West Virginia summers are known for beautiful mountainscapes and river time swimming. They’re also known for high heat, high humidity, and random rain showers.

In what might be the most informative blog ever, I’ll tell you where to find those mountainscapes and rivers while mitigating the less pleasant effects of nature.

Before you head out into the beauty of Marion, you’ll need to make a few stops.

Family fun:

Health Naturally has plenty of options for chemical-free sunscreens for humans of all kinds (babies, active, ghostly, etc.). Other summer essentials – and by ‘essentials,’ I mean ‘absolute necessities’ – chemical-free deodorants, restoring hair dyes and treatments and skin serum.

This is also a great place to stock up on healthy snacks. Healthy snacks are essential for great hikes, swimming, exploring, playing and picnicking. Supplement quinoa chips, protein bars, and Bragg’s ACV drinks from Health Naturally with fruits, veggies, vegetarian treats and West Virginia spring water from Speedway Market.

Savvy Consignment has got you covered in the most literal of senses. This is the most practical of places for inexpensive sun shirts, shorts, skirts, and sandals. Don’t forget a cute cover-up for those poolside days!

Wood’s Boathouse will have all you need to enjoy and survive the water. Rent boats, buy life jackets and discover the wonders of the Monongahela!

Now that you’re prepared to get outside, let me tell you where to go.

Valley Falls State Park is the perfect place for a picnic and a shaded hike. Once you’ve got your healthy picnic ready, stop by Dairy Creme Corner for almost any kind of Avalanche you can imagine! Then after exploring the wooded trails, refuel and relax down by the water. (Enjoy the sounds of the streams or jump in a kayak!)

For a more controlled environment, the Wave Pool is great for tiny tots, swimmers, floaters, and tanners. The tiny tots can splash in the shallow end with the spray fountains; the swimmers can fight the waves while the floaters enjoy them. And the tanners can listen to the sounds of the waves and everyone else having fun.

Hit the rail trails for more West Virginia hiking fun! Start your hike or rent a bike at Pricketts Fort; or head to Mary Lou Retton Park’s rail trail for a more vertical version.

Options abound at Palatine Park. Let the kids play at the splash pad, have a picnic and listen to live music or watch some great films.

Mannington also has plenty of the summertime opportunities! Picnic at Hough Park, hit the rail trail or the back porch. More specifically? Our Back Porch has the variety, the flavor and the perfect amounts of ice cream decadence!

For more summertime fun, head to 12th Street Pool before getting a massive banana split or three-pound ice cream sundae at The Poky Dot.

Discover a new sport at Morris Park where you can either hike or walk while beating all your friends at disc golf (or losing to them. Either way, it’s still fun!)

For when it’s just too hot:

Get some locomotive ice cream at Pufferbelly’s, like a S’mores Shake and a Tropical Polar Express. Then, take a beautiful drive to Tygart Valley Cinemas, a wonderfully air-conditioned space with cold drinks – perfection!

Equal parts fun and air-conditioned is Mountain Creative. Paint just about anything your heart desires: a fairy house, gnomes, practical things and decorative things.

For those days that it might rain or it might not, Arcade-O-Mania and LumberjAxe can help with that. Arcade games and axe throwing – what more could you want on a rainy summer day? How about glow-in-the-dark bowling?

Adults 21 and over have even more options of how to beat the heat:

Muriale’s Italian Kitchen makes the summeriest mixed drinks: mimosas, sangrias.

Colasessano’s has craft beer, mixed drinks and gelato (for fancy ice cream lovers)!

Get cold craft beer made right here in Marion at Short Story Brewing.

The Rambling Root has cold West Virginia craft beer, fruit beer and the refreshing (and healthy) kombucha.

The Joe has cold brews all around, whether that’s beer, coffee or tea. Pick from craft beer, cold brew, nitro or iced lavender chai.

Where else do you go to beat the West Virginia heat?