Toots

We're planning a road trip next week with our 13yr old son to WV. We have a room reserved for 3 nights @ the Holiday Inn in Oak Hill and plan to do a rafting trip in the area. I'm considering changing to Country Inn & Suites in Beckley. Any suggestions regarding lodging and things to do appreciated.

syd

I'm sorry I can't comment on either places, but several years ago my husband and I rented one of the Carnifex Ferry Cottages. While it was rather basic, the location was great. It's adjacent to the Carnifex Ferry battlefield and within walking distance to some great trails to the Gauley river.

Another cabin rental that I'd love to go back and rent is at the Babcock State Park. Beautiful setting.

Also, FYI, we enjoyed the small town of Fayetteville.

SuzieTrue

Oak Hill is very convienent for a raft trip. Are you only planning one day of rafting? If so, 3 nights in Oak Hill would be too many.

bjboothman

rafting info: http://www.class-vi.com

They have a link on their page to other sites and lodging. I organized a business conference that included a rafting trip last year, but we stayed at the Stonewall Resort and Conf Center, which is very nice but about 45 minutes, I think, from the rafting: http://www.stonewallresort.com/

Toots

Thanks to all who have replied. Syd, we will plan to visit Fayetteville.

SuzieTrue,we will only raft for one day, so maybe we should consider moving from Oak Hill. Hawks Nest has a room available for one night or we could spend a night in Berkley.

BJ- Stonewall resort looks very nice, but might be a little too far north for this trip. We will be driving from around Raleigh, NC. Class VI seems to be highly recommended and is an outfitters we've considered. Did you ride a raft or a duckie? We prefer a milder trip on a raft, not a duckie.

SuzieTrue

We've done our rafting trips the last two years with Songer. Hawks Nest is a nice place. The rooms are standard motel fare but the views are fantastic.

LvSun

Toots, You would be happier if you only stay in Oak Hill for 1 night at the max. The State Parks, Fayetteville or Beckley are better choices.

Goto the Travel Planner at wvtourism.com (or click on http://www.wvtourism.com/planner.aspx?pgID=57&rg=5& ) to check out things to do in the area.

If you go near Hawk's Nest - be sure to check out the Mystery Hole. Cheesy looking little tourist spot but it is awesome! When it says "See the Laws of Gravity Defied! Mind Baffling! Intriguing! You won't believe what you see. " -- this is true.
Check out these pictures: http://www.mysteryhole.com/thestory.html and http://www.mysteryhole.com/seemysteryhole.html (that guy is not leaning on anything and that ball is not swinging - it is hanging straight down!)

LvSun

Toots,
Info on Beckley and Fayettesville/New River:

If in Beckley, check out the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine.
"Traveling 1500 feet beneath the hillsides of New River Park, passengers are carried along track in authentic "man cars" from the mine entrance into old working sections. Exhibits throughout explore the history of low-seam coal mining from the hand-loading days into the era of modern mechanization."

Among other things in Fayetteville, check out the New River Gorge Bridge.

New River Gorge Bridge is the site of Bridge Day - the largest BASE jumping event in the world. You can drive down to the bottom, etc.

http://www.visitfayettevillewv.com/

http://www.nps.gov/neri/pphtml/activities.html

http://www.nps.gov/neri/autotour.htm

http://www.newrivercvb.com/

http://www.officialbridgeday.com/areainfo.html





Beckley:
Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine
Traveling 1500 feet beneath the hillsides of New River Park, passengers are carried along track in authentic "man cars" from the mine entrance into old working sections. Exhibits throughout explore the history of low-seam coal mining from the hand-loading days into the era of modern
mechanization.

http://www.beckleymine.com/


http://www.visitwv.com/

LindainOhio

We did the Whitewater rafting with Class VI several years ago with our children. Since it is August, (spring rafting is wilder) I would recommend you do the regular whitewater trip with lunch on the river--you don't want to do a milder float trip. There has been rain this year so I would think the river wouldn't be too low, and too tame--but the whitewater trip is really fun.

Our son is now 25 and plans a trip every year with a group of friends. They camp out and then do the day trip. I believe it is a package offered by the outfitter.

LindainOhio

We also found a cottage at one of the state parks---someone cancelled--they book up months in advance. It was a really nice 2 br cottage--wooded property, deer grazing in the woods surrounding the cottages. The park was near Beckley. There are also lots of motels around Beckley.

Toots

We returned today from our four day trip and had a great time. We drove from Cary, NC to Ansted,WV and spent 2 nights at Hawks Nest State Park in a Canyon view room. We enjoyed the aerial tram and the jetboat trip on the New River. Our first full day was spent touring the area, including a drive to Babcock State Park, Gauley Bridge and the New River Gorge Visitor Center.

Day 3 we enjoyed a rafting trip with Class VI on the Lower New. Our local guide, Squirrel was great, as was his knowledge of the the area.

Our final night we moved to Beckley and the Country Inn & Suites. The location is convenient to Tamarack and the I-77. We toured the Beckley Exhibition and Coal Mine. Our guide Charles spent 29 years in the coal mines and gave us a great view of a coal miner's life. After our tour we drove over to Tamarack for a late lunch in the food court operated by the Greenbrier chefs. The meal was delicious and a great bargain. Our son bought a tiny thumb piano offered by the Goshen Art School in Morgantown, WV.

This was a memorable trip for our family and we left with a great impression of West Virginia.

starrsville

I'm glad you had a great trip, but did you really do Class VI rapids? I had serious doubts that we would survive Class IV

I loved the coal mine tour too. Our guide was in his early 80's and was marvelous.

WV is such a beautiful state.

LvSun

Toots,
Glad you had a great time. Thank you for the trip report. It is always good to see what people did and how they enjoyed it.