If you're cruising through South Charleston and spot a big grassy hill tucked between antique shops…read moreand quiet streets, that's the Criel Mound. It's worth a stop. It's not flashy, but there's something grounding about standing next to a structure built over 2,000 years ago by the aboriginal people. The steps leading up are wide and gentle, and once you reach the top, you get a surprisingly peaceful view of the neighborhood. It's a quick visit. The mound itself is steeped in mystery and history. Archaeologists found 13 skeletons inside, including a central figure surrounded by others. There's a small park around the mound with interpretive signs that give you just enough context to spark curiosity. Some locals say horse races were once held around it, and there's even talk of burials that might represent alliances between different tribes. It's wild to think about how much has happened on that patch of earth, and how little we still know. The Criel Mound stands to quietly anchor the town. Kids run up the steps, people are walking dogs, and there's me, pausing to read the plaques. There is a sense of reverence here if you feel it. It's not at all a playground. [Review 569 of 2025 - 154 in West Virginia - 24130 overall]

The Criel Mound is a historic and cultural gem nestled in South Charleston, WV…read more The small park which houses it has plenty of street parking available and several interpretive signs around the mound explaining its history, importance, and what archaeologists discovered inside the mound when excavating. The mound is the second largest Adena mound in West Virginia and is believed to have been developed between 250 and 150 B.C. The Criel Mound was originally one of 50 mounds and prehistoric earthworks located in WV but unfortunately most have since been destroyed due to industrialization. It's definitely worth a visit (plan on about 30 minutes) if you're in the area.

A large storm the day before made this waterfall simply spectacular! You can see it from the tiny…read moreparking lot. Otherwise it is an uneven path to get there but less than 50 steps away. See it if you can!

Tony, Kayla, Deacon & I went on a Sunday drive up river towards Hawk's Nest stopping st several…read moreother locations along the way. We stopped at Catheral Falls and the parking lot was full. We took a walk to the base of the falls. Deacon was so brave. He said "Come on Maw Maw YoYo let's go" he says he's braver when I hold his hand. I love it that he has adventure in him. He loves to pose for pics! Reminds me of my Poppie McCormick, except Poppie never made faces or stuck out his tongue Great time! Great Memories!

This is worth a quick stop here, to see the memorial of a pioneer of country. It is in front of a…read moresmall library just up the street from where he was found passed away in the backseat of his car. It won't take up anytime. Be warned: I propped my hands on the cement to read it and I realized the thing was covered in chiggers (mites). They aren't harmful but still. Anyway, nearby is a place called pies and pints if you want a good meal before or after this stop.

I've listened to Hank Sr since I was little. I'm not sure what I was expecting and almost…read moreoverlooked the small memorial. Having heard the story of that evenings car ride I wanted to go. I was not disappointed as I stood there thinking of this country music legend and looking around at the small town. Hank achieved so much in his short life and I'd rather go and pay tribute to a real legend than to pay money and see a live show of today's country music want to be. I'll go every time I get the chance

The lore of the iconic Mothman is alive and well in the center of town in Point Pleasant, West…read moreVirginia. The statue was created by Bob Roach with an unveiling in 2003. Mothman stands in all his glory at 12', his red eyes piercing through your soul. He was constructed from stainless steel that has a mirror effect. Paying homage to Mothman is one of the biggest draws during the annual Mothman Festival. Folks have been drawn to the mysterious human/creature since 1966. It's said to have been at that time when several witnesses spied the creature at the West Virginia Ordinance Works (an abandoned TNT area). Go to Point Pleasant for the Mothman...if you dare!

It's bright silver and really doesn't match the witness descriptions of the alleged Mothman too…read morewell but so what? Mothman is so fun and freakishly wild and just about the only thing that puts this sleepy West Virginia town on the map. If you're within twenty or thirty miles and at all susceptible to kitsch how can you not swing by and snap a pic or three and maybe a couple dozen selfies with ol' red eyes here in all his anthropomorphic glory? And not only is your time with the statue free but you might actually make money if you choose to snatch the funds people have stuck into Mothy's bunghole. I don't know the story on that custom and pilfering butt money might be bad luck, though. As much as it pains this Detroiter to admit it I must say the Mothman statue is cooler than the Robocop statue.

This marker is along a curvy road at the peak of the hill. It is set back from the road a little…read morebit and needing some clearing. There is some space to pull over to stop and read the marker. The marker reads, "White Oak Fuel Company built the Oakwood Mine Complex in 1902. In 1915, 21 miners died when gas in the mine exploded. A year later, the original wooden tipple was upgraded to a multi-story steel structure. New River Company ran the mine after absorbing White Oak Fuel, a subsidiary, in 1936. Peak output was 515,936 tons in 1940. The mine shut down in 1965." The maker was erected in 2012 by West Virginia Department of Abandoned Mine Lands and the West Virginia Department of Archives & History. [Review 19615 overall - 89 in West Virginia - 586 of 2023.]

**April 2025: Midweek Morning Visit**…read more The Capitol Building itself is really impressive (5 stars for the building itself). It's super grand and beautiful; however, the start of my visit was really rocky, so hopefully this review can make your experience more streamlined. Parking There were many spots for patrons to park; however, you need to scan the QR code to pay for parking and it asks you which parking lot (which there were no signs). We asked a someone who passed by what the lot was called and she directed us to the parking attendant on the other side of the lot. He informed us we were in the DMV lot (which wasn't clearly posted anywhere). After about 15 minutes of trying to figure it out we finally paid. Capitol Building The Capitol Dome is very prominent, but after walking up maybe 50 stairs we found out that visitors cannot enter from the front. There were a lot of buildings so we didn't know where to enter. As we walked around we saw a group of kids from buses and followed them to a side building. There was a small temporary picket sign on the ground that pointed guests to the side building, but even that side building didn't have any markings. All guests go through security and all belongings needed to go through the machine. Tours I did my research on the website and it stated that parties smaller than 10 can come up for a tour. They offer them every half hour from 9am-12pm and 1pm to 3pm. However, on my visit there were at least 300 students visiting that day for a conference/field trip and no tour guides were available. My recommendation is during the week of your visit to give them a call and ask if they have scheduled visitors. I was kind of bummed that we had to miss it, so my friend and I did our own tour. bround 45 minutes later when we were ready to leave, one of the capitol's workers was giving a tour and asked if we'd like to join so that was a plus! Gift Shop The capitol doesn't have a designated gift shop or Capitol merch - which was a bummer. The info desk representative pointed us to the Culture Center Gift shop. I was looking for some memorabilia to bring home to my family and settled on a magnet. I think when I went to the Alaska capitol they had a good assortment so I was kinda bummed. Summary The place is beautiful and I hope on your visit it'll be a smoother process than mine. Cheers!

I travel frequently, but I have never been inside a state capital. They have tours or you can just…read morewalk around common areas. This was one of the most beautiful buildings that I have been in. West Virginia also has a State History Museum that is a one minute walk away.

This place is definitely worth checking out! Had no clue this place existed until we passed by it…read morewhile visiting Williamson. The history of the Coal House is very unique! There is a nice little gift shop inside as well.

From the owner: Housing the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce, The world famous Coal House is a visitor's welcome…read morecenter and gateway to the Hatfield McCoy Mountains of southern West Virginia. #VisitTheTug

What a cool spot to visit! It is probably a one-and-done for me, because it's not nearby, but it…read morewas fun to see in person after hearing about it for many years. It was also cold and rainy when we went and there were not a ton of people there (yet) the day before Halloween. It is a bit muddy, so wear some shoes you don't care about. Nice assortment of vendors and food trucks, but most of them had not yet opened for the evening. Some looked like they were just starting to open up as we were leaving. We had no trouble finding parking. Cute industrial Ohio River town with a beautiful house to be very proud of. Worth a visit.

This was such a cool spot to visit on Halloween! Even if you're not a fan of the holiday, it's…read morestill something that you won't see anywhere else. The detail in the carvings are very impressive and it's uplifting to see town members walk through and recognize their own art. The town may be small, but they band together to get the Pumpkin House ready every year. I highly recommend making a trip to Kenova for at least one Halloween.