Your holiday dining guide to West Virginia State Parks

Why you should sit back, enjoy the holidays and let us do the cooking!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be a stressful time. All those days (or weeks!) of shopping, decorating and gift wrapping can wear you out. So, when it comes time for your holiday dinner, why not treat yourself and enjoy a delicious meal with your family at a West Virginia State Park restaurant?

Enjoy a Meal With a View

Whether you’re just dropping by for a meal or spending the holidays at your favorite state park lodge, our staff is happy to accommodate your group with a hearty and delicious meal. Our lodge restaurants offer a wide selection of appetizers, salads, burgers, main entrees, including breakfast fare. But there’s no denying that a restaurant’s atmosphere goes a long way, too. Savor stunning views of the New River Gorge at Hawks Nest, where the park’s Vista Restaurant lives up to its name. At Pipestem Resort’s McKeever Lodge, guests of the Bluestone Dining Room can look out over the scenic Bluestone Gorge, a popular nesting area for the American bald eagle.

Dinner and a Show

Check the state parks online calendar for special events that take place throughout the year, like the Murdered Mistresss Dinner Theater at Blackwater Falls. Solve the crime and win a prize! Then there’s the Little Princess Ball at North Bend — a daddy-daughter dinner-dance with games and other fun activities.

Special Occasion Buffets

Many of our lodge restaurants offer buffet setups for holidays and special occasions year-round, like the Christmas Day Buffet at North Bend, featuring a prime rib carving station, turkey and dressing, baked steak, mango chicken, sides, salads and a variety of desserts. Or the New Year’s Eve Buffet at Blackwater Falls’ Smokehouse Restaurant, with delectable fare like crab-stuffed flank steak, slow-roasted leg of lamb and chicken carbonara. Enjoy dinner, then stay for the New Year’s Eve dance party afterward!

Unique Dinners

West Virginia’s state parks also host special dinners during the year. Last summer saw the debut of a farm-to-table dinner series showcasing locally grown and produced food and beverages. These menus for these special dinners have included mouth-watering selections like MartinsburgPeach Soup with West Virginia Honey, creamed new potatoes from Ripley and Valley Springs slow roasted pork. Stay tuned for details in the coming year!

Where will your family be dining this holiday season? Make plans to visit a state park restaurant and spend the holidays with us!