Morgantown - city in and county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States

For other places with the same name, see Morgantown (disambiguation).

Morgantown is in Monongalia County, West Virginia and is the county seat. It is home to the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The city has almost 31,000 residents (2019). There are another 100,000 residents who live in the small towns around Morgantown.

Get in

By plane

• Morgantown Municipal Airport (IATA: MGW), 39.6428°, -79.9164°. A small airport with scheduled flights from Baltimore, Maryland, and from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Pittsburgh International Airport (IATA: PIT), NA°, NA°. 75 mi (121 km) north of Morgantown, and has scheduled commercial service from many airports in the U.S. and other countries. 2019-11-24
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA: IAD), NA°, NA°. 200 mi (320 km) east of Morgantown, and has scheduled commercial service from airports all over the world, including about 40 countries. 2020-05-30

By car

Major routes in and out of Morgantown include:

• I-79, which runs in a north-south fashion through the western side of Morgantown
• I-68, which runs in an east-west fashion through the southern side of Morgantown
• WV 43, a section of the Mon-Fayette Expressway connecting the Morgantown area to Fayette County, Pennsylvania
• US 119, which runs in a north-south fashion through downtown
• US 19, which runs through downtown
• WV 7
• WV 705

Morgantown is:

• 77 miles (120 km) south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
• 385 miles (615 km) north of Charlotte, North Carolina;
• 528 miles (845 km) east of Chicago, Illinois;
• 218 miles (350 km) west of Washington, D.C.

By bus

• Megabus, Mountaineer Bus Station, 1112 Van Voorhis Road, 39.654537°, -79.961557°. Service from Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.

Get around

Downtown Morgantown has a lot of things to do, and it is definitely possible to see it by walking around. Other areas around Morgantown are similarly dense with fun activities and are easy to walk around. Certain places are further away from the center of town and will likely require a bicycle or a car to visit them.

There is plenty of parking all around Morgantown. There are four parking garages with a total of 1,600 parking spots in Morgantown. They are at University Avenue and Chestnut Street, Pleasant Street, Spruce Street and Wharf Street. It is possible to rent a car for several days from Hertz in Morgantown Municipal Airport, or to rent a car for several hours from Zipcar. Alternatively, just call a taxi through Uber or Lyft.

• West Virginia University PRT (Personal Rapid Transit), +1 304-293-5502. M-F 6:30AM-10:15PM, Sa 9:30AM-5PM; closed on university holidays and during semester breaks. One of Morgantown's more oddball claims to fame, relatively speaking, is its one-of-a-kind rapid transit system that Atlas Obscura describes succinctly as a "1970s vision of the future". Conceived in 1972—a time when the rapid expansion of West Virginia University onto three campuses several miles apart was choking Morgantown's streets with traffic—and opened three years later, the PRT carries 16,000 commuters a day along an 8.7-mile (14-km), five-stop dedicated travel way between the West Virginia University campus and downtown Morgantown in small pod-like vehicles that only hold a few people at a time. After entering the station and paying your fare, you press a button corresponding to your destination station, and the completely computerized and automated system whisks you there directly without needing to stop at any of the intervening stations along the way. Transit wonks of today tend to see it as little more than a curiosity but, at the time in opened, the PRT was state-of-the-art and widely considered the future of mass transit. Fare 50¢ per trip 2020-04-05
• Mountain Line, +1 304-296-3680, office@busride.org. is a public transit bus system providing service in and around the city of Morgantown. The service is free to students, with nominal fares for everyone else. The city of Morgantown subsidizes the bus system, making the fares very affordable. $0.75–$1.00

See

• Core Arboretum, Monongahela Blvd., 39.646906°, -79.977351°, +1 304-293-5201. Daily dawn to dusk. 91 acres (37 ha) of old-growth forest sandwiched onto the hillside between Monongahela Boulevard and the river, the Core Arboretum dates back to 1948, when the esteemed Professor Earl Lemley Core, head of the university's Biology Department, convinced his employer to buy the land and set it aside for the study of local trees, shrubs, and plants. The three and a half miles (5.5 km) of trails that crisscross the arboretum are best for avid hikers — the slope down to the riverbank is quite steep indeed — but your reward might be a taste of the elusive pawpaw (a fruit that's native to the area, but not easy to find in stores owing to its quick spoilage), or, in the springtime, a colorful carpet of wildflowers to enjoy.
• Dorsey's Knob, 39.597778°, -79.959167°. An excellent view of the Rolling Hills of West Virginia at no cost.

Museums

• The Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum, 401 Evansdale Drive, 39.646715°, -79.973790°, +1 304-293-4609, wattsmuseum@mail.wvu.edu. M W F Sa 1-4PM. Mineral Resources Building Room 125. Dedicated to preserving the social, cultural, and technological history of the coal, oil and natural gas industries of the state of West Virginia. free 2017-02-08
• Cook-Hayman Pharmacy Museum, 1132 Health Sciences North, 39.655159°, -79.958230°, +1 304-293-5212. Tours by appointment booked through website. Built to resemble a 19th-century drugstore, the museum includes texts, medicines, furnishings, apothecary jars, mills, bottles, scales and other devices used by pharmacists over the past 100 years. Free 2017-02-08
• Morgantown Glass Museum, 1628 Mileground Road, 39.641765°, -79.932623°, +1 304-685-5760, mgt_glass@hotmail.com. By appointment only. Please call.. Displays thousands of glass pieces from the late 19th century to around 1980, made in factories of the Morgantown Glass Company, the Seneca Glass company and the Gentile Glass Company in the Morgantown area. 2017-02-08
• Scott's Run Museum, 39.659165°, -80.008455°, +1 304-599-1931. Sa 1PM-4PM, or by appointment. Celebrating and preserving the history of coal and the coal boom area in Morgantown. Free 2017-02-08
• Morgantown History Museum, 175 Kirk St, 39.6282°, -79.9579°, +1 304-319-1800, info@morgantownhistorymuseum.org. M W F Sa 10AM-4PM, Tu Th 11AM-4PM. local and regional history 2017-02-08
• West Virginia University's Creative Arts Center, 39.648183°, -79.975806°, +1 304-293-4841. Gallery hours F noon-9PM, Sa 1-9PM. 4 theatres and 1 performance hall. All exhibitions, lectures, and receptions are free and open to the public.
• Monongalia Arts Center, 107 High Street (between the historic Hotel Morgan and the old Morgantown Post Office on South High Street), 39.628056°, -79.958056°, +1 304-292-3325, info@monartscenter.com. M-F 11AM - 7PM, Sa 11AM - 4PM. A non-profit arts and culture center serving Monongalia County and surrounding areas. MAC offers classes in the visual and performing arts, and houses the Benedum Gallery, Davis Gallery, Tanner Theatre, and a gift shop featuring artwork by various local artists. 2017-04-11

Do

Spectator sports

West Virginia University Mountaineers

West Virginia University's sports teams are undoubtedly Morgantown's highest-profile attraction and loved by almost everyone in the state. The Mountaineers have teams in seven men's sports, ten women's sports, and one coeducational sport (rifle shooting), mostly as members of the Big 12 Conference. As at most other big schools, the football and men's basketball teams have the most attendees at games. Notably, when Milan Puskar Stadium is filled for football games, the stadium becomes the largest "city" in the state by a large amount. While a small number of WVU fans aren't totally friendly to opposing fans, violence is essentially nonexistent, and neutral visitors should have no trouble. For fun, try to wear dark blue and golden yellow. Different sports are played at different venues.

• West Virginia Mountaineers football, Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, 3450 Jerry West Blvd., 39.650085°, -79.955094°. The season is from September to November.
• West Virginia Mountaineers basketball, WVU Coliseum, 3450 Jerry West Blvd. (between Blue and Gold Gate entrances), 39.649254°, -79.981198°. The season is from November to April.
• West Virginia Mountaineers baseball, Monongalia County Ballpark, 2040 Gyorko Drive, Granville, 39.64473°, -79.995838°. The season is from February to June.
• West Virginia Mountaineers soccer, Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, Monongahela Blvd. (near Saratoga Avenue), 39.652341°, -79.983760°. The season is from September to November.

Other sports

• West Virginia Black Bears, Monongalia County Ballpark (University Town Centre, Granville), 39.64473°, -79.995838°, +1 304-293-7910, wvblackbears@gmail.com. After the 2021 reorganization of Minor League Baseball, Morgantown lost its affiliated minor-league team. The Black Bears identity has now been taken up by a team in the MLB Draft League, a collegiate summer baseball league in which top college prospects play using the same wood bats used in professional baseball.

Movie theaters

• AMC Classic Morgantown 12 Theater, 9540 Mall Road (inside Morgantown Mall), 39.626601°, -80.000021°, +1 304-983-6868.
• Regal Mountaineer Theater, 1001 Mountaineer Drive, Granville, 39.652522°, -80.000343°, +1 304-598-3456.

Arts and entertainment

• West Virginia Public Theater, 2 Waterfront Place, 39.648093°, -79.975769°, +1 304-291-4177. For tickets call: +1 304-291-4122.
• Metropolitan Theater, 369 High Street, 39.630702°, -79.955162°, +1 304-291-4884. Performances of all kinds, including concerts, movies, shows, comedy.
• Arts Monongahela, 201 High Street, 39.629066°, -79.957115°, +1 304-291-6720. Works of local artists.

Outdoors

• Boparc Recreation Center, 287 Eureka Drive, 39.643215°, -79.951720°, +1 304-296-7002. Recreational activities. Includes parks, swimming, summer camps, trips, and other special events.
• Dorsey's Knob Park, Fawley Lane (near Grafton Road), 39.596304°, -79.958798°. An excellent view of the rolling hills of West Virginia, at no cost. free
• Caperton Trail, 39.628260°, -79.960836°. 48 miles (80 km) of trail for biking, walking, jogging. Used to be railroad tracks. free
• Mountaineer Golf and Country Club, 212 Brand Road, Maidsville (near Route 11), 39.698115°, -80.033933°, +1 304-454-5936. 72-par, 18-hole golf course. Open seven days a week, weather permitting. Price varies.
• Big Bear Lake, I-68 exit 29, near Bruceton Mills, +1 304-379-4382. A 35-acre lake for swimming, fishing or sunbathing on the beach. 24 miles of mountain bike and hiking trails, lakeside waterslide, 18-hole miniature golf, game room, tennis courts, volleyball courts, baseball field, country-western dances. Cabins available.
• Coopers Rock State Forest. This a forest overseen and maintained by the state of West Virginia since 1936 offers nearly 50 miles of hiking trails and an easily-accessed overlook that offers some of the most iconic views in West Virginia. Overlooking a gorge, the observation area is a short walk from the visitor center parking lot, past an Instagram-worthy swing and reminder that this is almost heaven.

Buy

• Appalachian Gallery, 44 High Street, 39.628975°, -79.954732°, +1 304-296-0163. Handcrafted works by artists and artisans in West Virginia and neighboring regions, including baskets, books, fabric art, folk toys, framed art, glass, jewellery, metal works, mosaics, music, pottery, thumb pianos, wildlife portraits and wooden items.

• Tanner's Alley Leather Shop, 416 High Street, 39.630884°, -79.954829°, +1 304-292-0707. Leather products including briefcases, luggage, handbags.
• The Book Exchange, 152 Willey Street, 39.632321°, -79.954604°, +1 304-292-7354. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 10AM-2PM. Campus store supplying textbooks, clothing, school merchandise, and memorabilia.
• Old Stone House Gift Shop, 313 Chestnut Street, 39.630426°, -79.956775°, +1 304-296-7825. M-Sa 11AM-3PM, closed Su. A house built by Jacob Nuze around 1795. The Service League of Morgantown operates a shop that sells handcrafted goods and crafts. Proceeds from sales support community charitable projects.

Glass

The Morgantown area has been home to over 30 glass factories over the past 100 years, including Seneca Glass, Monongahela Valley Cut Glass, Mississippi Glass, Pressed Prism Glass, Beaumont Glass, and others. There are only two glass factories left in the area:

• Davis-Lynch Glass, Boyers Avenue, Star City, 39.659590°, -79.988829°, +1 304 599-2244. Most of their output is sold to lamp distributors, but some is offered for sale to the public at the L & G Lamp Shop.

• Seneca Center, 709 Beechurst Avenue, 39.641627°, -79.962828°, +1 304-292-3900. Offers a collection of vintage Morgantown Glass, among other things.

Malls

• Morgantown Mall, 9500 Mall Road, 39.626325°, -79.997996°, +1 304-983-6255. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. Over 80 shops and restaurants, including American Eagle, Bath & Body Works, Finishline, Hot Topic, Justice, Kay Jewelers, Pacific Sunwear, Torrid, Victoria's Secret, and Zales.
• Mountaineer Mall, 5000 Greenbag Road, 39.605561°, -79.960952°, +1 304-296-0096. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-5PM. A few shops and a hot dog stand.

• University Town Centre, at Granville, 5001 University Towne Center Drive (take I-79 to the Star City exit), 39.647600°, -80.001251°. Stores include Dick's Sporting Goods, Ulta Beauty, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Lane Bryant, T.J. Maxx, Game Stop, and Target. Restaurants include Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Chili's Grill & Bar, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and Cracker Barrel. It is next to Monongalia County Ballpark, home field of two baseball teams, namely the West Virginia University Mountaineers and the West Virginia Black Bears minor league team.

Eat

• Black Bear Burritos, 3119 University Ave, +1 304-777-4867. M-Sa 11:00AM-10PM. Burritos of all ethnic cuisines, served in a unique Appalachian atmosphere.
• Boston Beanery Restaurant, 321 High Street, 39.630151°, -79.955874°, +1 304-292-0165. Su-Th 11AM-midnight, F-Sa 11AM-1AM. Catch the spirit of Old Boston! Salads, entrées, clam chowder and more available. 2016-10-10
• Oliverio's Ristorante, 52 Clay Street, 39.627399°, -79.961297°, +1 304-296-2565. M-Tu 4PM-10PM, W-F 11AM-10PM, Sa 3PM-10PM, Su 4PM-9PM. Tuscan-inspired cuisine Pasta dishes $13-15, mains $17-45 2017-03-01
• Ali Baba (formerly Voyagers), Morgantown Airport (Hart Field), 110 Hart Field Road (inside the airport terminal building), 39.643842°, -79.920200°, +1 304-292-4701. M-Th 11AM-8PM; F Sa 11AM-9PM; closed Su. Mediterranean and American menu, lunch buffet. Quiet atmosphere, ample free parking.
• Yama Japanese Restaurant, 387½ High Street, 39.630958°, -79.955440°, +1 304-291-2456. M-F 11:30AM-3PM, 5PM-8PM; Sa noon-3PM, 5PM-8PM. Authentic Japanese cuisine, including sushi. Noodles, bowls $8; mains $12.50 2017-03-01
• Blue Moose Cafe, 248 Walnut Street, 39.629403°, -79.955301°, +1 304-292-8999. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-11PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10PM. Breakfast, lunch, and live entertainment.
• Mountainlair Student Union (Lair), 1550 University Avenue, 39.634671°, -79.953729°, +1 304-293-2702. M-Th 7AM-midnight, F 7AM-2AM, Sa 9AM-2AM, Su 2PM-midnight. The Mountainlair, or "Lair", houses a convenience store and more than 10 eateries, some of which include: Burger King, Freshens, Quizno's, Hatfields, and Sbarro. The Mountainlair also has a bowling alley and billiard tables on the ground floor.

Drink

Because Morgantown is home to a major university, downtown Morgantown nightlife thrives for those in their twenties to early thirties. High Street is the main center for bar activity. Similar student activity can be found adjacent to the main West Virginia University campus in the Sunnyside area. The summer months are much quieter because many of the students leave town. State law does not allow anyone less than 21 years old to purchase alcohol.

• Forks of Cheat Winery, 2811 Stewartstown Road, 39.707662°, -79.887978°. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Offering 29 white, red, and fruit wines. Tours and tastings available, weather permitting.

Bars and pubs

• 4th & Goal, 234 Walnut Street, 39.629322°, -79.955450°, +1 304-225-2663. M-F 5PM-3AM, Sa Su 11:30AM-3AM. Weekly drink specials. Food, pool table, darts, beer pong. Inquire for private parties. 2016-10-10
• The Backdoor Bar & Tavern, 485 High Street, 39.632008°, -79.954389°, +1 304-292-5936. M-Th Sa 8PM-3AM; F 5PM-3AM. Weekly drink specials including a happy hour buffet and live entertainment with karaoke. 2016-10-10
• Mario's Fishbowl, 704 Richwood Avenue, 39.629824°, -79.944214°, +1 304-292-2511. M-W 11AM-midnight, Th-Sa 11AM-1AM, Su noon-10PM. Morgantown's best-known bar among students and alumni.
• The Sports Page, 325 High Street, 39.630166°, -79.955816°, +1 304-284-0996. M-F 5PM-3AM, Sa 11AM-3AM, Su noon-2AM. Happy hour everyday from 5-8PM. Weekly drink specials. Food, pool and foosball table, TV, and dance floor. 2016-10-10
• Morgantown Brewing Company, 1291 University Avenue, 39.630410°, -79.957861°, +1 304-454-5900. Brewing 24 beers, ales, stouts, bitters and lagers. Serves good pub food. Try Ned's Pale Ale and the Appalachian Ale. Catering and private parties available.

Clubs

• Vice Versa, 335 High Street, 39.630574°, -79.956169°, +1 304-292-2010. Th-Su 8PM-3AM. Local LGBT club.

Sleep

• Best Western Mountaineer Inn, 366 Boyers Ave (Near I-79.), 39.658093°, -79.989135°, +1 304-599-5399. Indoor pool, continental breakfast, high speed internet, coffee maker, and iron. 2016-10-10
• Hotel Morgan, 127 High St, 39.628344°, -79.957460°, +1 304-292-8200. Historic hotel in downtown Morgantown, directly beside the historic Warner Theatre.
• Euro-Suites Hotel, 501 Chestnut Ridge Road, 39.658298°, -79.962351°, +1 304-598-1000. Upscale "green" facility. Internet and breakfast are free.
• Hilton Garden Inn, 150 Suncrest Towne Center Drive, 39.653889°, -79.944530°, +1 304-225-9500. Affordable prices that include free Wi-Fi, workout facility, and indoor pool.
• Residence Inn Morgantown, 1046 Willowdale Rd, 39.653942°, -79.952525°. Full amenities directly across from Ruby Memorial Hospital and Milan Puskar Stadium. 2016-10-10
• Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place, 2 Waterfront Pl, 39.624109°, -79.964027°, +1 304-296-1700. Overlooking the Monongahela River in the restored Wharf District.
• Quality Inn, 225 Comfort Inn Drive (Off 1-68 south of city), 39.586006°, -79.952776°, +1 304-296-9364. Free continental breakfast. Pets welcomed. Indoor hot tub and fitness center.

• Alpine Lake Resort, 700 W Alpine Drive, Terra Alta (1 hour from Morgantown on I-68), +1 304-789-2481. 35 rooms. Indoor heated pool, fitness center. 150-acre lake with beach, 8-hole golf course, restaurant, lounge, pro shop, miniature golf, tennis, basketball, cross-country skiing, fishing and hiking.

• Maple Leaf Motel, corner of Morgantown Street and Main Street off I-68, Bruceton Mills, 33 km east of MorganTtown on I-68. +1 304-379-4075 . 12 rooms. Country decor with quilts on each bed.

Learn

• West Virginia University is home to more than 30,000 students. The annual tuition for residential students is about $5,500 versus an out-of-state student whose tuition is approximately $17,000. WVU has 13 colleges and schools offering over 190 degrees. There are three campuses within WVU: Downtown, Evansdale, and the Health Sciences. They also offer a study abroad program for students who are interested. The football and basketball teams promote a lot of school spirit to their fellow "mountaineers" when they are playing.

Go next

• Prickett's Fort State Park — State park in Fairmont, West Virginia, 15 miles (24 km) south of Morgantown on I-79.
• Cooper's Rock State Forest — A West Virginia State Forest Managed cooperatively by West Virginia State Parks and the West Virginia Division of Forestry. Located 12 miles (19 km) east of Morgantown on I-68.