Arts

  1. Check out the performance schedule for the historic Met Theatre.
  2. Paint your own pottery at the WOW Factory.
  3. Stroll through the current art exhibit at the Mesaros Galleries at the WVU Creative Arts Center.
  4. Discover Arts Walk in the fall when handmade works of art are on display in downtown Morgantown and the Wharf District.
  5. Take your photo with the life-sized, bronze statues of basketball greats Jerry West and โ€œHot Rodโ€ Hundley, at the WVU Coliseum.
  6. Get a taste of Broadway with the WV Public Theatre.
  7. Create a custom piece of pottery at Zenclay.
  8. Check out the featured artist at the MAC Benedum Gallery.
  9. Get your ticket to entertainment from the WVU Art Series.
  10. Enjoy a local performance by Morgantownโ€™s Community Theater groups.
  11. Enjoy music in the park all summer long at Chestnut Ridge Park Summer Concert Series.
  12. Celebrate America in Morgantown with music, a parade, contests and ending with a fabulous fireworks display over the Monongahela River.
  13. Tour the Art Museum of WVU, 5,400 s.f. of exhibition space housing 3,000 pieces, including paintings, prints, sculpture, ceramic and folk art.

View moreย places for local artists.


Food and Drinks

  1. Tee up for a round of golf on two top-rated courses at Lakeview Golf Resort, Trademark Collection by Wyndham by Cheat Lake.
  2. Enjoy extraordinaryย menusย alfresco along the Mon River and Rail-Trail.
  3. Get your fill of buckwheat cakes, sausage, firemenโ€™s parades and the midway at the annual four-dayย Preston County Buckwheat Festivalย starts the last Thursday in September.
  4. Enjoy a wine tasting and tour atย Forks-of-Cheat Winery.
  5. Try cool brews at one of our localย brew pubsย for a taste of local ales.
  6. Be seen at the historic hot spot,ย Marioโ€™s Fishbowlโ€ฆfrom the frosty fishbowls of beer to the delicious sandwiches and award-winning chicken wings.
  7. Taste the good stuff! Downtown Morgantown and the historic Wharf District merchants celebrateย Chocolate Loversโ€™ Dayย each April.
  8. Sample craft beers and food in Downtown Morgantown each Fall!
  9. Try the state delicacy, the pepperoni roll, at one of these popular locations (voted by locals!).
  10. Stop in at theย Blue Moose Cafeย for live entertainment.

History

  1. Stop in at theย Greatest Generation WWII Museum.
  2. Reflect from one of six pews inside โ€œOur Lady of the Pines,โ€ the smallest church in 48 states.
  3. Climb to the site of a strategic Civil War battle,ย Cannon Hill, Rowlesburg.
  4. Remember Pearl Harbor at theย USS WV Mastย and memorial, Oglebay Plaza, WVU.
  5. Tour theย Art Museum of WVU, 5,400 s.f. of exhibition space housing 3,000 pieces, including paintings, prints, sculpture, ceramic and folk art.
  6. Drop by โ€œEleanorโ€™s Little Village;โ€ historicย Arthurdaleย is the first of FDRโ€™s โ€œNew Dealโ€ towns.
  7. Discover the story behind the โ€œWhiskey Stoneโ€ at the 1775 Forks-of-Cheat Baptist Church Cemetery.
  8. Drive toย Cool Springs, a roadside attraction on U.S. Rt. 50 that includes an old steam engine, old-fashioned cooking, and a true general store.
  9. See a great example of grist and roller equipment at the restored 1864ย Easton Roller Mill Museum.
  10. Step back to another time and visit theย 13 communitiesย that were put together as coal camps when the boom attracted men from 19 countries to work the local mines.
  11. Discover tools, medicines, and furnishings of a typical 19th-century drugstore at theย Cook-Hayman Pharmacy Museumย at the WVU School of Pharmacy.
  12. Witness the Civil War reenactment in May atย Rowlesburg.
  13. Drive acrossย Dentโ€™s Run Covered Bridgeย (c. 1889) in Morgantown.
  14. Discoverย Preston Countyโ€™s Historical Society Museum, containing 25,000+ artifacts housed in the former Terra Alta Bank Building built in 1892.
  15. Walk the Rail-Trail and stop by theย JFK Memorial.

View moreย historic memorials and landmarksย near Morgantown.


Kid-Friendly Activities

  1. Visitย Hovatterโ€™s Wildlife Zoo, home to 30 species of native and exotic animals.
  2. Go ice skating at Morgantown Ice Arena,ย White Park.
  3. Tryย cosmic bowlingย at Suburban Lanes.
  4. Bring the little ones toย Kidsโ€™ Dayย in downtown Morgantown and the Wharf District in July.
  5. Take the kids toย Spark! Imagination and Science Centerย at the Mountaineer Mall.
  6. Watch the star show at theย WVU Tomchin Planetarium & Observatory.
  7. Schedule WVU facilities and campus tours with theย WVU Visitors Resource Center.
  8. Browse the valuable, insightful WV Collection at theย West Virginia University Library.
  9. Cool off in a publicย pool.
  10. Become enlightened at theย Festival of Ideas; each February through April a diverse cast of internationally noted innovators, thought leaders, and experts visit the WVU campus.
  11. Donโ€™t miss the chance to participate in one of WVU’s Alumni Traditions.
  12. Make plans to be in downtown Morgantown for the WVUย homecoming parade.
  13. Enjoy some quality family time together on a scenic trip through the flat waters of the Big Sandy River withย Padlz Canoe and Kayak Rentals.

Outdoor Adventures

  1. Whitewater rafting on theย Cheat River, Class II โ€“ V rapids!
  2. Hikeย Coopers Rock State Forestย Tyrone Trail Loopย to see Virgin Hemlock.
  3. Relieve stress and throw an axeย or two at Mountain Man Axe Throwing.
  4. Explore 91-acres of theย WVU Core Arboretumย with 45 flower species and 70 bird species.
  5. Take the self-guidedย Audio Walking Tourย in downtown Morgantown.
  6. Rent aย bikeย to take on the Rail-Trail.
  7. Participate in the Big Bear XC Classic or Ragnar Trail Appalachians events that take place at Big Bear Lake and Camplands each year.
  8. Look for the 50 species of wildflowers atย Cathedral State Park.
  9. Climb the 30-foot boulders inย Rock Cityย at Coopers Rock.
  10. Witness a spectacular range of birds and mammals atย Cranesville Swamp.
  11. Take a zip line canopy tour at theย WVU Research Forest!
  12. Hike through the forest to the historicย Henry Clay Iron Furnace, a 30-foot pyramidal stone structure (c. 1834) is all that remains of the stateโ€™s smelting industry.
  13. Climbย Sky Rockย at Dorseyโ€™s Knob for a 360-degree panoramic view of the area โ€“ and play a round of disc golf.
  14. Visit the Suri Alpaca and Wensleydale Sheep at theย Crimson Shamrock Ranchย in Eglon.
  15. Take a tour of theย WVU Animal Science Farm.
  16. Rent a boat, kayak or jet ski for a day on Cheat Lake atย Sunset Beach Marina.
  17. Tour theย B&O Railroad Museumย in Rowlesburg.
  18. Hike to theย Coopers Rockย overlook, a 1,200-foot drop to the mile-wide gorge below.
  19. Walk through nature and enjoy beautifully landscaped gardens along trails that weave from bright meadows into cool, shaded woodlands at theย West Virginia Botanic Garden.
  20. Celebrate fall at theย WV Chestnut Festivalย in Rowlesburg.
  21. Explore the trails, have a picnic, or take on the four sets of cascading waterfalls at Valley Falls State Park.
  22. Pitch your tent atย Sands Springs Campground, just minutes from Coopers Rock.
  23. Fish the bass, walleye and catfish in the backwaters ofย Cheat Lakeย from the Rail-Trail.
  24. Enjoy the ancient sport ofย Irish Road Bowlingย at Coopers Rock in May.
  25. Spelunkers, go wild caving withย Cheat River Outfitters.
  26. Join in the annualย Cheat River Festival, a celebration in May to advance watershed projects, includes music, arts, and food.

View moreย outdoor activitiesย to participate in near Morgantown.


Recreation

  1. Ride on theย Personal Rapid Transitย system (PRT).
  2. Tee up at one of seven 18-holeย golf courses.
  3. Take your best friend toย Stanleyโ€™s Spot Dog Park.
  4. Check out theย activities and events at Mylan Park, Mountaineer Countryโ€™s recreational crown jewel.
  5. Watch downtown Morgantown turn tons of snow into a pre-season ski and snowboardย competitionย in October.
  6. Spend a weekendย in September at theย WV Wine & Jazz Festival.
  7. Skateboardย at Marilla Skate Park.
  8. Take in a movie! There are 27 commercialย screensย in Morgantown!
  9. Relax and get a massage at one of Morgantownโ€™s renownedย spas.
  10. Goย mountain bikingย at Big Bear Lake.
  11. Take in a cutting horse show orย tractor pullย at the WVU Farm in Reedsville.

View moreย fun things to do.


Shopping

  1. Goย antique-ing!
  2. Shopย โ€˜til you drop at University Town Centre, Suncrest Towne Centre and the Morgantown Mall.
  3. Visit the specialty shops atย Seneca Center, a restored glass factory.
  4. Joinย Allegheny Treenwareย โ€œspoonersโ€ in their wood shop.
  5. Stroll through theย Old Stone Houseย for unique gifts.
  6. Buy fresh, local produce at theย Farmers Market.
  7. Buy a West Virginia Universityย souvenirย at a campus store, Mountaineer Zone, Mountaineer Nation or The Book Exchange.
  8. Create one-of-a-kind jewelry at theย Silver Pennies Jewelry Design Co.

Sports

  1. Tailgateย at Milan Puskar Stadium during the WVU Mountaineer Football season.
  2. Grab a seat at the Monongalia County Ballpark and watch Americaโ€™s favorite pastime with theย WV Black Bears, a minor league baseball team in the New York Penn League and an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
  3. Join runners from around the country for theย Morgantown Marathon in the Fall.