Residents of the Teays Valley in western West Virginia have been taking advantage of Valley Park at Hurricane since it opened in 1978, but now the park off Interstate 64 is attracting more visitors from out of town, thanks in part to renovations and new sports fields.
Long known for its wave pool, the park between Charleston and Huntington underwent a 2018 reinvention that's dramatically expanded its offerings, according to Kelli Steele, executive director of the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
After the expansion of trails and sports fields and the addition of a conference center and a market with a café, the park welcomed record visitors before being closed as a result of the covid pandemic, but now those numbers have rebounded, Steele said.
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