America's Most Coffee-Obsessed State Is A Must-Visit For Caffeine Lovers

While bars and clubs draw people to different destinations for nightlife, coffee culture arguably plays an equally significant role for the day-time, dictating where you go to start your day, unwind in a café, or meet with friends. For certain states, coffee is more important than others, and a study by SimpleTexting found exactly which states value their daily brew the most. After surveying thousands of Americans and averaging how they rate their coffee obsession, West Virginia had the highest average. West Virginians rated their coffee obsession at 3.7 out of 5, on average, while the nationwide average rating was 3.11.

The study noted that having colder seasons might play a role in how much West Virginians love their coffee, as the next highest ranked states — Virginia and Maine, respectively — also endure cold weather come autumn and winter. According to Drinking Folk, it was common for Appalachian communities to buy green coffee and roast the beans themselves before World War II. In recent years, West Virginia has seen more specialty coffee shops popping up around the state, often roasting their own coffee beans in the same fashion as their pre-war progenitors. A few cities in West Virginia have become well-known as coffee hubs, such as Morgantown, a charming college city with a laidback, youthful energy. Here, the combination of its student population and proximity to products from Pittsburgh makes for the perfect conditions for a thriving coffee culture.

West Virginia's mountainous landscape suits any number of scenic road trips through the state, like the underrated Seneca Skyway where you can see stunning fall foliage. You could easily combine a mountain drive with an itinerary of the state's best coffee spots. You might start in Morgantown at the north tip of the state. It's just over an hour drive from the Pittsburgh International Airport, though the Morgantown Municipal Airport is also right in town, with flights connecting to Chicago and Washington, D.C. Two of the town's oldest coffee shops have existed here since the 1990s (even predating the state's first Starbucks): Blue Moose Coffeehouse and The Grind. Both with roots as early independent coffee houses, they're within close distance to one another and are especially lively during the college year, as students come in to study or chat over brews and sandwiches. Quantum Bean Coffee is another solid option that opened later in town, but it stands out for its emphasis on local roasting.

From Morgantown, you could drive about 1.5 hours south into the Potomac Highlands, West Virginia's wildly underrated mountain region full of charming towns. Stop by TipTop in the town of Thomas for a rotating selection of seasonal coffee, as well as chocolate bars made with coffee beans and burgers on Fridays. Meanwhile, Dirtbean in Marlinton is a unique mountain bike shop that doubles as a coffee house, ideal for those who want to refuel while embarking on a mountain biking trek through the Highlands. In the realm of creative coffee shops, also check out Grindstone Coffeeology on the state's western border in Huntington. The café is set in repurposed shipping containers, and you can regularly catch live performances here, too.