Five Ways to Combat Spring Fever in West Virginia

Bring on spring!

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Everyone is looking forward to spring. Until then, try our recommendations for combatting spring fever and boosting your mood until sunshiny skies appear once again.

1. Get outside. Getting outside may seem hard to do in the frigid, rainy days of late winter, but you can get out of the house and stretch your legs without getting cold or wet. Smoke Hole Caverns are a constant 56 degrees year-round—just be sure to take a jacket. The bizarre and breathtaking cavern formations make for a fun exploration for the entire family.
   
   
2. Eat at a new—to you—restaurant. Appalachian food is having its renaissance. Restaurants like Appalachian Kitchen in Snowshoe, Hill & Hollow in Morgantown, Fish Hawk Acres Market in Buckhannon, and Vagabond Kitchen in Wheeling are serving up new twists on Appalachian cuisine. Try one—or all—of these restaurants, where chefs are highlighting home-grown foods and authentic West Virginia recipes.
   
   
3. Read a book. Fight the blues and cozy up with a few great West Virginia–themed books. Storming Heaven by Denise Giardina and Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam are two of the best-loved books in the Mountain State—or read Strange as This Weather Has Been by Ann Pancake for a Steinbeck-esque Appalachian vibe.
   
   
4. Enjoy the weather—when you can. When the weatherman calls for peak weather in your neck of the woods, pack up the family and head outdoors. Hiking is a great way to enjoy both the weather and the beautiful scenery of West Virginia. It’s not difficult to find a great trail here, but we will always recommend hiking at Seneca Rocks, Black Water Falls State Park, or the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
   
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5. Perfect your pepperoni roll recipe. This unofficial state food, known as the coal miner’s lunch, is different in every holler. Do you prefer yours with soft bread and cheese, or stick pepperoni and peppers? Last year, everyone learned to perfect their banana bread and sourdough recipes—we say 2021 is the year of pepperoni roll perfection.