By Kristen Uppercue
There’s something about friendly competition that gets the blood pumping, and nowhere is there more opportunity for sportsmanship than West Virginia. In addition to endless outdoor adventures, the Mountain State is also host to a variety of activities sure to inspire a healthy matchup between friends, family members or even coworkers.
Whether you’re looking for team-building activities to create camaraderie among your staff members, liven up a family reunion or put a unique spin on a girls’ weekend getaway, West Virginia is your destination for fun. From head-scratching puzzles and treasure hunts to target practice and aerial challenges, the Mountain State has the means to give any get-together a unique competitive edge.
Defense in Depth’s Shooting Range
Target practice can be an individual activity or a group sport, thanks to Morgantown-based Defense in Depth (DID). The company, which offers the largest indoor shooting range in the state, prides itself on teaching people how to defend themselves safely and effectively in a fun atmosphere. The 20,000-square-foot facility has 16, 25-yard shooting lanes available for rent and offers a touchscreen target system that allows renters to customize their experience. Participants of all skill levels are welcome.
Outside of the shooting range, DID also offers a virtual reality simulator, academy courses and active threat and new shooter trainings, as well as space available for large parties to rent for meetings, events and fundraisers.
For more information, visit defenseindepth.pro or call (304) 554-DFND.
Escape Works’ Escape Room
The game Clue has come to life through themed live-action games like the ones available at Escape Works in Weirton, WV. These games, known as escape rooms, require teams to discover clues, solve problems and complete tasks in order to finish the puzzle before time is up.
Escape Works’ current murder mystery event, Who Killed Bugsy Marlowe, puts teams of four to six players against the clock to figure out who pulled the trigger by following the clues. Teams can choose their level of difficulty when booking the escape room and should choose carefully because solving the crime requires teamwork, logic and attention to detail. The cost is $25 per person. Interested teams can book their adventure by visiting escapeworks-ov.com or calling (304) 639-8985.
River Riders Family Adventure Resort’s Aerial Adventure Park
Groups looking to take their adventure airborne can head to River Riders Family Adventure Resort’s Aerial Adventure Park in Harpers Ferry. The park features nine elevated rope course trails with varying levels of difficulty, from beginner to experienced. Each course has a variety of challenges and obstacles, including zip lines and bridges. The courses, which range from $44-59 per person for a two-hour climb, allow individuals to step outside their comfort zone and enable teams to support each other as they climb through the course. The adventure park is open April-October, and tickets can be purchased for a group of at least four people with group discounts available.
For more information, visit www.riverriders.com or call (304) 535-2663.
Scary Creek Paintball’s X-Treme Paintball Experience
Scary Creek Paintball in Scott Depot, WV, is the go-to destination for all things paintball. With redesigned and renovated fields and facilities, Scary Creek Paintball promises a paintball experience like no other.
Open year-round, Scary Creek Paintball offers challenging games overseen by referees for all skill levels. Teams are tasked with achieving an objective like capturing a tower before their competitors.
On-site accommodations include a locker room, outdoor picnic area, snack bar and spectator areas. The merchandise store has paintball guns, masks and barrels available for purchase. Prices range from $30-50 per day, and players must be at least 10 years of age. For more information, visit www.scarycreek.com or call (304) 755-5973.
ScavengerHunt.Com’s Charleston Edition
ScavengerHunt.com by Let’s Roam has created more than 200 scavenger hunts, one of which can be found in Charleston, WV. These modern scavenger hunts mix technology with outdoor tours and allow groups to solve puzzles and complete challenges while exploring different areas. Charleston’s hunt, called West Virginia’s Cultural Crown, highlights the cultural and historical landmarks in the city as well as its art scene. During the hunt, players cross paths with a variety of fun characters, including a cowboy senator, a folklore character and even a few angels.
After purchasing tickets online, the scavenger hunt begins with a walking tour on Virginia Street. The hunt will take about two hours, and each person in the group will have a role to play and challenges to complete, all of which is sent straight to the team members’ phones. The scavenger hunt enables participants to build communication and problem-solving skills while having a lot of fun exploring a historical landscape.
To learn more, visit www.scavengerhunt.com/locations.
West Virginia State Parks’ Geocaching
Treasure awaits at West Virginia’s state parks through their geocaching activities. Caches have been set up in parks all over the state to be found by visitors who have downloaded the geocaching app. A team can work together to walk along the trails in each park and hunt down the cache location where they will uncover a box full of items left behind by other visitors. Once the cache is found and a souvenir is taken, the team must leave something behind for the next adventurer.
Geocaching is a great activity for groups looking to build their communication and teamwork skills. Those ready to start hunting can view the locations at www.wvstateparks.com or contact (833) WV-PARKS for more information.
