A Small Vacation Through History

I went on a vacation! I realize that it is a normal thing people do, but I have not gone on too many through my life. Those that I have been on were fun and relaxing, so I decided to commit to at least one vacation a year. Time will, of course, tell how that well I do, but I started strong. Samantha and I took a few days to enjoy the historic Harpers Ferry. I didn't want to go too far away with the impending birth of our grandson, and I've always wanted to visit the infamous site of John Brown's Raid. It is only 60 miles away from our new home in Alexandria, but it felt like a world away.

Any description I try to provide will not do any justice to the experience. Harpers Ferry is a serene, picturesque little town in West Virginia where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. It is a natural wonder that provides a beautiful view of neighboring Maryland and Virginia. There was plenty to do and see which we did -- at a leisurely pace.  

• Harpers Ferry is actually managed by the National Park Service. I didn't see a lot of negatives in the arrangement with the town. Traffic was really light, the streets were exceptionally clean, and all the historic areas were informative and clearly marked. We wandered around the extremely hilly hamlet and found cool thing after cool thing to check out: 
• St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church
• Jefferson's Rock
• Lockwood House
• John Brown's Fort
• The Point
• The John Brown Wax Museum is a great introduction to the town's primary claim to fame. I loved that it provided context to one of the most controversial figures in American history through key scenes in his life.  
• River Riders provide a Zipline and Canopy Tour that includes eight lines that range from 200 to 1,000 feet. I am not a thrill-seeker, but this was fun (in a life-threatening "why am I doing this" kind of way). The guides were good at making it look easy, kept it safe, and were exceptionally nice. (See Video)  
• Harpers Ferry is home to America's oldest ghost tour. I didn't find the Ghost Tours of Harpers Ferry particularly scary, but I did think it was one of the most informative two hours of the entire trip. Our guide told some incredible stories that encompassed the whole history of the area. I loved it and would recommend it without hesitation. 

There were plenty of good places to eat. 

• Coach House Grill n' Bar: (3/5) Great view, great atmosphere, great staff, but only OK food
• Almost Heaven: (2/5) Great view with OK atmosphere and food. The staff looked like we interrupting their afternoon. 
• White Horse Tavern: (4/5) No view compared to other restaurants inside Harpers Ferry,  but it had a great atmosphere, staff, and food. 
• Maggie Malick Wine Cave: (4/5) Great view and staff with a good atmosphere and food. I really enjoyed their self-guided flights that included some good wines.
• Rabbit Hole: (4/5) Great view and atmosphere with good food and staff. 
• Battle Grounds: (5/5) Great! This is how a coffee shop should be. What a way to end the trip.