“I don’t even feel like I’m only three hours from home.” This was my sentiment the entire time I was exploring the eastern panhandle region of West Virginia. In my mind, West Virginia always seemed so far away, but the easternmost part of it can actually be reached within 3-3.5 hours from the greater Philadelphia area where I live. And it was breathtakingly beautiful: the other thing I kept saying to myself was that everything looked like a postcard. Sprawling mountains covered in red and yellow fall foliage. Views for miles and miles over rural valleys. Winding roads. Tiny hillside towns with quintessential American main streets. My impressions of West Virginia were exactly what John Denver descried of it in “Country Roads,” and of course I listened to that song about a thousand times as I was driving!
My trip included a two-night stay in Harper’s Ferry after my stop in Frederick, Maryland and I was able to spend an afternoon in Charles Town during my stay.
Harper’s Ferry
Harper’s Ferry is the point where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers come together, and driving into Harper’s Ferry on Route 340 from the east, you’ll be in three different states within a few minutes’ time, because it’s also the point where Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia all meet.
The town of Harper’s Ferry itself is actually a national park. There are a few bed and breakfasts options in Harper’s Ferry, but otherwise there are more options further up Washington Street in the area known as Bolivar and further out of town. I stayed at the Cantuta Inn on Washington Street in Bolivar. It was a lovely bed and breakfast in a modern home run by a Peruvian woman named Etel and her husband. Etel is an artist, and the inn was eclectically decorated with bright colors, Peruvian art and textiles, and even some of Etel’s artwork of local scenery.
On Etel’s recommendation my first evening in town, I walked up the street to The Anvil Restaurant, a favorite for locals and visitors alike (and actually one of the only restaurants in the immediate Harper’s Ferry area!). The Anvil’s menu has a mix of classic tavern food and BBQ, which they cook in a smoker sitting out front of the restaurant. I ordered the smoked 1/2 chicken platter, which comes served with Alabama white BBQ sauce and your choice of a side, which I opted for smoked mac and cheese, and paired the meal with an Almost Heaven Amber Ale from Mountain State Brewing Co. I am still drooling over that chicken. Not to mention the atmosphere – an acoustic musician played folk and country songs, and the restaurant definitely had the laid-back feel of a locals’ hangout. Note: most restaurants and bars in the area close at 8pm so go early!
The next day after breakfast at the inn, I walked about a mile down Washington Street into the Historic Lower Town area. The National Park Service charges a fee for anyone visiting Harper’s Ferry, even if entering on foot, so be sure to check their website to buy a park pass. There is also a Visitor Center on the way into town where you can stop if driving. My walk down Washington Street turned into High Street, the main street in Harper’s Ferry lined with old buildings and storefronts. There are a few coffee shops and museums, and one must-visit store: True Treats, a candy store with candies researched and made from historic recipes. I did some serious shopping here and everything was delicious!
Just at the end of High Street sits John Brown’s Fort, where John Brown and his followers barricaded themselves during their 1859 raid of Harper’s Ferry in protest of slavery. Across the street is a museum dedicated to John Brown, and other museums about Harper’s Ferry’s history and landscape, all run by the National Park Service and open to anyone with a park pass.
Beyond John Brown’s Fort is The Point, the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and an absolutely stunning view. The high peak you’ll see to the left is Maryland Heights, a favorite hike that is supposed to have some of the best vistas of the area. I didn’t have time to make it over there, and don’t know if I would have made it to the top anyways – I’m not great with heights!
I chose instead to do the softer hike up the hill in Harper’s Ferry, following the old stone stairs from High Street up to St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, the notable spire in the Harper’s Ferry’s skyline, and next to it the ruins of St. John’s Episcopal Church, damaged during the Civil War.
Continuing on, I followed the path to arguably the most beautiful viewpoint in Harper’s Ferry: Jefferson Rock, so named because Thomas Jefferson stood in this very spot in 1783 and described the view as “perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature.” I sat here for a good long while just taking in the unbelievable landscape. Stupendous indeed.
From there I wandered through Harper Cemetery, a scenic hillside cemetery with old graves including that of Robert Harper, the town’s founding resident.
Charles Town
After exploring Harper’s Ferry all day, I drove down into Charles Town in the late afternoon. Charles Town has a small main street/historic district area and is known for its ties to George Washington’s family. It’s actually named for George’s youngest brother Charles who founded the town. Many members of the Washington family are buried in the cemetery at Zion Episcopal Church.
Charles Washington’s house, “Happy Retreat,” sits on a hill at the south end of town and is being restored for public use.
After wandering town for a bit, I stopped into Abolitionist Ale Works for a refreshing beer on Washington Street before heading back to Harper’s Ferry for the night.
After my time in Harper’s Ferry and Charles Town, I ventured out and stayed a night in Berkeley Springs, with a stop in Martinsburg along the way. Read more about that leg of my trip here!
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