The New River Gorge is an IDEAL Romantic Getaway Destination
First, let’s establish that we agree that the purpose of a romantic getaway is to create the space for a couple to reconnect, have some fun and head home feeling refreshed and psyched on each other. There are myriad options for accomplishing this. Of course you can head to a city and find endless possibilities with countless whistles and bells. Sexy and sophisticated as the city options appear we are not convinced that they help make romance happen. Nor are we convinced that you need to find warm temperatures to stoke the romance. The cold has its charms. In keeping with the upcoming Valentine’s Day, we advocate for K.I.S.S.: keep it simple, stupid. Strip away the excess, the complications, the headaches and head to the New River Gorge to discover how easy it is to truly getaway. 
Stick with us as we build a bombproof case to defend what might seem to be a counter-intuitive argument: the New River Gorge in the dead of the winter is IDEAL for a romantic getaway.
1. Low hassle, low stress The main enemies of romance are stress and hassle. Either can kill your romantic mojo. Cities entail traffic, navigation, parking, reservations and…people. Everywhere people. Getting on a plane heading to warmer climes can be rigorous. Romance happens when things are easy, when there is room in the schedule, when there is ease. The NRG is easy to reach yet out of the way. A tank of cheap gas and you are here. Fayetteville has one stoplight for crying out loud. No road rage!
2. Privacy, peace and quiet. Things are really quiet around here in the winter. It is NOT our season. Fayetteville is sleepy and slow. Ahhhh. It stands to reason that if you are trying to focus on your partner you don’t need distractions, you need breathing room. Enjoy the solitude.
3. Great digs. Absolutely critical and we have nailed it. Our three ideal picks: LaFayette Flats. Owners Shawn and Amy bought one of downtown Fayetteville’s most impressive buildings and did an immaculate historic renovation. The four studio apartments, each designed to accommodate a couple, are chic, charming and West Virginia-centric. Just check out the pictures–totally romantic. The Confluence is 20 minutes north of Fayetteville. A quick look at the aerial photo on their homepage reveals the stunning setting. The Hemlock House is a splurge but oh, the view! The hot tub! And you won’t see a soul. Opossum Creek Retreat offers “Your cabin in the woods” and all of them are charming. Hot tubs, privacy, convenience and affordability…perfect. There are many other options that cover a gamut of price points.
The sound of a train whistle echoing through the gorge is romantic. Tim Naylor photo
4. Great eats. The New River Gorge area has become a WV dining destination. Pies and Pints, Gumbo’s, Cathedral Cafe, Secret Sandwich Society, Diogi’s…Maybe these haven’t gotten a 5 star rating from Michelin but they are fantastic, well priced and you won’t need a reservation. Low stress, low hassle!
5. Nature. A starry sky, the moon rising above the trees…nature brings the romance! Bundle up and hike to Long Point. Take a scenic drive and look at the icey waterfalls. Breath fresh air. We contend that the weather is a non-issue. If it is cold and grey sleep in and snuggle up. If it is brilliant and blue, take a stroll and hit the hot tub. There is plenty to do if you like, or do nothing at all. You win either way.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Hope to see you soon.