West Virginia Restaurants

'AA' Affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins

The sun has risen over Ridgefield Farm & Orchard for more than a century, dusting its orchards' apple trees, its winding cornfield maze, and its thick forests of pines with warm, nurturing rays. Generations have flocked there from across the country, snipping fresh buds from flower gardens during the summer months or scampering though the pumpkin patch come fall. The advent of autumn also marks the beginning of the farm’s apple-picking season, when dwarf orchard trees grow heavy with juicy gala, empire, and golden delicious fruits. After the annual pumpkin-picking and Halloween celebrations have passed, the grounds offer up an abundance of furs and spruces to be used as Christmas trees or stacked up and tied together into one giant Christmas tree. Throughout the year, the onsite country store peddles seasonal produce and housemade jams to boast the bounty of the farm's fields and to keep visitors fueled.

In the 900,000-acre Monongahela National Forest, amid the bald eagles, deer, herons, and small-mouth bass, lies Blackwater Outdoor Adventures, a family-owned business dedicated to equipping treks into the outdoors that surround it. From their river outpost and general store, staffers dispatch water vessels to traverse the clear waters of the Cheat River, a scenic passageway carved into the rolling hills with plenty of areas for swimming and fishing. Blackwater also operates a 7-acre campsite on the banks of the river, where groups can lessen the edge of the outdoors with hot showers and space to store boats, gear, and inflatable six-bedroom homes.

Under the sprawling roof of First Niagara Pavilion, music greats such as Billy Joel, Rush, and Jimmy Buffett have all taken over the stage as fans throughout the amphitheater space watch, transfixed. Whether enjoying the show from the open-air pavilion or the verdant lawn, concertgoers demonstrate their love for the performers by dancing along to the music or holding up lighters engraved with the lead singer’s astrological sign.

Amid taupe and lavender walls, Studio 11 Salon and Day Spa's staffers groom physiques head to toe with a suite of pampering services. Licensed aestheticians perform a dozen facial treatments, dousing skin in rejuvenating products to help to remedy fine lines, uneven or dull skin tone, and ill-timed lycanthropy. Nail technicians meticulously trim and shape talons, and hairstylists diligently shampoo tresses at salon stations as clients crane their necks to spot the Magic-Eye picture hidden in a nearby oriental rug.

Less than 5 miles from West Virginia University, Ramada Inn and Conference Center Morgantown serves as a convenient base camp from which to explore nearby caves, parks, and trails in the Appalachian Mountains. An earthbound shuttle transports guests from Morgantown Municipal Airport to the expansive hotel, whose ruddy façade and columned awning fuse colonial style with the modern feel of its three-story glass inlay. The simple, unfussy design is echoed in its guest rooms, which are equipped with free wireless Internet access and safes.

In the morning, a hot breakfast buffet presents sunrise offerings of eggs, bacon, and biscuits and gravy. When hunger strikes later, additional dining options include The Wit's End Lounge, with two big-screen TVs and standup comedians every Friday. In the warmer months, a heated outdoor pool refreshes and entertains, and more recreation awaits on a stroll or bike ride through Morgantown's rails-to-trails system that winds past historical buildings and the town's old-fashioned train depot.