Morgantown, WV is known as the home of West Virginia University, which was founded in 1867 and is located along the banks of the Monongahela River between the Appalachian foothills and the former Rust Belt.
Things to Do in Morgantown WV, the Art Museum of West Virginia University, the Earl L. Core Arboretum, and the Morgantown Farmers’ Market are among the best things to do in Morgantown, West Virginia. Call the attractions and restaurants ahead of time to confirm current hours of operation at mountaineer country.
14 Best Things to Do in Morgantown WV Today
1. West Virginia University Art Museum
The Art Museum of WVU, which opened in the summer of 2015, is an engaging and diverse art center. The museum, which is open to the public and is located on the West Virginia University campus in Evansdale, is dedicated to demonstrating the powerful impact of visual arts on the community at morgantown wv.
The museum hopes to inspire visitors to develop a more mindful appreciation for themselves and the world around them by highlighting artistic traditions from various cultures, both modern and historical. The museum has two large galleries with a total exhibit space of nearly 5,500 square feet.
A permanent art collection is displayed alongside various demonstrations of temporary traveling collections, University features, and a Grand Hall for musical performances and educational programs.
Morgantown, WV 26506, (304) 293-0111, Evansdale Campus
2.West Virginia University Coliseum
For many decades, the West Virginia University Coliseum has been one of the nation’s most prestigious and beloved college basketball venues. The West Virginia University Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena on the Evansdale campus that is home to the WVU Mountaineers men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the men’s wrestling team and the women’s volleyball and gymnastics teams.
A 3,000-square-foot weights room, dance studio, racquetball and squash courts, a safety lab, and over 100 offices, lecture rooms, and seminar spaces are also included in the massive structure. The stadium hosts a variety of sports events, games, and tournaments throughout the year, with seating designed for optimal viewing during sporting events.
304-293-4406 3450 Monongahela Blvd
3. Morgantown, West Virginia Botanic Garden
The West Virginia Botanic Garden in Morgantown is a one-of-a-kind botanical garden that features Appalachian plants. The Garden was formed in 1983 and opened to the public as an educational and recreational facility on 82 acres surrounding the Tibbs Run Reservoir, which used to provide water for the residents of the town.
The West Virginia Botanic Garden includes a collection of small designed gardens, an age-old forest, a network of hiking trails, and a boardwalk that crosses a wetland area.
From monthly family walks and nature workshops to large group tours and summer nature camps, the garden offers a variety of educational programs for visitors of all ages. The WVBG is open daily from dawn to dusk and is free to the public at coopers rock state forest.
Morgantown, WV 26508, 1061 Tyrone Road, Phone: 304-322-2093
4. Morgantown Attractions: Earl L. Core Arboretum
West Virginia University owns the Earl L. Core Arboretum, which is free to the public on a daily basis. Professor Earl L. established the 91-acre garden in 1948.
Since then, Core has been an invaluable educational resource for both the university and the general public. The Monongahela River flood plain encompasses much of the Arboretum, which includes a dense wooded area and a network of hiking trails, as well as three acres of planted, landscaped lawns and old-growth forest at point pleasant.
The Arboretum also has a small amphitheater and benches scattered throughout the garden for sitting, relaxing, and admiring the natural beauty.
304-293-5201 Monongahela Blvd
5.Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum, Morgantown, WV
The Royce J. & Caroline B. Watts Museum, located in West Virginia University’s Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, is dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of West Virginia’s coal and petroleum industries at greater morgantown farmers market.
The museum houses interesting and educational collections and exhibitions of historical objects, artifacts, and archival materials related to the global coal and petroleum industries. The permanent collection includes a wide variety of drilling and mining objects, such as flame safety lamps, canary cages, and model oil derricks from modern mining at star city.
The museum also has a diverse collection of petroleum products that have been donated for educational purposes by various mining and petroleum companies new river gorge.
Mineral Resources Building, West Virginia University, 401 Evansdale Drive, 304-293-4609.
6.Spark! Imagination and Science Center
The Spark! Imagination and Science Center, formerly known as the Recreational Opportunities for All Young Kids Initiative (ROFAYKI) and the Children’s Discovery Museum of West Virginia, is dedicated to inspiring children to explore, discover, and learn through interactive play.
The museum provides a variety of hands-on exhibits and educational programming that engages children’s imaginations, develops critical thinking skills, and inspires a love of learning.
Engineer It!, which allows children to use their planning, building, and testing skills; Space Weather, which teaches visitors about weather in space and its effects; and a special Hands-On Science Area for children ages five and up are among the interactive exhibits at the museum.
Mountaineer Mall, 5000 Greenbag Road, Ste #G-12, 304-292-4646
7. Mountain Field, Milan Puskar Stadium
The Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, also known as the Mountaineer Field, is one of the country’s top football arenas and is home to the West Virginia Mountaineer NCAA Division 1 FBS football team.
The double-decker stadium on West Virginia University’s Health Sciences campus seats up to 60,000 people, with each seat providing unobstructed views of the field at caperton trail. The modern stadium includes a variety of modern amenities, such as luxurious stadium suites and skyboxes with dining, kitchen, restroom, and special seating areas, as well as food and beverage stands, restrooms, souvenir shops, bank machines, and more.
Throughout the year, the stadium also hosts a variety of large concerts and other events, including music concerts, Bands of America, and Drum Corps International.
900 Willowdale Rd; phone: 304-293-2294
8. Farmers’ Market in Morgantown
The Morgantown Farmers’ Market offers a wide variety of fresh farm produce from over 30 farms. The market, which is located in the heart of downtown Morgantown, is West Virginia’s first solar market and offers visitors a fantastic selection of farm-to-table products such as fruit, vegetables, herbs, flowers, meat, poultry, eggs, freshly baked bread, pastries, and specialty foods.
Throughout the morning, there are also culinary demonstrations, nutrition assistance programs, live music, and healthy lifestyle activities such as dancing, yoga, and hula-hooping at hiking trail.
Spruce and Fayette Streets, Morgantown MarketPlace, 304-291-7201
9. Morgantown History Museum
The Morgantown History Museum celebrates and highlights the area’s rich history and culture. Here you can learn about the town’s pioneer days and the significance of Morgantown’s textile and mining history. Throughout the summer, the museum hosts free Kids and Family Days where craftsmen demonstrate various vintage equipment from the museum’s collection. You’ll also learn about the area’s early inhabitants and the animals that live there. The Museum store sells prints of vintage photographs from the museum’s collection metropolitan theatre.
Morgantown History Museum is located at 175 Kirk St, Morgantown, WV 26505, and can be reached at 304 319 1800.
10. Morgantown, West Virginia’s Pies and Pints
Pies & Pints, located in the Suncrest Towne Centre in the heart of Morgantown, serves unique, delicious gourmet pizza and craft beer. Pies and Pints Morgantown, located just a few minutes’ walk from the town’s main attractions and vibrant nightlife, is ideal for a quick drink with friends or a casual dinner for two for upcoming events.
Pies & Pints is best known for their excellent selection of handcrafted beers from artisanal breweries all over the world, available by the bottle or on tap, as well as an intimate list of ciders and wines from California, Spain, and Italy. Classic and specialty pizza pies, garden-fresh salads, homemade sandwiches, and sweet desserts are available.
304-777-4749, 1002 Suncrest Towne Centre
11.Morgantown Brewing Company
Morgantown Brewing Company (MBC) is the state’s oldest brewery, producing and distributing high-quality craft brews. The brewery produces eight special craft beers each week, as well as several seasonal brews and small-batch special brews that can be sampled on a brewery tasting tour or enjoyed at the restaurant and bar for fun things.
Soups, salads, wraps and folds, burgers, sandwiches, subs, and small plates of nachos, calamari, pretzels, and dips are available on the brewery’s menu, which is made from locally sourced ingredients.
304-292-6959, 1291 University Ave.
12. Morgantown, West Virginia’s Sunset Beach Marina
Sunset Beach Marina, located on the beautiful Cheat Lake, is tucked away in a scenic cove and provides an ideal base for a variety of boating, jet-skiing, and other water-based, outdoor activities on the lake.
Sunset Beach Marina provides visitors with a variety of services, including a full-service fuel dock and a marina shop that sells snacks, drinks, ice, and other marine supplies needed for a fun day on the lake. Visitors can rent a variety of watercraft, including pontoons, tubes, skis, and wakeboards, as well as kayaks, paddle boats, and ski boats.
Boat owners can also take advantage of a wide range of boat services, including cleaning and detailing, winterization and storage, summer trailer storage, and mechanic services.
304-594-0050, 177 Sunset Beach Road
13.Xscape
There is no doubt that the Escape Room craze has swept the country. Morgantown is no exception, and Xscape will provide you with the ideal escape room experience. You and your team can plan your escape from one of four intriguing themed rooms available at the center. Each of the rooms has been carefully designed to provide a challenging and immersive experience for groups of 6-8 players. The Morgantown rooms include Catching Capone and Tut, both 90-minute experiences, as well as The Estate and Taken, both 60-minute escapes. All of them are high-tech and a lot of fun to play.
Xscape is located at 63 Wharf Street, Suite 50, Morgantown, WV 26505, and can be reached at 304 680 2665.
14. Mountain State Brewing Company
Mountain State Brewing is West Virginia’s largest full-scale microbrewery and craft beer distributor, with satellite breweries in Thomas, Morgantown, and Deep Creek.
Brian Arnett and Willie Lehmann, co-owners, sold their first beer in 2005 and have been producing and distributing exceptional artisanal and craft beers ever since. Mountain State Brewing in Morgantown provides a casual, relaxed atmosphere in which to kick back and enjoy a delicious menu of wood-fired flatbreads and dips, small plates of Mediterranean-style snacks, fresh salads, and homemade sandwiches with a variety of fillings.
For a satisfying late-afternoon snack, pair a hearty homemade pulled pork, onion, green pepper, and smoked mozzarella sandwich with a Seneca Indian Pale Ale.
304-241-1976, 54 Clay Street
FAQs about Things to Do in Morgantown WV
What makes Morgantown famous?
Morgantown is best known for being the home of the illustrious West Virginia University and its thirty thousand students. It is a collection of neighborhoods located along the Monongahela River. The majority of the neighborhoods were once small towns that were annexed by the city as it grew.
What makes Morgantown, West Virginia unique?
Morgantown should be at the top of your list if you like quaint and beautiful small towns. It’s an ideal location for hiking, water sports, and simply being surrounded by breathtaking nature. Morgantown is an absolute beauty, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
What is West Virginia famous for?
West Virginia, located in the Appalachian region, has some of the most rugged terrain in the country. The state’s rolling mountains, hills, and valleys have earned it the moniker “The Mountain State,” and it is well-known for a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and whitewater rafting.
Is Morgantown a desirable place to live?
According to Livability, Morgantown is one of the “Best Affordable Places to Live.” Morgantown is the 28th community in the United States to receive the “Safe Communities” designation. The West Virginia University College of Law was ranked second in the country for community impact. Trips to Discover ranks Morgantown as one of the top nine weekend getaways from Pittsburgh.
