This was my second time at Trans-Allegheny and it truly never disappoints! The first time I went,…read moremy mom, dad, and I did the 4 floor 90 minute tour. We were the only ones on the tour, which truly made it an even better experience! This time, my mom, aunt, and I did the First Floor North and South tours. The South tour was given to us by Madison and she was a fantastic tour guide! She provided us with so much information and some information we did not hear on our first tour there! We were also the only ones on this tour, which was nice. The second tour of the day was the North tour and this tour is new to the asylum! It opened this year and it gives insight as to where the criminally insane patients were housed after the Criminally Insane Building was shut down. This tour was given to us by Jasmine and she was amazing as well! This tour was a group, but it was still very interesting! I am looking forward to going back for an overnight tour and/or the haunted house!! Highly recommend!

Easily one of the best tours I've ever taken…read more I knew this would need to be part of our WV itinerary as soon as this place's existence became known to me while I was planning a possible trip. Just the name is enough to grab you but it certainly delivers. The thought of doing a paranormal tour intrigued me but I was also interested in the history. We arrived at 2:20 and were informed the paranormal tour wasn't starting until 4. Did we really want to wait until 4?! The very nice man provided descriptions of all of the tours and the paranormal one just sounded so interesting that it didn't seem like a real debate. We bought tickets and were considering how we would kill time but it turns out, they have a very interesting museum about the place's history on the first floor that someone entertained my ADHD ass until 3:55. It was incredible. As if that couldn't get any better, the tour was absolutely fascinating. We were taken throughout the museum and our guide, Brad, was impressively knowledgeable about the place, answered every question in exquisite detail. The only disappointment was that instead of experiencing anything paranormal, we were just told stories about things other people have experienced. Don't get me wrong, this was captivating but I was hoping to experience something for myself which I did not. An absolute must visit if you are interested in this kind of shit and are anywhere remotely in the vicinity.

Mr. Furley has his own statue in Morgantown! OK, it's actually Don Knotts, but to me, he will…read morealways be the landlord in Three's Company, on his way to the Regal Beagle to pick up some hot chicks. Don Knotts was born and raised in Morgantown, went to school at West Virginia University, and started his career as a ventriloquist at the Metropolitan Theatre in downtown Morgantown. His statue sits outside of the theatre building. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would guess that Don is probably one of the most famous people to come out of this West Virginia town. Certainly the most famous person from Morgantown to wear ascots and polyester leisure suits on television. The statue is on a busy one-way street, but you'll need to park across the street at one of the metered spots, or in one of the parking lots. This is a busy college town, so finding parking can be a chore, but Ralph Furley is worth the little bit of effort.

Any fan of Don Knotts should make the trek here in Morgantown, which was the TV legend's hometown…read more It was unveiled here in 2016 in front of the theatre where he started out as a ventriloquist. He of course would become best known for his roles on "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Three's Company" and others. But he always had the goofy look that even though no one took very seriously, was still lovable and is a reminder of how he always made us laugh. It's on a busy downtown street, but its not far from a paid lot.

This place has been here since the whiskey rebellion. It has a deep historic roots involved with…read morethis place. In the 1770s, tracing ownership through the Swart and McDonald families. An ancestor named John Henry built the stone house between 1817 and 1823 on what was then called a plantation. An old will also refers to the dwelling as "the mansion house." They've since put a deck on the back of the place and redid the inside of the house. It's incredible and nicely snuggled inside of Mingo Creek Park and worth a visit.

I recently learned that you should always be open minded to the suggestions on the billboards on…read morethe highway. We saw a sign mentioning the Palace of Gold on the way to Pittsburgh so we decided to make a detour and check it out. My first impression was how beautiful it was. Most of the building is indeed gold colored so there was no false advertising there. They also do tours of the palace so you can get an in depth look of the palace. The tour guide did an amazing job. What I really enjoyed was how quiet peaceful it was. There was a lot more to do than look at the temple. You could take a walk, visit the temple for worship and just enjoy the Mountain View. Everything was very relaxing. We loved it visit to the Palace of Gold. Such a hidden gem!

I'm a little torn on this review to be honest and it's kind of a hard one to write because the…read morePalace of Gold is definitely beautiful, but overall my experience wasn't the greatest. I visited in winter, which meant no flowers were in bloom in the gardens and the outdoor space was pretty gloomy with the exception of a very cool bug that I found on the steps. The seasons definitely change the atmosphere and I imagine that in spring or summer it feels much more vibrant and alive here. The palace itself is lovely with intricate details and ornate interiors and very much what I expected stylistically. However, it wasn't nearly as grand in scale as I had imagined. It was much smaller than I thought it would be. When you step inside the front lobby area, there are gorgeous stained glass windows and beautiful decor and I really enjoyed the light coming through into that space and being able to take photographs in there. The woman inside asked us on a few occasions if we wanted to take the tour and I wasn't sure until we saw the lobby area. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment was for me was finding out -- only after paying -- that photography wasn't actually allowed inside. That was tough and had I known I definitely would have made a different decision. Personally, I would have been just as happy taking photos of the exterior and I would have saved myself a lot of money. The tour is a little costly considering that you're just accessing a very small area and although the information was somewhat interesting, I had already read the majority of it beforehand. After the tour I was excited to head over to where they keep the cows, which are considered sacred here, because I had read that guests are sometimes allowed to help feed them. Unfortunately (again) it's only during a specific time of day and there wasn't anyone around that I could talk to, but I was able to see the cows through the fence and they were absolutely adorable. We were advised during the tour that we were welcome to go to the lunch offering near the housing area and we did try to find what the tour guide had described, but there were no clear signs. When we did eventually locate the area where they were serving some food, it felt very uncomfortable, like we had wandered somewhere we weren't meant to be. We definitely didn't feel like we belonged there and left almost immediately. Overall, the palace itself is really beautiful and historically interesting and although I don't subscribe to the beliefs of the people here, I do respect what it represents to them. Between the cost and the no photo surprise and the general feeling of uncertainty throughout our visit, we just spent much of our time here wandering and feeling uncomfortable. The welcome center wasn't very welcoming, the peacock walk had no peacocks and the chanting and yelling of Krishna devotees can be a frightening experience to those new to it. This is worth seeing once, hopefully in a season where it's full of flowers and sunshine and beauty. I just suggest you manage your expectations and definitely make it clear that you are not there to be converted.

Fallingwater is a great stop if you plan to drive from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh or vice versa…read morelike we did. It is a 4 hour drive from Philly to Fallingwater. I'm glad we stopped. This was by far one of the coolest architectural structures I've ever seen in my life. I see why it has won so many awards as the crowning achievement for architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Completed in 1939 as a weekend retreat for Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar J. Kaufmann, it is celebrated worldwide as the ultimate masterpiece of "organic architecture"--a philosophy integrating human habitation seamlessly with nature.Located in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, the house is famously cantilevered directly over the Bear Run waterfall. The design anchors reinforced concrete trays and local sandstone to the natural rock, making the house appear to float above the stream Fallingwater has received numerous honors and architectural designations, including: 1976: Designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. National Park Service 2019: Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with seven other Wright-designed properties, in recognition of its universal global significance. I was in awe at the entire complex, all of the rooms, and of course the waterfall that goes all around the house.

Fallingwater is about 1.5 hrs from Pittsburgh and a must see if you are in the area. For anyone…read moreinterested in history, architecture or nature, this place architected by Frank Lloyd Wright is a beauty that seamlessly integrates this home with nature. Tickets for tours should be purchased online in advance to ensure you will get a tour.

One of my favorite parks in West Virginia, but they could do a little better at keeping their…read morebathrooms clean and make sure the soap and hand sanitizer is always full. I've been here a lot over the years to ride the rail trail from here to Morgantown and back and it's beautiful. I've did the tours and they are great and very insightful. It has beautiful grounds in general plus a nice gift shop. I really enjoy riding the rail trail towards Fairmont too even though it's short it's paved and the tunnel is nice and cool on a warm day. It's a great place with tons of history. Check it out and make sure to bring your bike to enjoy the rail trail and a cooler to have a nice picnic. Enjoy :D

On the way back from Morgantown yesterday Tony and I decided to stop at pricket's fort State Park…read morein Fairmont we had never been here before this was going to be a nice little afternoon adventure. The weather was lovely it was a very mild low 80° sun was Shining, flowers blooming , bees a buzzing....feels like summer finally! You found the park rather easily even though they don't have a lot of signage once you get off the interstate. The park is free to enjoy and walk around there's a couple of hiking trails and a very old cemetery. There is a really nice bathroom area near the museum and the museum is free to enjoy. There is also a gift shop. Now if you want to tour the actual fort which is a reconstructive for it which also includes the family job pricket brick house or Mansion whatever you want to call it there's a fee of $8. And seniors are six I believe. They also offer bike rental which I found to be very nice even though we were not riding bikes this day. The fort is a self-guided tour and they have people in costume to talk to show you around and answer any questions you may have. But they do not currently have a blacksmith. The job house is scheduled with a scheduled tour three times a day 11, 1 and 2:30. Since we missed the tour for the house we decided not to purchase the ticket for the fort, because the fee covers both. So our plans are to go back soon and plan our day so that way we can enjoy both the fort and the house. The staff that is working there is very friendly and will answer any questions you may have. The museum has quite a few artifacts in it and a 20 minute film talking about the fort, how it was used, and how it was very important to the frontier home life in that area at the time. I definitely highly recommend you going if you're in the area. I know Tony and I are definitely going back again. There's a lot of great things to see there, a lot of family historical information for the area, and some really neat things in the gift shop. Hope you go and hope you enjoy your day at the fort and the park.

This is the quintessential Brownsville historical attraction. If you are looking for a prize of…read morelocal history you cannot find anywhere else then look no further

I have heard of Nemacolin Castle, but had thought it was near the resort by the same name. It…read morewasn't until I entered the address into the GPS that I learned it is located in Brownsville. Husband and I decided to visit when the Christmas tour was offered. We got a history lesson on the man who founded a trading post and built the castle. The Bowman family was quite influential in the area. It is impressive to be made aware of the history behind the family and the home. The home is managed by the historical society and volunteers. It would be great if they would get some additional funding for restoring the home. Right now, they rely on donations and admission fees to maintain the upkeep. There are areas of sagging floors and peeling wallpaper. It is fortunate that most of the furniture items were actually owned and used by the family. The piano is beautiful and one of the first to come to the area. The home was decorated for the Christmas holiday. Admission is $15 for adults and tickets may be purchased online or at the door. On busy times, I would recommend reservations. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. We were in a tour of about 18-24 people which was too large of a group. The some of the rooms were small and we were crammed in to hear the guide. Still, it was a nice way to spend a rainy Saturday before Christmas. I want to return when they have a haunted tour next fall.

Very informative Park Ranger. Grounds and outside of home was great. I felt the inside was sparsely…read morefurnished and most of it was closed off. Albert Gallatin is not as well remembered as Thomas Jefferson or James Madison but did serve for 13 years as our Secretary of the Treasury. He did feel his main goal was to work on the National Debt. We could use some of his foresight today!

This is a quiet and relaxing National Parks Service property. We only saw a few other people the…read moreentire time we were there, and one was the ranger. There is a really nice picnic area available near the parking lot. It has a number of picnic tables, a shelterhouse, and a clean restroom. This is a take your trash out with you park, but they do offer bags for you to put them in. From the picnic area, you can head up the hill to see the house, which can be toured, and you can also walk around the grounds, which also contains 10 miles of trails. So why is this a historic site? It was the wilderness home of Albert Gallatin, a lesser known figure from the US government in the late 1700s. The location is beautiful - there's a nice overlook behind the house that has a historic gazebo and looks out over the river. The section of trail that starts behind the house lets you get a glimpse at a number of interesting historical and natural sights: an old growth forest full of towering trees, the grave site of Gallatin's first wife, Sophia, a pond which had a number of turtles, a meadow area that was full of beautiful butterflies, and more.

Halliehurst is such a beautiful mansion in Elkins. They are normally open for visiting purposes,…read morebut it is mainly used for Davis and Elkins offices. The inside and outside is so pretty. They used to do tours of Graceland and Halliehurst, but I am not sure if that is something that is still done.