Einzigartige Aktivitäten in West Virginia

Hug A Highland allows guests to visit our family owned and operated farm to brush, love, feed, and take nonprofessional pictures with our Scottish Highlands and miniature donkeys! It is a perfect way to get up close and personal with friendly farm animals. If wanted, guests can also take a look around our farm to learn more about beekeeping, cover crops, or agriculture in general. MUST BE 10 YEARS OR OLDER TO PARTICIPATE

Looking for a fun outdoor activity for the family? Need to de-stress from the craziness of life? Cuddling with animals offers the opportunity to relax your mind and let go of the stress and anxiety for brief period. Not to mention, it's just FUN! During your visit, you will have one hour to cuddle and pet the animals on our micro-farm. Being that this is an outdoor experience, we are really not set up to do cuddle sessions during inclement weather. If we are expecting bad weather for your booked hour, I'm happy to work with you on re-scheduling for a nicer day or time. We currently have lots of Nigerian Dwarf goats of varying ages, a 2.5 year-old miniature Zebu named Molly, a rescue steer named Ferdinand, and two pigs named Charlie and Ellie. We also have numerous chickens, as well as our Holland Lop bunnies Oliver and Willow. ** For the health and safety of both our animals and yours, we do not allow outside animals to visit the farm. ** **We do not have a public bathroom on-site, since this is our home. For your convenience, we do offer a Porta-John with hand sanitizer** **For those interested, we do offer our pasture raised eggs and homemade goat milk soap available for purchase from our farm store during your visit.** **If you book a private event, please be sure to state how many people are in your group.**

In this tour you will learn about the farm, visit an old spring house, play with mini donkeys, feed Kent sheep and pet and feed Mini Highland cows. Note: You will not go into the pasture with the cows, but you will get to pet and feed them through the fence. You will have an opportunity to go in the pastures with the Mini donkeys and Kent sheep. Cows, donkeys and sheep are very friendly and will enjoy giving you licks, eating out of your hand. Some guests like to set chairs up and just be in the pasture with the donkeys and sheep (while we are present guiding the experience). We will provide the treats, brushes, balls to interact with and chairs for observation -along with full time instruction.

We'll set off from Regent Square and hike up the back trails with your new best friend: a jovial hairless dog named Lola! Along with exercising and socializing, we'll take some photos to publish on Lola's world famous Instagram profile. As we hike, feel free to take time to photograph the Pittsburgh backcountry. Along the way we will have great views of nature and Western Pennsylvania!

Upon arrival, please take your time getting situated. there is no rush on the farm and we have two kids, so it usually takes me a few minutes to greet you. Most often you will be greeted at your car by our farm dogs, Arlie (English Shepherd) & Freddie (Bernese). Chickens and a goat or two may greet you as well. This is a chance to show off our farm and farm store! You are welcome to stroll the property and visit our Herbal Earth Apothecary farm store! At your leisure, feel free to wander and take in the property or interact with the animals. Spent beer grains from Laurel Highlands Brewing are provided to feed. We offer you the chance to relax and enjoy a slow-paced time on the farm. Hanging out with goats may be the secret to happiness. Family friendly. Picnic friendly. Stay at your leisure.

I will be able to provide guests with Paddle Boards, equipment, and the best paddle board spots in the New River Gorge. I will be able to teach them the basics of paddle boarding. I'll be guiding them on Summersville Lake or at Kanawha Falls. 7:00pm trips are sunset trips at Summersville Lake

Come out to Pickle Meadows Farm to spend some quality time with goats, pigs, sheep, ferrets, and a hedgehog!! Our farm offers an interactive and educational look at farm animals, learning facts about their basic anatomy, things they eat, and how they communicate. We offer hands on experiences with feeding, grooming, and basic animal caretaking. Walk the goats, sheep, and a pig on a leash and watch them jump through the field during our walk through the pasture. You can even take a stroll through the nature trails and discover the indigenous trees and plants of Central Virginia. Come spend some time with our animals and reconnect with nature. All of the goats and sheep were bottle fed and enjoy interactions with humans. Petunia, our potbellied pig, was hand raised and loves children and belly rubs. Our newest mini-pig, Kevin, enjoys walking on a leash exploring the farm and is learning a few tricks to show off. Spend some time with Mocho & Sushi, the ferrets, while they create mischief. We even have a hedgehog, Princess Buttercup, that likes to play on the farm.

For those who are looking for the true horse experience and want to get their hands dirty. We will begin by introducing you to your horse who has just been pulled out of the pasture. We will start by teaching you how to groom and dress your horse and properly prepare them for the ride. During this process, you will learn about the animals who will be taking you on your trail ride and learn everything that is involved in owning, caring and using our amazing horses. Next we will head out onto the trail for an hour horseback tour of the Shenandoah Valley. During your ride you will be able to capture breathtaking vista views before we work our way down the mountain, walk along Walkers Creek before finally heading up an ancient holler towards home. Following your ride, we will teach you how to undress your horse and put them back in the pasture. For those who are interested, we will give you a tour of the historic homestead and give you a bit of history dating back to 1870. ***ATTENTION**** PLEASE NOTE THE GUEST REQUIREMENTS SECTION. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS ACTIVITY, OUR 230 POUNDS WEIGHT LIMIT AND OUR PHYSICAL FITNESS REQUIREMENTS ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

You’ll hop on the trolley and tour award-winning vineyards and breweries, sampling their offerings and taking in their gorgeous views. Along the way you’ll learn about the history of the area and how it’s becoming a world class destination for wine and craft beer. Other things to note Please arrive 10 minutes prior to start of tour. Tastings not included in price.

It's more than a hike, it's a treasure hunt! Walk along the famed Appalachian Trail through hardwood forest and past rocky cliffs to our "X marks the spot," the site of a hidden airplane wreck. Sharpen your exploration skills: participants will learn crucial skills such as compass navigation and trail-reading, all in a laidback environment supportive of beginners and try-againers. Along the way, we'll also learn about the history of the airplane and its passengers, as well as how the fog-draped Blue Ridge Mountains spelled doom for many a plane in the mid- to late 1900s. We’ll meet at the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area. Total distance hiked is 4 miles. Total time is approximately 3 hours. Your guide will provide a map and compasses, as well as a nourishing snack from a local bakery. Hikers should bring good tennis shoes or boots and their own water. **Note: Starting spring 2023, I'm donating 10% of my revenue and ALL cash tips to nature preservation and sponsoring at-risk youth on a hiking trip. Please consider cash tips toward these causes!**

Guests will get to learn the basic aspects of horsemanship, including grooming, tacking, and communication with the horses. They will then be led on a relaxing trail ride through the woods and get to enjoy the classic old-world scenery that northern Virginia has to offer. Down gravel roads, and through winding paths up the mountain ridge, guests may see for miles the sprawling farmland. They will encounter natural beauty from the streams of sunlight through the treetops to deer and even the great American bald eagle. If interested guests will learn about the history of the land dating back as far as the civil war and how it shaped this part of the country and community in ways that are still reflected today. If you are interested in this experience (or another one of my available experiences) in a time slot that is not listed, or in place of another experience in that listed time slot, please send me a direct message.

Experience the spookiest of Pittsburgh’s Downtown! Get to see outstanding historic landmarks (often beautifully lit up in the darker and colder months) during the quiet evening hours and learn about their history and which spirits lurk in them. Don't worry about picking up any ghostly travelers; the entirety of the tour takes place outdoors! This 2-hour tour is offered on select evenings. Ready to get chills and be scared by some obscure ghost stories? ***Please note: This is NOT a haunted house tour OR a pure Ghost Tour but rather a history tour with a spooky twist!*** Please note: -Every participant will have to sign a waiver. - Free cancellation and full refund up to 24 hours before tour start. - Tour will take rain or shine! Please message if there are any concerns about inclement weather.

First we will bike through the streets of the Financial and Cultural district, explore the Strip District and then check out the North Shore on its scenic river trails. We will dive into the history of Pittsburgh, tracking down the people who shaped this city to what it is today: a beauty. Old and new buildings, city squares and public art will turn this bike ride into a unique event full of exciting (re)discoveries of The Burgh. Other things to note: TOURS START ON TIME. Please arrive at the meeting point 15 mins early. Every participant will have to sign a waiver. - Free cancellation and full refund up to 24 hours before tour start. - Tour will take rain or shine! Please message if there are any concerns about inclement weather. We are pleased to also offer this tour in Spanish. Please send in your request at least 2 weeks in advance to ensure that the Spanish tour is available.

Guests will enjoy an elegant tea party under a brand new rustic pavilion with a panoramic forest view on our serene and scenic property in Central Virginia. Guests will enjoy tea, cookies, scones, or muffins, and a charcuterie board. .There will be a Bluetooth speaker available so that guests can play music if they desire. If you desire some exercise, take a walk around the property or a short but rigorous hike to overlook the James River for beautiful pictures. If you are looking for a unique experience with the special people in your life, schedule your private tea party under our spacious covered pavilion with a gas fire pit in the cooler weather, cozy seating, large table, and gorgeous handmade swinging daybed on our property which make for great photo ops. Makes a great gift for loved ones, too!

Shed the outside world for a few hours. Picture yourself walking among gentle and always curious alpacas. Meet alpacas up close and personal. Feel their fuzzy noses as you hand-feed them. Learn about their history, their behavior and personalities, and what makes alpaca fiber special. Take a guided walk with one of our alpacas over pasture and wooded trails. Then check out our farm store and studio where you will find yarns and roving made from our alpacas’ fleece, felted soap wrapped in their fiber, a wide selection of wearable alpaca items for the whole family, alpaca-themed gift items, and photo cards of each of the alpacas you met. Then dip your fingers into the world’s softest, silkiest, warmest fleece. After the tour, you can relax in one of our three picnic areas or explore trails through 23 wooded acres and along Ballinger Creek. It’s time to take a break, relax and enjoy the farm. We set up this farm especially for your enjoyment. SUMMER HEAT ADVISORY — It is too dangerous to alpaca health to walk them when the Heat Index is above 90°. We can still do the tour, but not walking the alpaca. What we offer in place of the walk is to have you help us cool off our critters by hosing them. We will show you how, then you can take over giving them one of their favorite activities. They are like kids playing in the sprinklers.