Family Fun: Weekend Itinerary

One Weekend, Three States, Zero "I'm Bored"s: The Ultimate Family Fun Weekend Itinerary on Appalachia's Front Porch

Remember when summer meant piling into the car with no real plan, just a full tank and somebody yelling "shotgun"? Around here, those weekends never went out of style. On Appalachia's Front Porch, where Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia meet along the banks of the Ohio River, you can hit three states in three days without ever driving more than thirty minutes between stops.

We mapped out a full weekend of family fun, the kind where the kids fall asleep on the ride home and you catch yourself smiling at a red light. Here's how to do it.

Friday: Kick Things Off in West Virginia

Start your morning at Heritage Farm Museum & Village in Huntington, where Appalachian history comes to life through hands-on exhibits, artisan demonstrations, and enough wide-open space to let the kids burn off that first-day-of-vacation energy.

When lunchtime hits, do it the old-fashioned way at the Frost Top Drive-In. Root beer in a frosty mug, burgers brought right to your car. Some things just taste better with the windows down.

Spend your evening at Ritter Park, one of Huntington's most beloved green spaces. Let the kids hit the playground while you stroll the tree-lined paths.

Then comes the best decision you'll make all day: pizza from Evaroni's and a scoop (or two) from Austin's Homemade Ice Creamin Ceredo-Kenova.

Local tip: Take your pizza or ice cream to Virginia Point campground and eat with a view. Trust us on this one.

Saturday: Kentucky, Here We Come

Cross the river and start Saturday at the Highlands Do!Zeum & Clark Family Discovery Center in Ashland, where "please don't touch" doesn't apply. Interactive exhibits keep little hands busy and curious minds fed.

Refuel at Taco Brothers in Flatwoods, a local favorite worth the short drive.

When evening rolls around, lace up at Garden Roller Rink in Ashland. Whether you skated every Friday night of your childhood or you're holding the wall the whole way around, it's the kind of fun that doesn't need a screen.

Cap off the night at Camp Landing, Ashland's entertainment district, where there's something going on for every age.

Sunday: An Ohio Send-Off

Ease into Sunday at Imagine That Playplace in South Point, an indoor play space where the kids can run wild one more time before the weekend winds down.

For lunch, treat everybody at The Shakery in Ironton, ask about their limited time offering ice creams. The name says it all.

Spend the afternoon at Friends Park in Ironton, then finish the weekend with a few frames at Spare Time Bowling. Gutter balls and victory dances welcome.

Three States. One Front Porch.

That's the thing about Appalachia's Front Porch: the river might divide the map into Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia, but around here it all feels like one big neighborhood. The summers you remember still exist here. Come make some new ones.

Planning your own family weekend? Save this itinerary, tag us in your adventures, and come on in. Our door is always open.

Appalachia's Front Porch spans Boyd, Greenup, and Carter Counties in Kentucky; Lawrence County, Ohio; and Wayne and Cabell Counties in West Virginia.