With Attractions Galore, The Small Town Of Hinton, West Virginia Is Perfect For A Family Getaway
By Celina Colby|Published September 15, 2021
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Celina Colby
Author
Celina Colby is a Boston-based writer and native New Englander who has been covering travel, arts, food, and culture nationally for ten years. When she's not on deadline you can often find her reading, sewing, and searching for the perfect empanada.
The small town of Hinton, West Virginia, has been welcoming visitors since it was established in 1873. Though it may be little, boasting a population of just 2,785 in 2019, Hinton is overflowing with family-friendly activities and sights.
Natural beauty abounds in this town. Hinton is located where the New, Greenbrier and Bluestone rivers merge and it's primed for outdoor fun like whitewater rafting and kayaking.
A lot of that is railroad history. As the United States was being expanded and connected, C&O railroad was operating out of Hinton and employed large numbers of locals. Now you can visit a two floor railroad museum featuring 100 native wood sculptures by the late Charlie Permelia.
If you're more of a doer, hop on a train for yourself. On Hinton's Railroad Days, visitors can take a train on a scenic tour through the mountains, experiencing what train travel might have been like in the early days of its construction.
The city has a blooming art scene as well. It's easy to see how so many local artists are inspired by the natural beauty around them, and a visit to any of the Hinton galleries will show beautifully rendered pieces of the surrounding area.
Hinton is beautiful year round, but there's a particular magic about visiting this quaint town in the fall when foliage spreads across the forests like wildfire.