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Thanksgiving Day  is always a time to give thanks and surround ourselves with those we love.  But surrounding ourselves with thanks doesn’t always mean hours spent in a kitchen.  This year, thousands of families will take the time off and let someone else do the cooking, including those visiting Southern West Virginia. Where will you find turkey and all the fixings?  Maybe some unexpected stops. Going Out: The Resort at Glade Springs A beautiful setting, amazing food and zero clean up. That sounds like a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. With three sittings: noon, 1:30 and 3pm and a menu that will make your mouth water – we advise you to make reservations now! Skyline Resort Offering up the traditional dinner of turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie. Another option to on the zero clean-up plan.  Call for reservations. Bramwell Main Street Eatery A buffet on Thanksgiving Day! Open from 11am to 4pm. If you have a large group? Call and they will save you a table. Pick it up & take it home: Tamarack Tamarack the Best of West Virginia is offering up the Best Take Out for Thanksgiving Day dinner! This traditional feast includes the turkey and all the fixin’s to feed 10 people.  Extra can be ordered but you have to call by the 23rd of November. Cathedral Cafe Have the turkey but need some treats? Cathedral Café has you covered with homemade carrot cake, cobblers, bread pudding, peanut butter pie and more. They even have appetizers for the pre-dinner or pre-game. Orders will be taken until November 23rd. Happy Thanksgiving!

The hills are alive with vibrant colors, and fall festival fun. There’s no better time to get out and celebrate than fall in Southern West Virginia! This fall you can celebrate the fall season, music, Appalachian culture, craft beer and the engineering marvel that is the New River Gorge Bridge. Here are some of the best events in Southern WV this season: Country Roads Festival Sept. 19-20, Hawks Nest State Park The Country Roads Festival features family entertainment, arts and crafts, music, a car show and great food with the spectacular Hawks Nest State Park as a backdrop. Lilly Fest Sept. 26-27, Lake Stephens Lilly Fest! This 2-day festival celebrates the music and life of Everett Lilly and features performances by Emmalea Deal, Johnny Cochran, Marteka & William, Russ & Roger Hicks, Tom Okes, Eva, Madi Athey, Country Variety Band, Tender Mercies and of course The Lilly Mountaineers! Chili Night October 3, Beckley Chili Night is celebrating 25 years!  Beckley closes the streets and rolls out the red carpet for the block party featuring three stages of great music and 40 varieties of excellent chili. Be sure and vote on your favorite. Pumpkin Harvest Festival Oct. 3-4, Beckley The Pumpkin Harvest Festival features great family fun and entertainment including games, contests and demonstrations, horse and wagon rides, crafts, live music, and great food. Bramwell Oktoberfest Oct. 10, Historic Bramwell This year, the Bramwell Oktoberfest is celebrating 20 years of great beer and exceptional Southern West Virginia Hospitality. The Bramwell Oktoberfest features amazing craft beer, food and entertainment. You can enjoy the brew samples as you walk through Historic Bramwell listening to traditional folk, bluegrass, blues and alternative music. Taste of Our Town (T.O.O.T.) October 10, Lewisburg The annual T.O.O.T. Festival features three music stages and local delicacies available to sample.  Lots of things for the kids (bouncy houses, pumpkin painting, theatre & more!) This is a very popular annual event we suggest you get your tokens early - cash is not accepted at the sample booths. Bridge Day October 17, Fayetteville Bridge Day is the largest extreme sports event of its kind in the world. Folks from all over travel to see the BASE jumpers, rappellers, rafters, cool vendors, a scavenger hunt and the general fun that is Bridge Day. You’ll see hundreds of BASE jumps and mingle with the 80,000+ other spectators. After the festival, enjoy the Bridge Day Jam and Chili & Cornbread Cook-off in Fayetteville, too. Hinton Railroad Days October 17-18 and 24-26, Hinton Railroad Museum Celebrating the history of the railroad in Southern West Virginia, Hinton Railroad Days features unique arts and crafts, jewelry, great food and fun entertainment. You can hop aboard the New River Train to the event, riding the tracks through the stunning New River Gorge foliage. Which Southern WV fall festival is your favorite?

With several pockets of creativity, all of Mercer County has been recognized as a distinguished ‘Certified Arts Town’ from the WV Division of Culture and History, which only a handful of spots have received. Encompassing several artistic hotspots, there’s a lot to explore in Mercer County. Bluefield alone even earned the Certified Arts Community distinction separately, if that gives you an idea of the depth of creativity here. Princeton Murals do the streets, but the heart of Princeton’s art scene is the Riffraff Arts Collective, a group of 3 downtown buildings, housing studios, a gallery, performance halls and more, and a collaborative group of artisans who keep it thriving. The center of the community’ culture is the Room Upstairs, housed in the arts collective’ main building. From the moment you walk in, you’re immersed in the arts. The professional recording studio and performance hall has an urban underground vibe, in an old-fashioned restored ballroom with mismatched couches and furniture. There are weekly performances, as well as special events. Across the street, you’ll find Stages Music School, striving to raise up the next generation of performers. Giving kids a place to cultivate their musical talents, Stages is a “School of Rock” for local children. Every student gets an introduction to a variety of musical styles, and over the years, they have performed at The Hard Rock Cafe, The House of Blues, and BB Kings in Nashville and Boston. And then there’s the Turnaround Concert & Gathering Hall next door, an upscale venue that’s also available for rental. The collective is also a part of the push to restore another historic theater in town. More expansive than Turnaround is the sprawling, state-of-the-art Chuck Mathena Center. Priding itself on making events affordable to the public, the center offers classes in addition to its regular performance season. Even the smaller shops help maintain the artistic vibe of the town. Sister’s Coffee House hosts open jams every month. Athens Home to Concord University, the school’s fine arts programs are at the core of its artistic character. The music school hosts an annual solo and ensemble festival, an honors recital for the top students. But you can also catch the many musical groups throughout the year, including: A selective jazz ensemble A marching band that performs during football games A pep band for the basketball team A symphonic band that explores classical sounds And those are just the instrumental groups. The school also has the Collegiate Choir, and an elite group, the ConChords, who tour internationally. There are also art galleries on campus, with rotating exhibits displaying a variety of works throughout the year. Bluefield The county also encompasses the town of Bluefield, which is bursting with performing arts shows. Because they’ve been named a standalone Certified Arts Community within the Mercer community, you can read more about their artistic endeavors here. Bramwell Theater A historic hub, Bramwell also has an artistic side. Alongside a hot of seasonal performances, The Bramwell Theatre Festival theater troupe performs its famous “Smoke on the Mountain” each summer. The musical, featuring 27 amazing bluegrass tunes, follows a gospel group during the final years of the Great Depression, during a key performance at the local church. Join their ‘audience’ as part of the play, and see the behind-the-scenes of their big production, as well as what each performer is thinking between numbers. Have you explored Mercer County’s arts scene? More Certified Art Towns: Lewisburg, Bluefield

From the New River Gorge to the “coolest small town” of Lewisburg, Southern West Virginia provides you with some ideal locations for your 2015 vacation. If you are coming to visit, staying for an adventure, or simply passing through, there are many things you can find in between our rolling hills. Since there are so many options to choose from, we narrowed down some suggestions to suit every type of traveler: Families: The best way to spend a vacation with your family is at one of the many famous resorts and state parks in Southern West Virginia. Many people flock to these locations due to the inexpensive costs mixed with the natural beauty of wild, wonderful West Virginia. Some of the best places to visit are Pipestem Resort State Park or Babcock State Park, with their many outdoor activities, hiking and scenic vistas to explore. Yet, if you’re looking for something more aquatic, look to Bluestone State Park (where you’ll find the 3rd largest lake in the state) or Twin Falls Resort State Park with its 2 waterfalls. Couples: With Valentine’s Day right around the corner Feb. 14, you may want to start planning your romantic vacation soon. Remember! This is the most perfect time to think about you and your partner. Grab some alone time in the woods camping or renting a cozy cabin for 2 or if you prefer to stay closer to town, choose from one of southern WV's many bed and breakfasts and resorts. You and your partner can spend a relaxing day at a spa, or check out the many outdoor sports you both can explore, like horseback riding at Pipestem Resort State Park, take a canopy tour, or go skiing and snowboarding at Winterplace! Explorers: Take yourself to the river this year in the New River Gorge, Fayette County, you will find tremendous views of the scenery and the New River Gorge Bridge. The bridge became famous in 1977, spanning 3,030 feet across the New River. For many years, it was known as the world’s longest steel single-span arch bridge, but today it is the 4th largest. You can still discover historical relics or hidden waterfalls when hiking the surrounding area, or coming for Bridge Day. It’s a thrilling event where people BASE jump off the bridge once a year. If you’ve never seen this before, then watch this amazing video of the BASE jumping action. History Buffs: If you ever wondered about the extensive old coal fields in West Virginia, then you need to visit Bramwell. It is the start of the coalfields that extended more than 40 miles! In the late 1800s, it was one of the wealthiest areas in the United States, where you could find the largest number of millionaires per capita. The homes are well preserved, and still reflect what they originally looked like during Bramwell’s peak. You can take a walking tour of this city anytime of the year, but tours inside the mansions are only available twice a year. Shoppers/Foodies: As the “Best of West Virginia,” at Tamarack you can find find thousands of handmade crafts and unique pieces of art. In addition, there are other places to shop and experience West Virginian culture. Two of those places are Lewisburg and Fayetteville. Both offer spectacular things to see and do: Lewisburg, W.Va. offers culture, adventure and some of the best shopping in the area. You can always find people walking along Washington Street downtown to visit the specialty shops, clothing and accessory stores, and antique shops. With plenty of parking, you can shop for hours! However, if you want to take a break, then you should stop at one of the many restaurants and cafes. Some great places to rest your feet are The Wild Bean for specialty drinks, or Food and Friends for more traditional dining. Fayetteville, W.Va. provides a unique place for you to shop and dine while staying close to the fun of the New River! Named as the “Best River Town” in 2013 by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, it’s still just as great with its shops and eateries today. Downtown, you’ll find that you can walk to many of the shopping locations. One of the shops that holds onto history is the New River Antique Mall, where you can find special items. Great food is served at small, cool local restaurants, like Secret Sandwich Society, Cathedral Cafe, and DiOGis. Need some help planning? Call us or order a copy of our 2015 Official Visitors Guide today! Where do you plan to take your 2015 vacation?

The Mountain State is known for its scenery and small-town charm. If you're driving through, get off the beaten path to see why. Uncover all the heritage and picturesque beauty in these hills by taking the scenic route. Here are just a few back ways to explore: Midland Trail  Get a peek at WV's industrial past and an eyeful of its renowned beauty. Curve through the jagged mountain hills, and stop to look out over the swooping vistas or at the tumbling waterfalls. Delve into WV's story with museums and historic homes, or celebrate its vibrant entrepreneurship by exploring the local artisan shops and mom & pop restaurants. Lower Greenbrier River Byway Swoop along the banks of the Greenbrier River, and gaze out over the untouched countryside. You'll pass several places to stop and explore: Alderson, with its restored C&O Railroad depot; Graham House, a lavish log cabin from 1722 with an incredible history; the site of steel driver John Henry's famed contest against a steam-powered drill; and the quaint historic town of Hinton. Coal Heritage Trail Stretching more than 150 miles, the Coal Heritage Trail covers the coalfields, taking travelers past the relics of this industry's heyday and reminders of its deep roots in our heritage today. Discover Bramwell, the town that once housed more millionaires per capita than anywhere in the country, or stop and take a photo of the historic Whipple Company Store, now a museum of coal boom culture. Paint Creek Scenic Trail Byway All along the Paint Creek Trail are interpretive kiosks, delving into the rich history of the area and providing context for your travels. Discover jaw-dropping creek bed scenes, tucked-away rail bridges and fishing piers, or stop to read tales about historic rebellion and triumph along the trail. Farm Heritage Road Byway Wind over the sweeping farmlands of rural Monroe County, an agricultural community seemingly untouched by industry, with pristine country fields as far as you can see. Several creeks trickle through the lush landscapes, all the way to the rocky Appalachian Mountain ridges. Take a detour to trace the Rural Heritage Quilt Trail, discovering old mills, historic churches and beautiful bridge along the way. Lowell Backway A quick half-hour ride down the Lowell Backway will take you past two historic springs and a lot of gorgeous farmland. There's also an old Civilian Conservation Corps Camp, dotted with generations-old log cabins. The WV Department of Commerce has a map of more back routes across the state. Plan your journey along the trails less traveled to add a little something more interesting to your trip. What's your favorite scenic route through Southern WV?