Lewis & Clark Expedition
The wide Ohio River is home to a great deal of history and, on this trip, you’ll travel along its scenic banks. Your stint along the river follows the route of the 1804 Lewis & Clark expedition.
Your journey starts in Chester, home of Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort, featuring horse racing, video lottery and slot machines as well as golf and live entertainment. The excitement is reminiscent of Las Vegas, but the hospitality is West Virginia. After dinner tonight, you’ll find deluxe accommodations at the resort.
The next morning, it’s tee-time. The Woodview Golf Course is only a few miles away. After a few rounds of golf, it’s time for bargain hunting! The Homer Laughlin China Factory in nearby Newell has turned out its famous china patterns – including Fiesta – for more than 120 years. You take a free tour, and then stop by the shop and pick up some pieces to take home.
After lunch it’s on to Wellsburg, which has special significance in the Lewis & Clark saga: the town’s own Patrick Gass was an expedition member. Gass is buried here, and there’s a small memorial recognizing his efforts. Next stop: a picnic at scenic Tomlinson Run State Park, just a few minutes drive south.
Wellsburg is also home to Brooke Glass, specializing in lamp and lighting fixture parts since 1879.
Wheeling is your next stop. There’s a lot to do in what might be the state’s most famous town. Frequently mentioned on the Andy Griffith Show, Wheeling is home to Oglebay Resort, the country’s largest municipal park (some 1,650 acres).
You’ll have a great dinner at Wilson Lodge before taking a walk to the golf course to watch the deer browse. (No feeding of wildlife). Later on, you find comfortable beds in one of the park’s private, cozy cottages.
The next morning, you take the kids to Oglebay’s Good Zoo, which features a one-and-a-half-mile train ride through grasslands with live animals.
Afterward, Dad joins friends he met at dinner for some fun on the new Arnold Palmer Gold Course while Mom takes a Victorian Homes Tour. For the kids: a trip to Oglebay Institute’s Schrader Center, which offers earth-friendly programs and tours for all ages. In the afternoon, the whole family takes a trip to Wheeling Independence Hall, the site of West Virginia’s founding and a fabulous state museum with interactive historical displays.
It’s nice to wind down with a meal at Wilson Lodge, followed by family time at the cottage.
The next morning, you drive south along West Virginia Rte 2. First stop: Grave Creek Mound Museum in Moundsville. The mound is the largest Adena Indian burial mound in the world, and the state-operated museum details the lives of West Virginia’s first inhabitants. Across the street is the old West Virginia Penitentiary. No longer in use, it has been the focus of an MTV program, and has been featured in two films. You just can’t resist a tour!
Next stop: New Martinsville and the Mountain Craft Shop. Dick Schnacke’s Wrokshop has all the toy favorites of yesteryear: marbleslides, sock monkeys, wooden playthings, and other American folk items. Then it’s on to lunch at the Court Café across from the beautiful Wetzel County Courthouse.
After lunch, follow the river farther south to Sistersville, a quaint town ideal for shopping and strolling. Don’t miss the Sistersville General Store with its original tin ceilings, stained glass windows, and two floors of West Virginia-made crafts and food.
On Main Street in Sistersville, you’re sure to stop in the Townhouse Gallery, an 1890s Victorian home loaded with fabulous art. Tonight, you’ll stay at the wonderful Wells Inn. Established in 1894, it was once the grand gal of the boomtown era, and has been carefully restored with period rooms, a spa and a pub.
The next morning, on your way to Parkersburg, make a stop in Williamstown and visit Fenton Art Glass. The renowned factory has produced handmade colored glass for more than 95 years, and was recently included on USA Today’s “Top Ten Factory Tours” list.
In the afternoon, head to Vienna for a delectable visit to Holl’s Chocolates. Founded in 1986 by Fritz Holl, the family-run candy factory uses Swiss chocolate to make the finest hand crafted treats you’ve ever tasted!
After dinner, it’s live jazz at the refurbished Smoot Theatre. Opened in the early 20 th century as a vaudeville theatre, it was brought back from near-closure in 1989 and now is a showcase for music entertainment of all genres.