—64, 68, 70, 77, 79, and 81—six corridors—D, E, G, H, L, and Q—and a complex network of country roads and scenic byways. People arrive in a variety of ways, still—mostly by car or plane—and tourism numbers continue to grow each year, with 4 million visitors counted in 2018. Outfitters and resorts continue to find innovative ways to deliver adventure and memorable vacations to visitors. In 2007, four rafting companies joined forces to open Adventures on the Gorge—a premier rafting, ziplining, rock climbing, and fishing destination based in Lansing. ACE Adventure Resort in Oak Hill reimagined the water park experience by incorporating giant inflatable obstacles on a 5-acre lake. The Summit Bechtel Reserve, a training, Scouting, and adventure center for the millions of youth and adults involved in the Boy Scouts of America, was built adjacent to the New River Gorge National River. River Riders in Harpers Ferry built a one-stop adventure shop at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, offering rafting, tubing, ziplining, kayaking, canoeing, biking, fishing, and more. The state’s iconic craggy crest—Seneca Rocks—continued to draw climbers from around the world. Nearby the Via Ferrata at NROCKS, a one of a kind adventure experience, offered a mile of fixed-anchor, professionally-guided rock climbing. Snowshoe Resort reinvented itself as a four-season destination and mountain biking mecca. Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center cut the ribbon on a new, state-of-the-art lodge in 2013 and unveiled a paragliding launch site three years later. And, in 2017, White Grass Ski Touring Center was named the Best Cross Country Ski Resort in North America by a survey in USA Today . Distilleries creating traditional Appalachian moonshine and other small-batch spirits have become a destination in themselves for devotees, and more than a dozen now operate in the state. Craft breweries have proliferated in the 2000s, with almost 30 breweries now tapping into a growing population of beer enthusiasts. But, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Visitors still come for all the reasons they always have: nature, recreation, history, scenery, adventure, and a slower pace. And many would agree that, once you experience the wild and wonderful this state has to offer, it changes you. There’s no need to romanticize West Virginia as travel guides tend to do. The people who live on this land, who feed their souls with mountain air, who bathe in her waters, and who have sustained generations of their families with everything she has to give already know her magic in the most personal way. We’re just gracious enough to share her with the world. West Virginia is a place where dichotomies meet. It is the northernmost southern state—and the southernmost northern state. It's a place where life slows down, where laid-back escapes are at every bend in the road. It is also an adrenaline junkie's dream destination where heart-pumping outdoor recreation abounds. - Nikki Bowman Mills “ ”
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