Downtown Wheeling has been a major part of American history and known as the “Gateway to the West.” The Wheeling Suspension Bridge, which helped Americans cross the Ohio River to seek their fortunes out West still greets visitors as the enter Downtown Wheeling for the first time. Also at the outbreak of the Civil War, Downtown Wheeling was where West Virginia become its own state!

During the rise of industry Downtown Wheeling became known as the “Nail City” and served as the nation’s leader in nail production. In honor of that heritage, our Minor League Hockey team is named the Wheeling Nailers and continue to play their home games at Wesbanco Arena in the heart of Downtown Wheeling.

Recently, over the past 5 years or so, there has been a resurgence in Downtown Wheeling with the introduction of several new businesses like restaurants, boutiques, salons and retailers. As Wheeling continues to grow, Downtown Wheeling continues to be the heart of entertainment and community gathering throughout the region.

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Below is a solid list with links to activities and noteworthy sites that can be found in the area known as Downtown Wheeling. This list by no means includes all your options, just some our staff and students think are pretty special!

Place/Link	Type	Minutes to Campus	Phone	Map It!
The Capitol Theater	Arts & Culture; Music; Entertainment	22	(304) 214-7007
River City Restaurant & Wheeling Artisan Center Shop	Arts & Culture; Local Eats, History & Heritage	22	(304) 233-4555 (Restaurant); (304) 232-1810 (Shop)
Wesbanco Arena	Arts & Culture; Sports; Entertainment	22	(304) 233-7000
The Heritage Port and Trail	Outdoor Recreation, History & Heritage, Music	22
Tacoholix	Local Eats	22	(304) 905-9226
WLU’s Downtown Center	WLU Campus	22	(304) 336-5635
Good Mansion Wines	Local Eats; Shopping	24	(304) 233-2632
The Vagabond Kitchen	Local Eats	22	(304) 905-6173
DiCarlo’s Pizza	Local Eats	22	(304) 233-0730
Meraki Salon	Hair Salon & Styling	25	(304) 650-9871