TRAVEL & CULTURE
JULY 2019 / SOUTHERNLIVING.COM
54
Above and Right At the
Secret Sandwich Society,
try the Dynamo burger.
of pit-cooked barbecue or apple-
brined boar belly—you’ll need to
refuel after a long day of play. Then
cap off the evening with live music
at the open-air Rendezvous Lodge.
Cool Small Town
For a break from the wilderness, drive
about 4 miles from the resort, cross
over the bridge, and turn left onto
South Court Street. A faded green sign
reads, “Fayetteville: Recognized as one
of the coolest small towns in America.”
Spend the day in this hip, eclectic
Appalachian village to find out how
it earned that distinction.
Fayetteville once thrived as a coal-
mining hub, but the decline of that
industry didn’t drag down the town
with it. The tight-knit group of locals
is made up of lifelong residents as well
as transplants who fell in love with
the area. To revitalize their community,
business owners shifted economic
gears to what they know best—the
New River and its natural playground—
sharing their beloved corner of the
state with visitors.
Local Gems
At The Historic Morris Harvey House
Bed & Breakfast, innkeeper and
Fayette County native Bernie J. Kania
Jr. welcomes guests to a 1902 Queen
Anne-style home that’s walkable to
downtown. Sit with him at the dining
table over the breakfast he’s prepared
for a houseful of guests, and listen to a
decade’s worth of tales about the B&B.
Everyone here has a story about
how West Virginia stole their heart.
The historic one-stoplight down-
town welcomes tourists with distinc-
tive shops, bed-and-breakfasts, and
restaurants. Spend a fun afternoon
bouncing from one redbrick storefront
to another along the main drag. Hit
Water Stone Outdoors, a Fayetteville
fixture since 1994, selling all the gear
you’ll need for your trip’s itinerary.
Before an afternoon of hiking, stock
your backpack with homemade trail
mix from the Ben Franklin, a mainstay
on East Maple Avenue for over 50 years.
