“You possibly can’t change any of the toppings and nonetheless name it a West Virginia Scorching Canine,” she warned.
It was the very first thing I’d realized about Huntington. I used to be sitting in my automobile on the Frostop drive-in, making an attempt to order lunch. I hesitated. The prerequisite toppings weren’t my favourite on a sizzling canine. The hesitation lingered too lengthy. Lastly, I gave the exceedingly affected person woman my order.
West Virginia’s second-largest metropolis has issues to try this you’d anticipate in a metropolis – a museum of artwork, city parks, a college, and a historic metropolis with ties to a nineteenth railroad mogul. However greater than anything, Huntington is a foodie vacation spot.
And by the point I left the town on my northbound street journey, I found loads of foodie surprises within the river city.
Map
The way to use this map: Click on the icon within the top-left nook to open the Map Legend, then click on on any of the legend gadgets to show extra info. If in case you have a Google account, click on the (very faint) star on the finish of the map’s title to save lots of this map to your account, then entry the map out of your smartphone throughout your journey.
Temporary Historical past
Simply because the American Revolution began, a everlasting settlement known as Holderby’s Touchdown was established on the congruence of the Ohio and Guyandotte Rivers. Virginia turned a state in 1788 and included all of present-day Kentucky and West Virginia. Halfway by means of the Civil Struggle in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that West Virginia may very well be acknowledged as its personal state.
A couple of years later, Collis P. Huntington established the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway on the James River in Richmond, Virginia. The concept was to attach Virginia to the affluent Ohio River Valley. By 1873, the railroad by means of the rugged West Virginia mountains was accomplished with a terminus in Holderby’s Touchdown.
Did You Know?
The route of the C&O Railroad handed throughout the Alleghany Mountains by means of Clifton Forge. The C&O Railway Heritage Heart options a number of locomotives and practice vehicles to discover. An infinite miniature railroad diorama and museum is contained in the historic practice depot.
When the town was integrated in 1871, it was renamed Huntington in honor of the railroad tycoon. Huntington turned a central commerce hub because the railroad was prolonged to Hampton Roads to the east and Cincinnati, Toledo, and Chicago to the west. A increase interval lasted till the Nice Flood of 1937 destroyed a lot of the city, turning almost 60% of the town’s inhabitants into homeless refugees.
All through the twentieth century, Huntington declined like many different railroad cities. However the metropolis discovered methods to thrive with a diversified financial system – right this moment, Huntington is the second-largest metropolis within the state, behind solely Charleston.
Attending to Huntington by Automotive
Huntington isn’t strictly off the overwhelmed path, however it’s an out-of-the-way vacation spot in a northwest nook of the state alongside the Ohio River.
The best strategy to get to Huntington is alongside Interstate 64. From Charleston, it’s a simple one-hour drive. From Lexington, Kentucky, it’s an equally simple two-hour drive.
However probably the most scenic and adventurous route into Huntington is alongside US Freeway 23. From Kingsport, Tennessee, it’s a 4-hour drive alongside the four-lane freeway by means of former coal cities, stunning mountain ranges, and charming small cities like Norton, Virginia, and Pikeville, Kentucky.
From Columbus, Ohio, it’s a better three-hour drive on sections of US Freeway 23 with interstate pace limits. The route bypasses Chillicothe and passes by means of Portsmouth earlier than crossing the Ohio River.
Attending to Huntington by Amtrak
An attention-grabbing strategy to go to Huntington could be an journey on Amtrak. The passenger rail service’s Cardinal Line connects New York Metropolis and Chicago with an out-of-the-way southerly route in West Virginia. The Cardinal Line follows the identical route as the unique C&O Railroad throughout Virginia’s Alleghany Highlands.
Amtrak’s cease in Huntington is positioned simply 5 blocks from Pullman Sq.. Inns, eating places, procuring, and points of interest are a couple of twenty-minute stroll from the general public sq..
The Cardinal Line connects to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, from New York Metropolis. The practice sometimes leaves New York Metropolis at 7 a.m. three days per week and arrives in Huntington round 10 p.m. For this route, I counsel a coach seat for the 15-hour journey – however spend more often than not within the statement automobile.
From Chicago, the Cardinal Line connects to Indianapolis and Cincinnati. The practice sometimes leaves Chicago at 6 p.m. and arrives in Huntington at about 7 a.m. the next day. For this route, I like to recommend a roomette within the viewliner automobile.
Get Craft Espresso at Grindstone Coffeeology
Begin the day exploring Huntington at Grindstone Coffeeology. Baristas grind beans contemporary for each espresso served – the menu contains all the standard staples like drip, espresso, and iced. Their all-day brunch menu contains croissant sandwiches, quiche, and breakfast burritos.
Seize a seat at a snug desk contained in the small espresso store. Or, head to the rooftop sitting space with tables and chairs beneath shade sails.
Search for New and Used Books at Cicada Books & Espresso
What’s higher than a neighborhood espresso store? A neighborhood espresso store inside a used bookstore! When homeowners Daybreak Hylbert and Katie Norman opened Cicada Books & Espresso, they named it after the cicada – an insect recognized for rebirth.
Used books are stacked on cabinets from the ground to the ceiling. However the retail store has way more – native art work, home vegetation, and distinctive present concepts. Order a contemporary floor espresso on the entrance, browse the used books, after which snag a desk to benefit from the espresso and flip by means of the books earlier than taking them residence.
Heritage Station
In 1887, Collis Huntington established the Huntington and Huge Sandy Railroad, extending his treasured C&O Railroad, and constructed a two-story passenger terminal. Over the following forty years, the brick construction was expanded a number of occasions to incorporate rising freight. However by the early 1900s, the constructing was deserted. Other than a brief tenure because the Greyhound Bus Station, the constructing was unused for many years.
After renovations and restorations, the previous passenger and freight depot reopened as Heritage Station. An unique steam locomotive and coal automobile are put in in entrance of the depot. Inside, restored hardwood flooring and vintage freight scales greet guests to the historic constructing.
The Huntington Customer Heart is positioned contained in the previous transportation hub. Guests can choose up the native tourism information, browse brochures on issues to do, and get suggestions from the pleasant workers. At The Crimson Caboose, guests can browse cabinets of arts and crafts from native artisans, clothes, souvenirs, and Blenko glassware.
Heritage Farm Museum & Village
Gravels crunched beneath my ft on the trail between a dozen log buildings and rustic picket buildings. The village pulsed with exercise – a blacksmith hammering in a store, children guffawing on a ropes course, and a goat grunting from an enclosure. What sort of place had I found?
When Mike and Henriella Perry purchased an previous farmhouse in 1976, they found a ardour for his or her Appalachian heritage. After twenty years of gathering, constructing, and planning, they opened the Heritage Farm Museum & Village, they opened the farm to the general public within the spring. By 2006, they’d established common enterprise hours for guests to discover their creations.
Seven museums cowl matters like early frontier life, transportation, and know-how. The MakerSpace options native arts and crafts. The Blacksmith Store is normally staffed by somebody busy making one thing with solid steel and muscle. The Treehouse Trek affords pleasure, and Critter Nook is a superb place to hang around with the animals.
Ritter Park
Ritter Park is Huntington’s hottest place for outside recreation. The park is on the base of a brief mountain ridge the place the town’s grid of straight straights begins curvy climbs. It’s a peaceable escape from metropolis noises and an excellent place for guests to stretch their legs.
A 0.6-mile gravel path winds by means of the park, connecting the varied points of interest. The Rose Backyard options manicured gardens surrounded by brick pavers. Almost a dozen tennis courts await the arrival of keen gamers. The amphitheater is surrounded by the shade of towering timber.
After which there may be the award-winning playground. What precisely makes it award-winning? In 2012, the American Planning Affiliation named Ritter Park one of many “10 Nice Public Areas” within the nation.
Harris Riverfront Park
The one strategy to get to Harris Riverfront Park is to drive by means of the towering concrete wall defending Huntington from the Ohio River. After 19 days of consecutive rain in 1937, the Ohio River broke over the banks and swept by means of the town. By 1943, the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers had accomplished an 11-mile-long floodwall to stop the pure catastrophe sooner or later.
On the opposite facet of the floodwall, the riverfront park is a formidable introduction to Huntington. An amphitheater with grassy ranges faces the river. Strolling paths meander beneath the shade of timber. On the finish of the park, a concrete platform is a frequent vacation spot for fishing on the river.
Within the distance, the Robert C. Byrd Bridge crosses the Ohio River, connecting West Virginia and Ohio.
Huntington Museum of Artwork
Opened in 1952, the Huntington Museum of Artwork options a formidable assortment. However the huge constructing and 52 acres on a hilltop are much more spectacular.
Discover the ten exhibit areas, together with The Glass Assortment, Portrait Gallery, and the historical past of firearms. Attend an occasion within the 287-seat auditorium. Take a stroll by means of the one tropical conservatory in West Virginia. Plan to spend about 2-3 hours exploring the 16,000-object museum.
Probably the most attention-grabbing issues to do on the museum is to discover the outside. The 52-acre property options two miles of mountaineering trails and two outside sculpture gardens.
READ MORE: 8 Issues to Do at Huntington Seashore State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC
Museum of Radio & Expertise
The Museum of Radio & Expertise is probably the most fascinating museum in Huntington. In 1991, a bunch of radio lovers bought an old-fashioned and slowly accrued a group of vintage radios, navy communications tools, and radio broadcast gear.
As an alternative of desks, former lecture rooms are stuffed with Victrola console radios. As an alternative of chalkboards, the partitions are lined with circuit boards. As an alternative of books, cabinets are stuffed with radio communications tools.
Radio gear was stacked from the ground to the ceiling, hallways lined with picket console radios, and tables lined with each form of radio know-how ever used. It was an interesting stroll by means of the historical past of radio communications in an informal setting.
Touma Museum of Medication
In 2017, Dr. Joseph B. Touma and his spouse, Dr. Omayma Touma, donated their assortment of medical devices and artifacts to Marshall College’s Joan C. Edwards College of Medication. The college opened a 4,000-square-foot Touma Museum of Medication within the coronary heart of downtown Huntington, that includes the gathering all through dozens of shows.
Strolling by means of the museum is like entering into the pages of a medical historical past textbook. Bygone medical devices, aged books, and vintage instruments reveal how far drugs has are available in a short while.
The museum is open by appointment solely, and it’s the one appointment everybody ought to make whereas visiting Huntington.
Pullman Sq.
Pullman Sq. opened in 2004, capping off a long time of downtown revitalization. The 2-story, open-air shopping center options attention-grabbing shops like The Internal Geek bookstore, Outdated North Arcade the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from beer and meals with retro arcade video games, and catch a film at Marquee Cinemas.
The grassy sq. is the location of annual particular occasions like stay music concert events. Throughout the day, it’s the right place to get pleasure from a break from the hustle of exploring the town.
The Market
When an enclosed area for retail outlets opened in 2017, it was an instantaneous hit with the locals. The Market rapidly turned the hangout place with nice meals and stay music. It’s one of many issues everybody ought to do with a go to to Huntington – morning or night.
Butter It Up is the most effective place within the metropolis for breakfast, serving scrumptious free-range eggs of their farm-to-table menu. Wildflower Present Store affords a wide range of residence décor and collectible gadgets that can beg to go residence with you.
Austin’s Ice Cream began in close by Ceredo, however when The Market opened, they jumped on the probability to maneuver downtown. All of their ice cream is home made and options savory flavors. Order one or two scoops in a cone or bowl and discover a place to take a seat earlier than it melts!
We Are Marshall Self-Guided Strolling Tour
In 1970, the collegiate sports activities world and your complete metropolis of Huntington have been shocked when a aircraft crash killed 75 Marshall College soccer crew members, workers, and crew members. When director McG approached the delicate matter of filming a dramatization of the incident in 2005, he determined to movie the film in Huntington.
The Huntington Customer Heart has copies of a self-guided tour of the filming areas all through the town. Some scenes have been filmed at personal companies and houses, however most have been filmed on the Marshall College campus.
Take a stroll by means of the campus – open to the general public, however be conscious of the place you park – and discover the filming areas on the Memorial Fountain, Buskirk Area, Hodges Corridor, and Morrow Library.
Get Dinner on the Quirky Bombshells, Burgers & BBQ
Shortly after Billy Naked, a retired police officer, constructed an indoor gun vary in Huntington, his spouse, Christy, constructed a restaurant subsequent door. If you eat at Bombshell, Burgers & BBQ, examine your receipt for a reduction to a spherical at Naked Arms Indoor Vary. Opened in 2018, it’s one of many metropolis’s quirkiest locations for an excellent meal.
The restaurant is modeled after traditional dinners from the Nineteen Forties. The WWII-inspired seating space is harking back to traditional diners with pink and white cubicles, painted pinup women hanging on the partitions, and rock music – albeit from the 50s – blaring from audio system.
The menu is an array of American meals like wings, pizza, barbecue, and sandwiches, however their burgers are the most effective. It begins with the All American – a 1/3-pound Angus Beef patty served along with your selection of toppings. However the Flamethrower Burger was the winner – topped with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and “atomic bomb sauce.” The burger was named after Hershel “Woody” Williams, a Marine who acquired the Medal of Honor in WWII for his obligation as a flamethrower.
Get an Genuine West Virginia Scorching Canine
You most likely don’t know in regards to the West Virginia Scorching Canine when you’re not from West Virginia. The recipe is straightforward, however ironclad: bun, wiener, chili, slaw, onions, and mustard. No substitutions are allowed. Happily, Huntington has two nice locations to get a passable meal.
In 1932, husband and spouse John Louis and Gertrude Mandt purchased a tiny orange constructing on fifth Avenue and opened Huntington’s first drive-in eatery. That they had two gadgets on the menu: Stewart’s Root Beer, invented in Ohio just some years earlier, and popcorn. In following years, the menu grew to incorporate sizzling canines with Gertrude’s secret chili sauce – the identical sauce made right this moment.
In 2005, John Jr., the fourth technology of the household to run Stewart’s Unique Scorching Canine, based the West Virginia Scorching Canine Pageant. The competition is held in Huntington the final weekend of July and options carnival rides, stay music, and lots of distributors crafting the long-lasting sizzling canine.
In 1926, L.S. Harvey opened the primary Frostop Root Beer in Springfield, Ohio. Over the following three a long time, the franchise unfold throughout the nation. Folks turned acquainted with the savory burgers and contemporary root beer.
The Huntington location was in-built 1959. The long-lasting mug – first put in at a Frostop in Louisiana in 1954 – has been on the roof of this location because it opened.
The burgers, grilled cheese, sandwiches, and fries are cooked to order. It’s one of many tastiest meals in Huntington. However the West Virginia Scorching Canine is the star of their menu. The waitress famous, “You possibly can’t change any of the toppings and nonetheless name it a West Virginia Scorching Canine.” Because it seems, the new canine goes nice with crunchy onion rings and a contemporary root beer.
Get a Downtown Dinner
Huntington is a foodie vacation spot. With a weekend go to, you couldn’t eat at each sort of restaurant within the metropolis. You’ll discover every part from a steak home to a uncooked bar. However you can begin with dinner at considered one of these downtown eating places.
Calamity J Grill & Bar is a “mix of southwest and soul.” Entrées embrace rooster, pasta, and burritos with a spicy twist. The homeowners at Huntington Ale Home take meat critically, with burgers so stacked you’ll want a fork and knife to eat them – a complete part of the menu is devoted to mac & cheese. Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti Home has been a neighborhood favourite since 1938. The unique proprietor’s daughter runs the restaurant now, the place you discover huge parts of each meal.
21 on the Frederick is a date night time. Opened in 2015 on the historic however defunct Frederick Resort, the tables are lined in white linens, and the detailed structure will make you are feeling prefer it’s the Thirties. You’ll discover filet mignon and Colorado lamb chops on the menu and an evolving wine listing.
Le Bistro encompasses a farm-to-table menu with contemporary native elements for Huntington’s most inventive culinary expertise. Since 2012, Yard Pizza and Uncooked Bar has cooked up numerous gourmand wood-fired pizzas, however you can even order contemporary seafood from their uncooked bar. The Peddler combines craft beer from their ten-barrel system with buttermilk fried rooster sandwiches and thick burgers.
The place to Keep
Hampton Inn is ten minutes from downtown. The resort options an indoor swimming pool, suites with a sleeper couch, and the most effective complimentary breakfast of any resort chain. Guide with Reserving.com or Expedia.com
DoubleTree by Hilton is considered one of two downtown motels inside strolling distance of eating places and procuring. The resort options an outside swimming pool beneath a pedestrian bridge connecting the resort to a parking storage – parking is an extra price. Guide with Reserving.com or Expedia.com
Delta Inns by Marriott encompasses a good indoor swimming pool, free on-site parking, and the manager suite has a sleeper couch. Guide with Reserving.com or Expedia.com