These pictures are reality in Grant County, West Virginia where warm hospitality of friendly, talented, and artistic residents are waiting for you. Begin with Petersburg, the County Seat, and enjoy the laid back atmosphere and good ole’ home cooking from several restaurants, even at the bowling alley! Engage with the locals in a back home setting as you explore unique shops of books, décor, gifts, and local art. Or take in a hometown play or concert that can be found in the Landes Arts Center or one of the many local churches.

Next plan for shots of the gracefulness of the winding roadways, sometimes behind wagon loads of cattle or hay, and witness spectacular mountainous vistas. You may want to climb the hills, explore the river, or simply find a quiet spot for a picnic or rest.

Hear the twang of mountain music of the people in festivals that begin in early spring and end in late autumn. Or find the unusual. As one visitor put it, “I never thought I’d see and hear a tuba player on the side of a mountain road!”

Focus on the beauty and the songs of our wildlife friends. Whether traveling by automobile, bicycle, motorcycle or train, you won’t want to miss the cruise of a hawk or the thrill of an eagle’s flight. The quiet flow of a stream or the roar of a waterfall will embrace you as you relax and breathe in the crisp mountain air.

Grant County offers visitors many recreational choices, like skiing, mountain biking, hiking, hunting, fishing, caving, rock climbing, kayaking, boating and golfing. Or you can quietly enjoy the scenic beauty of the area.

Bring your camera to build and store memories of your peaceful adventures of the romantic countryside in the hills that will make you want to return to Grant County, the Heartbeat of the Potomac Highlands.

Article by Geri Moser, owner/operator of Breath of Heaven Bed and Breakfast