The Greenbrier Valley is teeming with widely known attractions, from Carnegie Hall to the historic Greenbrier Resort, to put on your list of things to do in Greenbrier County, WV. But amongst the vibrant arts and food scenes are a few West Virginia hidden gems, waiting to be discovered during your visit.
These top 5 gems highlight what makes the valley a must-visit and where you can experience some unique things to do in West Virginia: history, art, food, adventure and more!
Greenbrier County, WV, has many things to do, but these West Virginia hidden gems offer ways to experience the best of Appalachia. Sunset Berry Farm provides a glimpse into the Mountain State’s agricultural industry. The Alderson Artisans Gallery showcases Appalachian craftsmanship. The River Trail and Lost World Caverns offer natural beauty and adventure, and The Bunker at The Greenbrier is one of the top things to do in West Virginia as its fascinating history goes beyond the state and into the national spotlight.
These West Virginia hidden gems offer ways to experience the best of Appalachia.
Sunset Berry Farm is a great way to enjoy time with friends and loved ones. Located atop one of the Greenbrier Valley’s mountains the farm is a West Virginia hidden gem. You can pick your own strawberries, or learn about the farm’s expanded produce offerings from peaches, sunflowers, watermelons, apples, and soon green beans. Sunset Berry Farm is part of West Virginia’s growing agriculture industry with farmers branching out into a variety of produce. According to the West Virginia Division of Agriculture, farmers in the Mountain State produced over $800 million in agriculture products.
But there’s more to experience at the mountaintop farm than just fruits and veggies. You can time your visit to coordinate with one of the numerous things to do in Greenbrier County, WV, and one of the farm’s many festivals: the Alderson Strawberry Festival, the Monroe County Peach Festival, the West Virginia Watermelon Festival, the West Virginia Sunflower Festival (two acres of sunflowers!), and the Alderson Halloween Festival.
And don’t worry if you miss one of their many seasonal events; children and families can still enjoy the farm’s fun zone, which features one of the most exciting things to do in West Virginia: the “state’s largest jump pad.” Farm Co-Owner Jennifer Gilkerson said that branching out into agritourism has been a lot of fun, and they love providing families with a quality experience when they visit the farm.
At the WV Sunflower Festival, capture your perfect photo surrounded by the happiest of flowers.
The 78-mile trail was once a C&O rail line between Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties. While long, the trail is excellent for family bike rides where you can encounter everything that makes West Virginia “Wild and Wonderful,” from random wildlife encounters to beautiful views of the longest free-flowing river in the Eastern United States. Despite being one of the hidden gems in West Virginia, Backpacker Magazine put the spotlight on the Greenbrier River Trail by placing it on its Top 10 Hiking Trails in the USA list.
Hopping on the trail at Caldwell, WV (just a few miles from downtown Lewisburg), you can add many activities to your “things to do in Greenbrier County, WV list.” You can picnic next to a waterfall within the first mile traveled on the trail. Near mile-marker 14, in the Anthony area, there’s a wide pool for hikers and bikers to enjoy swimming and/or fishing. If you travel to Renick, you can hop off the trail to pick blueberries at White Oak Blueberry Farm. And there are more West Virginia hidden gems to explore, from side trails to tunnels, when you venture out on this scenic river trail.
The Bunker is one of the most unique places to visit in West Virginia as it remained a secret from the end of its construction in the early 1960s until it was exposed by The Washington Post in 1992. Following its discovery, the United States government decommissioned The Bunker, where visitors can now tour the facility. Since then, The Bunker tour has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, FOX, NBC and more. It’s one of the things to do in Greenbrier County, WV, that you don’t want to miss.
The Bunker, located 720 feet underground, makes it one of the true hidden gems in West Virginia. It was created as an emergency shelter for the United States Congress in case of nuclear war or catastrophe and was ready to be activated at a moment’s notice during the Cold War. Congress ordered the resort to build the West Virginia Wing, but unbeknownst to the public, The Bunker was being constructed underneath the addition. Its former veil of secrecy makes it one of the top things to do in West Virginia.
Uncover secrets buried deep within The Greenbrier's historic Cold War bunker.
Despite the valley being known for its rolling green hills and mountains (and the vibrant fall colors if you’re visiting during the Autumn), many wonders are also underneath them. Discovered in 1942, Lost World Caverns features beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations and a constant temperature of 52 degrees. The half-mile self-guided tour is one of the hidden gems in West Virginia and takes about 45 minutes to complete. But if you’re feeling more adventurous, sign up for the Wild Cave Tour that clocks in around six hours making the excursion one of the most unique things to do in West Virginia.
A light jacket and good shoes are recommended for the self-guided tour. However, for the wild cave tour, Lost World officials recommend layering up with a long-sleeved shirt and a sweatshirt, long pants (no shorts), hiking boots (sneakers can also work), and a complete change of clothing for the end of the tour. Lost World provides the rest of the equipment you will need (including snacks). Wild Cave tour participants can expect to crawl, climb and get muddy on the mile-long tour.
Alderson, a quiet town along the banks of the Greenbrier River, features local restaurants, one of West Virginia’s largest Fourth of July celebrations and several unique places to visit in West Virginia, like the Alderson Artisans Gallery. According to Gallery Director Jo Perez, the gallery features fine art to simple arts and crafts made by West Virginians and Appalachians. “We’re a very inclusive, diverse group of artisans. But most of our artisans are from Alderson,” Perez said. The Gallery is a project of the Alderson Main Street organization and is a community effort.
The items you’ll find at the gallery echo the beauty of the river town and the mountains of Appalachia. The nonprofit gallery offers functional crafts, fine arts and “almost anyone who visits will find something they like,” Perez said.
But what makes the gallery one of the hidden gems in West Virginia is that it’s more than just a showcase of Appalachian artisans. It also features classes or workshops for aspiring artisans to learn new crafts. The workshops are led by local artisans who teach art forms like watercolor painting, beginner and intermediate jewelry-making and even stained glass projects. While visitors can add a stop to the Gallery as one of their things to do in Greenbrier County, WV, they can do more than shop here; they can learn a new art form.
Discover one-of-a-kind Appalachian artistry at the Alderson Artisans Gallery.
From the mountaintops, through the wooded paths, and journeys underground, these hidden gems in West Virginia spotlight the best of the region. These locations can be the great start to your perfect West Virginia getaway and add to your already growing list of things to do in West Virginia.
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