Good/cheap rental cabins in West Virginia? Related activities?

December 10, 2004 8:09 PM

West Virginia Filter: Any suggestions on where to find good/cheap rental cabins in West Virginia? What about activities? [MI]
posted by kscottz to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

Where do you want to go/what do you want to do/how much do you want to spend? I grew up in WV, my parents (and, indeed, all my relatives) still live there, and I love the state fiercely. I also lived in all corners of the state (except around Beckley), so I'm familiar with just about everywhere.

Feel free to email me if you have questions, or post them here.
posted by arco at 8:17 PM on December 10, 2004

I was just looking for the more inside. I know of a good bed and breakfast, but no rentals at this time. If you'd like I could ask the people I know who run the Bed and Breakfast. The area is Berkley Springs, if you've ever been.
posted by mic stand at 8:17 PM on December 10, 2004

Me and a few friends (i.e. 4-6 people, all couples) are thinking about going to West Virginia in late December / early January. We are all of the college student / recent graduate demographic, and are looking for a reasonable mountain adventure. Anyone have any recommendations about specific cabins or locations? Are there any can't miss activities? We are not big ski buffs, but we do enjoy the outdoors. Bonus points for music venues / ultra kitsch tourist traps. ( I have googled as best I can, but I can't find any good recommendation sites).

Thanks!
posted by kscottz at 8:20 PM on December 10, 2004

There's some cabins (there are others near these, also) near Smoke Hole Caverns (kitchy tourist trap, check!), about 20 minutes south of Petersburg in the eastern panhandle of the state. These are also very near Seneca Rocks (outdoors activities, check!). You could probably find a cheap bar in Petersburg for entertainment--or, if you want to drive, there are some great little music bars in Elkins) for entertainment. I have never stayed in any of the cabins around there (including the ones I linked to above; those are only examples), so don't take this as a specific endorsement, but the area is beautiful and mountainous. If you need help with directions, let me know.

If that's too far north, try looking for things in the New River Gorge area.
posted by arco at 8:30 PM on December 10, 2004

(Did I really type "There's some cabins..."??? oy. I notice several other small errors in that paragraph, as well. Crikey. WV public schools done me good, apparently.)
posted by arco at 8:38 PM on December 10, 2004

Oh, and I forgot Blackwater Falls. The Smoke Hole Caverns area is near the falls, which are particularly beautiful if they happen to be frozen over when you visit. Canaan Valley ski resort is also in that area, if you do get the urge to ski. Here's a site with more information about the region in general. Note that the roads between Seneca Rocks/Smoke Hole, Elkins, and Blackwater Falls/Canaan Valley can be pretty tricky in bad weather.
posted by arco at 8:47 PM on December 10, 2004

Second the recommendations for this area of WV. The roads can be tricky, yes, but Petersburg is a good base. The Hermitage is a decent hotel/motel.

Smoke Hole Caverns is kitsch indeed. But all the surrounding area is very nice. There are tons of cabins around for rental as well.

Blackwater Falls is pretty, Seneca Rocks is tremendous (the easy 1.7 mile trail up to the top is a lot of fun and has some fantastic views), and some of the best camping I've done was in the lovely Dolly Sods Scenic Area (Bear Rocks is great) and the adjacent Wilderness Area. I'd also check out the Monongahela National Forest Recreation Guide.

And Elkins can be a fun town -- there's a small college there, so there are some good places to eat and drink. (And some of the redneck bars can be a lot of fun.) I can e-mail my cousins who grew up there if you'd like specific recommendations.

The New River Gorge area is rugged, but not as mountainous (nor as starkly beautiful) as the Monongahela area, but it's still very nice. I've gone whitewater rafting there a few times. (If you're going in winter, you're out of that season -- you'd freeze.) Beckley's a good base, as is Oak Hill.

Have a great time in the state of my birth!
posted by Vidiot at 10:54 PM on December 10, 2004

Lost River State Park -- I've not been there but the Post wrote about it this summer. Looks promising.
posted by Dick Paris at 3:04 AM on December 11, 2004

Wow. Most folks above have posted pretty much anything I would have said. But I still feel the need to post something to say that my 6 1/2 years living in West Virginia were the best time of my life. West Virginia is a fantastic state, and I love it immensely.
posted by punkrockrat at 8:12 AM on December 11, 2004