The Perfect 3-Day Winter Itinerary for Harpers Ferry WV

Every year in January, my husband and I try to get away for a long weekend to celebrate his birthday and decompress from the busy holiday season. We try to find a place within a 3.5-hour drive from home.

This year we visited Harpers Ferry West Virginia. We stayed at the historic Light Horse Inn, circa 1779. It is technically in Bolivar and a 16 min walk to Lower Town Harpers Ferry. (the historic center) It was a great location. We could leave our car parked at the inn and walk wherever we wanted to go. Harpers Ferry is very hilly, but it kept us warm on the cold windy walks. I imagine parking in Lower Town would be a nightmare during the busy season.

After checking in, we grabbed a bite to eat at White Horse Tavern which had good bar food and was only a 4 min drive from the inn. One thing to note: a lot of the restaurants and shops shut down for the first two weeks in January.

Day 1

Explore Historic Lower Town Harpers Ferry

We awoke to sunny skies and were served a delicious breakfast by Fancy, the innkeeper. We then bundled up and headed out, eager to start our adventure. The town was not fully awake yet so we walked to the point where the Shenandoah River flows into the Potomac. The icy cold waters shimmered in the sun and the mountains towered above them. A freight train thundered by, interrupting the tranquility, but lending thrilling bass notes to the symphony.

Harpers Ferry has a lot of history and is part of the National Park Service. Lewis and Clark got needed supplies for their expedition here. The second US armory was built on the banks of the Potomac River. John Brown tried to take over the armory and was later hung in Harpers Ferry. A Civil War battle saw the Confederates capture the armory.

The town does a great job of packing a ton of info into a small area. There are museums in the old historic buildings and historical signage everywhere. Built on a hill, Harpers Ferry is a jumble of old and even older buildings, stacked up and added onto as needed. There is a sort of neat, tidy, chaos to it.

We went into the dry goods store which is set up like it would have been in the early 1800s. The shelves were lined with canned goods, grains, fabrics, hats, lamps, and anything else one would need in those days.

Advertisements telling of the latest products, and what was happening in the area, were nailed to the front wall inside. Some were humorous in light of present-day knowledge. One of my favorites was the “water cure”. The advertisement stated, “The patient is wrapped in sheets and towels before being lowered into the bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Many patients benefit from four or five of these baths a day.”

Other advertisements were more sobering, such as a paper announcing the raffle of a dark bay horse named “Star” and a 20-year-old girl named “Sarah”.

Visit Antietam National Battlefield

Next, we headed to Antietam, the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The battlefield is located just outside Sharpsburg, which is a 25 min drive north of Harpers Ferry.

If you love Civil War-era history, I recommend visiting Antietam National Battlefield. American Battlefield Trust has some great resources for planning your visit here.

Stop in at the Visitor’s Center to watch a short film, get your pass, and pick up a map. You can drive the route marked with numbered signs. At each stop, you are able to park and read about important moments of the battle. If it is a nice day, you can walk the trails which lead through the fields. There are monuments in honor of fallen soldiers from each state which had regiments in the battle.

On the morning of September 17, 1862, the Union forces launched an attack on the Confederate army. The battle raged across the farms surrounding the town of Sharpsburg. In just 12 hours, about 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing of the nearly 100,000 soldiers engaged in battle.

While none of the townspeople and farmers were killed during the battle, many died later as a result of disease and sickness while caring for the wounded.

The farms were badly damaged from the fighting. One soldier who had fought in the battle passed through the area a year later. He remarked that the fields and woods still had bodies lying in them. The dead were too numerous to bury. The armies had moved on to the next battle and the townspeople were busy caring for the wounded. They all were eventually buried, but it took a long time.

As we drove the road through the battlefields, a heaviness came over me at the horror of it all. One thought stuck with me, “Can you imagine being one of the farmers and realizing the only harvest that will take place this year will be a gathering of bodies, not crops? And come spring, there will be no plowing and planting because there are still bodies strewn across your fields.”

The details and history of the battle, although heavy, were really interesting. It was a very important battle that made the Emancipation Proclamation feasible.

Visit Antietam National Cemetery

We stopped in Sharpsburg to visit the Antietam National Cemetery. All the graves had Christmas wreaths on them. It was such a beautiful sight. The cemetery would be a wonderful place to wander around. I imagine the view from the back looking out over the fields would be worth seeing. We didn’t venture beyond the Pennsylvania section because we were cold and hungry.

After the battlefield, we needed a change of mood. So we headed to the Bavarian Inn located in Shepherdstown for some amazing German food. The restaurant is beautiful with a high A-frame ceiling, wooden beams, and large windows that look out over a large patio area that would be lovely in warmer weather. We split the crab-stuffed Bavarian pretzel and the trio of sausages with sauerkraut and whipped potatoes.

Day 2

Hike The Maryland Heights Trail

The next day we headed to Lower Town to pick up the Maryland Heights Trail. We opted for the shorter loop, which from the Inn and back would add up to 7mi. It was cloudy, cold, and super windy, but by the time we started up the trail, we had warmed up nicely. The trail rose steadily uphill as it angled across the mountain. The last bit turned downward towards the overlook rock, which was a welcome relief. The view from the rock was outstanding.

Harpers Ferry comes to a point where the Shenandoah flows into the Potomac. Rising up on all sides of the two rivers are high hills and mountains. Because there were no leaves on the trees, our view was unobstructed. The view was worth working for. It would have been a nice picnic spot to rest, refuel, and take in the scenery, but the wind was icy and relentless. So we headed down the mountain, along the canal, and over the bridge back into town.

Enjoy The Local Restaurants

We had earned a late lunch, and after scouting the local eateries, we ended up at The Rabbit Hole. We opted to eat outside on the deck in a bubble. These “bubbles” were clear plastic and had a door that zipped shut like a tent. A heat lamp hung down over the table and kept us toasty warm. I enjoyed a hot bowl of French Onion soup and a salad.

Go To True Treats Candy Shop

We wandered along and stopped in an old-time candy shop called True Treats Candy. They carry historical candy from Biblical times through the 20th century. It was fun to recognize treats from our childhood. We purchased two kinds to try, then headed toward the back of the shop to the theater. They have old black-and-white cartoons playing continuously there. I had forgotten how funny and entertaining Popeye is! We left with huge smiles on our faces. I highly recommend getting some candy and maybe one of their wacky-flavored sodas and watching the old cartoons.

After a brisk uphill walk back to our room and relaxing for a bit, we opted for an easy takeout dinner. Our innkeeper recommended Kelley Farm Kitchen, which is two doors away. They serve vegan food but don’t let that deter you if you are not vegan. The food was amazing! We got Creamy Coconut Ramen and Baja “Chickin” tacos. We drug the bedside tables over to the comfy leather chairs and enjoyed our yummy dinner without having to take the blustery walk back to Lower Town. Then we wrapped up the evening with a few rounds of Yahtzee, which I hadn’t played in years.

Day 3

Walk Part Of The Appalachian Trail

Sunday morning saw clear blue skies and sunshine, and since we had a few hours before heading home, we decided to do a little more exploring.

Near the end of High street, in Lower Town, on the left, is a well-worn stone staircase that is part of the Appalachian Trail. When I say well worn I am not exaggerating. Some of the steps are only a few inches high and are more like a ramp. They are so smooth and beautiful. I imagine thousands and thousands of footsteps falling on them down through the ages. Weary hikers of the present day all the way back to weary soldiers and slaves looking for freedom have left their mark on them.

Hike To Jefferson Rock

Up these stairs, we climbed, past St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church as morning mass was ending, past the ruins of Civil War era St. John’s Episcopal Church, until we arrived at Jefferson Rock. This rock is famous because of Thomas Jefferson, who stood there on October 25, 1783, and found the view impressive. He afterward wrote in Notes on the State of Virginia: “The passage of the Patowmac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature. You stand on a very high point of land. On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot of the mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Patowmac in quest of a passage also. In the moment of their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder and pass off to the sea.” You can no longer stand on the rock but you can still get really close and enjoy the view.

Visit Robert Harper’s Grave

Continuing just a little farther, we took the short spur to the Harper Cemetery to visit Robert Harper’s grave after whom the town is named. The view from the cemetery high on the hill is amazing. We love to wander around old cemeteries, reading the old tombstones.

Walk The Trails Along The Shenandoah River

We retraced our steps back down to High street to the Shenandoah River. There is a walking trail that goes along the river past the old foundations of buildings that had been destroyed by floods. The remains of an old flour mill were pretty cool to see. It is a great area with really lovely flat trails if you just want to stroll along. There are plenty of signboards to read along the way.

Get A Coffee Or Ice Cream At Battle Grounds

Our last stop was at Battle Grounds Bakery and Coffee which has great lattes and cappuccinos, as well as pastries, ice cream, salads, and sandwiches (breakfast & lunch). I opted for an unsweetened cappuccino which hit the spot.

After finishing our coffee, we took one last walk up the big hill to get our car which was parked at the inn. We really enjoyed our adventure! Harpers Ferry is a great place to spend a winter weekend.

If you have visited Harpers Ferry in the winter and have any more suggestions, please comment below. If you want further information or have any questions, leave them below and I would be happy to answer them.