West Virginia State Fair Travel around the state is easier than ever with travel tools made available by the West Virginia Division of Tourism.
Start your planning by picking up a copy of the 2012 West Virginia Official State Travel Guide, available free at Welcome Centers and local convention and visitors bureaus, or online at wvtourism.com/travelguide. The guide is a handy reference to outdoor recreation, culture, entertainment, lodging, shopping and dining in each of the state’s nine travel regions. This year’s edition features interviews with famous West Virginians, a list of what’s new in West Virginia, articles on the new Boy Scout camp and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and much more.
Visit the Division of Tourism online at wvtourism.com to find updates on ski conditions, a calendar of events, transportation information, suggested driving tours, trip itineraries, maps and more. The website also has a Travel Planner tool in which users can search for events, attractions and destinations by city, county, region or date and save the results to a personal “suitcase.” You can also find West Virginia Tourism on Facebook and Twitter.
Children can get involved in planning the family vacation at wvtravel4kids.com. The site is loaded with fun facts and stories about West Virginia and includes an interactive journal in which children (with parent’s or guardian’s permission) can share their own vacation memories.
Once the car is loaded and on the road, travelers can stop for refreshments and assistance at West Virginia Welcome Centers. State Welcome centers are staffed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. May through October, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. November through April. Staff will be on hand to assist travelers with obtaining reservations and lodging or to address other questions and concerns.
For roadside assistance, contact the West Virginia Courtesy Patrol at 888-359-3683 or *77 on your cell phone. The patrol changes flat tires, jump starts batteries, and provides gas, directions and more.
On the subject of cell phones, web-enabled smartphone users can take advantage of QR Codes in the Travel Guide. Just download a QR reader from the smartphone’s app store, take a picture of the bar code on the ad and be instantly directed to more information. The QR code lets readers check out reviews to see what others think or leave their own reviews, and displays offers or coupons the business has posted to their page. Readers also can “star” the business to remember to visit later.
Visit wvtourism.com or call 1-800-CALL WVA (1-800-225-5982) to plan your West Virginia trip or to order a free Travel Guide.