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Also know as the Heart of Appalachia, Coal Country is rich with history, cultural expressions, and outdoor recreation. A great place to start learning more about Appalachian history is the  Crab Orchard Museum and Pioneer Park.  Visitors to this hands-on-museum get to experience the 500 year-old Native American Village which was discovered on site... the pioneer life... and military conflicts such as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. They also get to search for prehistoric fossils, colonial maps, farming tools and coal mines. Speaking of coal mines,  Pocahontas Exhibition Mine and Museum is the oldest attraction of its kind and the only exhibition coal mine designated as a National Historic Landmark. The actual mine is one of the largest in the world and covers over 30 square miles underground. Those that are to afraid to journey to the center of the earth can take a guided tour through several of the tunnels that have been preserved. And speaking of preservation... The only restored operational mill in the region is Bush Mill. The water-powered grist mill uses stones to grind grain into meal. 

Throughout the years, the Appalachian people have celebrated the simple joys of life and expressed their deep sorrows through music. One of the pioneers of country music, A.P. Carter, lived in Hiltons Virginia. The old general store that use to be owned by this legendary artist has been converted into the A.P. Carter Museum. The museum houses the collections of A.P. Carter, his wife Sara and her cousin Maybelle (the original members of the original Carter Family music group). The artifacts include photos, books, and musical instruments, show clothes, 78rpm recordings and many other memorabilia, such as items donated by family members June and Johnny Cash. The Ralph Stanley Museum allows its visitors to see and hear this particular style of American music in its original setting: the mountains of southwestern Virginia. Follow the career of Ralph Stanley & the Stanley Brothers through the exhibits and learn how the environment and traditional music influenced their style. The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, the official outdoor drama of Virginia, is hosted at the Trail of the Lonesome Pine Ampitheatre. This fascinating drama about a beautiful mountain girl and a handsome young mining engineer depicts the story of the great boom in southwest Virginia -  how the discovery of coal and iron ore forced the proud mountain people to make many drastic changes in their way of life. The Virginia-Kentucky Opry is a 241-seat theater featuring musical talent performing live radio broadcasts every Saturday night. The theater has provided continuous stage for hundreds of area performers, featuring a variety of music which includes country, gospel, bluegrass. Special shows have included nationally known bluegrass artists such as Ralph Stanley and Larry Sparks and country-rock legends Goose Creek Symphony.