Welcome to The Greenbrier! Sip cocktails under crystal chandeliers, ride horseback through rolling hills, and descend into Cold War secrecy in a once-classified bunker — The Greenbrier is where Southern grandeur meets hidden history in the heart of the West Virginia mountains. Guests come from around the world to experience America’s most legendary luxury resort.
☑️ Greenbrier Checklist
- Book your Flight: Fly into Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB), just 15 minutes from the resort gates
- Reserve your Hotel: Stay on-site at The Greenbrier to soak in history, luxury, and mountain air around the clock
- Join your Tour: Reserve the once-top-secret Bunker Tour or a guided carriage ride through the resort grounds
🎩 Day 1: Grand Resort Icons
- Front Entrance Arrival: Step onto the red carpet beneath towering white columns and bellmen in green coats
- Draper’s Café Lunch: Slide into candy-striped booths and order a pimento cheese sandwich served with a wink and a splash of sass
- Historic Hotel Tour: Wander velvet-carpeted halls and learn how 27 U.S. presidents walked these same polished floors
- Afternoon Tea in the Main Lobby: Nibble crustless cucumber sandwiches and sip Darjeeling to the sounds of live piano under soaring ceilings
- Championship Golf Shop: Browse tartan ties, vintage club prints, and Greenbrier-branded gear that looks just as sharp off the green
- Bunker Tour: Descend behind steel blast doors to explore the Cold War fallout shelter built in secret for Congress
- Dinner at the Main Dining Room: Dress to impress for white tablecloths, bow-tied servers, and dishes that haven’t changed since the Truman era
🐎 Day 2: Grit & Glamour Outdoors
- Morning Horseback Ride: Saddle up for a ride through pine-scented trails and open fields, hooves clopping beneath mountain views
- Sporting Clays Lesson: Test your aim at the resort’s 5-stand with a pro instructor — the echo of each shot bouncing off the hills
- Falconry Experience: Slip on a leather glove and feel the weight of a hawk landing — regal, ancient, and wild all at once
- Lunch at Slammin’ Sammy’s: Order a club sandwich with a view of the Old White TPC — where legends have walked since 1914
- Bowling & Arcade: Duckpin bowling and vintage machines bring a retro thrill to your afternoon indoors
- Carriage Ride at Dusk: Clip-clop past fountains and gardens in a fringed-top carriage while the sun sets on a rose-colored sky
- Casino Club Evening: Try your luck under chandeliers in America’s only private resort casino — jacket required, charm encouraged
🛍️ Day 3: Southern Keepsakes
- Greenbrier Spa Morning: Slip into a robe and breathe eucalyptus before a massage that feels more like a ritual than a routine
- Jefferson Dining Room Brunch: Fill your plate with omelets made to order, crisp bacon, and pastries that would make a Parisian pause
- North Lawn Walk: Wander past historic cottages, hydrangea hedges, and the open green where Eleanor Roosevelt once gave speeches
- Art Colony Shops: Meet local craftspeople shaping pottery, painting landscapes, and carving wood pieces with Appalachian soul
- Souvenir Shopping: Pick up Dorothy Draper-style home décor, monogrammed robes, hand-blown glass, or old-school Greenbrier notecards
- Afternoon Bourbon Tasting: Sip single barrels and small batches with a resort expert who knows every vanilla and smoke note by name
- Dinner at Prime 44 West: Sink into a leather booth and toast to the trip with a dry-aged steak and West Virginia’s finest red wine
📅 Greenbrier Calendar
- Wintertime Wonderland (Jan–Feb): Ice skating, fireside s’mores, and twinkling lights transform the resort into a holiday postcard
- Derby Day at the Casino (May): Big hats, mint juleps, and race-day cheers fill the grand lobby with Southern flair
- Greenbrier Classic PGA Event (June/July): The Old White TPC hosts the pros — golf legends and fans flood the fairways
- Fourth of July Celebration (July 4): Fireworks burst over the front lawn after a day of parades and red-white-blue traditions
- Fall Flavors Week (Sept): Celebrate harvest season with Appalachian cooking demos, cider tastings, and golden foliage
- Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov): From carving stations to horse-drawn sleighs, the holiday stretches across the entire estate
- Christmas at The Greenbrier (Dec): Giant trees, gingerbread mansions, and a hotel-wide display of timeless holiday grandeur
💡 Greenbrier Tips
- Pack Dressy Attire: Evening wear is required in many dining rooms and the casino — think jackets, not jeans
- Schedule Activities Early: Spa treatments, golf tee times, and tours fill quickly, especially on weekends
- Plan for Gratuities: Many resort services already include a service charge — check your bill before tipping twice
- Ask About the President’s Cottage Museum: It’s not on every map, but it’s one of the most historically rich spots on property
- Bring Layers: Mornings are cool, afternoons warm — the mountains keep you guessing year-round
- Try the Mineral Springs: The resort was built on them — sample the original water and feel a twinge of 18th-century wellness
- Don’t Rush: The Greenbrier was made for lingering — linger in parlors, stroll the lawns, and let time slow down
🍽️ Greenbrier Menu
- Pimento Cheese Sandwich: Creamy, tangy, and sandwiched between soft white bread — a Southern staple with a Greenbrier twist
- Fried Green Tomatoes: Crisp on the outside, tart on the inside, and served with a peppery remoulade that wakes up every bite
- Dry-Aged Ribeye: Seared with precision and carved tableside — the resort’s signature steakhouse showstopper
- Cornbread & Honey Butter: Sweet, golden triangles that crumble just right under a slather of whipped butter
- She-Crab Soup: Rich and briny with a whisper of sherry — a Lowcountry classic brought to the mountains
- Blackberry Cobbler: Bubbling fruit tucked under a golden crust, best with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
- Mint Julep: Crushed ice, fresh mint, and smooth bourbon in a frosted silver cup — timeless, strong, and best enjoyed on the veranda