Fairmont (West Virginia)

By car

• Downtown Fairmont, +1 304-368-1123. Walking tours available for the historic section of town.
• Nine of the seventeen covered bridges in West Virginia are within easy access of Fairmont. Kathleen Panek, owner of the Gillum House B&B in Shinnston, has route information if you want to visit all of them.

• Barrackville Covered Bridge, junction of WV-21 and US-250. A 148-foot single-lane historic covered bridge.

Parks

• Curtisville LakeWV-7 past Logansport. 695 acres and a 30-acre lake. Hiking trails, fishing.

• East Marion ParkState Street Extension. 32 acres. Tennis, basketball, softball, horseshoes, mini-golf, hiking and jogging trails, playground, wave pool and waterslide. Mini-golf open from 11AM to 8PM daily; admission $2.

• Mary Lou Retton ParkMary Lou Retton Drive and Old Monongah Road. 25 acres. Four baseball fields, one football field, tennis courts with practice wall, playgrounds, West Virginia Miner's Memorial.

• Pricketts Fork State Park

  phone: +1 304-363-3030
  WV-3 off I-79 (exit 139). Features a recreation of the rustic log Pickett's Fort from 1774. Guides in period costume recreate late 18th-century life and demonstrate colonial crafts. The park includes Pricketts Creek and Bay, the Monongahela River, an interpretive nature trail, hiking, walking, jogging, cycling, boating, fishing, and a 400-seat amphitheatre.
• Valley Falls State Park, WV-310 off I-79 (exit 137), 304-367-2719. 1,145 acres for fishing, horseshoes, whitewater rafting, 18 miles of hiking and biking trails. Foaming waterfalls and the remains of a sawmill and grist mill.

• Worthington ParkUS-19 in Worthington. 10 acres. Waterfall, softball, horsheshoes, fishing, West Fork River Trail.

• Coal Country Miniature Golf

  address: 3 Hollen Circle
  Miniature golf and batting cages with a coal-mining theme. 18 holes.

• Valley World of Fun

  phone: +1 304-366-2500
  address: 2017 Pleasant Valley Road
  Miniature golf, 24 bowling lanes, lasertron, bumper cars, bumper boats, indoor and outdoor climbing walls, 5,000-square-foot maze, 90-foot slide, indoor midway, Himalaya mini-coaster, gyro, whirly bird, rock-n-roll cage, Twister, soft play area, arcade, snack bar and cafe.

Movies

• Sunset Ellis Drive-in, south of Shinnston, +1 304-592-3909. Open Friday through Monday, May until Labor Day. $6.

• Tygart Valley Cinemas

  address: 7 Tygart Valley Mall
  9 screens.

Events

• West Virginia Day and Gazing Back in Time Festival

  address: 211 Adams Street
  Held in late June. Bake sale, Palace Restaurant fruit bowl and pecan roll luncheon, activities, games and music.

• Mountain State Juried Art Exhibit

  address: 830 Walnut Avenue
  Held in October. Juried, fine art exhibit of paintings, photos and three-dimensional works of art.

• Rider Pharmacy

  address: 303 Merchant Street
  Family-owned and -operated since 1967, offering floral arrangements, gift baskets, Boyds Bears, WVU souvenirs, Department 56 and other gifts.

• Sew Chic

  phone: +1 304-366-4135
  address: Old WV-73 off I-79 (exit 39)
  Fabrics, threads, books, repair service, heirloom supplies, cabinets, magazines, and sewing and quilting classes.

• Squirrel Nutkin's Shoppe

  address: 213 Morgantown Avenue
  Antiques, collectibles, pottery, candles, food, and products made in West Virginia.

• The Tin Man

  address: 235 Locust Avenue
  Antiques, artistic, vintage and all-natural items, and fine gifts.

• Tracy's Creations

  address: 1547 Fairmont Avenue
  Wreaths, swags, floral arrangements, flags, candles, Boyds Bears, primitives and Victorian home décor, linens, heritage lace and braided rugs.

• Vittoria & Banks

  address: 232 Adams Street
  Fingerprint jewelry, school jewelry, name bracelets and fine jewelry. Classes offered.

• The Wright Stuff Works

  address: 215 Pike Street, Shinnston
  A family-based business of wood, glass and metal artisans. Classes offered in stained glass, pen turning and basic woodwork.

Malls

• Middletown Mall

  address: 2500 Fairmont Avenue
  The first mall in West Virginia, opened in 1969. Over 30 shops and restaurants.

• The local newspaper is the Times West Virginian, +1 304-367-2500.
• Fairmont State, 1201 Locust Avenue, +1 304-367-4892. Community and technical college founded in 1974, and state university founded in 1865, offering 90 baccalaureate and 50 associate degrees.

• Aquarium Lounge

  address: 620 Gaston Avenue
  Salads, pasta, chicken, pork, seafood and hand-cut steaks.

• Backwoods Grill

  address: 1602 Locust Avenue
  Soups, salads, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, and Cajun classics like jambalaya, gumbo, Louisiana dirty rice and lobster bisque.

• Classics Cafe

  address: 236 Adams Street
  Homemade soups and sandwiches.

• Colasessano's

  address: 506 Pennsylvania Avenue
  A local favorite since the 1960s, serving pizzas, salads, sandwiches, chicken wings, and large pepperoni rolls for $3.50. Freshly-baked bread and cookies daily. $2.50-10.50.

• Country Club Bakery

  address: 1211 Country Club Road
  Bakery supplying pepperoni rolls to grocery stores and convenience stores around Fairmont; try them hot and fresh for just $1. They also carry Italian breads, rolls and cookies.

• Dairy Creme Corner

  address: 187 Homewood Avenue
  Self-proclaimed purveyors of "the biggest cones in town!" which, depending on your age or ego, may actually be bigger than your head. Along with their FlavorBurst ice cream (used for sundaes, shakes and malts), they offer fried appetizers, salads, sandwiches, barbecue, pepperoni rolls and funnel cakes. Try their peanut butter milkshakes.

• DJ's 50s & 60s Diner

  address: 1181 Airport Road
  1950s-style diner with waitresses in poodle skirts. Classic American favorites, milkshakes and ice cream floats.

• Dutchman's Daughter Restaurant

  address: 2612 Fairmont Avenue
  Home-cooked meals.

• Jimmy's Diner

  address: 1501 Hood Avenue, Shinnston
  Italian-American food; Thursday nights are all-you-can-eat spaghetti nights for $5.

• Mi Pueblo

  address: 2500 Fairmont Avenue
  Family-owned Mexican restaurant.

• Muriales Italian Family Restaurant

  address: 1742 Fairmont Avenue
  Fine Italian food and home-cooked meals.

• The Poky Dot

  address: 1111 Fairmont Avenue
  A nostalgic 1950s restaurant which began as a barbecue stand in the late 1940s and turned into a sit-down diner in the 1950s. Munchies, breakfast foods, soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, steak, chicken, cheesecake, pie, cobblers, milkshakes, malts, sundaes and ice cream floats. Try the appetizer-laden Dot Combo Platter.

• Say-Boy Steak House Restaurant

  address: 905 Country Club Road
  Open 8AM to 9PM Monday through Saturday, and 8AM to 8:30PM on Sunday. A local favorite for 45 years. Steaks, chicken and Italian specialties.

• TJ's Sports Garden Restaurant

  address: 2500 Fairmont Avenue

• Village Bistro at Westchester Village

  address: 1825 Locust Avenue
  Open for dinner Monday through Saturday. Gourmet dishes and an extensive wine list.

• Wings Olé

  address: 1486 Locust Avenue
  Chicken wings, salads, side dishes, sandwiches, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas.

• Yann's Hotdogs

  address: 300 Washington Street
  A Fairmont tradition and proud of it. The best hotdogs in the state. No special order; comes with everything or plain only. Mr. Yann is the "hotdog Nazi" of WV but respected and loved by all.

• Book-n-Bean Coffee HouseCoffee, tea, milkshakes, soups, sandwiches, wraps and desserts. New, used and antique books. Live music on Thursday through Saturday nights, art on display. $3 - 6.

• Wright Dawgs

  address: 540 East Park Avenue
  Great hotdogs (mild, medium, hot) and many other wonderful menu items. Low prices for exceptional food. A second location has now opened in Belleview.

Budget

• Avenue Motel

  address: 816 Fairmont Avenue

• Budget Motel & Apartments

  address: 1101 Fairmont Avenue

• Country Club Motor Lodge

  phone: +1 304-366-4141
  address: 19 and Country Club Road
  30 rooms. Fitness center, health spa, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, methol inhalation room, personal trainers, tanning, aerobics classes.

• Travelodge

  address: 1117 Fairmont Avenue
  49 rooms. Seasonal outdoor heated pool, hot tub. On-site 50s diner. Jacuzzi suites and in-room fireplace available. Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast.

Mid-range

• Comfort Inn and Suites

  address: 1185 Airport Road
  85 rooms. Fitness center, outdoor pool. Complimentary continental breakfast.

• Days Inn

  address: 228 Middletown Road
  46 rooms. On-site barber/beauty shop and restaurant. Free access to nearby fitness center.

• Holiday InnI-79 and 930 East Old Grafton Road, 304-366-5500. 106 rooms. Outdoor pool. On-site restaurant (Simmering Pot Family Restaurant) and bar (Franny's Lounge). Complimentary newspaper.

• Red Roof Inn

  phone: +1 304-366-6800
  address: 50 Middletown Road
  108 rooms. Complimentary newspaper.

• Super 8 Motel

  phone: +1 304-363-1488
  address: 2208 Pleasant Valley Road
  54 rooms. Whirlpool rooms available. Complimentary continental breakfast and newspaper.

Splurge

• Fairfield Inn and Suites

  phone: +1 304-367-9150
  address: 27 Southland Drive
  80 rooms. Exercise room, heated indoor pool, whirlpool. Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast.

Bed and Breakfasts

• Gillum House Bed & Breakfast

  address: 35 Walnut Street
  In Shinnston. 3 rooms. Front porch, rail trail for walking or biking. Full breakfast with muffins, fruit, juices, entrees, fresh-roasted coffee (nightly) and a selection of over 100 teas. Breakfast served 4AM-10AM Overnight stabling, off-street parking for motorcycles. Children welcome. Pet-free and smoke-free.

• Morgantown is about 30 minutes north on I-79.
• Clarksburg and Bridgeport are about 30 minutes south on I-79.
• Grafton is about 30 minutes southeast on I-79 and US-250.