Family-Friendly Vacation Ideas at West Virginia State Parks

Fun-filled family vacations don’t have to break the bank. Spend a day, holiday weekend or even longer at a West Virginia state park, and make it a trip your kids will never forget!

Spend a Weekend in a Company House at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park offers daily excursions, special events and exclusive overnight stays in historic company houses. You and your kids will be transported back in time to an era when steam-driven locomotives were a part of everyday life. Original houses from the former logging town at Cass have been preserved to provide park guests with a one-of-a-kind overnight experience filled with history, community heritage and a ton of family fun. While visiting Cass, you can also ride the Shay locomotive and tour the Company Store and Railroad Museum to round out your full experience of what life would have been like in a mountain railroad town.

Take a Day Trip to a Historic State Park

West Virginia played a major role in early American history. At Tu-Endie-Wei State Park in Point Pleasant, guests can explore the monument on-site that stands to remember the fight between frontiersmen and Chief Cornstalk’s tribesmen in 1774.

Prickett’s Fort in Fairmont is a former hideout for settlers trying to escape conflict with Native American tribes. You can experience life in the frontier days by touring the fort and watching demonstrations.

Bring your kids’ history books to life by retracing West Virginia battles along the Civil War Discovery Trail, including famous fights that took place at  Carnifex Ferry and Droop Mountain state parks.

Plan an Educational Adventure

Stonewall’s Resort Rascals program combines education with exploration and offers just about every kind of activity a kid could want. Nature walks, bird watching, fishing, rock-wall climbing and miniature golf are just a few! In the evenings, Kids Night Out features supervised, kid-friendly events, which will allow parents  to take a break, relax, and indulge in the resort’s many other options for adults.

For more simple State Park fun the whole family can enjoy, check out this list:

• Stroll across the boardwalk through huge rock formations at Beartown State Park in Hillsboro.
• Enjoy the stern wheel boat rides to Blennerhassett Island State Park  and then tour the island on rented bikes or in a horse-drawn carriage.
• Hike and explore the waterfalls at Blackwater Falls State Park.
• Rent a canoe, rowboat, kayak, or pedal boat at Beech Fork State Park in Barboursville.
• Swim in the mineral springs at Berkeley Springs State Park.
• Splash around the Chief Logan State Park swimming pool in Logan.

Plan away!