Summersville Lake Road), the only lighthouse in the landlocked state, of course. This charming tourist attraction is made from a damaged wind turbine column, is 10 stories high, and weighs 72,000 pounds. Visitors who climb the 122 steps inside will find a panoramic view of Summersville Lake at the top. Want to scuba dive? Check out the fullservice Sarge’s Dive Shop (1706 Airport Road, sarges.net). You can rent equipment, take classes, charter a trip, and more. You’ll find plenty of good bites to eat during your relaxing visit to Summersville, too. Café Acropolis (331 McMillion Drive) serves up Greek and Italian specialties for lunch and dinner, while nearby, the family-friendly sports bar Maloney’s (603 Church Street, maloneyswv.com) invites you to sidle up to the bar, and watch the big game. Back at the lake, an order of wings goes great with a cold beer at Long Point Bar & Grille (1289 Summersville Lake Road), a favorite of locals that also offers great views in a laid-back country bar setting.
Summersville
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The Livery Tavern, For outdoor Wolf Creek Galadventure try the lery, and The Greenbrier Greenbrier River are each beautiful spots in Greenbrier County. Trail (greenbrierYou can also hike the trailstatepark.com) a Greenbrier River Trail scenic, 79-mile trail and work up an appetite formed from the con- for lunch at the popular Cafe in downversion of the former Stardust town Lewisburg. C&O Railroad rightof-way. Just outside of town is Organ Cave (304.645.7600, organcave.com), the second largest commercial cave in the eastern U.S. and rich in Civil War-era history. Just nine miles from Lewisburg, The Greenbrier (300 West Main Street, greenbrier.com) in White Sulphur Springs is one of the country’s best resorts and home to three championship golf courses. The Greenbrier Course was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 1977 for the 1979 Ryder Cup. The Meadows is a 6,795-yard Bob Cupp design with luxurious views of the surrounding mountains. The Old White TPC was the first 18-hole course at the resort and has been restored to its original, 1914 design—it serves as the venue for The Greenbrier Classic, an annual PGA Tour event. The Greenbrier also has more than a dozen restaurants, beautiful sitting places, a gift shop, and casino.
ost people know this Nicholas County city for its treasured lake—with a surface area of nearly 3,000 acres and 60 miles of shoreline. Summersville Lake is the largest lake in West Virginia, and you can explore it just by traveling 20 miles from the New River Gorge Bridge. The lake is a direct result of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ creation of the Summersville Dam in 1966, made to prevent flooding. The lake’s namesake is a quiet community, established in 1820 and home to less than 4,000 people. In addition to kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, or simply soaking up the sun by the lake (many such packages are available at visitaotg.com), visitors also get a kick out of the Summersville Lake Lighthouse (278
Summersville Lake is a water wonderland just 20 miles from the New River Gorge.
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