Long Beach NY to Summersville WV: Scenic Road Trip Guide

Long Beach, New York, sits on a barrier island off the South Shore of Long Island, a strip of sand that has hosted amusement parks since the 1880s. Its boardwalk, rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, anchors a community that thrives on ocean breezes and proximity to New York City. Summersville, West Virginia, by contrast, is a mountain town in Nicholas County, named after a local farmer and incorporated in 1874. The town gained fame for Summersville Lake, created in 1966 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Gauley River for flood control.

This guide covers the roughly 520-mile route that connects these two very different places. You'll traverse the New Jersey Turnpike, cross the Delaware Water Gap, and follow the Appalachian ridges into the heart of coal country. Expect at least 8 hours of driving without stops, but the journey rewards those who linger with waterfalls, artisan food, and some of the best whitewater rafting in the East.

How long to drive Long Beach, NY to Summersville, WV: The fastest route via I-78 W and I-81 S takes about 8 hours and 20 minutes under normal traffic, slightly longer with rest breaks. Expect to pay around $40 in tolls each way, mostly on the New Jersey Turnpike and Pennsylvania Turnpike if you use them.

Is it worth driving Long Beach, NY to Summersville, WV? Yes, especially if you crave a mix of coastal and mountain scenery, and enjoy off-the-beaten-path towns. The drive offers a slice of American history and nature that you can't get from a plane window.

The total drive can be completed in a single day, but spreading it over two days is safer and more enjoyable. The American Automobile Association recommends a 15-minute break every two hours. Rest areas are well-marked with signs showing the next facility's distance, and they often feature vending machines and water fountains.

Weather can be a factor, especially in winter. Expect snow and ice in Pennsylvania and West Virginia from November through March. Summer storms bring sudden downpours, so pack a rain jacket and check forecasts. The New Jersey Turnpike has variable speed limits, adjusted during congestion or weather.

For families, the route offers several kid-friendly attractions: in Pennsylvania, the Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey (a factory tour), and in Virginia, the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, which recreates living history farms. Near Summersville, the lake activities—swimming, fishing, and kayaking—are a hit. Summersville Lake State Park has a beach and boat ramps.

Pet-friendly stops are easy to find. Most rest areas allow pets on leashes, and many hotels along I-81 are pet-friendly. One notable exception: the New Jersey Turnpike rest stops do not allow pets inside the buildings, but there are grass areas outside. In Summersville, the Battle Run Recreation Area on the lake has designated pet zones.

For eating, you'll find a mix of fast-food chains and local diners. A short detour in Pennsylvania leads to the Town Diner in Shippensburg, a classic 1950s eatery. In West Virginia, try a pepperoni roll, a state snack created for miners, often sold at gas stations. For a sit-down meal, the River Front Cafe in Summersville offers lake views and local trout.

One concern is road quality: I-81 through Virginia has heavy truck traffic, but pavement is generally good. In West Virginia, US-19 north of Beckley is a limited-access highway with some sharp curves, so reduce speed. The Gauley Bridge area has historic flood markers that show past high-water levels, a reminder of the region's volatility.

To manage fatigue, consider using audio books or podcasts. Also plan for fuel stops: gas stations are plentiful, but in rural West Virginia they can be sparse, so top up in larger towns like Lewisburg or Beckley. Don't trust your GPS blindly; have a paper map as backup.

For hidden gems, take a break at the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, where you can ride a steam locomotive up Bald Knob, the highest point in West Virginia at 4,842 feet. Or visit the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad for a historic dinner train.

Leaving the coast, you'll cross the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, a vast forest over the Cohansey aquifer, which supplies the region with some of the purest groundwater on Earth. As you approach the Delaware River, the Kittatinny Ridge looms ahead, cut by the Delaware Water Gap, a natural notch carved by the river over millennia. The Appalachian Trail crosses here, and you'll see hikers at the various overlooks.

In Pennsylvania, you'll skirt the northern edge of the Susquehanna River, once a key transportation route for timber and coal. The Susquehanna is the longest river on the East Coast that drains into the Atlantic, stretching 444 miles. Farther south, in Maryland, you'll pass Antietam National Battlefield, where on September 17, 1862, more Americans died than on any other day in U.S. military history.

West Virginia introduces the Allegheny Mountains, part of the ancient Appalachian chain, which formed 480 million years ago. Here, you'll find the New River Gorge, a National Park and Preserve since 2020, featuring the world's third-highest single-arch bridge. The gorge offers whitewater rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers, the latter of which has been dubbed the 'Grand Canyon of the East' for its steep rapids.

Local commerce along the route includes farmers markets, especially in the Lancaster County region of Pennsylvania, known for Amish farms selling quilted goods and fresh produce. In West Virginia, you'll pass roadside stands hawking handmade pottery and local honey. Just off I-81 in Virginia, visit the town of Staunton, home to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and the American Shakespeare Center, which hosts performances in a replica Jacobean indoor theater.

A hidden gem is Smoke Hole Canyon near Petersburg, WV—a 20-mile gorge with steep sandstone walls and cave tours. Also consider a detour to the Green Bank Observatory in Pocahontas County, where you can tour the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world and learn about the search for extraterrestrial life.

Your journey begins on Long Beach, heading north on Long Beach Road to merge onto the Southern State Parkway. From there, you'll cross into Brooklyn and take the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge onto the Staten Island Expressway, then onto Route 440 and the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95). Stay on the Turnpike until Exit 10, which connects to I-287 West, then follow I-78 West across New Jersey and into Pennsylvania.

At Harrisburg, you'll switch to I-81 South, a straight shot through the Cumberland Valley. Near Winchester, Virginia, you'll take I-66 West briefly, then I-81 continues into West Virginia. Finally, at Beckley, pick up US-19 North to reach Summersville. This route smooths out after Harrisburg, with rolling farmlands giving way to the forested slopes of the Appalachians.

Fuel and route economics: Gas prices drop significantly once you leave the New York metro area. As of 2025, expect to pay around $3.50 per gallon in New Jersey, but as low as $3.10 in Virginia and West Virginia. A typical sedan will use about 28 gallons for the round trip, so fuel costs could range from $90 to $120 one way. Consider using gas apps to find the cheapest stations near the highway.

Toll costs are inevitable but manageable. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge alone costs $17.00 each way. The New Jersey Turnpike from Exit 10 to Exit 1 adds about $10, and if you use the Pennsylvania Turnpike for a stretch, that could add another $20. To minimize tolls, you could stick to U.S. 1 and U.S. 11, but that adds several hours.

Rest areas are plentiful: every 30 to 50 miles you'll find a state-run facility with restrooms, vending machines, and often picnic areas. The I-81 corridor in particular has well-maintained Welcome Centers. For more tips on spotting hidden gems along the way, check out this guide on finding the best stops between cities.