"We LOVED your place.  We made a full Thanksgiving dinner, we hiked 6 - 8 miles a day, we walked along the banks of the Potomac in your beautiful back yard, and we slept soundly in the quiet evenings." Rain or shine, there’s always plenty to do and see when you’re staying at the Long Time Gone Cottage.

On the property itself you can hike, swim, fish (Maryland or West Va. license required), camp, bird-watch, roast marshmallows, build a campfire, take an inner-tube trip down the river or just lounge around on the front porch glider and take a nap. (Go ahead and mow the grass if you’re feeling really industrious…)

• Check the current river conditions at Paw Paw

Attention water lovers: The Potomac River is safe for boating and rafting only when water levels are below 7 feet. The state requires that all watercrafts (including inner-tubes) carry enough life jackets for every passenger and that children actually wear their life jackets while on the river. They take this seriously (as do we) and will issue tickets to violators. We have about a dozen life jackets available for guest use. Please be smart and use them! And please use common sense and practice good safety whenever near or on the river.

Nearby activities
Paw Paw Tunnel: Just two miles away you’ll find the historic Paw Paw Tunnel National Historical Site, which was not only a marvel of engineering in its day, but is really cool to walk through (bring a flashlight and wear comfortable shoes—it’s dark and slippery). As part of the Paw Paw Tunnel Site, the National Park Service also maintains several hiking trails of varying degrees of length and difficulty. Water and comfortable shoes will be the key to your enjoyment of this site, which does not charge a fee.

The Town of Paw Paw: Paw Paw is plenty historic—George Washington first mapped the region, the Paw Paw Tunnel is right across the river, and more than 20,000 Federal troops camped here during the Civil War as the historic marker in town will tell you.

But with fewer than 500 permanent residents, the Paw Paw of today offers few amenities beyond a restaurant, bank, a small hostel for hikers, and the Liberty gas station where you can purchase basic food and supplies, including ice and beer. In addition you’ll also find an American Legion Hall, a few churches and a lovely old cemetery. In short, if you want to get away from big city life, this is the place.

For other signs of civilization, visit the Berkeley Springs, WVa. website.

A scenic 25-minute drive away, you’ll find shops, restaurants, antiques, and a Food Lion grocery store in this quaint old town.

The town is also home to five spas, operated by the state of West Virginia , offering an array of health and beauty treatments.

We’re about 30 minutes from Cumberland , MD and a bit further than that from Winchester , VA.

Note: When driving down to Paw Paw from Northern Virginia, we highly recommend the Shawnee Springs Market for in-season fruits and vegetables, country ham, and most especially, fabulous homemade pies. They also sell the old-fashioned candy sticks that kids seem to love. Shawnee Springs is located along Highway 522 in Cross Junction, Virginia.

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