Discover West Virginia's Best-Kept Secrets Our State Parks
Discover West Virginia's Best-Kept Secrets
Our State Parks
by Governor Joe Manchin
This week marks the final week of class for many of our state's school children and the official start of the summer vacation season. As you and your families plan your next weekend getaway, I encourage you to take time to discover West Virginia's beautiful state parks and outdoor recreation areas.
My family has long enjoyed the many travel opportunities our home state has to offer. I remember all the times that Gayle and I packed up our kids and went fishing, water skiing or stayed overnight at many of our state's facilities. We have made so many great memories while traveling across the Mountain State - moments that we treasure, like those you can make and share with your families.
West Virginia is a state known for its tourism industry, offering friendly services and unmatched hospitality to visitors from near and far. The combination of four-seasons recreation, quality and value make our state the perfect destination for a family vacation. Travel across our emerald green mountains and deep valleys or discover our more than 30 state parks and you will find exactly what you have been looking for - the vacation of a lifetime close to home.
Our state parks are very family oriented, but also provide adventurous opportunities for people with specific outdoor interests, such as mountain biking, golf, hiking and boating, or those with a special interest, such as trains or civil war history. Visitors can find everything from rustic campgrounds to cabins to luxury lodges; wildflower and nature hikes to stream and lake fishing to boating to the increasingly popular sport of geocaching.
If you are looking for a great travel deal, West Virginia's state parks are definitely for you. Many parks offer special discounts throughout the year. Special packages are available and park staff are happy to work with you to arrange individual vacation planning. Trained personnel are available at each park to ensure that your stay is as relaxing or as exciting as you want it to be.
Whether your having a family picnic under the shade trees in Babcock State Park or admiring the majestic view at Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia is the perfect retreat for the entire family to enjoy. I encourage you to visit one of West Virginia's best-kept secrets our state parks. Come, and see what you have been missing. For more information on West Virginia state parks or to make your reservation, call 1-800-CALL-WVA.
http://www.wvgov.org/FullColumn.cfm?id=246