Princeton, WV Road Trips
Plan drives from Princeton, WV with practical route pages for distance, drive time, fuel cost, road character, and places to stop along the way.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Trip Routes
2
Longest Drive
286.1 mi
Weirton Heights, WV
Quickest Drive
5h 32m
Weirton, WV
Plan Around Princeton, WV
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Princeton, WV is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Princeton, WV by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
5,780
Median Income
$44,428
Median Home Value
$115,800
Median Age
43.4
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Princeton, WV at a Glance
Elevation
2,438 ft
Area
3 mi²
Sister Cities
Notable People from Princeton, WV
A sampling of people born in Princeton, WV.
Rod Thorn
1941
American basketball player
Landmarks & Historic Sites
Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Princeton, WV.
Lake Shawnee Amusement Park
defunct amusement park in West Virginia
Mercer County Courthouse
courthouse in Princeton, West Virginia, United States
City data from Wikidata (Q747388), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Princeton, WV
Princeton is a city of 6,347 people (as of 2000) in West Virginia. It was established in 1838 and named for Princeton, New Jersey, where General Hugh Mercer — an apothecary from Fredericksburg, Virginia, for whom Mercer County was named — was killed in a Revolutionary War battle.
Princeton's proximity to I-77 makes it a popular lodging stop for travelers. The city features a long strip of historic commercial buildings along the length of Mercer St. The outlying community of Athens, 15 minutes northeast of Princeton on WV-20 is the location of Concord University.
1 West Virginia Tourist Information Center (US-460 off I-77 (exit 9)), ☏ +1 304-487-2214. Locally known as "the Pyramids" for its unmistakable triple-pyramidal glass ceiling, the TIC also has a large repository of guides and brochures, as well as an extensive craft and gift shop featuring hand-crafted local souvenirs, including glass, coal sculptures, pottery, books, jewelry and foods. Free Wi-Fi. (updated Mar 2025) 2 Princeton Speedway. Cornbread Ridge Road off I-77 (exit 14), 304-425-0230. Open April through October. 4/10-mile oval clay speedway. Races held on Saturday at 6PM. Admission $10. 3 Princeton Railroad Museum (East Mercer Street), ☏ +1 304-487-5020. Replica depot housing artifacts relating to the Virginian Railroad. (updated Mar 2019) Vietnam Memorial (next to the Tourist Information Center on US-460). 304-589-3435 or 304-384-7547. Lists Vietnam veterans from eight surrounding counties in West Virginia and Virginia. (updated Mar 2019) 4 McNutt House (corner of North Walker and Honaker Avenue), ☏ +1 304-487-1502. The only surviving structure from the Civil War standing in Princeton. (updated Mar 2019) Wiley Cabin and Museum (Oakvale Road off US-460). A 1932 cabin now housing a museum with three exhibit rooms, library, and a craft and gift shop. +1 304-425-8536. (updated Mar 2019) 5 Mercer County Agricultural Museum. (updated Mar 2019) 6 Mercer County War Museum. (updated Mar 2019) 7 Camp Creek State Park, 2390 Camp Creek Rd, ☏ +1 304-425-9481.
1 Chuck Mathena Center. A performing arts center (updated Mar 2019)
1 Angelo's Pizzeria, 1211 Stafford Drive, ☏ +1 304-487-8924. Family-owned pizzeria. A Taste of Memphis, 1275 Stafford Dr, 304-425-9667. Barbecue and steak.
Sister's Coffee House, 1606 W Main St, ☏ +1 304-487-8701. Soups, sandwiches, salads, desserts and freshly-brewed Green Mountain Coffee.
1 Budget Inn, 409 Thorn Street, ☏ +1 304-425-3585. 25 rooms. 2 Turnpike Motel, 1119 Oakvale Road, ☏ +1 304-425-2268. 18 rooms. Quality Inn, 136 Ambrose Lane, ☏ +1 304-487-6101. 51 rooms. Whirlpool rooms available. Complimentary continental breakfast. $58 - $125. 3 Days Inn, 347 Meadowfield Lane, ☏ +1 304-425-8100. 123 rooms. Pool. $52 - $155. 4 Hampton Inn, 277 Meadowfield Lane, ☏ +1 304-431-2580, toll-free: +1-800-305-6863. 112 rooms. Complimentary hot breakfast and USA Today. $77. 5 Holiday Inn Express, 805 Oakvale Road, ☏ +1 304-425-8156. 70 rooms. Indoor pool, fitness center. Complimentary Express Smart breakfast buffet. $76 - $120. McKeever Lodge, Pipestem Resort State Park. 113 rooms. Gorge-view rooms, executive suites and jacuzzi rooms available. Indoor heated pool, saunas, outdoor hot tub, exercise room, game room. On-site full-service restaurant and snack bar. $59 - $165. Sleep Inn, 1015 Oakvale Road, ☏ +1 304-431-2800. 81/109 rooms. Indoor pool. Complimentary continental breakfast. $61 - $106. The View Bed & Breakfast, ☏ +1 304-384-9754, toll-free: +1-866-766-7960. WV-20 in Athens. 3 rooms. Views of Athens Lake from the back patio and deck. Home-cooked breakfast included. $65 - $99. Mavis Manor B & B Style Family Retreat, 122 Tower Rd, toll-free: +1-888-628-4798. 4 rooms. 1890s Queen Anne Victorian Manor, Flat Top. $85 - $200.
Princeton is on US-19 just northeast of Bluefield and south of Beckley. US-460 leads from just south of Princeton to Blacksburg, Virginia.
The downtown along Mercer St. is walkable between the train tracks and the county courthouse; otherwise a car is necessary for travel in the region.
Travel tips adapted from Princeton (West Virginia) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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