10 West Virginia Small Towns With Unmatched Friendliness
West Virginia's small towns pack in far more than postcard mountain views. One weekend you can watch BASE jumpers launch off the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville. Another can mean soaking in the mineral waters of Berkeley Springs or browsing art galleries in Thomas. Historic downtowns across the state run on railroad festivals and live music. The 10 towns below all know how to make visitors feel like locals.
Thomas
Home to only around 600 residents, Thomas is a notable West Virginia community that's often grouped together with nearby Davis. This high-elevation corner of West Virginia shows true small-town friendliness to those who travel to the area for its surprisingly strong art scene, outdoor recreation at Blackwater Falls State Park, and other attractions. Thomas is particularly known for its art galleries, as well as the popular regional music venue Purple Fiddle.
Fayetteville
Fayetteville serves as the friendly gateway to one of West Virginia's most dramatic natural attractions, the New River Gorge. One of the newest additions to the ranks of national parks, it offers opportunities for hiking, boating, camping, rock climbing, and other ways to explore local history. The town also hosts the annual Bridge Day festival, geared toward extreme sports lovers who BASE jump or rappel off the famous bridge. After a long day exploring the area, Fayetteville also welcomes visitors to relax and explore the downtown, which is lined with coffee shops, restaurants, breweries, and local retail.
Shepherdstown
Set on the banks of the Potomac River, Shepherdstown is a college town home to Shepherd University and well-acquainted with making new arrivals feel right at home, particularly in the historic downtown district. The extensive amount of 18th- and 19th-century architecture has landed the entire town on the National Register of Historic Places, but the history doesn't mean the area lacks energy. Along with shopping opportunities at bookstores, antique shops, and other local retail, the town hosts the nationally acclaimed Contemporary American Theater Festival, which brings diverse art and culture to this town each summer. The nearby Potomac River also offers a variety of outdoor exploration opportunities.
Lewisburg
Lewisburg offers something for everyone with a combination of history, events, and small-town cool. It's located in the southeastern corner of the state and shows off its friendliness every year by hosting thousands of visitors who come to the area for the State Fair of West Virginia, held just next door in Fairlea. Lewisburg also offers an art scene that welcomes in visitors and locals alike to check out shows and performances at Carnegie Hall, one of just four still-operating performing arts venues that share the name of the institution's original benefactor Andrew Carnegie. The walkable downtown, centered on Washington and Jefferson Streets, offers memorable places to dine, regional shops, and historic attractions.
Buckhannon
Buckhannon's friendliness is linked to two factors that define much of the character of this community. The first is the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, which takes over the compact, amenity-rich downtown area each May, providing live entertainment, a carnival, and plenty of events showcasing the state's harvest. The other is hosting West Virginia Wesleyan College, whose students provide a burst of college-town energy to Buckhannon even as it retains its relatively quiet overall vibe. Located along the river that shares the town's name, visitors can also enjoy West Virginia scenery from the popular Buckhannon River Walk Trail.
Berkeley Springs
Along the northern border of the state's eastern panhandle, Berkeley Springs (once known as Bath) reveals its biggest attraction in its name. The natural springs and spas of the area are part of Berkeley Springs State Park. With a variety of public bathhouses, springs, and interpretive sites like museums, visitors can literally feel the friendliness soak into their bones during their trip. Despite the town's modest size, there's seemingly always something going on in Berkeley Springs, from the town's farmers market to the annual Apple Butter Festival. All of these attractions cluster throughout a welcoming downtown district, making it easy to take in the town on foot and meet the locals.
Elkins
The friendly nature of Elkins traces back to its historic heritage as an important rail hub, welcoming travelers and commerce from across the region and the country. After checking out the West Virginia Railroad Museum, visitors can stroll by the Rotary Amphitheater, which hosts a variety of public events including concerts and farmers' markets. However, no local event is bigger than the Mountain State Forest Festival, which claims to be the state's largest and oldest festival. Downtown hosts a surprisingly diverse collection of restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and shops for a town of such modest size and profile, welcoming locals and visitors alike to experience the low-key atmosphere.
Martinsburg
With nearly 20,000 residents, Martinsburg is substantially larger than some communities on this list. However, it manages to retain the friendly character even as it has grown and added amenities and features. This eastern panhandle town is steeped in history related to its railroad heritage and place in the Civil War, centered on a thriving, historic downtown peppered with preserved architecture and notable sites. There are also plenty of local events to draw in visitors and bring out locals, including a summer concert series, a "Wine and Shine Festival" highlighting local breweries, wineries, and distilleries, and a variety of other food- and history-focused festivals nearly every month of the year.
Point Pleasant
Point Pleasant sits along West Virginia's southwestern border at the junction of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers. It's a friendly destination for visitors seeking to explore the area's lore surrounding the Mothman, a large humanoid cryptid with wings and glowing eyes reportedly sighted in the area in 1966 and 1967. A local museum dedicated to the supposed creature is a top attraction, as is an annual festival that highlights Mothman and its connection to the area each September. Even more skeptical visitors will have plenty of fun strolling the beautiful riverfront area and the preserved corner of Tu-Endie-Wei State Park.
Hinton
Another mountain and river town combination, Hinton sits along a narrow stretch of the shore of the New River in southern West Virginia. It's a great choice for those who want to see what an authentic, preserved rail town was like, a heritage the town promotes with the annual Hinton Railroad Days. River recreation, such as boating and fishing, brings many to this welcoming spot, while a historic district downtown includes a rail museum, town square, and numerous friendly local businesses.
Welcoming West Virginia
West Virginia offers so much to visitors who are willing to look closer among the state's mountains and rivers. There, they'll find a mix of small towns ready to welcome them with attractions and fun local events. No matter what you're looking for or what part of the state you're exploring, you'll find one of these welcoming small towns waiting.
