The northern terminus is at West Virginia Route 27 five miles (8 km) east of Wellsburg and 400 yards (370 m) west of the Pennsylvania border.

WV 88 is cosigned with U.S. Route 40 (National Road) from Elm Grove to Woodsdale.

It originally terminated in Marshall County, West Virginia.

Portions of WV 88 in Ohio County were originally designated as WV 91 via 29th Street and terminated in South Wheeling.

A few Ohio County roads are still under the old Route 91 designation.