had a ton of great questions and comments.

We talked to scouts and scouters  from every single state and several different countries.  These scouts literally come from everywhere, and I can honestly say that I have never been in the company of so many polite young men in my life.  (And if you’ve spent a lot of time around groups of kids, you can really appreciate that last sentence.)

The Scouts can’t wait to raft the New River, climb in the gorge, hike our trails, and participate in all the other countless adventure activities in the region.

The Scouts and visitors were eager for information on our state as well as the plans for The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, and I for one came away knowing much more about the project and about what to expect in 2013.

Kay handing out info on WV - home of future BSA Jamborees

Here’s a really broad overview of where we stand, time-wise:   In 2013 the Jamboree will be held in West Virginia.  In 2014 The Summit – Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve will open the high adventure and summer camps.  The Summit will be used year round for winter camps, training and more.

I can definitely tell you one thing after meeting people at this year’s Jamboree in Virginia from California, Washington to New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Oregon, Texas, Japan, Puerto Rico, and just about everywhere in between– our wild and wonderful state is no longer going to be one of American’s best kept secrets.

Thanks, Boy Scouts.  And welcome home.

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It’s The Berries

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Here’s another great post by Kay Bess on growing up in southern West Virginia.  If you try the recipe at the end, make sure you don’t skimp on the main ingredient: fresh picked berries.

Berries on the Vine

FYI:   A great place for berry picking in southern WV is Morgan Orchard in Monroe County.  I spoke with them today (7/16/10) and they have blackberries available to pick (or they do have them already picked and ready).  They also have clinging peaches, nectarines and plums ripe.  Eating apples (canning apples available now) are expected to be ready by August 1st!

It’s The Berries

Growing up in southern West Virginia, our family loved enjoying four distinct seasons. In the mountains, you get it all.

But I can honestly say that summer was by far my favorite.  It still is,  for a lot of reasons: warm summer days, going barefoot, and the food.  Oh, yes, the food!

My parents and grandparents both planted vegetable gardens, so our summertime meals consisted of fresh cooked green beans that we helped string and snap. And there was mouth-watering corn on the cob, dripping with sweet butter and just the right amount of salt.  Also broccoli, cauliflower, squash, zucchini and juicy red and yellow tomatoes so ripe they pulled the vines down.

But for my siblings and I, berry picking time never came soon enough to suit us.  Sometimes we picked in the heat of the day (what was that all about?!).  And sometimes we waited until after my dad got home from work and dinner was over.  Either way, berry picking was special.

Once we arrived at the picking site, we got the standard warnings to watch out for snakes. YIKES!  And, of course, we each got our own plastic bucket to place the berries in. Our preferred method was to pick four, eat two. So mom thought we were goofing off instead of picking when our bucket never got full.

We picked strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries when they were in season. Blackberries had the worst stickers and briers.  First aid was sometimes administered in the form of a Band Aid and a kiss.

It was fun, but it was also hot, hard work.  And we were willing to endure some misery when we knew the end result would be a pie, cobbler, tart, or other dessert made with the berries.  Some berries were made into jams and jellies for fall and winter consumption on biscuits, cornbread, or just on our peanut butter sandwich.

My mom would make traditional jam, which involved cooking the berries, sterilizing the jars, filling the jars, and processing them in a canner or hot water bath.  But she also made freezer jam which was simply cooking the berries, placing in sterilized jars and placing in the freezer.

Last summer, I made strawberry, blackberry, and blueberry freezer jam.  I gave some away as gifts and kept some to enjoy.  The list of recipes you can enjoy from berries is endless, but one of my favorites is Cream Cheese Berry Cake.

Here’s my recipe for West Virginia Cream Cheese Berry Cake:

1/3 cup cream cheese
¾ cup sugar, divided
2 egg whites
1 tsp lemon peel
1 cup flour plus 2 tbsp flour
½ tsp baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream
3 cups fresh mixed berries (can be strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries)
1 ½ cups whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat cream cheese and ½ cup sugar till well blended.  Add egg whites and lemon peel.  Mix 1 cup four and  the soda.  Add to cream cheese mixture alternately with sour cream.  Beat well.

Spray 9 inch springform pan with Pam.  Spread cream cheese mixture in bottom and 1” up sides of pan.  Toss 2 cups of berries with ¼ cup sugar and 2 tbsp flour. Spoon over cream cheese.
Bake 40-45 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing rim of pan.  Top with remaining 1 cup berries.  Top each slice with fresh whipped cream.  Makes 12 servings.

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The Top 50 Reasons To Go White Water Rafting In West Virginia

Monday, July 12th, 2010

1.    It’s hot outside.
2.    Rafting is the summer tradition in West Virginia (if you make it one).

New River Rafting

3.    Guides are ridiculously funny.
4.    White water brings people closer together.
5.    There’s no better way to see a gorge than from the river.
6.    Rapids are like roller coasters, but wetter.
7.    It’s really hot outside.
8.    You get great pictures of yourself doing something awesome.
9.    You’ll make memories.
10.     Butterflies in your stomach and a smile on your face.
11.     Amazing scenery.
12.     White water is the best way in the world to get back in touch with nature.
13.     Sometimes you watch the show, and sometimes you are the show.
14.     You can’t really wear the T-shirt unless you’ve been down the river.
15.     Amazing riverside lunch.
16.     Learning to surf West Virginia style (they really do surf rafts).
17.     It’s really incredibly hot outside.
18.     Swimming in the pools in between rapids.
19.     Paddling through the rapids in between pools.
20.     Getting smacked in the face with a wave is the river’s way of saying hi.
21.     You can push family members out of the raft.
22.     The family section of the New River (the Upper New) is perfect for kids.

Family Duckie Trip on Upper New River

23.     It’s also perfect for scaredy-cats.
24.     Summer rafting on the Gauley River is a sure fire way to have the whole place to yourselves.
25.     It’s really incredibly, insanely hot outside.
26.     Rafting is like being on a lake; a very narrow lake with huge waves.
27.     If you fall out of the raft, you’ll have a story to tell forever.
28.     If you stay in the raft, you’ll have a story to tell forever.
29.     Dinner tastes better after a rafting trip.
30.     You’ll meet people who are just as much fun as you are.
31.     Rafting leads to other stuff, like ATV rides, bike trips, and canopy tours.
32.     It will become an addiction (a good one).
33.     Rapids with names like “Scramble Like A Rat” and “Lost Paddle”.
34.     Your bus driver will be the most interesting person you meet all year.
35.     It’s really incredibly, insanely, ridiculously hot outside.
36.     You can show off that back flip at Jump Rock.
37.     It’s a scientific fact that there is no better way to make kids go to bed early than a day of white water rafting.
38.     You can show off those new river shorts/bathing suit.
39.     You’ll laugh harder than you have in a long, long time.
40.     Rapids on white water rivers make you feel alive.
41.     You can see deer, bald eagles, fish, and all kinds of other cool wildlife.
42.     It’s a great place to re-learn what poison ivy looks like and how to avoid it.
43.     Rafting lets you learn about the natural world and have fun at the same time.
44.     White water rivers are great places to challenge yourself.
45.     There’s no feeling on earth like paddling off the lip of a horizon line into a rapid.
46.     Rafting makes your vacation time really count.
47.     Your kids will think you’re the coolest person in the world (for a while).
48.     Best. Vacation. Ever.
49. It’s really, incredibly, insanely, ridiculously, stupendously hot outside.
50.     White water rafting is the best way in the universe to cool off.

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The Secret To Grandma’s Magic West Virginia Recipe

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Today we have another great blog post from Kay Bess.  Last week she wrote about the Pink Scarf Project.  This is another post in a series about what life is like here in southern West Virginia.  Of course, you don’t have to live here to get a feel for it; just come visit us.  We can help with that.

The Secret To Grandma’s Magic West Virginia Recipe

I am a West Virginia woman, born and raised in one of America’s Coolest Small Towns, Fayetteville.

My grandparents lived on a working farm just across the New River Gorge in a tiny town called Edmond (home of America’s smallest post office!).  We would go there for dinner every Sunday of my childhood.  This was before the New River Gorge Bridge was built, of course, and our trip involved a drive down into the gorge and back up again.  What now takes about 45 seconds used to take closer to 45 minutes!

My grandmother always baked all her bread and desserts during the week, because back in that time period you cooked very little on the Sabbath Day.  Sunday was a day for church and visiting with relatives, and dinner was always a feast to behold:  chicken, pork, or beef that they raised on the farm, vegetables and salad fixings from their two gardens, and at least three desserts and three kinds of bread.  Everything was always fresh and delicious, in a way you can only get from a place you call home.

When we arrived my grandmother used to give us kids a small piece of homemade bread slathered with jam or jelly to “tide us over till dinner was ready.”  Then, she would do her “magic trick”, which we loved and never got tired of seeing.

She would take a can of evaporated milk from the refrigerator and pour it into a metal mixing bowl.  Then, she would get her rotary hand beater and start beating the milk at a rapid speed.  We would watch her arms shaking and our eyes would get bigger as the milk doubled, then tripled in volume.  It was an amazing sight for all of the kids, every time.

Next she would add sugar and vanilla.  And PRESTO, the most mouthwatering whipped cream you ever tasted would fill the bowl to the brim.

There was only one thing that kept us kids from diving into that creamy topping: my grandmother.  She had a strict rule that adults had to be served their dessert first (with the magical whipped cream on top) before the children could have any. If there was any left, that is.

So we stood around in anticipation, holding our spoons, impatiently waiting for that moment to arrive.  Sometimes, we got a bowl of that sweet vanilla mixture, other times just a few spoonfuls.  But it was always so worth the wait. To this day, I can still taste the creamy texture and picture my grandmother doing our favorite magic trick!

Recipe

Elizabeth Morrison’s Whipped Cream (makes 8 cups)

1 Can evaporated milk
½ to ¾ cup sugar, depending on taste
1 tsp vanilla

Place milk in refrigerator for 24 hours to chill.  Pour into glass or metal mixing bowl.  Beat with mixer until peaks form, and gradually add sugar until blended.  Add vanilla.  Serve on any pie, cobbler or dessert.  Or just fill a bowl and grab a spoon.  Must be used immediately, as it will become milk again if allowed to sit in a warm room.

I don’t think you’ll have a problem with that last part.

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5 Myths About Riding ATVs In West Virginia

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Alright,  moms.  Ready to rev it up a little this summer?  Here’s a way you can absolutely floor your family:  Tell them you’re going on vacation to ride ATVs on some off road trails in West

Checking Out The View

Virginia.

If you think it’s not for you, think again.  You’re about to find out what thousands of ATV moms already know:  Off road trails riding is perfect for families.

Sounds kind of crazy, huh?  Not if you think about it.  It’s outside, it’s adventurous, it’s safe, it’s exercise (really!), and more than anything else, it’s really, really fun.

So, in order to check out some ATV trips that are available, you just have to separate myth from fact.  We can help with that.

MYTH 1: IT’S HARD.  Nope.  Riding ATVs in the mountains is the opposite of hard.  All of the maintained trails in southern West Virginia are marked by difficulty, so you can make the ride as peaceful or as thrilling as you want to.

MYTH 2:  IT’S DANGEROUS  Riding ATVs in maintained trail areas is incredibly safe.  There are several safety classes and lessons available, too.

MYTH 3: IT’S FAR  Not far at all, actually.  The whole southern West Virginia region is within a day’s drive of 50% of the country’s population.

MYTH 4:  I CAN’T DO IT  Not true.  The rise in popularity of 4 wheelers is partly because they’re so accessible.  If you can drive a car, you can ride an ATV.

MYTH 5: I’ll GET DIRTY  Okay, that one’s true.

But getting dirty is part of the fun.  You get to be a kid again.  And so does everyone else.  Just reserve, rent, and go.

That’s what’s going on in West Virginia this summer.  What are you doing?

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The Story of the Pink Scarf

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Ask anyone:  West Virginia is different from a lot of other places.

Our geography, our culture, our way of life.  We take pride in ourselves and our state; it’s

Pink Ribbon Scarf - Over 1200 Feet So Far

something we love to share with the world.

More than anything else, what makes us unique is our people.  Anyone who’s lived here, or even stayed with us for a visit, will hurry to tell you:  The people of West Virginia are some of the friendliest on earth.

We are a family.

That’s never more apparent than in the way we care for each other.  People in West Virginia have hearts as big as the mountains that surround us, and as deep as the valleys that define us.  We care.

Here’s a blog post by Kay Bess, Marketing Director here at the Southern West Virginia Convention And Visitor’s Bureau. It’s about a project that she and others created to show how much they care.

The Pink Ribbon Scarf

The scarf idea began in January as part of Terri’s Tribute, a scholarship fund for Terri Massey’s three children and other kids who have lost parents to breast cancer.  It was also a way for a lot of people to participate and be involved in the project.  Flyers were developed and distributed, emailed and snail mailed to potential knitters.

Knitting classes were held on Friday nights at the Oak Hill Methodist Church.  Some women showed up who could crochet, so we added the pattern for how to crochet a piece to the flyer.

Learning and Creating in Southern WV

The first few pieces measured 32 feet and we were excited and encouraged.  And then pink knitted and crocheted pieces of every hue of pink yarn started showing up in my mail box at home, at my office, some were dropped at the local library and also at my Jazzercise class. It was very emotional to open the bags and read the notes and stories of why people chose to be a part of the scarf project.

I kept track of the names of the knitters and crocheters and who they wanted to honor or memorialize with their piece and wrote personal thank you notes to the over 70 women and one man who shared our passion to make this scarf long enough to wrap around Oak Hill High School stadium for the Fayette County Relay for Life.

Phone messages were left on my answering machine from two knitting clubs in New York who had heard about the project and wanted to offer help.  The scarf went from 32 to 125 to 250 to 430 feet quickly. One weekend I got 140 feet on Friday and 210 more on Sunday which got us to 780 feet.

To date, we are over 1200 feet, 80 people from 12 states have contributed to the scarf.  There are still pink yarn pieces being knitted and crocheted as this is being written and one knitting club in NY is sending a box full from their group.

Regardless of the quality of the workmanship every piece we receive is being melded into the whole scarf, regardless of dropped stitches or mistakes in the knitting.  This isn’t about how perfectly we can knit or crochet, this is about our love of Terri and other sisters, moms, friends and family members who’ve fought breast cancer and those who will fight it in the future.

Our hope is to cover Oak Hill High School stadium in pink yarn on June 18-19 for the Fayette County Relay for Life as an awareness campaign that breast cancer can strike any woman at any time.  And the scarf will be a memorial to our beautiful Terri and to women everywhere who have fought and lost, those who are still fighting and those who are survivors.  And we hope the scarf will travel around to other relays and events re-inforcing the tagline:

“Together we can make a difference.”

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5 Simple Ways To Plan A Family Vacation To West Virginia

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Okay, full disclosure: we want you to come to southern West Virginia.  Guess the secret’s out!

But here are some tips you can use to plan a family vacation to

Family Visiting an Overlook in the New River Gorge

anywhere.  Even somewhere that’s, say, not the most beautiful mountains on earth (ahem!).  These little shortcuts can save you money while you’re away from home.  And more importantly, they can make sure that everyone has a great time on vacation.

1.  Check On Events Specials

Here’s the secret about events: They’re everywhere.  And businesses will often offer special discounts on lodging, food, and activities surrounding the event.  This is a great way to save and plan at the same time.  Plus, searching for events is a good way to plan your vacation around something everyone in the family enjoys, like a music festival or river fest or a huge 4th of July event.

2. Plan On The Shoulder

If you can make your schedule more flexible than the next person, you’ll end up ahead.  Midweek is the time to book everything:  more availability, lower rates, and less crowded.  Plus one more benefit:  We cannot confirm this -it’s only a rumor- but supposedly, the weather is better during the week.  Going to have to check the almanac on that one.

3.  Double Check On Activities

A lot of outdoor adventures have age or weight guidelines for kids.  It’s always a good idea to call again after you’ve booked to double check that you’re reservationist got you in the right space.  There’s really nothing worse than showing up booked for the wrong trip or activity, especially when there are kids involved.  Checking up saves time and possibly tears in the long run.

4.  Crowdsource Your Vacation Ideas

The tools to review your experience exist for almost everything today, and vacations lead the way.  Check online to see how others have rated a particular experience, and ask the community what they think.  This idea of crowdsourcing is a powerful tool to make your vacation dollars -and more importantly, your vacation hours- count.

5.  Use A Convention And Visitors Bureau

You didn’t think we’d leave this out, did you?  In fact, we saved the best tip for last.  Use a CVB (hey, that’s us!) to help plan your trip, and you can’t go wrong.  Why?  Helping plan trips is our business.  And we’re free to use!  CVBs are a wealth of local information, and isn’t that really what you’re looking for?  The best restaurants, the right activities, the perfect lodging… these are the questions we at the Southern West Virginia CVB answer every day.

What about you?  Have a little go-to advice for planning a family vacation?  Something West Virginia specific, maybe?  We’d love to hear about it.

We’d love to help you even more.

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3 Don’t-Miss West Virginia Events For May

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Here we go, everyone!  Spring has taken over southern West Virginia, and that’s just fine with us.

Why?  Oh, I don’t know… because it’s AWESOME?  Honestly, is there any better place in the world for spring?  If there is, no one’s discovered it yet.  Not because they haven’t looked.  It’s just that the search always brings them right back here.

Let’s all sing it together:  Country Roaaaaads, Take Me Hooooooooome….

That was beautiful.  Why doesn’t anyone go caroling in the spring?  Anyway, here are some great events to get you out and about this month.  And if you want to find more, they’re on our entire events calendar.  Enjoy!


A Universe Of Dreams
What else is great about Southern WV?  Well, there are plenty of mountaintops that are absolutely perfect for some nighttime stargazing.

But sometimes watching from here on Earth just doesn’t do the universe justice.  That’s when we bring something like, say, the Hubble Space Telescope.  And you know what makes it even better?  Really cool music from the Ensable Galilei.  And you need someone to narrate what you’re seeing, like Neal Conan from NPR’s Talk Of The Nation.

Now that’s the way to see the stars.  And if it isn’t quite making sense to you, don’t worry.  It will when you buy your ticket to the May 1st performance at Princeton’s amazing Chuck Mathena Center.  You will NOT be disappointed.


Bramwell Spring Tour Of Homes
Imagine a little mountain town filled with millionaires.  What kind of houses would they build there?

Bramwell Presbyterian Church

Cool ones.  Bramwell lives in a place that builds on our whole idea of community, and there’s no way to really “get it” without going there for a tour.  The houses, the town, the people there have a story that’s so unique in American history, it can only be told by experiencing it.

The Bramwell Spring Tour is full of big homes, amazing architecture, and, um, bigger homes.  It’s the kind of thing you might expect to see leap out of a good book.  And yet there it is.  This year, the tour is on May 8th.


The Sweet Treats Dessert Festival
Got a sweet tooth?  Of course you do!  But you don’t want to go to the store and get something and take it home.  You want to share your affection for sweets with the world!

Good thing you can head over to the Sweet Treats Dessert Festival in downtown Beckley.  Expect awesomeness and fun of the sugared-and-chocolate-dipped variety, along with plenty of other fare for anyone interested in tasting the yummy-er side of southern West Virginia.

Plus there are other attractions at the festival, like inflatable jump castles for the kids and live music.  Should be a great time for anyone in the area.  And for anyone not in the area.  What we’re saying is, your proximity should not be a concern when it comes to chocolate.

Did we mention that proceeds go to Relay For Life?

Now you pretty much have to go.  If you ever wanted a good reason to have too much dessert, now you’ve got one.  Hope to see you there on May 22.

Once again, these are just three of the lots and lots (and lots!) of things going on across our lovely southern part of the Mountain State this May.  Check our events calendar for more.  Happy spring, everyone.

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