Fayetteville
America’s coolest small town is definitely worth a visit and we really loved it here! With the nation’s newest national park, fun hikes, beautiful fall views, delicious eats and unique breweries, it’s a spot worthy of adding to your travel list!
Ways to Explore the Outdoors in Fayetteville with Kids:
New River Gorge National Park
We recommend starting at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center to get a lay of the land and see the breathtaking views from this location. A wooden boardwalk from the visitor center leads to gorgeous views of the New River Gorge Bridge and the gorge - be prepared because there are 178 stairs to get to the lowest overlook, but still doable with kids. The New River Gorge Bridge really is a spectacular sight of structural achievement to see. It’s also the third highest bridge in the United States! The New River Gorge Bridge is an actual highway, so it is not open to pedestrians except on the third Saturday of October for “Bridge Day” - which is West Virginia’s largest one-day festival and also the largest extreme sports event in the world!
Hiking to Main Overlook at Grandview. From this vantage point, you can see incredible views of the New River. Other hikes in Grandview that we recommend with kids: Tunnel Trail (our 4 year old loved climbing through rocks and tunnels on this ½ mile trail!) and Woodland Loop Trail (an easy ½ mile trail through the forest that was a great spot for sighting wildlife!).
Hike to Sandstone Falls. This has been one of our favorite hikes from all the national parks that we have visited! Sandstone Falls is such a peaceful spot that we ended up staying there all day and didn’t want to leave! It is a bit of a drive from Fayetteville to get there, but it’s worth it to see the largest waterfall on the New River! The hike is an easy ¼ mile walk along the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk and near the waterfall, there is a small beach where you can look for shells and unique rocks that the kids really enjoyed. Island Loop Trail was also an enjoyable ½ mile trail that runs along the river and used to be the site of an operating grist mill. There are also picnic tables in this area, so be sure to pack a lunch and enjoy the peacefulness of the falls!
Long Point Trail - this hike offers the most amazing views of the New River Gorge Bridge and the gorge and is one that we highly recommend. This is a mostly easy 3 mile round trip hike, but the last section of the hike to reach the point is a bit steep and rocky. Our 4 year old still managed without issue and we always have the baby hiking backpack in tow. However, if you are scared of heights, tread carefully at the end of the trail! The panoramic views can’t be beat.
Don’t forget to earn your Junior Ranger badge at America’s newest national park!
Drive through Thurmond to step back in time to an old railroad boomtown from the early 1900s. Thurmond Depot is open seasonally in the summer months for visitors to explore and learn about the history of the railroad.
Babcock State Park - “Almost Heaven, West Virginia!” This state park is home to the spectacular Glade Creek Grist Mill and the waterfalls that surround it. There are hiking trails here as well, but our kiddo’s favorite part was just climbing the rocks around the gristmill. Visiting during the fall with the changing leaves is truly something you should add to your travel list.
White water rafting along New River Gorge. There are a few companies that offer white water rafting trips that looked like a blast! Our kiddos weren’t old enough yet for this adventure during our trip, but it seemed like a popular and fun activity for families with bigger kids.
Where we stayed: Bear Mountain Cabins & Campground in Fayetteville. This small campground is centrally located to all Fayetteville has to offer. The campground has full hook-ups nestled amongst the trees with a nice little playground for the kids. They also have cabins on site that are available for rent. There is a small camp store with ice cream at the front of the campground, but no laundry facilities on site. We are self contained and didn’t use the bathroom facilities here. Overall, it was a nice, clean, centrally-located campground that we would recommend staying at in the area.
Brewery Spotlights: As always, we are on a quest to bring you recommendations for great local craft beer and/or food in cities all across America that also have a kid-friendly spaces. 1) Freefolk Brewery - with an awesome outdoor space, great beer and delicious food, this was a top notch dinner stop! The homemade pizza rolls & gyros were super delicious. In the words of our 5 year old “the best pizza rolls I’ve ever had!”
2) Bridge Brew Works - no food at this location, but the outdoor space with a large community fire pit was such a relaxing atmosphere after a day of hiking! The beer was delicious and the homemade root beer on tap was something our kiddo still talks about!
Favorite Food Stop: Secret Sandwich Society - holy moly, if you are into amazing and unique sandwiches, this place is for you! Even our picky eaters loved it. But get there early, because parking is tricky and the wait gets long pretty quick! They also have a to-go window and outdoor patio, if waiting for a table inside isn't your thing.