To plan a perfect vacation, one must take into account the possibility of rain. What to do when the weather doesn’t cooperate? Check out this list of 17 rainy-day activities to try in New River Gorge National Park. They are the perfect cure for a rainy day at the national park.
17 Rainy Day Activities in New River Gorge
17. Learn how coal is formed at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum
Every year, thousands of people travel from all over the world to experience West Virginia’s mining history. Visit the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum to take a tour of an underground coal mine, see restored buildings from a coal camp, and company store, and visit a pioneer village to learn about Appalachian life in the early 1900s.
Directions to Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum
16. Visit the Tamarack – The Best of West Virginia
Visitors to New River Gorge National Park will be happy to explore Tamarack on a rainy day. Shop for locally made jewelry or pottery, and taste fine regional cuisine. West Virginia’s finest artists are featured at Tamarack, here you will find something special for everyone in your group.
Directions to Tamarack
15. Tour local Breweries and Wineries
The New River Gorge and surrounding areas host several local breweries and wineries, including Bridge Brew Works and Freefolk Brewery in Fayetteville. Both offer outdoor seating and tasty brews. In addition to Bridge Brew Works and Freekfolk Brewery, Fayetteville is also home to Southside Junction Tap House where you’ll find many local beers on tap and delicious burgers.
Travel approximately 20 minutes to Summersville to find Kirkwood Winery or 30 minutes south of Beckley to Daniel Vineyards. You will also find live music, great food, and a collection of exclusive local brews at Weathered Ground Brewery in Cool Ridge, WV.
Directions to
Bridge Brew Works, Freekfolk Brewery, Southside Junction Tap House, Kirkwood Winery, Daniel Vineyards, Weathered Ground Brewery
14. Try Escape Room Games
Can you and your friends solve puzzles and get out of an escape room in 60 minutes or less? Stop by Escape-a-Torium in downtown Fayetteville to play The Feud, Revenge of the Misfit Toys, or Secret Bunker escape games and find out! Perfect for a rainy day activity.
Directions to Escape-a-Torium
13. New River Gorge Bridge Walk
If you’re looking to get an adrenaline rush on your trip to New River Gorge, book a Bridge Walk tour. This tour is 3-hours and will take you under the New River Gorge Bridge on a 2-foot-wide catwalk that runs the length of the bridge. This is an excellent way to get up close and personal with the world’s fifth-longest steel arch span and one of the oldest rivers in the world. Bridge Walk is the perfect rainy day activity in New River Gorge. Experience spectacular views of the gorge below, get outside and stay out of the rain. Rain or shine, the Bridge Walk is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Directions to Bridge Walk
12. Explore the Thurmond Depot
Thurmond, West Virginia, was a booming coal town in the early 1900s. The town saw more than 95,000 passengers come through each year on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. Many were coal barons and other prominent businesspeople traveling to the area. Today, it’s an abandoned ghost town. However, you can take a step back in history to experience the golden days of the area with a visit to Thurmond Depot, a restored railroad depot located in historic Thurmond. The depot is open seasonally (typically from Memorial Day to Labor Day).
Directions to Thurmond Depot
11. Stop by Cathedral Cafe for Coffee or Hot Chocolate
Cathedral Cafe is a “cool little hippy joint” in downtown Fayetteville. This beautiful old church is home to one of the most popular restaurants and coffee shops in the area. They offer coffee, hot chocolate, homemade desserts, soups, pastries, and more. While you’re there, try Wendy’s famous Carrot Cake!
While exploring downtown Fayetteville check out the other shops in town: Out of the Ashes, Thread, Ben Franklin, Water Stone Outdoors, New River Antiques, and Lost Appalachia Trading Company.
Directions to Cathedral Cafe
10. Check out Love Hope Arts
Love Hope Center for the Arts is a local Fine Art Gallery just outside of downtown Fayetteville. Here you will find works from Appalachian artists.
Directions to Love Hope Center for the Arts
9. Go Bowling at Pinheads
12 lanes of bowling fun, a great selection of food, five big screen TVs, and the largest selection of craft beer in Southern West Virginia + Cosmic Bowling on Saturday. Who wouldn’t want to spend a rainy day at Pinheads? Book your reservation and be guaranteed a lane online.
Directions to Pinheads
More rainy day activities in New River Gorge National Park
We’re just getting started, keep reading for eight more rainy-day activities to try in New River Gorge.
8. Take a Scenic Tram Ride
Experience one-of-a-kind views on a scenic tram ride. Catch the lift at Hawks Nest Lodge, Hawks Nest State Park. The tram begins at the top of New River Gorge canyon. It takes you to the marina at the bottom of the gorge.
From the marina, hop on a jet boat to capture views of the iconic New River Gorge Bridge. Purchase tickets for Hawks Nest Tram online here.
Directions to Hawks Nest State Park Lodge
7. Try Climbing at Outside In Climbing Gym
What better way to spend a rainy day than climbing? Outside In Climbing Gym in Beckley is the area’s only indoor climbing gym. Here you’ll find bouldering and top-rope climbing routes for everyone looking to have some climbing fun. In addition to the climbing gym, you’ll find Chocolate Moose Coffee shop and an outdoor 18-hole miniature golf course.
Directions to Outside In
6. A scenic drive down Fayette Station Road
Regardless of the weather, a scenic drive down Fayette Station Road should be one of your first stops if you want to enjoy the scenery of the New River Gorge; I especially love this drive in the evening as the sun begins to fade. The beauty of the New River Gorge comes to life as you navigate the twists and turns down to the bottom of the gorge. As the sun sets on the New River, it’s hard not to appreciate how beautiful this part of our state is. It is a wonderful way to spend a rainy day in New River Gorge.
Directions to Fayette Station Road
5. Take a Day Trip to Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg, WV is a charming small town with a beautiful main street full of unique shopping and innovative dining. It is approximately an hour from Fayetteville/New River Gorge. Not only will you find a vibrant scene full of local shopping and dining, but you will also find Lost World Caverns where you can descend 120 feet below the surface to explore a world of stalactites and stalagmites.
Travel another 15-20 minutes past Lewisburg to White Sulphur Springs to explore the world-famous Greenbrier Hotel and take a tour of Bunker, which was once a top-secret US government fallout shelter, or spend the day relaxing at Pomona Salt Cave and Spa.
Directions to Downtown Lewisburg, Lost World Caverns, White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier Hotel, Pomona Salt Cave and Spa, Hawk Knob Cider and Mead Tasting Room, Smooth Ambler Spirits
4. Enjoy the Outdoors
Embrace the rain. New River Gorge can be a magical place when it rains. Hike through Grandview State Park, or explore Glade Creek trail, Long Point, or the famous Endless Wall. The forest comes alive in the rain with fresh scents of pine.
Directions to Grandview State Park, Glade Creek Trail, Long Point Trail, Endless Wall Trail
3. Visit Canyon Rim Visitor Center
A visit to New River Gorge National Park is not complete without a stop at Canyon Rim Visitor Center. In the visitor center, you will find a gift shop, an exhibit area highlighting the history of the region, and a park film. The rangers are helpful and are happy to answer your question. From the back window, you will find an amazing view of the gorge. You can also walk a short distance along a wooden boardwalk to get a great view of the bridge.
Directions to Canyon Rim Visitor Center
2. Go White water Rafting
White water rafting is also an excellent outdoor activity to experience in the rain, so why not!? You’ll already be wet! For everything, you need to know about white water rafting in New River Gorge, check out this blog post.
Directions to Ace Adventure Resorts, Adventures on the Gorge, Rivers Expeditions
1. Stay in and Watch a Movie
Stay in, curl up and watch a movie, or relax and read a good book. Everyone deserves a little R&R on vacation.
Don’t let the weather get you down. If you’re visiting the New River Gorge and it’s a rainy day, you can still have fun. There are plenty of rainy-day activities in New River Gorge. It’s a time to explore, learn, and maybe even try something new. If there’s one thing for certain about the New River Gorge, it’s that there is always something to do.
Ready to start planning your trip!?
