Wanderlust: West Virginia

Every year, my college friends and I pull a US State out of a hat and plan a trip there. We started this after realizing how much of our country we haven’t seen, and how many adventures are just waiting to be had.

We go on a trip and on the last night of the trip we pull a state from the hat. Last year, I was the newbie to this tradition and so it was up to me to pick the next #GirlsWeekend location. The location I picked? West Virginia.

After a year of researching, planning, and asking people their recommendations we planned our trip to the historic Harpers Ferry. I lived in Maryland for many years, but never went to West Virginia so I was excited to see what we’d find.

Downtown Harpers Ferry

Downtown Harpers Ferry is a beautiful step into it’s colonial past. The day we walked through we saw women and men dressed in 1800s clothing, stepped by a gun making show, and walked through the gorgeous woodlands of the area. I had no idea that Harpers Ferry is a National Park, but once I was there it was extremely easy to see why.

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bloomery sweetshine

When you look at the best yelp reviews of West Virginia in the top 5 is the Bloomery Sweetshine Distillery. Described as “an artisanal blend of vice and virtue” Bloomery is a fun, unique stop that I fully recommend to anyone planning a trip to the area.

When you get to the location it’s not just about doing the tastings. You get to walk around the lovely grounds which are a blend of old and new, and also through the house and it’s decorations of banjos and hilarious signs – even one that exclaims: “Bath, 5 Cents”.

Then you get to take part in the free tasting. Yup – free. My favorite was the chocolate raspberry and the black walnut moonshine. I took a bottle home with me and it’s great as an accent to a cup of coffee for my dinner parties.

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Hiking Harpers Ferry

On our final day of the trip we hiked through the woods of Harpers Ferry over the hills and dales and through to the area of the Battle of Harpers Ferry. The flora and fauna were lovely and the weather was perfect.

The hiking was wonderful, I highly recommend this to anyone and even all ages. There are well-marked trails, beautiful views of creeks and the Shenandoah river.

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