Country Road Cabins

Every region has its own legends, passed down through the generations and romanticised with each telling.  Some comminities have found a way to share those legends with anyone interested.  Logan County West Virginia, just an easy drive from our West Virginia log cabin rentals, is such a place.

All summer long, Tuesday through Saturday nights, at 8:30pm (box office opens at 7:30 pm), "The Aracoma Story" is presented.  This West Virginia historic drama tells the story of Boling Baker, a scout from General Braddock's Army who is captured by the Shawnee and adopted by them.  He marries Princess Aracoma and the Shawnee move to an island in the Guyandotte Valley, where the city of Logan is now located.  They live in peace for 20 years before the outside world catches up with them...

For a fun evening out during West Virginia family vacations, this drama is worth seeing.

The New River Gorge is known for outdoor adventures and romantic cabin getaways.  It is also becoming a close-to-everywhere-but-a-world-away destination for weddings and honeymoons.

With Country Road Cabins available in every style, from large cabins that can house a wedding party, to cozy, romantic cabins set in wooded splendor, West Virginia accomodates visitors in style.

Adventure weddings are all the rage and what's more fun than taking the whole wedding party rafting down one of the oldest rivers in the world, under one of the longest and highest bridges in the world?  Or a newlywed couple zipping through the treetops of a canopy tour?

With great dining, fantastic scenery and world-class outdoor activities all in one place, the New River Gorge is a destination wedding location that is hard to match!

One advantage to West Virginia cabin rentals with fully equipped kitchens is saving money on vacation by cooking meals instead of eating out every night.  For visitors looking to add fresh, local food to their evening fare, a visit one of the Farmers' Markets just down the road from your New River lodging in Beckley, West Virginia or Fayetteville, West Virginia, is a great option.  Buying local food means helping local farmers and saving money to because you're not paying for the cost of shipping the food across the country to a grocery store.

From Mid-July through September, the Beckley Tailgate Farmers Market is held 10 am - 1 pm  on Wednesdays at Trail Lot on 3rd Ave and Fridays at Word Park on Neville Street Beckley.  More information is available at WVU Extension Service 304-255-932.

Fayette County Farmers' Market is held in Fayetteville, West Virginia, beside the Fayette County Courthouse in the Courthouse Parking Lot from May 12 through October 12 on Saturdays 7:30am – 11:30am.  Contact Belinda Huebner at 304-574-0609 for more informaiton.

As the mercury hits record temperatures all the way up the coast we're even happier than usual that we get to spend our days near West Virginia's most beautiful Rivers. 

There are a dozen ways to escape the heat in West Virginia, from relaxing on hot nights in airconditioned West Virgnia log cabin rentals to playing in the water. 

Down in the New River Gorge, the rafting is adventurous and refreshing.  High up in the canopy, visitors create their own breezes as they fly along shaded ziplines.  Summersville Lake offers great swimming and boating. Visitors can even explore cooler temperatures underground in the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum.

In the evenings, front porches of New River Lodging provide great views of fireflies while cool drinks are sipped.  

West Virginia family vacations usually include a visit to the spectacular New River Gorge National River Park.  Located just a short drive from the area's most popular West Virginia log cabin rentals, this New River National River Park is famous for stunning views and wild areas to explore.  There are two information centers on the rim of the Gorge - one of them is the unique Sandstone Visitor Center - a building that serves not only as a source of information, but is also itself an educational tool. 

Sandstone Visitor Center was built to LEED™certification standards.  (LEED™ stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System. This voluntary point-rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The council rates sites on water efficiency, materials and resources, site sustainability, indoor environmental quality, and energy and atmosphere.)

The building was built using local materials on land that was once a quarry.  A geothermal heating and cooling system and solar sensors controlling lighting and insulation made from old newspaper make the building 60% more efficient than current standards.  The landscaping around the building is irrigated by roof runoff and has been created from native plants. 

Not only is the building an example of concious and thoughtful building, but it is actually an educational tool for visitors.  Signs and exhibits throughout the facility serve to inform visitors about the techniques used in construction and to express how the philosphy used to create Sandstone ties into the preservation of the New River Gorge as a National River.

The Fourth of July is almost upon us - a time to celebrate the founding of our country, often by going out to explore new regions of it!   For those coming to the New River Gorge for West Virginia family vacations or Romantic Cabin Getaways there are a wealth of outdoor adventures to experience during the day, white water rafting, canopy tours, rock climbing and hiking among them.  And for the night of the July 4, 2010, there are locations to see traditional fireworks displays:

• Beckley
  9:30pm near Raleigh County Convention Center
   
• Fayetteville
  9:00pm at City Park
  
  
• Summersville
  Dusk at North Side Development.   Starting at noon: live music (2 stages) & games starting. Music will be in sync with fireworks.

Who hasn't heard of the Hatfields and the McCoys and wondered what the heck that feud was all about?  Theatre West Virginia, just down the road from our West Virginia log cabin rentals is the perfect place to get a dramatic look at the infamous clash of families.  Weekly throughout the summer, Theatre West Virginia performs the play "Hatfields and McCoys" decribed by the Theatre below:

"Some say it started with a dispute over the ownership of a hog. Others say the ill-fated love of Roseanne McCoy and Johnse Hatfield caused it. Whatever the reason, there was bad blood between the Hatfields of West Virginia and the McCoys of Kentucky.

This historical drama chronicles the battles and bloodshed spurred by pride and politics. The story of the Hatfields and McCoys has been told and retold until the real men and women diffuse into myth, but they did exist."

This production contains some violence which may frighten very young children but it is great fun for adults looking to add a little bit of WV cultural history to any evening away from West Virginia log cabin rentals on romantic cabin getaways.

Baseball?  In West Virginia?  Oh yes!  While most people looking for a West Virginia cabin vacation rental are planning to spent time in the great outdoors, hiking, biking, or whitewater rafting, sometimes it's nice to try something a little diffferent - especially if there are kids along.

The West Virginia Power is a Minor League Baseball team that is the Class A Affiliate proving ground for future Milwaukee Brewers players.  Located in Charleston WV, just an hour from New River lodging, the WV Power offer ticket pricing from just $5 for general admission and a ton of fun for folks on West Virginia family vacations.  Bring the whole family out; sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", eat hot dogs and have a cold drink - a true traditional summer evening!

Wine is a simple way to explore the taste of a new place - often with a twist that lets visitors know they are in fact somewhere different.  Coming to stay at Country Road Cabins puts visitors close to Kirkwood Winery and wines that are as unique and interesting as West Virginia itself.

Cooks should check out the Appalachian Ramp Wine made from the native garlic onion.  And those on Romanic Cabin Getaways will be interested in the Ginseng Wine or the traditional Native Niagra.  With many types of red wines, white wines and fun fruit varieties, visitors are sure to find a few bottles to take back to the cabins for romantic evenings.

Kirkwood Winery hours are Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm,  Sunday 1pm-5pm (closed Sundays Jan. 1st - March 31st) and tours and tasting are offered throughout the week at a for free for groups of 10 or fewer, $6.00 per person for groups of ten or more.  As an added bonus, wWine and cheese trays are available for $6.00 per person. The Winery is located in nearby Summersville WV at 45 Winery Lane, 1-888-4WV-WINE. Summersville is less than 20  minutes from Country Road Cabins and the New River Gorge.

The Stone Goddess Rock Shop in Fayetteville, WV has lots to see and examine whether a visitor is an expert rock hound or just curious.  Located at 142 South Court Street in Fayetteville, the Stone Goddess is a great place to visit on a West Virginia vacation.  Just a short drive from a number of great Wext Virginia cabin rentals, and Hawk's Nest lodging, this rock shop offers geodes, smaller crystals, stone dragons and incense burners and candlesticks.   Fun jewelry is available as well. 

Great gifts and lots of information about crystals, semi-precious stones and local geology is available at the shop.  Online, the Stone Goddess Blog provides information about specific stones and crystals in a great blog. You will learn a lot about rocks in a visit to their store, online or in person!

Just to the south of the New River Gorge Bridge is the wonderful little town of Fayetteville, West Virginia.  Located near great New River lodging, rafting, canopy tours and other adventures, Fayetteville has a lot to offer.  Among the many great things about this little mountain town are the restaurants.  Take a break from cooking in the kitchen of a West Virginia cabin vacation rental and grab a hearty, classic meal at Tudor's Biscuit World. 

Located right off the highway, Tudor's is easy to spot and a great place for those on romantic cabin getaways or West Virginia family vacations to fill up for a day of play at the New River Gorge.

Tudor's is based out of Charleston, West Virginia and has locations throughout the state.  They are known for big hearty servings, and the one in Fayetteville is no exception.  As a sample of Tudor's menu shows, dining here is not for light eaters.  But what a great way to start of a busy morning of playing hard on a West Virginia vacation!  

The New River Gorge National Scenic River is part of the National Park system and so it has Park Rangers who wear those famous hats and are full of great information about the history of the area and the land.  And, as it turns out, some visitors don't have to be hired by the Park Service to become Rangers.

The Junior Ranger Program offers young explorers the chance to earn Junior Ranger status. Kids participate in a short program with a full-time Park Ranger to learn about the New River Gorge, and then they complete a series of projects and adventures in their own Junior Ranger Activity books.  It's fun and simple and gives kids a great sense of accomplishment.

Parents looking to add something extra to West Virginia family vacations will find this program an ideal offering.  Just a short drive from great New River cabin rentals, the Canyon Rim Visitor Center provides information on Junior Ranger program times and days. 

On of the main reasons people choose West Virginia cabin rentals in this area of our state is the fabulous beauty of the New River Gorge.  This unique natural feature forms one of the most stunning landscapes on earth, and visitors marvel at both the striking natural beauty and the range of abandoned historic structures that surround it.  The harsh history of the industrial past of the New River Gorge can be found in the many stories of loss and corporate cruelty surrounding the coal mining structures and history of the region. 

Part of West Virginia family vacations is getting away from it all, and part is looking back and wondering who has come before. The New River carved the earth and humans dug deeper, re-routing water, taking coal, leaving behind structures and tunnels to make current and future explorers ask "Who was here?",   "What did they do?",   "Where did they go?"  We encourage everyone who stays in our New River lodging to take a day and explore these places and questions and fit themselves into the history of the New River Gorge.

 

The Hawk's Nest River Nature Center at Hawk's Nest State Parks offers opportunities for kids of all ages to learn about and experience the life within the New River ecosystem. Nature exhibits features interactive nature displays that children love to explore.  The Nature Center also has an on-site naturalist who provides for answers to questions and information about the area.  It is a perfect, easy stop for all West Virginia family vacations to the New River Gorge area.

Head out from your lovely Hawk's Nest lodging to the Nature Center.  It's a great starting point for a day of exploring Hawk's Nest State Park's hiking trails, such as the Rail Trail or the Cliffside Trail. 

Open daily Memorial Day to Labor Day and on weekends only from Labor Day to late October, the Hawk's Nest Nature Center has a nature gift shop with apparel, snacks, and beverages.

Part of spending a weekend in country road cabins is being surrounded by the natural beauty of the forest.  Many native plants are most recognizable in the spring and early summer when they are in full bloom.  Trilliums, Virginia Bluebells, native Phlox and Marsh Marigolds are some to look for while exploring.

One easy to identify plant that does not produce a flower is the Maiden Hair Fern - aka  Adiantum pedatum.  Growing 12-36 inches tall, this lovely fern is unique - its frond forms a near perfect circle and is made up of tiny fan-shaped leaves.  (There are other varieties of Maiden Hair fern, but this is the one most people think of!)

These ferns are often found in groups, making a spectacular display and making them easier to spot in the woods.  The rich forests surrounding many West Virginia cabin rentals are often laced with hiking trails and quiet backroads - ideal for seeking out flowers and ferns!

In preparation for the coming of warmer weather, if is always good to find great guidebooks to carry on West Virginia family vacations.  One thing everyone always wants to know is "What is that flower?"  A great resource to answer that for West Virginia visitors is Spring Wildflowers of West Virginia by Earl L. Core.  Originally published in 1948, this book has been reprinted and is still a gold-standard of native wildflower identification today.

Whether it's a flower seen along the roadside on the way to West Virginia log cabin rentals, or one spotted on the edge of a visitor center parking lot, or best of all on a hike, this book will help identify those early season blooms.  And, for the adventurous, on the new TreeTops Canopy Tour just down the road from our New River Gorge area cabins, you can see those spring wildflowers in the woods long before anyone else! 

It is likely that folks on their way to a West Virginia cabin vacation rental will take the time to stop and absorb the breathtaking view of the New River Gorge.  Geologists believe the gorge was carved over somewhere between 3 million years and 320 million years by the New River.  This ancient river architect begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and winds its way 2000 miles though Virginia and West Virginia.  The sand and gravel it sweeps along with it over those millions of years acted as sandpaper to cut the stunning gorge that today makes this area of West Virginia a favorite recreation destination. 

Whether visitors take time on West Virginia family vacations to explore the New River Gorge on a hike, by raft or by train, the journey though millions of years of sedimentary layers and the remains of swamps and ancient sea beds is one that will not soon be forgotten.

Almost everyone who comes this way on West Virginia Family Vacations makes a stop at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center to take in the spectacular view of the New River Gorge Bridge.  The Bridge is one of the most famous icons in this part of West Virginia. Built from 1974 to 1977, the Bridge was for many years the longest Steel Arch bridge in the worrld.  It is still the longest in North America. 

The Bridge is 3,030 feet (924 m) long and its arch extends 1,700 feet (518 m). Located along US Route 19 - 876 feet (267 m) above the New River - the Bridge is crossed by more than 16,200 motor vehicles very day.   It is  the highest vehicular bridge in the Americas, and the second-highest in the world. Talk about impressive!

This is not a bridge just to drive over, it is a work of art worth taking a moment on the way to New River lodging to marvel at.  Folks coming this way should take a few moments and stop to explore.  It's well worth it. There are even new Bridge Walk Tours coming in spring 2010 which will let folks explore the walkaway under the bridge! It's an amazing experience, run by our friends just down the road from our cabins at Class-VI-Mountain River.  

Winter is the perfect time of year to escape to the countryside and see things that are hidden in warmer months by thick foliage.  Views open up along roads and trails that would never be otherwise visible.  The lines and and gulleys of mountainsides are easy to see.  The lay of the is land clear.