Bluefield, WV Road Trips

Downtown Bluefield, with its architecture dating from the 1920s. There are self-guided walking tours available. First Fridays, Chicory Square. Live entertainment and food on the first Friday of each month. Bluefield Area Arts Center, 500 Bland St, ☏ +1 304 325-8000. Housed in the historic Old City Hall, the Arts Center features an art gallery with rotating monthly exhibits, a top-floor artists' studio featuring local artisans, the Summit Theatre and a restaurant. The Mercer County Convention and Visitors' Bureau is also in the building. (updated Jan 2024) The East River Mountain Overlook, at the top of the mountain along Route 598 (off Route 460), ☏ +1 304 327-2401. Gives visitors a 3,500-foot-high view of the Bluefields and East River Mountain. Observation deck, hiking trails, picnic shelters, tables and grills. The National Coal Heritage Area encompasses 11 counties in southern West Virginia, and aims to preserve, protect, and interpret lands, structures, and communities associated with the coal mining heritage of the state. Bluefield is the southern terminus of the Coal Heritage Trail, a 97-mile scenic drive that passes mine-owners' mansions, miners' homes, company stores, coal tipples and state parks, before ending at the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley. Eastern Regional Coal Archives, 600 Commerce St, ☏ +1 304 325-3943. Open Monday through Friday afternoons; closed holidays.

Mountaineer Bowling Lanes, 3224 Cumberland Rd, ☏ +1 304 325-7037. A 28-lane bowling center with snack bar, billiard tables, nursery, pro shop, game room and Keno. Elks Golf Course, 1501 Whitethorn St, ☏ +1 304 327-9822. If you just want a relaxing family afternoon by a gentle stream, haul your picnic basket out to the Bluefield City Park, 1750 Stadium Dr, ☏ +1 304 327-2448. Picnic area with 4 pavilions, grills, playground, softball fields, football stadium, youth center with recreational equipment, tennis courts and gymnasium with indoor goals. Greater Bluefield Community Center, 703 College Ave, ☏ +1 304 325-5707. Swimming pool, basketball, racquetball, gymnastics, aerobics, swimming and lifesaving classes, weight room and Nautilus. Day passes $6. The Granada Theater, 537 Commerce St, ☏ +1 304 589-0239. The Granada Theater opened January 2, 1928, with Mary Astor in "Rose of the Golden West." The building was modernized in 1949 to the plans of architect E. H. Geissler. The theater was built for Vaudeville Acts and brought many talents to the area such as legendary contralto Marian Anderson, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Greer Carson.The Theater servers Gelato. (updated Jan 2024) Bluefield holds several festivals during the year: Holiday of Lights Festival, Bluefield City Park. Held yearly from Thanksgiving through the first full week in January. Open 6PM-10PM weekdays, 6PM-11PM weekends. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted.

Bluefield isn't quite a culinary drawcard these days; if you like fast food, you're in luck, but otherwise there aren't a whole lot of options. David's Downtown, 500 Bland St (at Bluefield Arts Center), ☏ +1 304-325-8145. Cosmopolitan cuisine. The Railyard, 530 Raleigh St, ☏ +1 304-800-4141. Great restaurant/bar in the heart of downtown Bluefield. Live music on the weekends Tudor's Biscuit World, 3301 E Cumberland Rd, ☏ +1 304-323-2333. West Virginia regional chain specializing in biscuits, biscuit sandwiches, and homestyle specialties. Valley Country Restaurant, 180 Equity St (along Blue Prince Rd), ☏ +1 304 325-8556. Open all day. Homestyle country cooking.

Open Heart Ministries Cafe, 413 Federal St, ☏ +1 304-323-2551. Here you can be part of something bigger by helping to support the homeless community. Ole No. 3 at the Quality Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 3350 Big Laurel Hwy, +1 304-800-4102. Pub food and drinks.

1 Econo Lodge, 3400 Cumberland Rd, ☏ +1 304 327-8171, toll-free: +1-800-55-ECONO (32666). Complimentary continental breakfast. Rooms from $48. (updated Dec 2016) 2 Economy Inn, 3206 E Cumberland Rd, ☏ +1 304 325-9111. (updated Dec 2016) 3 Quality Hotel and Conference Center, 3350 Big Laurel Hwy, ☏ +1 304 325-6170. 120 rooms. Full-service dining room, cocktail lounge, fitness center, sauna, game room, and seasonal heated outdoor pool. Rooms from $90. (updated Dec 2016)

Bluefield is just off I-77, between Beckley in the north and Wytheville, Virginia, in the south. Most people will use exit 1, although if you're travelling south to Bluefield, you may see a sign recommending that you get off at exit 9; this, however, is only a needless detour through Princeton. At Bluefield, I-77 becomes the West Virginia Turnpike; if you continue north from Bluefield, you'll encounter toll booths. The other main roads that pass through the town are US-19, from Abingdon, Virginia in the southwest to Beckley in the north; US-52, from Williamson in the northwest to Wytheville, Virginia, in the south; and US-460, from Grundy, Virginia in the west to Blacksburg, Virginia, in the east. Greyhound Bus Lines, 511 Commerce St, ☏ +1 304 325-9442. (updated Nov 2019) 1 Mercer County Airport (BLF IATA) (6 mi (9.7 km) from Bluefield), ☏ +1 304 327-5308, toll-free: +1-800-523-3273. It has no commercial flights. (updated Nov 2019)

Bring your car! The area is rather mountainous, so if you stray from the main highways, you'll probably end up in some hilly terrain. It can be treacherous, especially in winter; but the upside, of course, is that the scenery is often spectacular. There are also several streets in town that are very steep (Jefferson and S Mercer being good examples); traversing them in warm weather is nail-biting enough, but when the streets are covered with snow or ice, you definitely don't want to attempt it without four-wheel drive. Bluefield Area Transit, 1642 Bluefield Ave, ☏ +1 304 327-8418 or ☏ +1-866-759-0978. Buses run Monday through Friday, with limited weekend service to Athens; closed on holidays. Services Mercer and McDowell Counties with routes into Bluefield, Princeton and Welch. Fares $1–2, or $20–25 for a monthly pass.