Fayetteville, West Virginia is an iconic small town for various reasons. To start off with, it is the center of the pandemic that is the tourism industry of Fayette County. Ideally, it is a great place for tourists to come and experience what true white water rafting is all about on the New River. Besides tourism, we have a rich cultural heritage stemming back from the coal mining days with exhibits in the Canyon Rim Visitors Center, and remains you can hike to and admire for yourself up along the Kaymoor Trail. Whether you have lived in Fayetteville your entire life, or you are just passing through - here are just some things you come to know and love about this small town.

1. Fayetteville Has The Best Restaurants-

For Fayetteville to be such a small town, it packs a punch when it comes to the dining section. From Dirty Ernie's Rib Pit to Secret Sandwich Society - the food itself will make you want to live here. I also forgot to mention the famous Pies & Pints, which has the best pizza around.

2. The New River Gorge Bridge-

Everyone knows about the New River Gorge Bridge. People from far and wide come to Fayetteville every year just to admire the beauty of the bridge, especially when Bridge Day rolls around in October. You don't really understand just how beautiful it can be until you've seen it in all four seasons. The bridge really puts our small town on the map, the rafting industry does great, but nothing does our town justice like the bridge.

3. Friday Night Lights-

Whether you are an FHS alumni or just another person filled with Pirate Pride, everyone comes out every Friday night to support the boys during Friday night lights. Whether we win or we lose, we're still pirates and the team spirit never fades. Good luck this year boys!

4. Scenic Views-

Besides the bridge Fayetteville is an all around beautiful town. From the historic buildings driving through town to the scenic overlooks of Fayette Station. If you're just visiting Fayetteville, you never get the full experience of what true beauty really lies here. You never get to see the courthouse in all the elements, and you never get to see how the town changes from day to day.

5. Recreation-

When finding words to describe Fayetteville, boring is not a word that comes to mind. Living here I am surrounded by some of the best heritage festivals, firework displays and outdoor recreation activities in the state. Fayetteville also has cute and quaint little shops to explore for the milder days, so things are never dull.

Living in Fayetteville has taught me that small town life isn't horrible, to find my own fun in the unexpected places and to always slow down and find the beauty in everything. Fayetteville has been named "One of the Coolest Small Towns in America", and this is because Fayetteville has a certain uniqueness about it. I love my small town, and I am proud to say I grew up in such a diverse and growing community.