Travel Spotlight on Greenbrier Valley and Its 10 Best Attractions

Greenbrier Valley is West Virginia’s outdoor playground, as forests, parks, and a ski resort ensure year-round activities, ranging from hiking and biking to caving and fishing. The Monongahela National Forest’s varied terrain stretches for nearly one million acres and is one of America’s most ecologically diverse national forests.

Less than a four-hour drive from Washington D.C., Greenbrier Valley features Civil War Trails sites, including Alderson Ferry Crossing, Battle of Lewisburg and Organ Cave. In addition to a casino, spa, and museum, the grounds of Greenbrier Resort also feature a bunker that visitors can explore that was secretly built during the Cold War.

Explore the Lost World Caverns

Visitors to these caverns descend 120 feet underground on a half-mile long loop to view stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes. A museum focuses on the dinosaurs that roamed the region millions of years ago. And for those who feel adventurous, descend further into the deepest, darkest depths of Lost World Caverns on a four-hour guided tour.

Enjoy the great outdoors on the Greenbrier River Trail

Tracing the curves of the Greenbrier River, this 78-mile long trail is a magnet for outdoor activities. Explore West Virginia’s scenic forests by horseback, bicycle, cross-country skiing, or on foot. The Greenbrier River Trail provides ample opportunities to take pause from the hustle of daily life and fish along the riverbanks or go for a swim.

History and nature blend at the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

Ride a steam-powered, restored Shay locomotive that travels the same line that was built in 1901 for the purpose of hauling lumber to the Cass Mill. Upon visiting a restored logging camp at Whittaker Station, visitors discover how loggers lived in the 1940s and the equipment that they used. A museum and restored houses transport train passengers into the rich history of West Virginia.

Stop in at the Stardust Café in Lewisburg

Situated in the historic section of Lewisburg, the owners focus on running the café in a socially, environmentally and health-conscious manner. Cooking with locally grown, organic ingredients whenever possible and using only fair trade teas and coffees in biodegradable and recyclable materials, the café’s cuisine is good for the body and conscience. Fresh pastries and bread, gourmet sandwiches, and high-quality ingredients will satiate most every appetite.

Luxury, golf and nature all thrive at the Greenbrier Resort

With 10,000 acres on which to play, the Greenbrier Resort offers so many activities and events that guests’ chief complaint could be that they cannot possibly fit in all they wish to do within one vacation. Fly fishing, canopy tours, hunting, off road adventures, croquet, falconry lessons, and sleigh rides are just a few of the activities from which to choose.

Being the only resort golf course in the world to host both The Ryder Cup (1979) and The Solheim Cup (1994), Greenbrier Resort is serious about the sport of golf and offers packages and terrain to suit every experience level. The Old White TPC is the oldest course currently used for a PGA tour event, and it is the only C. B. Macdonald course that is open to the public.

See Lewisburg, in the Greenbrier Valley, on the map: