Travel Guide

Things to Do In and Around Weston, WV

John M. Flores

3 min read

It’s hard to miss the imposing architecture of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, previously known as the West Virginia Hospital for the Insane and—more prosaically—Weston State Hospital.

Weston, WV, (population 3,943) is the county seat of Lewis County. Weston is a quiet town with a compact, walkable downtown with a handful of interesting shops, restaurants, and museums.

The Weston Downtown Historic District has a bit of that time-machine feel, as if time stopped moving about 70 years ago. The brick facades and arched windows harken back to a more prosperous time at the turn of the 20th century when West Virginia was booming, thanks to salt mining, limestone quarrying, and coal mining.

West Virginia has since fallen upon harder times, as evidenced by the smattering of vacant downtown lots and quiet Main Ave. But the Mountain State is working to attract tourists and, with the sheer quantity of twisting country roads in the area, Weston is a good home base for this part of the state.

Here are some things you might want to check out if visiting Weston, WV.

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

In addition to walking tours, photography, midnight ghost tours, and even overnight visits, the sprawling grounds of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum host a number of events throughout the year. These include the Fall Festival, an Easter egg hunt, a flea market, and the Asylum Ball. Scaredy cats need not apply, but even the brave have to buy a ticket for the tours in advance.

There are more museums in the U.S. than McDonald’s and Starbucks stores combined. Many of them are found in small towns, like the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia.

The Museum of American Glass in West Virginia

West Virginia has a proud glassmaking heritage dating back to the 19th century, thanks to large deposits of sand and minerals. Celebrating an era of American glass-making from 1900 to 1940, the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia occupies a large space downtown and includes the National Marble Museum.

Stonewall Resort State Park

Also known as Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park, this state park just south of town encompasses a long, meandering reservoir and has luxury lodging and dining, camping, boat rentals, and golf along the shoreline. The park is West Virginia’s youngest state park, established in 1990 as part of an Army Corps of Engineers flood control project.

Stonewall Sporting Clays

If you’re looking for a day off from riding, consider a day at Stonewall Sporting Clays. Featuring a five-stand and a 16-station course, Stonewall Sporting Clays rents 12 and 20-gauge shotguns along with two- and four-seat UTVs for the course. If you’ve never gone clay shooting before, the range also offers one-on-one lessons by certified instructors.

Thyme Bistro

Opened in 2010, this local farm-to-table restaurant in the heart of downtown Weston sources many of its ingredients locally and serves meals in an intimate dining room. Service is friendly and fast, and the menu offers a nice variety of options within its few pages.

Buns

Contemporary burger joint with a simple menu, crispy fries, and tasty, smashed burgers. As a nice touch, the restaurant has a decently sized parking lot right next to it where you can leave your motorcycle. Buns is a must-stop for any burger-loving motorcyclist.

Giovanni’s Restaurant

Serving local, down-home flavors, Giovanni’s is in a neat and tidy location between downtown Weston and the interstate. The menu features a lot of options from breakfast to dinner, alongside pizzas and sandwiches.

Don Patron Mexican Grill

Don Patron Mexican Grill moved to a new location in mid-2023 and it’s a feast for the eyes, with twice as much space as the restaurant’s previous, New Jersey diner-inspired location. Of course, Don Patron serves a feast for the stomach as well with flavorful and plentiful Mexican food.