Tygart Lake State Park, Grafton, WV. Mon-Tues, Sept 8-9, 2025. This state park, in the foothills…read moreof the Allegheny mountains in scenic north-central West Virginia, features a 10-mile long, 1,750 acre lake. The lake offers the usual water activities (swimming, boating, scuba diving, fishing (bass!), but also Adventure Lake with inflatables (closed when we visited). There are also trails for family-friendly hiking or biking, as well as options for staying overnight (a lodge and campground). There are also playgrounds for the kiddos. Our activities included: *Stopped at the PARK OFFICE to pick up a map. The ranger was friendly and helpful. The NATURE CENTER in the same building was closed. *Checked out the overlook near the DAM which regulates the waters of the Tygart Valley River. This is a tourist-friendly area with a visitors center/restrooms, informational signs, covered picnic tables, outdoor tables with phone charging stations, a WV photo-op at an "Almost Heaven" swing, free parking, and more. The U.S. Corps of Engineers also offers free tours of the dam every Friday in June, July, and August; pre-registration is required. *HIKED the easy Tygart Dam Trail (1.7 miles out-and-back, 160' elevation gain) that connects the Tygart Lake Dam to the Tygart Lodge. The trail was mostly flat, except for a steep paved section at the very beginning/ending on the dam side. There were limited views of the lake from the trail due to foliage, except near the lodge. Our turn around point was the lodge. We sat on a bench on the stairwell going up to the lodge to drink some water and eat a snack; a minor concern was that wasn't a bench in the shade. *Finally, we CAMPED overnight in our Class-B (van-sized) RV in the campground. There are 36 well-maintained sites, of which 26 are non-electric sites ($29.99/night) and 10 that offer 50-amp electric and water for $39.99. While the office on-site was closed when we arrived (Mon, 3:45 pm), there was a sign outlining ways to pay either by calling or online. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring. The restrooms/showers, about 50 yards from our site, were clean. We were one of only two campers on the night that we visited so it was very peaceful, and we enjoyed being able to see the dark night sky. We noted, however, that the sites are close together and campers wouldn't have much privacy at busier times. Also, wi-fi was unstable at our (but not all) sites. Overall, we had a very peaceful stay. While we encountered occasional people in the park office, on the trails, in the dam area, and in the campground, it was mostly a solitary experience on a Monday-Tuesday in early September. Also, some of the attractions (Adventure Lake, kayak rental, the Nature Center, campground office) were closed. We didn't have any security concerns. We hope to return one day.

I will never forget my experience at Tygart Lake State Park. What could have been a frightening and…read moredangerous situation instead became one of the safest and most welcoming places I have ever been in my life. Special, heartfelt thanks to Park Ranger Patrick Miller -- truly a power ranger in every sense of the word. Ranger Miller immediately understood that it would have been far more dangerous to turn me away from an RV site. I was a first-time RV driver, snow was coming in, and I am from Louisiana, with no experience driving in winter conditions. His judgment, compassion, and leadership quite literally kept me safe. He tried to help me reverse the camper himself, assessed the situation carefully, and made sure I was secure -- recognizing that I had a winterized vehicle with its own bathroom and that staying put was the safest option. Under his leadership, his team -- JR, John, JJ, and others -- checked on me repeatedly, helped me make a fire, and even jumped my car when it stalled, despite the fact that roadside assistance never showed up when it should have. When my car stalled again later at The Lodge, they were there for me again. People like Jason from Tygart Lake and everyone associated with this park showed up every single time I needed help -- calmly, professionally, and with genuine care. What stood out most was that they didn't just "do their jobs." They cared. Every person I encountered at Tygart Lake State Park made me feel protected, respected, and welcomed. Under the leadership of Park Ranger Patrick Miller, this team embodies what public service is supposed to be. I truly felt like I was meant to be here, and I have never felt safer anywhere. This park -- and the people who run it -- are a treasure. I am deeply grateful. Update: 12/18/25 Horrible Customer Service at GIFT SHOP I bought a one-of-a-kind, hand-blown glass ornament from the lodge gift shop that was supposed to light up. No one tested it at purchase, and when I got back to my room it didn't work. A staff member told me to bring it back for a battery replacement, but when I returned a different staff member was condescending and treated me like I was trying to get away with something over a $2 battery. I've spent close to $1,000 at the lodge in about a week, and this experience left me feeling accused instead of helped. By the time anyone tried to make it right, the tone had already done the damage, and I ended up canceling my New Year's Eve booking and taking my business elsewhere. This wasn't about the battery--it was about how I was treated.

I had high hopes and am kicking myself for not reading the reviews…read more.. Convenient location for a visit to Stonewall, the Asylum, hiking etc.. At check-in there were crumbs on the table/counters, jelly fingerprints on a kitchen cabinet, cobwebs, dust bunnies etc. And bring your own towels, pillows and sheets (the ones on site are so thin and ratty). Other supplies are limited - only had a few paper towels, 1 garbage bag, we almost ran out of toilet paper etc.. There is also a binder with tons of rules and fines if you don't follow them. I get that to some extent but it could be presented in a much better way.

https://youtu.be/JJV9nfVYORw…read more My wife and I went here for our honeymoon but I had to feature the cabins in our Vlog that went up on my Traveling gamer on YouTube!!!!

This regional airport is great with easy access and easy TSA screening. Paid parking now . Out of…read moretwo airlines that fly out of this airport I have only flown one "Contour air". Today flying to their hub Charlotte NC we couldn't land because The plane didn't have enough fuel to wait out the fog. Why is that ? The first outgoing flight is low on fuel ? So I'm at the Raleigh Durum airport sitting in the plane waiting for the plane to get fuel. Not impressed with this airline.

I was in disbelief when I showed up just a little over an hour early for my flight and there wasn't…read moreanyone at the counter, there were a couple of TSA agents that came by. Is was clean, quiet, and a very nice experience compared to other airports.

Jeanet Green and her boss, Leslie Alkire exceeded all expectations when a family member was…read moreunexpectedly stranded in Weston. Not only did they drive him to his destination, a full 3 hours away, for a reasonable fare, but Jeanet made sure he was able to get something to eat, then called us after delivering him to let us know he had arrived safely. These people's professionalism, competence, and kindness are unsurpassed.

We decided to take an extended family cruise.Beverly and her staff at Travel Emporium made the…read morevacation a GREAT success, everything was organized in a travel packet for us. That made the travel on a Holiday week painless. Thank You Travel Emporium. Luke S.

We book our honeymoon through Katie and she was amazing!! She took care of all the details and…read moredemonstrated excellent communication and knowledge. We high recommend this travel agency!!

This rest stop is one of 2-3 when driving along Interstate 79 through West Virginia. Its…read morefacilities are usually very clean. There is a separate building for vending machines with drinks and snacks. Also, there is an area for walking dogs and sanitary bags to clean up afterwards.

Clean and easy on and off high highway…read more This stop has men's and women's rooms and no vending machines that I saw. Large outdoor space for eating a bite. There is a memorial for local vets here. It's quite large and worth spending a moment looking at and thinking about. Trucks have their own parking.