West Virginia For Couples: A Couples Guide to the Mountain State

West Virginia For Couples: A Couples Guide to the Mountain State

Guest Blogger:  Jeffrey Ferraro, travel enthusiast and expert,  Diamond Tours

Virginia may be for lovers, but there’s no better state for couples than West Virginia. Great food in comfortable settings? Check. Beautiful locales for taking in a sunrise? Check. Picturesque towns for a quiet stroll? Also check. There are countless opportunities for couples to enjoy one another in the Mountain State.

For something new, couples should give these date ideas a shot.

Backpacking In New River Gorge

Backpacking may not be an obvious activity for couples, but it’s benefits are plentiful and often unique to the

backpacking experience. Think about it: in just setting up a tent, couples practice patience, teamwork, and communication in ways they rarely have occasion to at home.

If you and your significant other enjoy the outdoors, head to the New River Gorge.  Here, couples can take in thousands of acres of wildflower-laced, winding trails that overlook waterfalls, lakes, and historic trestle bridges. For those wanting to do more than hike, there are also over 1,400 opportunities for climbing in the park,  and white water rafting for those with experience levels from beginner to intermediate/advanced.

Once couples have done it once, they nearly always go backpacking together again for the exhilaration, challenges, and unforgettable experiences it brings.

Theatre West Virginia Show Under the Stars

If your significant other would enjoy the beauty of New River Gorge but would like to experience it in a slightly less “hands on” fashion than hiking, turn on the charm and spend and evening at a Theatre West Virginia show.

An early summer date night at the Cliffside Amphitheater at Grandview is special from the moment you leave the car and smell the blossoming rhododendron. Couples will arrive for the 8:15pm performance just as the sun is beginning its decent behind the gorge area and the surrounding green hills. By intermission the night turns cool and the evening sky is a spectacle by itself.

This renowned theater group has attracted over one million viewers since it began performing at the Cliffside Amphitheatre in 1961. Their signature performances of Honey in the Rock and Hatfields & McCoys are essential to West Virginia’s culture and heritage, and both shows have been critically praised for decades.

Shows are held Tickets range from $9-$22 and can be purchased online. Plug 4700 Grandview Rd., Beaver, W.V. 25813 into your GPS for directions.

Listen to the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra at the Clay Center in Charleston

A night at the symphony may make for the perfect date night. You put on your finest suit or dress, treat yourselves to an elegant dinner, and then hold hands as scores of the state’s best musicians come together in harmony, making you both experience the full spectrum of human emotions. Many West Virginia couples haven’t done this, and that’s unfortunate.

West Virginian’s are blessed to have such an active symphony in Charleston. Every year at the Clay Center, the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra plays over 50 concerts, and the group has brought in world renowned guest over the years, including Ella Fitzgerald and Yo Yo Ma.

If you’re planning a date night at the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, make dinner reservations at Laury’s Restaurant. The interior of Laury’s is gorgeous and stately, perfect for a special night out. The menu should please all appetites with fine steaks, fresh seafood, and an expansive wine list.

Experience a Wonderful State Together

It’s true, sometimes dinner and a movie can make for the perfect evening for a couple, but West Virginia has so much more to offer couples. Don’t get stuck in a date-night rut. Get out there: take a hike, pull an oar, and listen to Beethoven. Most importantly, try something new together.

Jeffrey Ferraro is a travel enthusiast and expert. He is the Director of Marketing of Diamond Tours, the leading provider of charter group bus tours in the US and Canada, which include tours of major cities, bus trips to shows and casinos. Jeffrey loves uncovering lesser known travel destinations and sharing them with his customers.