Born to Wander (and Wonder)
This issue of WV Living is brimming with stories that make me want to hit the ground running this summer across the Mountain State. First and foremost, some of my favorite places in southern West Virginia are featured in these pages. In my story “Faith in the Foundations,” on page 58, about Red Dog Cottage, I absolutely gush over the place—and with good reason. It’s impossibly charming, the kind of hidden gem you almost hesitate to tell people about because you want to keep it to yourself. And once you meet the owners, it becomes even more irresistible. Honestly, I’m constantly looking for excuses to head back to Mingo County just so I can stay there again.
And this issue offers plenty of reasons to head south—and north, east, and west—this summer. Our “13 Unique Ways to Explore West Virginia” feature on page 93 is a good place to start, but don’t stop there. The Powerhouse ATV Mansion—or the “Murder Mansion,” as locals know it—will stop you dead in your tracks. Bad pun, I know. But admit it, you smiled. The home carries a dark and fascinating history, yet the moment you step onto the ballroom veranda, its complicated past fades into the background. This room alone is enough to leave you speechless. And although I haven’t, you can even spend a night or three. Read more about it on page 23.
We’ve also introduced a new section in the magazine called “Almost Almost Heaven,” dedicated to those just-over-the-state-line places we secretly wish belonged to West Virginia. Listen, we know we already live in Best Virginia—but every now and then we stumble across a spot so charming, so quirky, and so Appalachian at heart that we can’t help but feel a little territorial about it. Case in point: Paint Bank, Virginia. Once you read the story on page 41, I think you’ll agree it may be time to renegotiate the border.
As many of you know, I have a lot of happy places in West Virginia, but none quite as special to me as Tucker County, where I’m fortunate enough to have a home away from home. On page 74, we take you on a pictorial journey through this breathtaking corner of Appalachia. And despite how much time I spend there, it still catches me off guard—in the best way possible. The sheer diversity of experiences, the winding mountain roads, the sweeping vistas that seem to unfold around every curve—it never loses its magic. If this issue doesn’t convince you to pack your hiking boots, kayak, mountain bike, or camping gear and head for Tucker County immediately, then we clearly need to have a conversation.
And if you time your trip just right, sign up for the Annual Foray for mushrooms at Blackwater Falls State Park. I promise you’ve never experienced the outdoors quite like this. Last year, I joined legendary naturalist Chip Chase for a foraging expedition through the woods, and I’m still thinking about it. What began as a simple walk quickly transformed into a scavenger hunt hiding in plain sight. Suddenly, the forest floor revealed itself in technicolor—vibrant pink boletes, chaga clinging to birch trees, fiery red chanterelles, and the poisonous orange eastern jack-o’-lantern mushroom, or Omphalotus illudens, which mushroom enthusiasts casually refer to by its Latin name like it’s perfectly normal behavior (insert eye roll here). I’m still learning which mushrooms are edible and which ones might send me to the emergency room, so I’ll leave the actual foraging expertise to the pros for now. But that’s part of the magic of West Virginia—there is always something new to discover if you slow down enough to really look.
That’s what I hope this issue inspires you to do this summer. Wander more. Explore the backroads. Book the quirky cabin, take the scenic detour, try the tiny local restaurant, hike the extra mile, and say yes to the unexpected adventure. Some of the best experiences in West Virginia are the ones you don’t overplan.
Keep wandering,
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S SUMMER 2026 ISSUE
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