Top Things to Do in Morgantown West Virginia
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We both went to West Virginia University for our graduate programs, so we spent six years exploring everything Morgantown offers! Morgantown is a rural college town just 1.5 hours from Pittsburgh on the northern border of West Virginia. Today, it’s one of the largest cities in the state and primarily attracts visitors for its WVU sporting events and beautiful outdoor space. There are a ton of fun things to do in Morgantown, whether you’re visiting from out of town or if you’re new to the community! In this post, we’re sharing the top things to do in Morgantown!
Top Things to Do in Morgantown
Shoot Some Pool at The Metropolitan Billiard Parlor
The Metropolitan Billiard Parlor is Morgantown’s only pool hall! Located in the basement the Met Theater in downtown Morgantown, this pool hall features a dozen pool tables, a small bar, and space for playing board games and chilling with friends!
Get Creative at the Wow! Factory
If you want to get creative, consider going to the Wow! Factory in Star City. This paint-your-own pottery studio offers walk-in activities, artist-led classes, and other artsy events. The Wow! Factory offers events for both children and adults, including story painting for kids and paint and sips for parents! The Wow! Factory isn’t just for pottery either; you can paint on canvas and learn glass fusing. Check out their website for upcoming events!
See a Show at the Theaters
Throughout the year, Morgantown offers a range of live performances for people of all ages to enjoy. WVU students, the West Virginia Public Theater, and The Metropolitan Theater host various shows from musicals, plays, and concerts.
Get on the Water at Cheat Lake
Cheat Lake is located just 15 minutes from downtown Morgantown. This 13-mile-long lake along the Cheat River is great for boating, renting kayaks, and hiking. Visitors can use the Sunset Beach public boating access. During the summers, we enjoyed renting kayaks from Sunset Marina and walking along the 4.5-mile trail at Cheat Lake Park. Cheat Lake Park has a picnic area, playground, swimming beach, and fishing area.
Support West Virginia University Athletics
WVU Sports brings in the most visitors to Morgantown throughout the year! If you’re in town during sports seasons, consider supporting the teams by going to a game! Individual tickets for all sporting events can be purchased through WVUGame.
Explore one of West Virginia University’s Museums
If you’re looking for an inside activity during a rainy or snowy day in Morgantown, consider checking out one of the museums at WVU. The Art Museum of West Virginia University features an impressive collection of over 4,000 pieces! The Watt’s Museum, typically only open when there are active exhibits, is a smaller museum on campus featuring select artifacts from the Universtiy’s collection.
Drink Local Wine at Forks of Cheat Winery
The Forks of Cheat Winery is the only winery in Morgantown! This small winery features over a dozen wines ranging in flavors. Come on in for a tasting!
Enjoy Family Fun at Mylan Park
Mylan Park is a great place to go if you have children interested in sports! At the recreation center, kids (and adults) can participate in aquatic activities, track and field, and pickleball. Memberships are available. Mylan Park also hosts events throughout the year for the public to enjoy.
Go Bowling
Bowling is always a fun activity if you need an inside activity. Morgantown has two bowling alleys, one on campus at WVU and the other at Suburban Lanes.
Go Mini Golfing
Mountaineer Mini Golf is a fun choice for seasonal fun! Mountaineer Mini Golf offers both a mini golf and chip and putt course. We got their season pass one summer and enjoyed the unlimited golf! We also enjoyed attempting to get a hole-in-one on the last hole since the award was a year of free golf. Coal Country Mini Golf in nearby Fairmont is another great option for mini golf near Morgantown.
Visit the Farmers Market
The Morgantown Farmers Markets is a great place to stock up on produce and other locally-made crafts and goods. The Morgantown Farmers Market adjusts their schedule for year-round events.
See What’s on Tap at One of Morgantown’s Breweries
Morgantown is home to several local breweries! If you want to try some new brews, consider checking out Chestnut Brew Works, Mountain State Brewing Company, Short Story Brewing, or Morgantown Brewing Company.
Check Out Live Music and Events at the Ruby Amphitheater
The Ruby Amphitheater hosts seasonal live music and events, so check out what’s happening, or take a walk in the park and enjoy the waterfront views.
Go Ice Skating
The Morgantown Ice Arena near downtown Morgantown is a great place for affordable ice skating.
See the West Virginia Black Bears Play
If you’re looking for something fun to do during the summer in Morgantown with family, going to a West Virginia Black Bears game is a great option! The West Virginia Black Bears are an MLB Draft League team. Games are affordable, and the team hosts themed nights and giveaways throughout the season!
Make Something at Zenclay
Zenclay is another creative option for those looking to get artsy in Morgantown. This pottery studio offers adult and child pottery classes. Classes are typically six weeks.
Play Games at Levels Arcade
Level’s Arcade is an awesome spot for playing arcade games and drinking one of the 48 beers on tap!
Shop Local at the Seneca Center
If you’re in the mood for shopping, consider checking out the Seneca Center. The Seneca Center is home to over a dozen local businesses, including a tea cafe, bike shops, a spa, and more! The Seneca Center is a historic glass-making building.
Try Escaping at the Escape Room
Morgantown has two escape rooms, the Morgantown Escape Room and Xscape! Doing an escape room is a great group or family activity in Morgantown. Each location offers themed rooms with rotating challenges so you can always go back and get a different challenge!
Go Axe Throwing
Mountainman Axe Throwing is Morgantown’s only axe-throwing location, and as a bonus, it offers a smash room. So get your axes or baseball bats ready for destruction! Mountainman Axe Throwing sells drinks and allows you to bring your own food. If you’re an avid axe thrower, they also offer leagues.
Shop at the Old Stone House
The Old Stone House is one of the oldest buildings in Morgantown, with the original section built in about 1796. Today, it is a gift shop!
Go Golfing
If you’d rather get the full golfing experience, the Lakeview Golf Resort has a beautiful course located at Cheat Lake.
Unique Things to Do in Morgantown
Experience Unique Local Events
Throughout the year, Morgantown hosts several recurring annual events worth checking out! Hops on the Mon, WV Wine and Jazz Festival, Balloons over Morgantown, the Annual Buckwheat Festival, and the Arboretum Paw Paw Festival are among the best events! Check out the local tourism event schedule to stay updated with events in Morgantown.
Zip Line with Adventure WVU
If you’re feeling adventurous, consider going zip-lining at Adventure WVU! These tours are open to the public and are a unique activity in Morgantown.
Explore Aurthurdale
Aurthurdale, located just outside Morgantown, is a unique and historic place to visit. Here, you can walk back in time to the 1930s. Authurdale was the nation’s first New Deal Homestead Community. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation aimed to provide a new chance at life for locals suffering from the Great Depression. Today, you can see 160 of the original homesteads!
Dents Run Covered Bridge
The Dents Run Covered Bridge is along one of West Virginia’s country roads. It was constructed in 1889 and is the last standing covered bridge in the county. It’s worth checking out this cool piece of history!
Ride the PRT
The Personal Rapid Transit, or PRT as WVU students call it, is a unique feature in Morgantown. This tram system was installed in Morgantown in 1975 and was considered the “transportation of the future.” These WVU-branded cars shuttled students along 8.7 miles and from campus to campus. Students ride for free, and the public can ride for just 25 cents. The PRT is a fun thing to check out since it’s unique to WVU, and if you don’t feel like walking, it’s an excellent way to get around!
Free Things to do in Morgantown
Explore the West Virginia University Campus
If you’ve never been to Morgantown before, you have to take some time to explore the West Virginia University Campus! WVU is the state’s flagship land-grant institution. The downtown campus is beautiful throughout the seasons with its historic buildings and landscaping. Stop by the bookstore for some WVU gear and take a photo with the <ountaineer statue!
Hike at Coopers Rock State Forest
Hiking at Cooper’s Rock State Forest is definitely one of the top things to do in Morgantown! This state forest features fantastic scenic overlooks and hiking. Consider hiking the Raven Rock Trail or visiting the main overlook for the best views! Learn more about visiting Coopers Rock State Forest on our post.
Explore the West Virginia Botanic Garden
The West Virginia Botanic Garden was always one of our favorite places to walk in Morgantown. This park features several landscapes, including a meadow, forest, and wetland. Walk the trails and follow along with the interpretive signs to learn more about how the park went from a reservoir to a public green space. The West Virginia Botanic Garden recently made major upgrades to its visitors center, so expect to see more events and activities throughout the year!
Walk on the Rail Trail
When we lived in Morgantown, we walked on the Mon River Rail Trail daily! This 28-mile-long trail runs along the Mon River and is a great place for walking or biking. You can rent bikes from Wamsley Cycles or Morgantown Adventure Outfitters.
Learn more about other awesome places to hike near Morgantown!
Hike at the West Virginia University Arboretum
The West Virginia University Arboretum is a great place to walk or hike near downtown Morgantown. This hillside park features miles of trails! During the springtime, the Arboretum is gorgeous with its spring ephemeral wildflowers.
See a Planetarium Show
The WVU Planetarium offers a range of galactic shows that both children and adults can enjoy. All shows are free but require online reservations.
Go Disc Golfing
The Dorsey’s Knob Disc Golf Course is the nicest disc golf course in Morgantown! This 18-basket course is located at Dorsey’s knob park and is moderate difficulty. Discs are not provided at the course. If you don’t have any, order some here!
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