Hi Patricia, There are lots of pretty places in McDowell, but I just have one word of caution. If you find yourself going to Welch on the easy route (around to the east), be very careful going through Keystone and Kimball. Make sure you don't let that speedometer slip above 25 miles an hour. There's another town on that route that gets its funding from violators of its speeding ordinances and I forget which one it is. Just drive careful, McDowell County has the no-fault insurance law. Regards, Rodger W. Bundy