If you pay attention to the state slogans, West Virginia reads “Wild & Wonderful”. It couldn’t be more true. The wild beauty of West Virginia is simply mesmerizing. Curving roads, tall mountains covered with trees, crystal streams and few towns – all part of the unique natural beauty of this state. I was taking incessant pictures only to realize they could never live up to the true sights. I have not been this struck by the natural wilderness since I drove through the California coastline. Being on a road trip with kids, we had to make plenty of stops. And while I enjoyed the history of Charleston’s capitol building (largest in the country), and my husband loved the small mountainous towns, I found that the little town of Beckley had something interesting for everyone. Here’s a look at two of their favorite attractions.
Tamarack
Tamarack is a unique concept. Nestled in multiple studios, are artisans at work, and you can witness their craft through the windows and then buy any of their creations right there. I was especially interested in glass blowing and we were lucky to see the artisan at work on that day. The way he molded glass into multi-colored creations was truly stunning to watch. The artisans’ work was right there on display – from ring holders to vases, whimsical sculptures and bowls – a wonderful representation of West Virginia’s glass blowing art.
There is a lot to see at Tamarack. In addition to multiple studios, there is a bookstore, a great food court with the best of Southern cooking (fried green tomatoes and catfish get my pick) and plenty of things for kids to see and do. The woodworking section at the time of our visit housed a beautifully crafted wooden train and caboose. Kids loved playing inside different sections of the train and looking at the marbles contained in some of the train sections. Outside Tamarack, there is a small playground for kids to climb and run around. I think this place is definitely worth a stop, to see the artisans at work and look at the best work in West Virginia.
Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia
What’s unique about this children’s museum? Let’s start with the way it’s built, made out of of four colorful railroad boxcars. Exhibits change frequently and you get a better deal by getting a ticket to both the Youth Museum and the adjacent Exhibition Coal Mine (the largest coal heritage destination in the region). While it would have been a truly interesting experience to go 1500 feet underground and learn about coal mining, our smaller child did not like the idea of going underground. But if you have an opportunity, I definitely recommend visiting the Exhibition Coal Mine – a nice slice of history.
Youth Museum changes their exhibits three times a year. In the past, exhibits included “T-Rex”, “Bats” and “Artists in the Studio”. On the day we visited in June, their exhibit was based on Fairy Tales. This Youth Museum is small but the amount of imagination and creativity put into the exhibit is amazing. My kids loved climbing in the castle and up the beanstalk, pretending to fly in the fun mirrors and dressing up and setting the table for the princess dinner. They created their own stories and learned a quick piano tune, crawled through a tunnel and made shoes. The museum exhibit won’t take you more than an hour or so to explore, but it is a great mix of education and fun, and one of the most creative children’s museums I’ve seen. A true gem.
Don’t forget to visit the Mountain Homestead right behind the museum – a recreation of the typical settlement of an Appalachian frontier.
