Parkersburg

By plane

• Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport

  phone: +1 304-464-5113
  United has nonstop service to Cleveland.

By bus

• Easy Rider Bus System, 520 Juliana Street, +1 304-422-4100, . Buses run 5:50AM to 6PM Monday through Saturday; no service on Sundays. Operated by the Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority, serving the Parkersburg and Vienna area. Base fare is 50 cents, with 30-day passes available for $20.
• You can also call a yellow taxi at +1 304-422-4000.

• Blennerhassett Island

  phone: +1 304-420-4800
  address: 137 Juliana St
  Island open from May to October, museum open year-round; check website for hours. An Irish aristocrat built a mansion here in 1798, before being accused of treason and briefly imprisoned. The original mansion burned down in 1811, but the foundation was rediscovered in 1973 and has been carefully reconstructed. Features a museum with an orientation video and three floors of archaeological and historical exhibits, horse-drawn wagon rides, and tours of Blennerhasset Mansion. Visitors can also go picnicking, bike riding, or take nature walks. Allow three hours for a complete tour, including the 20-minute sternwheeler ride to and from the island. Adult admission prices are $2 (museum), $8 (boat ride), $3 (mansion tour) and $5 (wagon ride).

• Oil and Gas Museum

  phone: +1 304 485-5446 or +1 304-428-8015
  address: 119 3rd St
  Covering the history of the oil and gas industry in West Virginia and Ohio with videos, pictures, interactive displays and artifacts - from manufacturing and transportation, to its effects on local wealth and culture, and the resulting impact on state founding and the Civil War.

• Julia-Ann Square

  phone: +1 304-428-0124
  A district of historic homes being preserved and restored. You can take a self-guided walking tour of the area, or a guided tour in mid-October and early December.

• Parkersburg Art Center

  phone: +1 304-485-3859
  address: 725 Market St
  Art exhibits, classes and workshops, and guided tours. On-site gift shop.

• Smoot Theatre

  phone: +1 304-422-PLAY
  address: 213 Fifth St
  A restored 1926 vaudeville house, hosting films, concerts, plays, ballets and comedy shows. Dessert tours available.

• North Bend State Park

  phone: +1 304-643-2931
  Off WV-31 near Cairo. Fishing streams, swimming pool, mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking trails, including the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail. The park has a 305-acre lake for fishing and boating, as well as carriage rides on weekends from May until October. Lodge with on-site restaurant, cabins and campground accommodations available. On-site gift shop.

• Haunted Parkersburg Ghost Tours

  phone: +1 304-428-7978
  address: 320 Market St
  Operating from mid-September through Halloween. Learn about the Banshee of Marrtown, the East End Ghoul, the West Virginia Mothman, the Men in Black and the appearance of the alien Indrid Cold. Two-mile walk taking less than two hours. $8.

Events

• Mid-Ohio Valley Multicultural Festival, city park, 304-428-4405 or 304-428-1552. Held every June. Three days of entertainment, cuisine, education and artistic expressions from many cultures.

• Parkersburg Homecoming Festival

  phone: +1 304-422-9970
  Second Street and Ann Street. Held every third Friday in August. A parade, arts and crafts booths, a flea market, pageants, a talent show, a wacky raft race, a rubber ducky derby and a chess tournament.
• Harvest Moon Arts and Crafts Festival, city park, 304-424-3457. Held every September. Quality food, entertainment and approximately 200 booths displaying wares from local and regional artists and craftsmen.
• West Virginia Honey Festival, city park, 304-428-5835 or 304-428-1130. Held every September to educate the public on beekeeping, honey and the uses of honey. Baking contest and auction, entertainment, concessions, arts and crafts and a beard of live bees.

• Volcano Days Festival

  phone: +1 304-679-3611
  Route 50 in Waverly. Held the fourth weekend in September on the site of the extinct oil town of Volcano, West Virginia, which was once like a gold-rush town until it was utterly destroyed by fire in 1879. Historical lectures, flea market, arts and crafts, races, live entertainment and the "Almost Famous" chicken dinner.

• The area newspaper is the Parkersburg News and Sentinel, 519 Juliana Street, 304-485-1891 or 800-642-1997, .
• Ohio Valley University, 1 Campus View Drive in Vienna, 877-446-8668, . A faith-proclaiming, regional liberal arts university chartered in 1958. 18 baccalaureate degree programs, 2 associate degree programs, special certificates and endorsements.
• West Virginia University at Parkersburg, 300 Campus Drive, 304-424-8000 or 800-WVA-WVUP. A regional campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, founded in 1961 and offering a blend of certificate and associate programs as well as select bachelor's degrees in applied technology, elementary education, business education, bachelor of arts, nursing, criminal justice and social work.

• Berdine's Five and Dime

  phone: +1 304-643-2217
  address: 106 N Court St
  In Harrisville. Closed Sundays. America's oldest operating five-and-dime store, selling tin toys, bulk candies, practical and unusual items from yesteryear since 1908.

• Fenton Art Glass

  phone: +1 304-375-6122
  address: 700 Elizabeth St
  In Williamstown. Founded in 1905, Fenton is the largest manufacturer of handmade colored glass in the United States, known for its innovative glass colors as well as hand-painted decorations on pressed and blown glassware. Gift shop and museum on-site. Free factory tours available from 8:15AM to 4PM Monday through Friday.

• Holl's Swiss Chocolatier

  address: 2001 Grand Central Ave
  In Vienna, 304-295-6576 or 800-842-4512. Fresh, handcrafted artisan Swiss chocolates created daily in small batches using only the finest ingredients.

• Lee Middleton Original Dolls

  address: 1301 Washington Blvd
  In Belpre, 740-423-1481 or 800-233-7479. Open 9AM to 5PM Monday through Saturday; between March and December, the store is also open Sundays from 12PM to 5PM. Producing vinyl baby dolls with realistic faces for over 25 years. Factory tours available.
• Made in West Virginia, Main Street in Cairo, 304-628-3321. Furniture, paintings, pottery, glass, books, jewelry, homemade food, musical instruments and more, created by some of West Virginia’s best artists and artisans.

• Mulberry Lane Country Store

  phone: +1 304-428-1949
  address: 4009 Emerson Ave
  Open 10AM to 6PM Monday through Friday, 10AM to 5PM on Saturday, and 12PM to 5PM on Sunday. West Virginia's largest craft store, with 5,500 square feet of unique folk art, gifts, collectibles and home furnishings.

• R. C. Marshall Hardware Co.US-50 near Cairo. Open 10AM to 5PM, daily from Memorial Day through October; closed Mondays and Tuesdays from November until Memorial Day. A 1902 oil-boom store with original tin ceilings and an immense array of vintage showcases filled with 1890s supplies. Offers oil lamps and parts, camping and biking supplies, cast iron ware, quality book, farm and garden supplies, railroad memorabilia, handmade baskets, hard to find quality hand tools, and other uncommon items.

• Scenes of West Virginia

  phone: +1 304-428-0772
  address: 1709-11 St. Marys Ave
  Offers a wide Variety of items made in West Virginia, including calendars, souvenirs, books, Fenton Art Glass, and hillbilly novelties.

• Trans Allegheny Books

  phone: +1 304-422-4499
  address: 725 Green St
  West Virginia's largest used bookstore, located in the restored 1905 Carnegie Library building, with over 500,000 used books and more than 1,000 new WV titles.

• Williamstown Antique Mall

  phone: +1 304-375-6315
  address: 801 Highland Ave
  In Williamstown. Finest selection of unique antiques and collectibles in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Malls

• Grand Central Mall

  phone: +1 304-485-4464
  address: 100 Grand Central Ave
  In Vienna. Open 10AM to 9PM Monday through Saturday, and 12PM to 6PM on Sunday. Over 90 shops and restaurants.

• Colonnade Grille

  phone: +1 304-295-7277
  address: 1 17th St
  # Vienna, WV. Open from 5PM Tuesday through Saturday. House-made pasta, seafood and steaks. Set upon the banks of the Ohio River, outside seating beautiful views. Banquet room available.

• da Vinci's Italian Restaurant

  phone: +1 304-375-3633
  address: 215 Highland Ave
  In Williamstown. Open 10:30AM to 10PM Tuesday through Thursday, 10:30AM to 11PM Friday and Saturday, and 11AM to 9PM on Sundays, in summer; closes half an hour earlier in winter. A family-owned business since 1980, serving salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza and calzones. Specialties include the German Pizza (with corned beef, sauerkraut and horseradish sauce) and the Spaghetti Mona Lisa (baked vermicelli with meat sauce, topped with cheese, vegetables and pepperoni). $4 - $18.
• North End Tavern One of Parkersburgs only functioning microbreweries the "NET" is famous for it's enormous NET Burgers and beer battered onion rings. Affordable prices, but bar ambiance.
• The Pizza Place Locally owned and operated the unique Sicilian style crust is a local favorite.

• J. P. Henry's

  phone: +1 304 485-9390
  address: 5106 Emerson Ave
  Restaurant and pub with casual dining and sports bar. Salads, sandwiches, burgers and hot entrees. $6 - $20.

• North End Tavern & Brewery

  phone: +1 304 428-5854
  address: 3500 Emerson Ave
  Open 8AM-12AM Monday through Saturday, and 1PM-7PM on Sunday. Ales, pilsners, porters and lagers brewed on-site. Also serving appetizers, salads and grilled items. $4 - $9.

Budget

• Days Inn Williamstown, I-77 and WV-14 (exit 185), 304-375-3730 or 800-329-7466. 100 rooms. Pool, horseshoes, barbecue pit. Complimentary breakfast. On-site restaurant. $50 - $89.

• Econo Lodge

  phone: +1 304-428-7500
  address: 1954 7th St
  65 rooms. Outdoor pool, jacuzzi. Complimentary breakfast. On-site restaurant.

• Knights Inn

  phone: +1 304-420-2420
  address: 1/2 E. 7th St
  3604 / I-77 and US-50 (exit 176). 51 rooms. Continental Breakfast. Wireless Internet.

• Microtel Inn

  phone: +1 304-489-3892
  address: 104 Nicolette Rd
  In Mineral Wells. 53 rooms. Complimentary continental breakfast.

• Travelodge

  phone: +1 304-424-5100
  address: 3604 E. 7th St
  / I-77 and US-50 (exit 176). 95 rooms. Continental Breakfast. Micro-fridges. Exercise Room. Wireless Internet. Outdoor pool.

• Red Carpet Inn

  phone: +1 304-485-1851
  address: 6333 Emerson Ave
  46 rooms. Jacuzzi. Complimentary coffee and doughnuts.

• Red Roof Inn

  phone: +1 304-485-1741
  address: 3714 E 7th St
  106 rooms. Complimentary newspaper.

Mid-range

• AmeriHost North

  phone: +1 304-424-5300
  address: 401 37th St
  78 rooms. Indoor heated pool, whirlpool, exercise room. Whirlpool suites available. Complimentary continental breakfast.

• AmeriHost South

  phone: +1 304-489-3111
  address: 201 Hospitality Ln
  In Mineral Wells. 61 rooms. Indoor pool, hot tub, exercise room. Whirlpool rooms available. Complimentary expanded continental breakfast.
• Comfort Suites, 167 Elizabeth Pike in Mineral Wells, +1 304-489-9600. 116 rooms. Indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi, exercise room, sauna. Complimentary breakfast. $77 - $150.
• Hampton Inn Parkersburg, I-77 and WV-14 (exit 170) in Mineral Wells, +1 304-489-2900 or +1-800-HAMPTON (426-7866). 68 rooms. Outdoor pool, exercise room. Complimentary continental breakfast.

• Holiday Inn

  phone: +1 304-485-6200
  address: 225 Holiday Hills Dr
  149 rooms. Indoor pool, jacuzzi, saunas, exercise room. On-site restaurant called the Calabash.

• Wingate Inn Vienna

  phone: +1 304-295-5501
  address: 1502 Grand Central Ave
  In Vienna. 76 rooms. Indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center. Complimentary hot breakfast.

Splurge

• The Blennerhassett Hotel

  phone: +1 304-422-3131
  address: 320 Market St
  89 rooms. A historic hotel since 1889. Fitness center, plush bathrobes. Complimentary pass to the Parkersburg YMCA, valet service, airport shuttle and daily paper. On-site restaurant called Spats Restaurant and Lounge, and a Starbucks coffee bar.

Bed and Breakfasts

• Harnett House

  phone: +1 304-483-1029
  address: 1024 Juliana St
  5 rooms. Victorian home from 1885. Complimentary breakfast for two, and afternoon tea or lemonade service. Optional massage therapy and gift baskets.

• Log House Homestead Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 304-628-3249
  Homestead Cove Lane off route 31 in Cairo. 2-bedroom unit. Hand-hewn replica log house from the 1820s. Jacuzzi, fireplace.

• Old Carriage House Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 304-428-9588
  address: 118 12th St
  2 rooms and 1 family suite. Brick colonial home from 1895.

• RiverGarden Guest WingOn Route 7 between Marietta and Belpre, 304-210-4383. 2-bedroom unit. Private Entrance. Sleeps 6. 1000 sq.ft.

• Rose Hill Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 304-659-3488
  address: 102 Park Dr
  In Pennsboro. 4 rooms.

• Williams' House Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 304-295-7212
  address: 5406 Grand Central Ave
  In Vienna. 5 rooms. Pool. Full breakfast.

• Parkersburg Public Library

• Marietta, Ohio is about 20 minutes north on OH-7.
• Point Pleasant is a little over 1 hour south on US-50 / OH-7.
• Charleston is a little over 1 hour south on I-77.
• Columbus, Ohio is a little over 2 hours northwest on I-77 / I-70.

Fredddie