7 Picture-Perfect Main Streets In West Virginia

West Virginia is the only state completely within the Appalachian Mountain range, earning it the nickname "The Mountain State." The hauntingly beautiful Shenandoah Valley is flanked by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Allegheny Mountains to the west, providing shelter to some of the most picturesque towns and scenery in the state. However, West Virginia’s history and natural surroundings create a unique spirit and beauty found in many of its diverse towns.

Here are seven picture-perfect Main Streets in West Virginia that reflect that endearing spirit.

Buckhannon

Buckhannon is located in central West Virginia on the banks of the Buckhannon River. It is a popular destination in strawberry season when visitors flock to the annual Strawberry Festival. The festival is not a brief weekend of celebrations but instead lasts eight full days. It includes all the things you want in a small-town festival—a horse-and-carriage parade, a strawberry recipe competition, a draft horse pull, and a quilt show. The main street transforms into an open-air mall where the smells of food vendors, friendly crowds, and sounds of live music create a carnival atmosphere.

The rest of the year, the historic downtown is sweet and peaceful, lined with red brick buildings and period architecture such as arched windows and intricate cornice work. The charming storefronts house some surprisingly creative establishments, including Artistry on Main. The Non-Profit Artist Co-op features a different artist at work in the gallery each day and sells the works of 30 local artists across diverse mediums.

The town’s creativity does not end there. The Lascaux Micro-Theater promotes meaningful and international art with its indie films. The owners source the works of edgy, less well-known, and international filmmakers and feature a new film each month.

CJ Maggie’s is a foodie destination where the inspired menu focuses on in-house creations, from cutting their own steaks and chops to handmade sausage and fresh ground meatballs. Their wood-burning pizza oven is a major attraction, but their grilled dishes will not disappoint.

If you plan to stay the night, the Bicentennial Inn offers the convenience of a comfy hotel and the tantalizing dishes of 88 Restaurant and Lounge. The creative menu is rumored to have the best burger in town, while friendly hosts ensure your stay is pleasurable.

Lewisburg

Tucked away in the tranquil Greenbrier Valley, Lewisburg’s historic downtown harkens back to simpler times. However, the modern boutiques, galleries, and eateries tell a slightly different story. Lewisburg’s quaint main street is splashed across magazines and websites as it acquires a growing list of accolades, including Frommer's Coolest Small Town, USA Today's 10 Best Small Towns, and Americans for the Arts' 100 Best Small Arts Towns.

As the third-oldest town in West Virginia, a historic walking tour of Lewisburg is the best way to find its most photogenic buildings along Washington Street. A lovely pre-Civil War abode built in 1815 is now Brick House Antiques, where carefully arranged rooms display period pieces “in situ” from a gentleman’s quarters to an afternoon parlor. Poke about the antique collection to satisfy your curiosity or discover perfect artifacts or furnishings for your home.

The Bowyer-Grow-Foster House is one of Lewisburg’s earliest homes, built in the 1700s. Now The Humble Tomato, you can soak up the history while enjoying the modern Italian-inspired cuisine or sipping a glass of wine beside the original fireplace and hand-hewn log walls.

The historic General Lewis Inn is now an exclusive boutique hotel, adding a sense of elegance to the eastern end of the cozy historic district. Its stunning white façade, expansive front porch complete with soaring two-story columns, and beautiful grounds welcome visitors to explore the beautifully restored rooms within. Whether you unwind with cocktails in the historic lounge, dine in the restored light-filled restaurant, or book an overnight stay, the General Lewis Inn is the perfect end to your Lewisburg adventure.

Shepherdstown

Shepherdstown is located along the Potomac River in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The historic 18th- and 19th-century buildings along German Street are perfectly preserved, sporting charming red brick fronts, the odd shady porch, and details such as shutters or charming tin roofs. The street name reflects the heritage of early German settlers from Pennsylvania in the 1700s, who originally named the town Mecklenburg.

The main strip provides a strollable stretch filled with boutiques, cafés, and eateries. The tall Colonial-style windows at Four Seasons Book Shop offer a peek at the books and stories within. A main street fixture since 1991, the store has become a gathering place for lovers of literature, well-written stories, and the authors themselves.

Shepherdstown Sweet Shop Bakery sits in a 200-year-old building with a charming red brick sidewalk leading to the entry. Grab some hand-crafted sandwiches made on house-baked breads, breakfast pastries, or a tempting selection of sweet delights, and hit the trails at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal for a bike ride, hike, or picnic.

Finish your day at the Bavarian Inn on the banks of the Potomac. The European-style resort includes charming Bavarian-inspired buildings and the original property, Greystone Manor. The elegant stone home houses the Inn’s main dining room, offering a 4-Diamond dining experience overlooking the river and the hotel’s landscaped gardens. The Inn also specializes in German fare and house-made brews crafted by Bavarian Brothers Brewing. The Brew Pub and Lounge offers casual dining in a German-style beer hall or in the charming beer garden.

Berkeley Springs

Berkeley Springs is often referred to as America’s First Spa and remains a major attraction in the Eastern Panhandle. Its scenic location in the Appalachian Mountains has attracted the likes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson since its restorative mineral springs were first mapped as “Medicine Springs” in 1747.

Today, the town’s picture-perfect streets compete for attention. Although Washington is considered the main street, the side streets have their own aesthetic appeal, so feel free to veer off the main strip to discover unexpected finds like Lot 12 Public House. Cleverly named after the lot number dating back to the 1770s, the cozy 1913 house creates a welcoming atmosphere. Distinctive, upscale comfort cuisine and equally distinctive wines, microbrews, and fine spirits offer an authentic epicurean experience.

Berkeley Springs State Park is central to the main street on Washington, where the 1930 Bathhouse still offers mineral water baths and treatments. The naturally occurring springs maintain a constant temperature of 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit and produce approximately 2,000 gallons of clear, sparkling water per minute.

The Museum of the Berkeley Springs is located in the town’s oldest building, an 1815 Roman bathhouse in the park. The museum tells the story of the legendary warm mineral springs through a collection of exhibits and activities.

The lovely Country Inn of Berkeley Springs sits on land with an intriguing past, although the building itself dates back to the early 1930s. Guests can cross a charming footbridge across a tranquil brook to stroll the town’s main street and return to dinner and drinks on the peaceful garden patio after a day of exploring.

Harpers Ferry

Located where the Shenandoah River feeds into the Potomac, Harpers Ferry is the easternmost town in West Virginia. Its picturesque location nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains makes it difficult to imagine the role it played in the start of the Civil War. However, today, the town sits in peaceful surroundings, and a single site stands as a testament to its abolitionist assault.

Walk toward The Point on Shenandoah Street until you reach the last building on the right. This is the former fire engine/guard house for the town’s armory, where abolitionist John Brown and several of his followers barricaded themselves after a failed raid in 1859. Now known as John Brown’s Fort, his goal was to seize the federal armory and arsenal to distribute weapons to enslaved people and incite an uprising against slavery.

Shenandoah Street’s carefully preserved historic buildings overflow with foodie delights, whether you’re grabbing food to munch on the go at Bolivar Bread Bakery or hungry enough to sit down to a full meal in a casual yet highly rated eatery like Kelley Farm Kitchen. Once you try their plant-based burgers and chili, sky-high sandwiches piled with fresh, yummy ingredients, and fusion-inspired items like ramen, you will be a vegan convert.

The best place to view the town’s historic streets is from the Maryland Heights Overlook Trail at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. From this lofty vantage point, the entire scene of the 19th-century buildings, majestic mountain vistas, and the ever-flowing rivers stops you in your tracks. Jump on the trail to explore the diverse landscape and multiple lookouts, each offering a more impressive view than the last.​

Wheeling

Wheeling is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains on the banks of the Ohio River. A gem of West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, Wheeling’s picturesque downtown includes the original market house.

Center Market is a testament to West Virginia’s bustling communities, where the market was a meeting place as well as a major supply source for locals. Today Wheeling’s Center Market carries on the century-old tradition, with two market houses. Built in 1853, the Upper Market House is the oldest in the country, offering an eclectic mix of food, art, and shopping. It is worth strolling the market and discovering local festivals and events.

Brew Keepers taproom offers 12 to 16 taps of craft beer. As a BYOF establishment, it offers a unique opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. You can sample their brews and bring in some carefully chosen items from the food vendors across the street, like a crispy, golden, hand-fileted fried fish sandwich from Coleman’s Fish Market.

If you prefer to have your meals served to you, Vagabond Kitchen is a sit-down restaurant where casual dining meets “high falutin’ food.” Locally sourced ingredients from Appalachia come together on creative plates perfectly paired with artisanal cocktails and an impressive selection of microbrews, spirits, and ciders.

Ripley

Ripley sits in the Mid-Ohio Valley atop a plateau overlooking Mill Creek. This tiny town is filled with American pride as the home to America's largest small-town Fourth of July celebration. In fact, George W. Bush made a speech on the steps of the Jackson County Courthouse in 2002 when he attended the celebration. The grand three-story 1918 limestone and concrete building was the third iteration of the courthouse built in the town center. The striking structure’s design includes a full-height entry porch with columns, a small balcony above the second story, and an octagonal clock and cupola standing tall above the town square.

Just down the street is a local coffee shop, The Grind. The heavenly aromas of their locally crafted coffee and handmade bakery items, including delectable cinnamon rolls, cookies, and scones, will likely hit you before you reach the door. Their fresh pepperoni rolls are apparently best eaten in twos.

Sort of kitty-corner to The Grind on the town square is the classic Alpine Theatre, a popular stop on the West Virginia Historic Theater Trail. Although the circa 1936 theater is undergoing rehabilitation, its stepped parapet wall and red brick façade, nostalgic marquee and lights, central ticket booth, original doors, and “coming attraction” poster frames still attract curious tourists who love period theaters.

The Staats Mill Covered Bridge is a historic treasure, spanning 97 feet as a perfect example of the long truss style of the 1800s. The quaint red bridge was moved to Ripley’s Cedar Lakes Conference Center in 1983, and restoration work stabilized the bridge to accommodate pedestrians.

Feeling inspired to hit the road? These small towns make it easy to plan out your next vacation or weekend getaway. From the greenest valleys to the highest mountains and the laziest rivers to the most intriguing history, these West Virginia towns offer a diverse range of adventures. Whether you are planning a weeklong road trip, romantic getaway, or leisurely country drive, you will discover picture-perfect main streets full of intriguing possibilities.