CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Two West Virginia natives wrote a new travel book to help West Virginians and tourists figure out all the best bucket list items for the Mountain State.
“100 Things to Do in West Virginia Before You Die” was recently released, so 304 Today host Lauren Winans spoke to one of the authors to get a few sneak peaks about what is included in the book.
Melody Pittman, a West Virginia native and travel blogger who currently lives in Nevada, co-authored the book with her long-time friend Angela Richards. Pittman told WBOY that she still writes about West Virginia often, even though she moved away after being a West Virginia resident for 44 years.
“I absolutely love West Virginia. I tell everybody about it. I write about it a lot,” said Pittman in an interview. She continued, “So I was thinking nobody has written the book about West Virginia, and if somebody else writes that book, I’m going to be so upset because I’m always sharing the Mountain State and how much I love living there. What a great place it was to raise our children.”
A few specific places that Pittman said are included in book were the New River Gorge, Harper’s Ferry, Shepherdstown, the Hatfield McCoy Trails and Bramwell, but she said the pair tried to include attractions in rural counties “that don’t get a lot of love” as well.
The book has restaurants, outdoor attractions, geographical locations, fairs, festivals and seasonal activities from across West Virginia; Pittman specifically mentioned how much she enjoys the eastern panhandle as well as the areas around Morgantown, Parkersburg, Huntington and Charleston.
“I lived in Charleston for 44 years, so I could write a book just about Charleston, but there are many other places to see,” she said.
In the Clarksburg area, Pittman commended the Italian heritage and teased to a pepperoni roll restaurant being included as well as Barton Hollow Winery in Lost Creek and the Wonder Bar Steakhouse in Clarksburg.
If you want to get your hands on a copy of “100 Things to Do in West Virginia Before You Die,” it is available on Reedy Press for $22.50. A review for the newly-released book says the book “is a great, informative read for those looking to visit West Virginia or learn more about their home state. I discovered several places I’ve never heard of before!”
