Hello, all! My name is Anna, and I am so excited to kick-off Wayside Violet’s “My Hometown” series with a peak into the city where I have staked a claim for the past four years: Huntington, West Virginia.
Huntington, WV, has recently enjoyed (or endured?) a significant amount of spotlight from the media. From the 2007 movie We Are Marshall, an account of the tragic plane crash involving the Marshall University football team, to this year’s ABC special, the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution, Huntington has made its presence known across the nation.
But, as a Huntington resident, what do I do whenever I am not reminiscing over our sports history or pondering, as Jamie Oliver so vividly said, “the statistic of death” that marks our area?
I bike; I hike. I read; I write. I drink great coffee; I eat unique cuisine. And I do it all in an area with the most picturesque landscape.
I had a friend that described living in West Virginia as living in the middle of a state park. This natural beauty is part of West Virginia’s tourist appeal. Even though Huntington is one of West Virginia’s larger cities, there is still solace from the traffic, the buildings, the concrete.
Ritter Park, situated right in the middle of the city, provides walking paths, hiking trails, bike routes, and rose gardens. I love to go on runs to the park before class in the morning.
Morning classes are just so much more productive with a cup of coffee in hand. Old Village Roasters, located just a few blocks away from Marshall University, has the best cup of coffee in the city. The beans are roasted on site, and the aroma wafts through the shop, right out onto the street. Hazelnut Supreme is my flavor of choice!
Whenever lunch time rolls around, Central City Cafe has the best soups, salads, and desserts. Their food has been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives, and deservedly so. The cafe is located right across the street from another one of Huntington’s beautiful parks: Central City Park.
Although I have lived in Huntington for four years, I am always finding quaint new gems each day. I just recently stumbled across this antique shop, and I love it!
So, if you’re looking for a place to go this summer that has outdoor activities close to a unique city, the area of Huntington, WV is the perfect place to explore.
Tags: hometown guest blogger series, huntington wv, travel
marina on 
Great paths to walk in Ritter Park. Love the stream that runs through it with all the flowering trees. Especially beautiful in the spring.