All right, so maybe you’ll never nail a perfect figure eight on the ice. Or a double axel. In fact, you’d be happy just learning how to ice skate for five glorious seconds without winding up on all fours.
Never mind your lack of prowess: The rink at Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center in Davis, West Virginia, welcomes skaters of all skill levels. The covered, outdoor ice-skating rink is a popular attraction for families who love to spend quality time together engaged in lively, winter-weather activities. Plus, with an outdoor fireplace and cups of hot chocolate for sale, the rink offers a cozy spot to warm up, as well.
Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center sits on more than 6,300 acres of state parkland on the edge of the Monongahela National Forest, surrounded by 18 miles of trails in wetlands and northern hardwood forests; the area was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1974. That lush property becomes paradise for fun-loving outdoors enthusiasts in the winter. Snowboarding ramps, 600-foot snow-tubing lanes, 39 ski slopes (including an 850-foot vertical drop) — Canaan Valley beckons skiers, snowboarders and ice skaters when a blanket of snow covers the region.
It’s hard to imagine indulging in all the winter sports, then hopping in the car and heading right back home. For travelers eager to extend their stay in the Mountain State, the 250 guest rooms of the Canaan Valley Lodge are a convenient and comfortable spot to thaw before heading back outside for more winter fun.