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With a state motto like "Almost Heaven," West Virginia sets expectations very high. And the state, separate from Virginia since 1863, has been satisfying those notion for generations, with in-state residents and visitors, sometimes from oceans away, expressing their admiration for the small eastern state. West Virginia is perhaps best-known for its natural scenery, from the Shenandoah Valley to river confluence points like at Harpers Ferry. Yet the state offers an abundance of culture, too. No matter a tourist's personal taste, he or she will find a satisfying time in this heavenly state. 

White Sulphur Springs

White Sulphur Springs, with 2,200 souls, sits in West Virginia's southeast, near the Virginia border. The town's most famous attraction is the Greenbrier, a luxury spa and mountain resort. The town's secret to its success traces back to its collection of local natural springs, which long ago inspired the moniker, "Queen of the Watering Places."  The town is likewise home to Oakhurst Links, the first official golf club in the United States. Fun fact: During º£½ÇÉçÇø War II, the town was planned to host the US Congress in the event Washington would need to be evacuated. 

Today, White Sulphur Springs has a wealth of points of interest. Hungry visitors will enjoy Rosa Hog’s BBQ, Big Draft Brewing, and other best-in-class establishments. The town and its many attractions are accessible by rail, via Amtrak's Cardinal route between Chicago and Washington, DC.  

Ripley

Ripley, with 3,100 souls, sits between the foothills of the Appalachian mountain range and the Ohio River Valley. First called Jackson Courthouse, then Jackson, then finally Ripley, the town, sited here in 1830, is a creative haven, drawing artists and other free spirits from far and wide. Artists come together annually in Ripley to share their work during the Mountain State Art and Craft Fair, a local highlight. For fresh air, head to Ripley Field, which has a green space and an adjoining pond. 

But the biggest party comes to Ripley every 4th of July, the US Independence Day, when the town puts on its much-loved Independence Day festival, which some consider "America's largest small-town Independence Day celebration," according to West Virginia sources. In 2002, Ripley welcomed a visit and speech from then-president George W. Bush to its independence celebrations. More local history sits on proud display at the Jackson County Courthouse downtown. 

Morgantown

Morgantown, with 30,300 total inhabitants, may be West Virginia's best college town. It certainly has the reputation, and as home to the West Virginia University (WVU), the town and its students are known to party. 

Sitting just south of the Pennsylvania state line, Morgantown itself gives travelers opportunities unlike anywhere else in West Virginia. For a show of local color, visitors should head to the Monongalia Arts Center or the Metropolitan Theatre. The Morgantown History Museum sheds light on the area's pivotal part in the French and Indian War (1754-63), a harbinger of the US War of Independence. For fresh air, Morgantown's Core Arboretum, or the Deckers Creek and Caperton Rail-Trails, provide more than space for a walk, workout, or both. 

Fairmont

Fairmont, population 18,200, is another West Virginia gem. Another college town, Fairmont is home to Fairmont State University, a small public college. The town is also strong on local culture, especially food with a connection to its past patterns of immigration. While in town, try the pepperoni roll, a local snack that grew popular in the state's coal mines — and which reflects the state's history of welcoming Italian immigrants. 

Those need some fresh air can make for Palatine Park as well as Pricketts Fort State Park, with its reconstructed village that displays frontier life from the French and Indian War and thereafter. Outdoors enthusiasts will enjoy Nearby Tygart Lake State Park and the West Virginia Botanic Gardens.

Martinsburg

Martinsburg, population 19,000, sits in West Virginia's eastern "Panhandle," the arm of land between the states of Maryland and Virginia. Martinsburg is often considered an entry point to the Shenandoah Valley, itself part of the larger Appalachian mountain range, a region famous for its beauty and wild-colored leaves each autumn. 

For a combination of the outdoors and Martinsburg history, head to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, which remembers the historic canal project that sought to develop commerce between the Chesapeake estuary, Washington, DC, Ohio, Virginia, and of course West Virginia. Aspen Hall, a colonial-era mansion, has stood at its location since 1745, making it the oldest building in Martinsburg.

Davis

Davis is a very small town that is big on local history. With just 600 residents, Davis makes a great travel base for hiking, skiing, and beer-tasting. It sits in close proximity to the Dolly Sods Wilderness area, Blackwater Falls State Park, and the Little Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge. Davis' craft beer scene offers cold, delicious choices from breweries like Stumptown Ales, or spirits at New Heritage Distilling. Adventure sports fans will appreciate the town's mountainbiking trails, whose names —like Moon Rocks and Hoo Doo Hustle — show as much charisma as the local brands of alcohol. 

Davis' industrial background includes logging and coal mining. The nearby confluence of the Blackwater River and Beaver Creek facilitated the transportation of felled logs via local waterways and toward buyers downstream. The town today has two sites on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Hinton

Hinton, with 2,200 inhabitants, sits in the state's sparsely population southeast. The town was founded in part to be near the three-way meeting of the Bluestone, Greenbrier, and New Rivers. Hinton's downtown is featured on the National Register of Historic Places, given the town's onetime status as a stop on the Chesapeake and Ohio rail line, and boasts architectural and industrial standouts for the curious traveler.

The Hinton Railroad Bridge, which spans the New River, is a key local legacy from the golden days of rail. History fans can learn more at the town's railroad museum, or look around downtown for the examples of Classical Revival, Late Victorian, and American Four-Square homes and buildings. King's Civil War Museum adds another layer of memory to this small town's rich historical offerings. 

Nature fans and park-baggers should know that Hinton is not far from New River Gorge National Park. A national park only since 2022, the area is the newest addition to the federally-administered US park system. 

West Virginia's biggest charm awaits in its small towns

Clearly, West Virginia's diverse offerings across its small towns mean that the visitor will never lose interest. From spa towns, natural playgrounds like the Appalachian mountains, quaint college towns and a wealth of various parks and gardens, the "Almost Heaven" state really does deliver on the high expectations of many travelers. Add to that diverse architectural charms, histories of wars and peace, and the vistas of the state's mountains, and the question may not be whether to visit the small towns of West Virginia, but how soon.