I love the smell of Krylon in the morning. Tagging is my favorite kind of public art: raw, off the…read morecuff, available to anyone with an idea and a can of spray paint. I don't condone writing on private property, but dang it if I don't love to see it. I am probably in the minority with this one. It might be because of where I spent several of my formative years (in gang territory, surrounded by graffiti). So when I visited Wheeling, I made sure to stop and see Mt. Wood Overlook, because it's a little spot in this small West Virginia city that's covered with tags and writing. This place is a hidden gem, especially if you like quirky public art. The space itself looks like it's the cement foundation of a former building, and taggers have just taken over and written all over it. There are drawings and messages (happy birthday wishes, dates of first kisses, angry statements to exes) scrawled over every inch of this place. From the parking lot, you enter on the top floor, then you can take two flights of stairs down into what looks like a castle full of graffiti. It's seedy and creepy, but it's so cool to see what's going on in the minds and hearts of people who stopped by and left a message. There are some trails near the overlook, and just from the look of them, I would not recommend going down them. The trails are littered with spray paint cans and liquor bottles, and I read that this is also a popular spot for drug use, so who the heck knows what you might come across. Mt. Wood Overlook would make an excellent spot for a photo shoot. It's also located across the street from a cemetery! It's an awesome place to feel life breathing off the walls from fresh art, with the background of death looming in the periphery. Whatta place! You gotta visit if you're in the area.

It was a cool artistic place yet at the same time it was very sketchy. Any time you see graffiti…read morethat's what usually gives people first impressions. But this had graffiti all over, that you can step in it and not worry about paint being on your shoes. They have a small parking lot with maybe a few spaces - but there was one scary-looking dude just sitting and chilling in his car looking at everyone -like he was getting ready to snap. But I let it go. I did not go to the lower levels, as I just stayed at the top. The top is where you get a great view of the city of Wheeling. It's very interesting that the city is separated by a mountain. Bring your cameras, folks!

This is a neat piece of history that you can still walk across today. There is both an official…read moreOhio historical marker and a kiosk with photos that offer more information about the bridge. As the name indicates, it has an "S" shape, and it is part of the historic National Road, which runs across six states. Built in 1828, it is thought to be the first bridge built in the Northwest Territory. The bridge is built at a 6.3% incline to cover a 500 foot climb over Wheeling Creek. The bridge had to be partially rebuilt in 1929, and was then repaired again beginning in 1999. The Blaine Viaduct was built in 1933 and took over some of the heavy lifting with traffic. The Blaine S Bridge became the state's Bicentennial Bridge in 2001. If you walk across the bridge, you can also glimpse some remnants of the old road on the other side (but watch your step, it's a bit uneven since it hasn't been maintained and grass has partially taken over). Some picnic tables and benches have been put in on this side. The S bridge was built using three arches, which you can view by heading down to the bank of the creek. Very interesting bit of history!

I have visited more than half of the Madonna of the Trail statues that were erected by the D.A.R…read more in the late 1920s, and this was my seventh one. The statues are all identical; however, all have different text on the sides of them. They were all sculpted by St. Louis sculptor August Leimbach. This is one of five that are placed on the Historic National Road. All twelve of the MOTT statues are on the Old Trails Road, which technically doesn't exist. The one complaint that I have about this one are the "No Parking" signs. This is clearly on a roadside pullout that invites people to check this statue as well as the historical markers next to it. But check it out anyway!

This lovely statue erected by the DAR Society is located along the National Rd. It is near the…read moreWheeling Park entrance. There us a pullover area where you can get out and Read the historical markers. This statue is part of 8 statues located along the National Rd, they are called Madonnas of the Trails. This is the 4th one that I have visited

The Marsh Wheeling Stogies Cigars founded in 1840 was the oldest cigar company. The company started…read morein his home and moved to this location on Market Street in 1908. The original cigars cost 4 for one cent!!! The Scaffolding style Neon Sign sits atop the 5 story now empty building. It is the first thing you see when you cross into Wheeling on the Old Fort Henry Bridge.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't make it all the way across the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. I made it…read moreabout a quarter of the way, and then noped the eff out. I turned around and went back to solid ground. You see, this pedestrian bridge has an open steel grating walking surface, so you can see 150 feet below you to the Ohio River. It's a long way down. Every time I looked down, my stomach flipped. Finally, I said, "Heck naw," flipped the peace sign to my family (who are normal people and had no problem walking across a bridge), and got off. I guess I mention this for one main reason. If you don't like looking down at the dark, dank waters of a river from a height of 150 feet, this pedestrian bridge might not be for you. I've walked across many bridges in my life with no problem, so I'm not bridge averse. But this one, like I mentioned previously, has an open grating, so it's like walking along a fence that's turned on its side. Oh, heck no! I give the Wheeling Suspension Bridge five stars, though, because it's a historic part of Wheeling, and it really is a neat bridge. The views from the bridge are amazing, and if you make it to the other side, you end up on Wheeling Island. At the entrance of the bridge, there are some signs that have information about the history of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. When we visited, there was construction going on at the entrance of the bridge, so it looked blocked off, but it wasn't. The bridge is open to pedestrians, and I think bicycles, too, because I saw a dude bike across it.

This is a historic gem that is well-worth a brief stop if you are staying in Wheeling, WV or…read morepassing through downtown. The suspension bridge (competed in 1849) crosses the Ohio River and represents a key engineering milestone in U.S. history. First, it is a pedestrian-only bridge (bikes and mopeds allowed), which makes a quiet and peaceful walk. Street parking is available just a short walk away. Second, it's scenic to walk along the bridge at sunset or at dawn (if you can). Third, be careful to avoid looking down too much if you are scared of heights as you can see the river 90+ feet below through the mini-slots on the steel road portion of the bridge (for vehicles and horses). I would recommend walking on the sidewalk portion instead. I hope Wheeling, WV might consider building a city or state museum in downtown near the bridge to provide an overview of its fascinating history and perhaps share insights about the history of Wheeling itself from its role as a frontier town (competing with Pittsburgh to get the National Road), to an industrial center, to its role in Civil War History (the independence of West Virginia from Virginia occurred here). While the downtown feels quite empty on weekends, a museum could bring more tourists and attract restaurants, cafes, and condos.

I was so extremely excited to see this Historical Vaudeville Theater. Located on one of the main…read morethoroughfares in Wheeling on Market Street, it shines like a gleaming diamond in the sunlight. First opened it's doors in 1904, this means it is 115 yrs old this year. The longest running, operating theater in West Virginia. This 800 seat Victorian Masterpiece is Registered a Historic Landmark In 1934, it became home to the Jamboree which is the 2nd longest running show in the USA. It's Beaux-arts influence in architecture is stunning. I waa so happy to stumble across this beauty.

The Capitol Theatre is a cute historic building to catch a concert in! We were gifted tickets to…read moresee Buddy Guy and arrived maybe 15 minutes before showtime. The lines for drinks and snacks were long, but moved very quickly. The staff were friendly and we had no problems getting to our seats. The views of the ornate ceiling and statues are beautiful! The sound quality was on par and so was the lighting. The bathrooms were a little interesting. The stalls are very short and reminded me a lot of an elementary school bathroom. All functional, though! The ladies room ran out of paper towels kind of early. Parking is on the street or in a nearby garage.

Would give zero stars if I could. The greedy managers decided to host a heavy metal concert in…read moretheir 150 year old venue to make money and the result was the bands and fans alike having a horrible time. The shows were cut short and the pit was not provided, despite pit tickets going for $1248.00 on stub hub Fans that sought a refund for threatened with police action. It's a shame management is so bad because the venue is beautiful and deserves being taken care of far better than it currently is. The only person who felt completely comfortable in the atmosphere was the homeless man begging for money in line, which was likely the greedy managers conning for tips.