Let's clear up some confusion about this oft-maligned place. Yes, the miserable gas-and-fast-food travel plaza at Tamarack evokes the 7th ring of hell, especially on busy travel weekends. But the reason to visit is the striking arts-and-crafts center, flanked by sculptures, which sits on a hill above the plaza and is filled with West Virginia–made art and gifts.
You'll also find books about the Mountain State, tasty coffee from the Greenbrier Resort and a variety of West Virginia food favorites. The plaza is located 4 miles northwest of Beckley off I-64. And no, the name Tamarack is not a combination of the word track and a bunch of terrible WVDOT acronyms. It's actually a type of larch tree.