Dark Tourism & Abandoned Adventures: West Virginia Day 1

Bristol,TN to Wheeling,WV

This is my version of vacation….dark tourism. I’m the co-owner of an oddities & metaphysical shop. I personally specialize in the macabre. I jokingly refer to myself as a “death dealer”. I’ll sell anything that doesn’t have a heartbeat (legally of course). Naturally my getaway of choice needed to meet this criteria:

• Driveable

• Affordable

• Able to complete in less than a week

• Last but not least, the trip should be right up my dark and curious alley.

I started glancing over my creepy bucket list and figured West Virginia would be perfect! I don’t enjoy fantasy horror in any sense. It’s the real disturbing aspects of life that fascinate me. Not because it’s “cool”. It’s because my empathic nature and wandering mind can’t seem to fully understand how people and places become so broken. Some of it is frightening. Some of it is beautiful. The best kind, are both.

For weeks I mapped out the trip. I concluded it would be best to go to the furthest point first and then work down to the closest. The only exception was the first stop, Lake Shawnee Abandoned Amusement Park.

Approximately 2 hours down the road was our first stop at Lake Shawnee. I could go on and on about what an amazing experience we had. Chris, the owner, is a top tier business owner/tour guide/person in general. I would love to go again!

Tips & Feedback:

• Great for those who prefer more private tours with less people and structure.

• Do research before you go. The history goes back millennia and it’s so interesting.

• If you are in to leaving offerings to spirits take some loose tobacco, toys, and coins.

• This was an amazing experience. Not scary at all! It was beautiful. The spirits of the children who passed showed presence throughout the entire visit as different butterflies (in my opinion). So much tragedy happened on that soil, yet it still holds an innocence words can’t describe. No matter how ugly the world is sometimes, there’s still a glimmer of positivity to be seen.

Next stops were mount wood overlook, cemetery across from the overlook, and Charles Manson’s childhood home.

Mount Wood Overlook

• Do research before you go. The backstory’s make the experience.

• Mansons childhood home is privately owned so a quick drive by on a public road is all you can manage.

• Mount wood and the cemetery are an amazing mix of art and history.

• Be respectful of the locals, the history, and the dead.

If you’re looking for food, tudors biscuit

world and a homemade pepperoni roll from a locally owned gas station is where it’s at. Also eat n park (order from the kids menu, it’s filling and more affordable ) .

Next blog will be about day 2. The visit to West Virginia State Penitentiary.