Inspired by
an article in the Charleston Daily-Mail, I am working my way through a list of 55 Unique things to do in the Mountain State. So far, I have completed:
- A ride on Cass Scenic Railroad.
- Mystify your mind at the Mystery Hole in Ansted. Don't forget to buy a bumper sticker.
- Stop at any of the state's Tudor's Biscuit World locations at breakfast time. Order a cup of coffee and a "Mary B." (Did this on our first morning in our new home. Except we bent the rule a little because I'm a vegetarian.)
- Jump off the New River Gorge Bridge...with a bungee cord, of course.
Held every October, the annual Bridge Day festivities draw daredevils
from around the world to BASE- and bungee- jump from what was once the
world's longest steel single-span arch bridge. (Okay, we will never do this. It's just not gonna happen. But we watched other people jump, and that was enough for us.)
- Catch a West Virginia Power baseball game, and maybe a fly ball, at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston.
- Spend your Sunday evening at the West Virginia Culture Center for a
recording of West Virginia Public Radio's nationally syndicated show,
"Mountain Stage," then attend the after party at Charleston's Empty
Glass bar to rub elbows with some of the country's biggest country, folk
and indie rock acts.
- Take the family to the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French
Creek, home to owls, bears, mountain lions, raccoons and all kinds of
other mountain critters.
- After a long day of river rafting, nothing hits the spot like Pies and
Pints a restaurant with unique pizzas and brews in Fayetteville. (Okay, we've been to Pies and Pints in Charleston. Close enough, right?)
- Pick up some West Virginia-made crafts at the Tamarack.
- Grab a burger and milkshake at Beckley's King Tut Drive-In. Or, better
yet, order a pizza. The drive-in was the first Beckley restaurant to
sell the dish, in 1957. (Well I ate fried oysters. Mmm.)
- Get spooked at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, which has
been featured on television shows like the Travel Channel's "Ghost
Adventures" and SyFy's "Ghost Hunters." (See this post for details.)
Here are the things I want to get done before spring this year:
- Spend a weekend with someone you love at the Greenbrier Resort in White
Sulphur Springs. Don't miss afternoon tea, a tradition at the historic
hotel since the 1930s. The cookies are amazing.
- Buy your mom something special at the Blenko Glass Co., in Milton. Be
sure to wait around for one of the frequent glass-blowing
demonstrations.
- Head to Wheeling at Christmastime for the Festival of Lights at Oglebay Park.
- Celebrate the end of winter at the Lampion parade, held during
Helvetia's Fasnacht festivities. It's like a Swiss version of Mardi
Gras.
- Tour the Homer Laughlin China Co. factory in Newell and pick up a set of
its famous Fiestaware dishes. While you're in the neighborhood, go
check out "The World's Largest Teacup" in nearby Chester.
- Hit the slopes at Winterplace Ski Resort in Raleigh County, which
features one of the largest computerized snow production systems in the
nation.
- See where it all began, at Independence Hall in Wheeling. On June 20,
1861, Francis Pierpont was elected the first governor of the Restored
government of Virginia. Two years later, that state became "West
Virginia."
So by April, I should be done with 18 of the items on my list! Let's see how we do with this...
