Did you know that National Grandparents Day has roots in West Virginia? We celebrate Grandparents Day thanks to Marian Herndon McQuade of Oak Hill and her efforts that lead to this day being founded. This year, celebrate your grandparents on Sunday, Sept. 9!
This is the perfect day to make your grandparents feel special and loved. Here are some fun ideas to do just that in Almost Heaven:
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Take them to brunch!
Restaurants throughout the state have some of the yummiest brunch menus you can find. Try these places for an amazing brunch experience:
- Backyard Pizza & Raw Bar – Try corned beef-n-hash, shrimp and grits, cinnamon toast crunch French toast and huevos rancheros at Backyard Pizza & Raw Bar in Huntington.
- Lot 12 Public House – Indulge in local pork sausage gravy, Dutch apple pancakes, Mediterranean seafood salad, eggs benedict, monte cristos and buttermilk fried quail at Lot 12 Public House in Berkeley Springs.
- Spats Restaurant at the Blennerhassett Hotel – Spats in Parkersburg brunch menu is a local favorite and features seafood, made-to-order omelets and other traditional breakfast items your grandparents will love. Their brunch menu also includes a desert station. Yum!
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Explore one of West Virginia’s beautiful state parks.
West Virginia’s state parks showcase the beauty of the Mountain State and provide opportunities to explore trails, scenic overlooks, deep valleys and sprawling meadows. Here are some fun activities you can do at the state parks:
- Take a tour of the grounds and mansion or enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride at Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park.
- Visit Blackwater Falls State Park and take the ultimate family photo in front of Blackwater Falls, a mighty 57-foot cascade.
- Explore Babcock State Park with your grandparents. Babcock State Park is one of West Virginia’s most iconic locations with its rhododendron-lined trails, rippling streams and Glade Creek Grist Mill.
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Visit a piece of history
West Virginia’s history is rich and diverse, from a former top-secret U.S. Bunker to the home of John Brown’s famous raid. Visit one of these places for a step back in time with your grandparents:
- Take a bunker tour at The Greenbrier. The bunker was once a top-secret U.S. Government relocation facility for Congress carved deep into the mountainside.
- Explore Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and visit John Brown’s Fort where he and several of his followers barricaded themselves in 1859. While you are at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park stroll the picturesque streets, visit exhibits and museums or hike the trails and battlefields.
- Learn about West Virginia’s journey to statehood at the West Virginia Independence Hall. Take a tour of this National Historic Landmark and hear about the series of events that lead up to the state’s creation.
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Stop by the Good Zoo at Oglebay Resort
The Good Zoo has over 50 species, 30 that are rare or endangered. Here you can explore the Outback Exhibit, Lorikeet Landing and Wonders of the Wetlands Exhibit. Aboard the historic C.P. Huntington Train Ride, which takes visitors on a one-and-a-half-mile journey through the zoo. This sounds like something fun for grandma and grandpa!
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Stroll through the gorgeous grounds of the West Virginia Botanic Garden
Look out for various species mosses, lichens, ferns, reptiles, amphibians and birds along the way! This is the perfect stop for any nature lover.
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