BYRD’S EYE VIEW: Vacationing Close to Home
From the desk of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-WV
Washington, DC (HNN) -- As the calendar flips to July, many West Virginians are making plans for family summer vacations. Some may be foregoing faraway travel plans in the face of rising gas prices and costly airline tickets. I encourage all families to consider the many exciting destinations close to home.
Picturesque state parks saturate the West Virginia landscape. Visits to these natural treasures can give people of all ages a new appreciation for the beauty of our Mountain State. No artificial theme park could ever compare with the natural wonders so abundant in West Virginia.
What locals and visitors alike find when they visit our state parks is an array of breath-taking scenery, outdoor activities, stunning geological formations, and history. These parks offer some of the best, most family-friendly, recreational activities in the country complete with swimming, boating, and white-water rafting; horseback riding and golfing; camping, hiking, and biking.
West Virginia State Parks also offer educational opportunities. Many parks contain momentous historical sites that speak to the different stages in the development of America. These areas teach about colonial America, Revolutionary America, Civil War America, and industrial America.
Our first President, George Washington, was one of many famous early Americans who made regular journeys to what is now Berkeley Springs State Park. They drank and bathed in the warm mineral waters that flow from the springs at a constant temperature of 74.3 degrees. Visitors can still see President Washington’s personal outdoor bath tub. Perhaps the most important lesson children will learn at the state parks is that history is both alive and fascinating.
There is so much to see and do in West Virginia, and there is no better place to enjoy a summer vacation. Stay in a picturesque lodge or secluded cabin, or, even better, pitch a tent or haul a trailer into the parks’ campgrounds. Set up camp and cook dinner over a Coleman stove. Go fishing in a nearby watering hole. Gather the family around the campfire at night to tell stories and roast marshmallows. Spread a sleeping bag and fall asleep under the stars while pondering the Almighty’s infinite majesty, as you thank Him for creating such a magnificent place.
In just a few days at one of our state parks, families can accumulate a lifetime of memories and learn why West Virginia really is "Almost Heaven!"