12 Most Peaceful Small Towns In West Virginia

With its panoramic mountain views, winding rivers, and thick forests, West Virginia conceals small towns where nobody is in a hurry, and the calendar still revolves around local fairs and Friday-night shows. Some travelers come for slow hours by the water, toes in the current or rod in hand. Others want galleries and theaters, or a place to track themselves down some homemade jam, or a slice of warm pie. Whichever route you choose, country roads will take you home to the place you belong in West Virginia.

Lewisburg

Some people come to Lewisburg and want to start with the arts. If that's you, then walk straight to Carnegie Hall and check the schedule. After all these years, the 1902 building still buzzes with concerts, gallery shows, and community events. You can also head over to the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, where the state’s professional theater company performs.

If you're of a mind to do something outdoorsy, head over to the Lost World Caverns, where a self-guided loop passes massive stalactites and the famous Snowy Chandelier. You can also get some fresh, clear mountain air by hiking the Greenbrier River Trail near North Caldwell. Many visitors finish the day with a slow stroll and something warm in hand along the main commercial strip, Washington Street, replaying the day's experiences in easy conversation.

Buckhannon

If you're going to Buckhannon, make sure it's in May. That's when the West Virginia Strawberry Festival fills the town with parades, live music, and food stalls, including, of course, strawberry shortcake. On quieter weekends, for sure take in the Buckhannon River Walk Trail, tracing the riverbank with paved sections, overlooks, and easy spots to take beautiful photos of the scenery, wildlife, or, of course... yourself. After all, if you don't have pictures, it didn't happen, right?

A few blocks away, Artistry on Main pulls you indoors to browse cooperative galleries or sign up for a class in pottery or fiber arts. While you're there, do take the time to strike up conversations with local craftspeople. They're often more than willing to talk to you, not just about their craft, but about Appalachian life, past and present.

Elkins

The rail line sets the pace in Elkins. Climb aboard the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, settle into your seat, and watch Monongahela National Forest roll past while the train follows the Shavers Fork of the Cheat River or climbs toward higher grades. On fall weekends, the town is all about the Mountain State Forest Festival, a long-running celebration with parades, lumberjack contests, and rows of craft booths. Hikers can branch off toward the Allegheny Highlands Trail or aim the car at Bickle Knob Overlook for a summit view. By late afternoon, conversations drift back into town over a sampler at Big Timber Brewing Company, and dinner at El Gran Sabor wraps the day with live music and Venezuelan plates. Trains, trails, and taproom nights all overlap here in a way that rewards an extra night in town.

Summersville

Water is the main story in Summersville. Many travelers roll in, drop bags, and head straight for Summersville Lake State Park to swim, paddle into quiet coves, or scramble along sandstone outcrops. Next, the climb up Summersville Lake Lighthouse pulls your eyes across a wide sweep of blue water and densely wooded ridges. Those who want waves instead of still water keep going to the Gauley River National Recreation Area, timing visits for the release season when outfitters run whitewater trips. History buffs won't want to miss Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park, where Gauley Canyon lies just below a Civil War site with signed trails and shaded picnic spots. With lake shorelines, river rapids, and battlefield overlooks in close company, the town works well as a launch point for several different kinds of days outside. That's often a good call if you're traveling with family members of different generations.

Fairmont

In Fairmont, a single day can feel pleasantly layered. Morning can start at Pricketts Fort State Park, where costumed interpreters talk through frontier history while you wander past cabins and along wooded paths. When you are ready for louder water, drive out to Valley Falls State Park, set up your camera near the ledges on the Tygart Valley River, and follow trails around the boulder gardens. Back in town, the pace slows again at Palatine Park with a riverfront walk and, in summer, music on the outdoor stage. Before evening, many visitors slip into the Marion County Historical Society Museum inside the former sheriff’s residence to study period rooms and exhibits on local industry. Fort walls, waterfalls, a park on the river, and a compact museum all come together to make Fairmont easy to navigate yet surprisingly full.

Bridgeport

Bridgeport is at its best when you treat the day like a loose checklist, and be ok with the pleasant interruptions of meeting people and going on interesting side quests. Perhaps you'll begin at Deegan & Hinkle Lakes Park, walking the paved loop while herons and ducks work the shoreline and anglers wait quietly with lines in the water. Late morning can belong to the Bridgeport Farmers Market, where stalls carry coffee, pastries, and produce from West Virginia farms and kitchens. If the weather shifts or you want a roof overhead, the Benedum Civic Center might have a craft show, concert, or seasonal event on the calendar. Before you call it a day, point your camera toward the Simpson Creek Covered Bridge, a 19th-century span that reminds you how long people have been crossing this valley, and grateful you can do it in the comfort and speed of your car, rather than by a bumpy wagon ride.

Princeton

Rail history and the arts share the spotlight in Princeton. Many trips begin at the Chuck Mathena Center, where touring performers fill a modern hall with music, dance, or theater. Nearby, the Princeton Railroad Museum tells a different story, one built around the Virginian Railway, freight routes, and a classic caboose that holds plenty of childhood daydreams. Families and dog walkers gravitate toward Glenwood Recreational Park just south of town for a picnic, an easy loop on shaded paths, or a pause at the playgrounds. When the light softens, Mercer Street draws you toward murals and gallery windows in the RiffRaff Arts Collective, along with coffee and conversation. Put together, the center, museum, park, and arts district create a compact route that still leaves room in your schedule for second cups and long talks.

Bluefield

The story of Bluefield runs uphill and back down again. Drivers steer toward the East River Mountain Overlook first, where a short walk from the parking area reveals a wide sweep of ridges and the city far below. Once you have taken a last look over the railing, the descent into town leads to Bluefield City Park and its shaded paths, playgrounds, and seasonal Ridge Runner miniature train. When clouds roll in, the restored Bluefield Arts Center becomes the natural stop, thanks to its galleries, small performances, and community events under one roof. High overlook, neighborhood park, arts hub, and one more patch of grass: it is a simple combination that works.

Charles Town

Travelers sometimes confuse the names of the small community of Charles Town with Charleston, the urbanized state capital, yet the two places feel very different once you arrive. Here, you might start with tickets at the Old Opera House, a century-old venue that still holds plays, concerts, and workshops in the middle of town. On warm afternoons, families flock to Jefferson Memorial Park for swimming during the season, playground time, and games on the ballfields. The afternoon can switch gears at the Jefferson County Museum, where maps, Civil War objects, and local archives invite a slower look around regional history. When evening comes, some visitors head to the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races for thoroughbred racing and good food. The result is a town that works equally well for history walks and trackside late nights.

Point Pleasant

Legend and river history trade places throughout a day in Point Pleasant. Start at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, where the Ohio and Kanawha rivers join, and monuments mark the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant. A short walk along the floodwall brings you to the Riverfront Park murals, a long ribbon of artwork that retells local stories panel by panel. Curiosity about tall tales usually pulls people up Main Street and into the Mothman Museum, which is packed with eyewitness accounts, newspaper clippings, movie props, and memorabilia tied to the creepy Mothman legend and the old Silver Bridge. When you want to get grounded again, the loop around Krodel Park circles a small lake, where seasonal pedal boats, fishing, and benches provide time to watch the light change. History buffs, cryptid fans, and casual walkers all find something to talk about here.

New Martinsville

Life in New Martinsville seems to orbit green space and river views. Bruce Park often serves as the first stop, especially for families, with its mature shade trees, playgrounds, and picnic shelters. It also has an 18-hole miniature golf course and ball fields, so everyone can have a blast outdoors. Those curious about local stories wander into the Wetzel County Museum to read about regional industry and everyday life through photographs and artifacts. When you want to hear more birds than engines, driving south to Lewis Wetzel Wildlife Management Area brings ridge roads, quiet woods, and occasional deer at the edge of a clearing. It is an easy town for slow walkers and patient observers.

Hurricane

The first thing everyone wants to know about this town is how, hundreds of miles from the ocean, it got its name. Early surveyors said the bent trees along the local creek looked like a hurricane had hit, and they called it “Hurricane Creek.” So, in an eccentric little quirk, a town named like a mega-storm actually pays homage to what locals would call a “crick” so shallow you can wade across it in places.

Families often treat Hurricane as a daylong playground. Valley Park usually comes first, thanks to its walking trails, playgrounds, fishing pond, and seasonal water park that keeps kids busy through the hotter months. Golfers peel away toward Sleepy Hollow Golf Club, where rolling fairways and morning tee times offer a focused few hours outside. Back in town, Hurricane City Park offers locals a second dose of fields and paths that are well-suited for quick evening laps or pickup games. Food trucks and community events appear regularly at the Putnam County Fairgrounds in nearby Eleanor, drawing people in once the sun slides lower.

Simple Pleasures In West Virginia

Across West Virginia, these small towns keep piling up reasons to slow the car and settle in for a while. Trails, overlooks, and parks sit only minutes away from cafés, galleries, and historic theaters, so days slip naturally between quiet miles and good meals. You might trace riverwalks in Fairmont, board a train out of Elkins, taste strawberries at the West Virginia Strawberry Festival in Buckhannon, or watch the sun fade over Summersville Lake. None of these trips requires a packed schedule; they work best when you leave space for an unplanned stop or a second cup of coffee. Friendly faces, gentle accents, bird calls, a glimpse of a fox or deer, and long views over water or ridgelines stay with you long after the drive home.