Places to Visit in West Virginia After Enjoying Your Medicine
The high peaks of West Virginia, appropriately named the Mountain State, is an outdoor wonderland of thick forests, roaring rivers, caves, and perfect skiing peaks. Not to mention it's a great place to go whitewater rafting, fishing, and water skiing when not camping underneath the stars. Between Blackwater Falls State Park, New River Gorge National River, and Seneca Rocks and Monongahela National Forest, it's hard to decide on where to spend the day or weekend, for that matter. While some say exploring Seneca Caverns is exciting, others feel flying down Snowshoe Mountain on skis is the thrill to seek. No matter what part of West Virginia, locals, or visitors alike escape to, they always leave with lifetime memories of Mother Nature mixed with loved ones.
The Greenbriar
Greenbriar's extravagant resort was once a World War II detention center and "Project Green Island," an underground nuclear war bunker set aside for U.S. Congress members during the Cold War. The resort, which once featured up to 20 presidents and Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, has dozens of outdoor and indoor activities to keep patrons pleased during their stay. From horseback riding, indoor tennis court, and golf course to a day spa up to 40,000 square feet, staying at the Greenbriar offers much more than room service.
West Virginia Penitentiary & Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
Popular among those who love the paranormal, the West Virginia Penitentiary is the perfect place to explore, with reported hauntings in the prison that performed up to 100 death penalty executions. If that is not scary enough, the Trans-Allegheny Asylum, also popular among spiritualists, touts awesome architecture, Civil War history, and being a monumental edifice in the history of mental illness therapy. The nationally historic site offers paranormal and flashlight tours to leave visitors with long lasting nightmares.
Seneca Caverns
Up to 460 million years old, Seneca Caverns, native to the tribe, are now available for visitors to explore up to 165 feet below the earth. For those who want to go deeper, guided cave doors are open, while gemstone mining is also on hand. Seneca Rocks gives hikers an outer experience to climb what is considered some of the best East Coast mountains. If touring the earth’s underground or peaks are not enough fun, area attractions including horseback riding, golf, and scenic railroads are nearby to enjoy. Blackwater Falls is also nearby, giving tourists a chance to stand under cascading water in one hour and walk through caves in the next.