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ParkersburgParkersburg, West Virginia

Give Parkersburg one night, two if you want Blennerhassett Island plus the oil museum: it is a river stop on I-77, not a destination week.

Parkersburg sits where the Little Kanawha meets the Ohio, about 1 h 45 min south of Columbus and an hour north of Charleston on I-77. The draw is a small, walkable downtown of 1880s brick, the Blennerhassett Island mansion reached by sternwheeler, and the Oil and Gas Museum marking the first documented commercial oil use in the US. One full day covers the centre; add a second for the island and a drive to Marietta.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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More ways in
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Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (humid river heat), Jan–Feb (ice and closed island)
Airport
Mid-Ohio Valley Regional (PKB)
Nights
1–2

About Parkersburg

Parkersburg is a West Virginia city of 30,000 people (as of 2018) located where the Little Kanawha River meets the Ohio River. Belpre, Ohio, sits just across the water. The city was first called Newport and took the name Parkersburg in 1810. It is known for a long association with oil drilling and as the home of the first documented commercial use of oil in the US. Film connections include Morgan Spurlock, director of the 2004 film Super Size Me, and the 2006 film Bubble, which was shot in the area with local residents in the cast.

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Parkersburg: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices

See

What is worth your time in Parkersburg.

  • Blennerhassett Island — An 1798 mansion reconstructed after the original burned, reached by a 20-minute sternwheeler ride, with a museum of archaeological and historical exhibits.
  • Oil and Gas Museum — Displays, videos and artifacts trace the oil and gas industry in West Virginia and Ohio and its effects on local wealth, culture and state founding.
  • Julia-Ann Square — A district of historic homes under preservation and restoration, seen on self-guided walks or guided tours in mid-October and early December.
  • Henry Cooper House — A reconstructed cabin from 1804 in City Park, believed to be the oldest in the county.
  • Fort Boreman Park — A bluff with views of the Ohio River and Parkersburg, plus trails and historical exhibits.

Do

  • Take a self-guided walking tour of the Julia-Ann Square historic homes.
  • Visit the Parkersburg Art Center for exhibits, classes, workshops and guided tours.
  • See a show at the Smoot Theatre, a restored 1926 vaudeville house.
  • Join a Haunted Parkersburg Ghost Tour, a two-mile walk running mid-September through Halloween.

Eat and drink

Specialities of this place.

  • North End Tavern — One of the city's few working microbreweries, known for large NET Burgers and beer-battered onion rings.
  • da Vinci's Italian Restaurant — A family-owned Williamstown business since 1980 whose specialties include the German Pizza and Spaghetti Mona Lisa.

Customs

  • The area newspaper is the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.
  • West Virginia University at Parkersburg, a regional campus founded in 1961, offers certificate, associate and select bachelor's programs.

Events

  • Mid-Ohio Valley Multicultural Festival — Three days of entertainment, cuisine, education and art from many cultures in City Park.June
  • Parkersburg Homecoming Festival — Held every third Friday, with a parade, craft booths, a flea market, pageants, a talent show, a raft race and a rubber ducky derby.August
  • Harvest Moon Arts and Crafts Festival — Held in City Park with food, entertainment and about 200 booths of local and regional artists and craftsmen.September
Emergency numbers for Parkersburg911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Parkersburg, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$2–5
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$8–14
  • BeerDraught beer$5–8
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)5 km (3.1 mi) taxi ridecheck$10–15
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entrycheck$2–10
  • Budget bedRoadside motel double (Mineral Wells), a night, per roomUS$60
  • Mid-range bedRoadside motel double (Mineral Wells), a night, per roomUS$85
  • High-end bedRoadside motel double (Mineral Wells), a night, per roomUS$120

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$120 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Blennerhassett Island Historical State ParkOil and Gas MuseumJulia-Ann Square Historic DistrictSmoot TheatreOhio River flood wall
Airports
PKB Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport (About 15 min north of downtown off WV-2/WV-31; United nonstop to Cleveland only, so most travellers fly into Columbus (CMH) or Charleston (CRW) and drive.)

Map of Parkersburg

Where it is, and the guides within about 120 km.

MariettaAthens, OhioCaldwellSpencerNelsonvillePoint PleasantGlenvilleGallipolis

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

  • Parkersburg
  • Basic guide

Directions in Google Maps · Apple Maps

Guides nearby

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    5°C (41°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    19°C (66°F)

  5. May

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    30°C (86°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    30°C (86°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    26°C (79°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  12. Dec

    not flagged

    7°C (45°F)

Best: May–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb, Jul–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (30°C (86°F)), coolest Jan (−5°C (23°F) low), wettest Jan (12 rain days), driest Sep (8). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Parkersburg: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

5°C (41°F)

−5°C (23°F)

12 rd

Feb

7°C (45°F)

−4°C (25°F)

10 rd

Mar

13°C (55°F)

0°C (32°F)

12 rd

Apr

19°C (66°F)

5°C (41°F)

12 rd

May

24°C (75°F)

10°C (50°F)

12 rd

Jun

28°C (82°F)

15°C (59°F)

11 rd

Jul

30°C (86°F)

18°C (64°F)

11 rd

Aug

30°C (86°F)

17°C (63°F)

9 rd

Sep

26°C (79°F)

13°C (55°F)

8 rd

Oct

19°C (66°F)

7°C (45°F)

9 rd

Nov

13°C (55°F)

2°C (36°F)

10 rd

Dec

7°C (45°F)

−3°C (27°F)

12 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Downtown is walkable in 15–20 min end to end. Easy Rider buses run Mon–Sat roughly 05:50–18:00, no Sunday service, base fare 50 cents (check). A car is needed for Blennerhassett Island, Fort Boreman, North Bend and the Ohio-side towns; taxis exist but are thin, so book ahead for early departures.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Marietta, Ohio

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive north on WV-2/OH-7 across the river

Riverfront museums, a covered-bridge drive and the better lunch strip; easy half day.

Point Pleasant, West Virginia

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

US-50 west then OH-7/WV-2 south along the river

Mothman Museum and the river confluence; pair it with a Charleston run.

North Bend State Park

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive east on US-50 then WV-31 near Cairo

Rail-trail biking and a lodge; a full day, and you need your own transport.

Moundsville

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h 30 min

Drive north on WV-2 along the Ohio

Grave Creek Mound and the old penitentiary; too far for a comfortable return day.

Spencer, West Virginia

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive south on US-50/I-77 then WV-14

Small-town stop for the Black Walnut Festival in autumn; little else.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown / Juliana Street

Walk to the museum, Smoot Theatre and the Blennerhassett Hotel; best if you are here one night without a car.

Vienna and Grand Central

Chain hotels and the Grand Central Mall, 10–15 min north by car; free parking, nothing to walk to.

Mineral Wells (exit 170)

I-77 roadside motels, cheapest beds, 15 min from downtown; only makes sense if you are passing through by car.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–95 excl. bed
Mid
$95–160 excl. bed
High
$160+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain hotel double (Vienna)1 × 1 night × US$120US$120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$120US$240
Blennerhassett Island boat, museum, mansion and wagon tickets2 × US$18 · check; island open May–OctoberUS$36
Easy Rider day of rides2 × US$2 · check; 50-cent base fare, no Sunday serviceUS$4
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$43
Trip total≈ US$237 per person per day, bed includedUS$473

2026 estimate in US dollars, before sales tax; prices shown before tax as in the rest of the US. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$2–5
Diner breakfast$8–14
Burger and fries$10–16
Draught beer$5–8
Museum entrycheck$2–10
5 km taxi ridecheck$10–15
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Parkersburg is a small river city with ordinary US caution levels: the centre is fine by day, quieter after dark. Lock the car, keep to lit streets downtown and expect nothing open on Sunday morning.
  • Blennerhassett Island runs May–October only; the mansion tour, boat and wagon ride are separate tickets, so budget about three hours.
  • Sunday is quiet: many downtown shops and the bus system close, and some restaurants shut early.
  • River flooding closes the Ohio River walk and Point Park at times in spring; check the flood wall markers and local alerts.
  • Downtown streets empty after about 21:00; park in lit lots and walk in pairs.
  • Summers are humid and thunderstorms build fast along the river.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

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ParkersburgParkersburg, West Virginia

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies here; the nearest consulates are in Columbus and Charleston, embassies in Washington, DC. US visitors: nothing needed.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Easy Rider bus base fare: 50 cents, Mon–Sat only (check)
  • Taxi across downtown: $8–12 (check)
  • Blennerhassett Island boat + mansion tour: about $11 adult combined (check)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the restroom? — Where is the restroom?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is the island running today? — Is the island running today?
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • I need help — I need help

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Parkersburg. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (humid river heat), Jan–Feb (ice and closed island) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for PKB and the Columbus/Charleston fallback: last connections, drive times, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Juliana Street and the flood wall, Julia-Ann Square, City Park and Fort Boreman.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Oil and Gas Museum, Blennerhassett Island, Smoot Theatre) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Seasonal fixtures for island sailings, festivals and river flooding so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources

Ask about Parkersburg

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