Tag: greenbriercounty

Lewisburg, WV: A great town to visit anytime of the year, but especially during the holiday season

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Travels

“Having won a number of accolades over the past few years, Lewisburg, West Virginia continues to be an idyllic vacation destination for families, couples and groups alike.”–visitlewisburgwv.com

This door, found on an attorney’s office in Lewisburg, gave John and me a good giggle!

Sometimes, we Just Need to Recharge 🪫

 It was short and sweet, as the saying goes, but, wow, was it ever a relaxing getaway that was perfect for rejuvenating the spirit. My husband, John, and I decided to take a couple of days and head up the WV Turnpike to Lewisburg, WV.  While we had visited Lewisburg on previous trips, it had been several years since our last visit. Therefore, we were looking forward to experiencing the town and its surrounding picturesque countryside with new eyes.

Lewisburg, WV, once named one of Budget Travel’s “Coolest Small Towns” in America, has a vibrant energy you can feel whether you are simply strolling along its streets, visiting one of their unique shops, or dining in one of several locally-owned restaurants.  This was especially evident during the weekend in which we visited as it happened to coincide with the town’s kickoff to Christmas.

We arrived on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in the afternoon, which was the first day/night of what the town calls, “The Magic of Christmas in Lewisburg, ” and the town was on-point with its festive spirit.  Ambling through town, we noticed the outdoor Fresh, Hot Donuts and Coffee stand set up outside as part of their celebration.  Boy, did they smell great! The clip-clop of the horses’ hooves trotting along the streets of Lewisburg pulling a carriage of bundled passengers was quite the idyllic sound. Those seasonal carriages rides will continue every Friday and Saturday afternoon/evening until the 23rd of December.  (There’s even a Girl’s Day Out scheduled for December 10 in downtown Lewisburg as well to coincide with their seasonal celebration.)

Additionally, we were there for the town’s tree lighting ceremony on the town’s Center Green Space which occurred later in the evening, not long after the sunset. Prior to this event, Santa and Mrs. Claus walked throughout the town, graciously posing for pictures. Kids of all ages could be heard squealing with delight at the sight of this iconic pair, reminding John and I of when our own daughter was young. According to both Facebook and the Lewisburg website, Santa and Mrs. Clause will continue strolling through town on Saturdays throughout the month of December, from noon to 2:00 pm, with their last appearance occurring on the 23rd. 

Rest and Relaxation 😌

John and I thoroughly enjoyed staying in the heart of downtown in an AirBnB hosted by Anna and co-hosted by April.  We were able to easily access the shops, coffee shops, and restaurants with an easy walk. Additionally, it was also a great jumping off point for a little out-of-doors adventure. 

Greenbrier County, and its neighbor, Pocahontas County, we knew from previous trips, are full of scenic views. This trip was no different. We  loved the simple pleasure of driving through the countryside with its bucolic farmland valleys and mountainous surroundings as we made our way to Beartown State Park. Sadly, we did not take time to look at their website before driving to it. After making the panoramic drive up a winding mountain road, we arrived to find that it was closed for the season.  Even more regrettable was the fact that IF we had taken time to view the website, we might have noticed on the West Virginia State Park’s website that the park, “may be seen during the closed season by contacting the Superintendent of nearby Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park. No fee is charged.”  A lesson to remember for another visit.

GreenBrier River Trail 🥾

Since we were unable to walk/hike through Beartown, we decided to make a stop on the Greenbrier River Trail at Renick. While walking along a short portion of the 78-mile path of a former railroad track, we discovered a few interesting historical facts about Renick. We actually stood in the remains of what was once a former, thriving desk factory, viewed several of the buildings original to the town, and stopped by the Renick Community Center and Park, which was decorated for Christmas.  All-in-all this was a pleasant two-mile off-the-beaten-path experience.

The Welcoming Committee 😉

Lost World Caverns 🗺️ 🧭

Continuing back towards Lewisburg, we also decided it was high time we visited Lost World Caverns, located just outside of Lewisburg downtown. What a treat! It is located on a working farm with animals wandering the premises and contained within fenced areas of the parking lot. Additionally, there are plenty of picnic tables and space for walking about the property for those who want to make an afternoon of it.  

Once inside the facility, there is a fascinating museum that houses numerous fossils.  One fossil of interest is the complete remains of a prehistoric bear that was found on a ledge above the main cavern. This bear once roamed the area around 32,000 years ago, and its skull is 2.5 times the size of today’s black bear. Additionally, there are plenty of other replica fossils and items of geological interest.  Plus, for those that can’t get enough, there is also a museum shop, so you can bring home your own cavern treasure.

There are two ways to experience the caverns–the self-guided tour, which John and I took, or the “Wild Cave Tour.” The self-guided tour takes about 45-60 minutes to walk the ½ mile loop that includes about 350 steps as you move through the cavern. No matter the time of year, the cavern remains around 52 degrees. With beautiful passageways full of numerous stalactites and stalagmites, all playfully named, the tour is full of sights that will fill you with wonder and awe of the ever-changing world below ground.  The history of the cave is rich, and there is even an opportunity to hear a hidden spring flowing through the cavern. 

For those who enjoy a spicy adventure, there is a four-hour guided tour of the caverns that will definitely take you off the beaten path and even off your feet since there are spots in which you will be crawling, climbing, and getting muddy! The guides take care of the required gear in order to allow you to successfully navigate passageways and chambers.  Reservations are required.

Let’s Eat 🍽️

Old and New FAvorite Places to Dine 🍝

To fully round out our time in Lewisburg, John and I dined at a couple of new places and visited an old favorite.  Our dining highlights included, The Humble Tomato, The Wild Bean, and Hill and Holler. These restaurants offered delicious gluten-free and plant-based options for me as well as plenty of scrumptious eats for John. Additionally, tasty treats and exceptional wine were found at Bella The Corner Gourmet and Robert’s Antiques and Wine. 

All-in-all, our recent trip to the Lewisburg area provided John and me with new experiences for which to be thankful.  We were able to relax in comfortable surroundings, recharge our batteries with a walkable and welcoming community, and renew our spirits with plenty of fresh air and inspiring natural sights.  Lewisburg, WV, and its surrounding area, has much to offer visitors. John and I highly recommend it, and I am sure it will not be our last visit to the area!

Explore WV, Part 1: Pearl S. Buck birthplace, Cranberry Glades, and the Falls of Hill Creek

by stephsimply, posted in Herald-Dispatch Articles, Travels

Pocahontas County has the largest concentration of public lands in WV.  Over 62% –totaling 349,000 acres–is either state or federal property, including five state parks and two state forests.

800 miles of hiking and biking trails can be found in Pocahontas County. 

Although there are approximately 9,000 residents in Pocahontas County, more than a million tourists visit the county each year. 

Eight WV rivers’ headwaters are located in Pocahontas County–All facts courtesy of WV of Tourism Research.

The Falls at Hills Creek in Pocahontas County, WV

We wanted to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary with an excursion. However, there was (and is) no escaping the new reality of COVID-19–although, at the time of planning, cases appeared to be on the decline. Still, questions had to be asked.  Is it safe to take a vacation?  What risks are we taking?  If we do decide to try one, where do we go and for how long?  

Populated areas were immediately ruled out.  Additionally, we felt we should travel only a few hours away in case we needed to make a quick return trip home.  We kicked around several locations within our three state region in which COVID cases were low.  Then, I read the book, The Unquiet Grave by Sharyn McCrumb about the Greenbrier County ghost, and I knew where to visit. 

The book that inspired our trip.

Returning to Lewisburg, WV, designated one of the country’s coolest small towns, was the perfect fit for my husband, John, and I.  It is only 2 ½ to 3 hours away from the Tri-state area, it is a friendly town, close to out-of-doors/nature attractions, and home to several of our favorite eateries.  We could spend most of our time, weather permitting, bonding with the beautiful WV landscape, but still come back to town in time for dinner. (Again, at the time of trip planning, WV had very few COVID cases, and numbers nationally were on the decline. Little did we know . . .)

Originally, John had hoped that we could find a cabin along the Greenbrier River and its namesake trail, but all of the small cabins within our pocket-friendly budget appeared to be booked through most of the summer.  Instead, John happened upon a charming bungalow on Airbnb called, “Stone’s Throw Retreat” located, well, a stone’s throw from downtown Lewisburg.  It was super clean, comfortable, and well-appointed for our day-trippin’ needs.  Plus, the host, David, was attentive, communicative, and most helpful.

Nestled on a hillside, the bungalow was the perfect leaping off point for this trip. Located just off US Rt 60, and only two or so blocks from US Rt 219, aka, The Seneca Trail, “Stone’s Throw Retreat” allowed us to quickly escape town and head out to the less populous, and-oh-so-scenic, WV mountain side.  On a personal note, I did chew through an entire pack of gum during our trip to stave off car/motion sickness from the kiss-your-bottom curves winding up and down the mountains, but it was well-worth it–even if John bemoaned driving slower than he preferred to help assuage my heaving stomach, swimming head, and popping ears!

On this trip, we explored both Greenbrier County, and its next-door neighbor, Pocahontas County.  Both of these scenic counties offer plenty of options for out-of-doors explorations.  However, unlike other trips, we made very few plans regarding which sites we planned to explore!  In fact, with the exception of two locations, most of the locations we traversed were spur-of-the-moment decisions based upon what we saw along The Seneca Trail.

On our first full day in Lewisburg, we decided to explore parts of Pocahontas County, with the ultimate goal of hiking the Falls of Hills Creek Scenic Area.  This was a suggested spot by Jamie Surgeon, an employee of Del Sol, the restaurant in which we dined the evening of our arrival.  (Del Sol has a strict mask and disinfectant policy with large areas of empty tables in order to distance diners, and of course, offer take out options as well.)  What a great suggestion this turned out to be!  While in Pocahontas County, we spontaneously made the choice to visit two more places that were in route.

Our first spontaneous stop of the day was at the Pearl S. Buck birthplace in Hillsboro, WV.  This picturesque country home is located alongside The Seneca Trail. Unfortunately, due to COVID19, the museum and home were closed.  However, it was still wonderful to stand there and honor the memory of a noteworthy female author who began her life in WV and won both a Pulitzer Prize and a Nobel Peace Prize. Additionally, the road alongside her homestead was lined with beautiful wildflowers in all of their blossom glory seemingly bowing their heads in the breeze in homage to Buck’s memory.

 Next, we made the impromptu decision to visit Cranberry Glades Botanical Area.  This protected area of bogs is the largest in WV.  Bogs, which are unique and ancient acidic wetlands, are typically found in northern regions of the US or, more commonly, in Canada.  Many of the plants, located in these four bogs, are said to be descendents of seeds from nearly 10,000 years ago, and a few of the bog plants are even carnivorous!  The half-mile boardwalk, constructed for visitors to view this unique landscape without harming it, was under construction for repairs/maintenance at the time of our visit, so we were only able to see part of the bogs.  Nonetheless, the sounds, pure air, and scenery were peaceful, serene, and certainly worth visiting!

Last stop of this day was the intended, Falls of Hills Creek, and we were certainly glad we saved it for last.  For one reason, it is stunning–not just in the vivid greens and varying luscious shades of chocolate, but also in the surround sound of rushing water, the caress of a breeze brushing skin, and the comforting scents of earth!!  However, the second reason for making it the last stop of the day, was that while it was a delightful descending hike into the bottom of a breathtaking gorge with its cascading falls, it’s uphill all the way back!  Trekking downhill, the temperature dropped, the deeper into the vegetation and ravine we plunged; unfortunately, that was not the case on the way up!

The Falls of Hills Creek Scenic Area is located on 114 acres and contains three waterfalls–each more spectacular than the previous–with the last falls offering up the greatest torrent of white water tumbling off rock.  In fact, the lowest falls has a height of 63 feet making it the second tallest waterfall in WV.  Whereas, the first falls are 25 feet in height, and the second falls are nearly double in size at a height of 45 feet.  Who needs a calming app when you can simply hike in WV to see, smell, and listen to such tranquil sounds?  Seriously, this lovely place was well worth the hike!   (Thank you, Jamie, for the recommendation!)

Next week, I’ll share a few other magical places worth visiting–even if just for a day excursion–along The Seneca Trail!  You most certainly do not have to stay in home like we did, WV is full of places to camp and/or take day-trips.  Get away from the blaring news, headlines, and the never-ending barrage of negative social media, and instead, reconnect with nature and its Ultimate Creator.  Your heart will smile and your spirit will feel revived.

From our home to yours, John and I wish you safe and healthy travels!