Start from 23 curated places around Parkersburg, WV, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Chams Lebanese Cuisine
A family-run Lebanese kitchen on Market Street that locals consistently cite as the best Mediterranean food in the tri-state area, and the TripAdvisor ranking backs it up. The mezze spread — hummus, tabbouleh, baba ganoush — is made from scratch daily, and the baklava is baked in-house every morning. Reservations are common sense here; it fills up even on weeknights.
Southern Craft Restaurant & Bar
A cozy Cajun-Creole spot on Emerson Avenue with a small dining room and a kitchen that punches well above its weight — shrimp and grits, crab Cajun alfredo, and smoked salmon dip are the signatures. The atmosphere is intimate to the point of being small, which means the personal service makes up for tight quarters. Worth the reservation, which you'll need on weekends.
Trails & outdoors
North Bend Rail-Trail
A 72-mile converted railroad corridor running from Parkersburg east through 13 tunnels and across 36 timber trestle bridges — one of the most distinctive rail trails on the East Coast. The section accessible near Parkersburg is flat, paved, and appropriate for all ability levels, while sections further east get more remote and adventurous. A day-trip to the first major tunnel and back makes a memorable 10-12 mile ride.
Mountwood Park Hiking Trails
A 2,600-acre county park 12 miles east of Parkersburg with over 50 miles of trails ranging from easy lake-loop walks to technical mountain bike routes through dense hardwood forest. The Haystack and Collar Bone Loop is the locals' choice for a moderate woodland hike with enough elevation change to feel earned. Bring water — the backcountry sections are further from trailheads than the maps suggest.
Things to do
Smoot Theatre
A beautifully restored 1926 vaudeville house in downtown Parkersburg hosting touring musicians, theatrical productions, and local performances in a 600-seat venue with original Art Deco detailing. The Smoot brings national acts that would otherwise skip a city this size, making it the cultural anchor of the region's entertainment calendar. Checking the schedule before your visit is worth it — the programming is consistently stronger than the building's modest exterior signals.
Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park
The sternwheeler ferry ride and island experience function as Parkersburg's most distinctive family outing — horse-drawn wagon tours, mansion interpretation, bike rentals, and a car-free environment make it a genuine half-day adventure. The Aaron Burr conspiracy backstory gives it more intrigue than most state parks manage. Worth doing even if you've already seen the island from a boat.
Landmarks & sights
Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park
A river island reached only by sternwheeler ferry, home to a meticulously recreated 1800s mansion tied to Aaron Burr's conspiracy against the United States. The ferry ride itself is part of the experience — watching the Ohio River slide by before you step onto a car-free island with horse-drawn wagon tours and period interpreters. Perfect for families or anyone who wants history that actually feels alive rather than musty.
Fort Boreman Park
A Civil War earthwork fort built atop a high bluff where the Ohio River and Little Kanawha Rivers converge, offering three distinct overlooks of Parkersburg and the bridges threading Ohio and West Virginia together. Short trails wind through reconstructed earthworks with interpretive signs, but most visitors come for the sunset view from the highest point. Free, uncrowded, and genuinely underappreciated.