University of Charleston Releases Award-Winning Adventure Guide for Second Year

Expanded 2026 edition features nearly 100 experiences on campus, in Charleston and across West Virginia

CHARLESTON, WV - As a new class of students prepares to call the University of Charleston home, the University is once again inviting them to discover everything waiting for them on campus and beyond.

The University of Charleston has announced the return of its award-winning UC Adventure Guide, a travel and experience guide created for students to help them explore their new home - not just on campus, but throughout Charleston and across West Virginia.

While designed with UC students in mind, the guide has become much more than a welcome resource. It is also an invitation for alumni, families and lifelong West Virginians to rediscover the local restaurants, coffee shops, parks, small businesses and hidden gems that may have been in their own backyard all along.

"One of the greatest advantages of attending the University of Charleston is the opportunity to live and learn in one of the most beautiful states in the country," UC President Marty Roth said. "We want our students to graduate with a great education, but also with a genuine connection to the place they called home during their college years. The UC Adventure Guide encourages students to begin making those connections from the moment they arrive, and it is rewarding to see so many others embracing it as well."

The guide also encourages readers to experience the University of Charleston in new ways, from attending a Golden Eagle athletic event and exploring iconic locations on campus to taking part in some of UC's can't-miss events and traditions throughout the year.

The expanded 2026 edition features nearly 100 curated experiences on campus, throughout Charleston and within an easy day trip, showcasing everything from campus traditions and student favorites to locally owned businesses, scenic overlooks, hiking trails, waterfalls, festivals and iconic destinations across the Mountain State.

Available in both print and digital formats, the guide encourages readers to step away from the screen, support local businesses and experience the people, places and communities that make West Virginia special.

"As someone who was born and raised in West Virginia, this project has always been personal to me," said C.J. Harvey, UC Vice President of Marketing and Communications. "We created the guide to help our students experience the places that make this state so special, but it has become much more than that. Alumni, families and lifelong West Virginians are using it to discover new places in their own backyard, and that is exactly what we hoped it could become."

Since its debut last year, the UC Adventure Guide has earned national recognition, including a Communicator Award for Overall Design Excellence and a Bronze Telly Award.

Printed copies of the UC Adventure Guide will be available across the University of Charleston campus and at select community locations. The interactive digital edition is available here.