West Virginia Vacation Cabin GetawaysThere are many resources to find West Virginia vacation cabins and getaways on the internet. However, what you see on the internet is not always what you get. Just because a cabin is in West Virginia does not mean that it is always secluded and will offer you the almost heaven experience you are hoping to enjoy.
Within this article I hope to give you some good advice on how to choose your West Virginia Vacation cabin.
Some important points to consider
* Availability (when is the peak season) * Where are the best locations to spend your vacation? * Where you can get the best cabin package for the money
Vacation Cabin Availability
The peak seasons for vacationing in West Virginia may not be the seasons that you suspect. Winter time in West Virginia offers a host of outdoor activities that attracts locals and visitors to certain coveted destinations. Snowshoe Ski Resort, Winterplace and Canaan Valley are certain to be booked during the winter months. So make certain that you prepare ahead of time and reserve a cabin several months prior to your trip.
Fall foliage is a major attraction in West Virginia. The vibrant colors that explode from the mountains are some of not the best in America. So be prepared around the end of September till the middle of October to run into cabins that are already booked. Later in the fall you will see that the reservations are not as full as most of the foliage has dropped to the ground and folks are getting ready for the winter season.
In the heat of summer you will find that folks love to get away to shady retreats while school is out, especially in the early months of summer such as June and July. Even though this is one of the most pleasant times to visit the lush forests of West Virginia it is also one of the most dangerous times for poisonous snakes such as the copperhead and rattlesnakes that inhabit the rocks and leaves throughout the woods.
One of the best times to visit the mountains and forests of West Virginia and to rent a vacation cabin is in middle to late spring. This is a wonderful time of the year, if you can get away. During this season you will be able to enjoy serenity, peace and quiet in a spectacular display of wild flowers and foliage that comes to life after the winter months. White Dogwood trees, Rhododendrons, Wild Azaleas and other wonderful colors of nature give nature lovers and outdoorsmen a very beautiful environment for relaxation.
Spring may be a little cool in West Virginia so make certain that you plan accordingly and bring some warmer clothes. Heavy winter Jackets are usually too much and can be too hot, but it is good to have one in case the occasional snow storm comes up unexpectedly. A thinner insulated wind breaker is very comfortable to wear when hiking and does not burden you down when going for longer treks.
Where are the best vacation cabin locations for your vacation in West Virginia?
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to the vacationer is to plan your vacation ahead of time, get everything in order for you to leave, and plan the best time of year to go and then once you get there; you realize that it was not at all what you thought it was.
West Virginia is by far one of the most beautiful states in our country. However, just like any other place there are good areas and bad areas that I would not want to visit unless I absolutely had to. It is critical to your vacation planning, to research the destination and surrounding environment so that you can get the most out of you time and have a good experience; that way you will want to come back.
I highly recommend that you do at least these three things to research your destination.
1. Search the internet about the area
There are bound to be at least half a dozen websites that expound on your destination. It does not hurt to post a message or two in a message board to gain other peoples perspectives.
2. Try to find pictures of the area during the season that you are planning to visit.
It is not good to see an area with wonderful winter snow or colorful fall leaves if you are planning to visit in the spring. So try to find a website that will give you a good idea of what the entire environment is like.
3. Purchase a local State Map
If you can find somewhere that sells a detailed WV state map. This map will include rural roads as well as all the national and state parks. This gives you a very comprehensive guide to the area and can really help you if you are lost. In addition to a state map I do highly recommend the purchase and use of a GPS system. This can save you time and gas money when searching for your favorite state park which often is very remote.
Where you can get the best log cabin package for the money
This guide is by no means a price guide to log cabins but we do want to help you understand where the best deals are and how you can get a great price and have the amenities you need.
Often, folks think that if you are staying in a log cabin that it has to be primitive with no running water, no heating or air conditioning and no TV or telephone. While this can be true for certain cabins it is not true for all cabins.
The West Virginia park system offers vacation cabins that are primitive and cabins that have amenities. Of course the cabins which have the most conveniences of home will cost more but in order to weigh out the cost of your cabin you must first decide how much you want to "rough it"!
In my humble opinion I believe the privately owned log cabins are much nicer and much more comfortable as modern cabins than the state operated and owned cabins. Private Jacuzzi's and hot tubs make a log cabin vacation rental very nice. When someone else has designed the cabin layout, not just for commercial purposes but added a touch of coziness and home; you tend to enjoy the stay much more than you would if it is just a commercial replica of every other cabin throughout the state.
You will find that the state owned and operated cabins will be a little less expensive than the privately owned cabins. Regardless of primitive or modern the cost will be a little less with the state cabins. There is however, steep competition between vacation cabin rental companies and other tourist lodging providers. Most privately owned cabin rental companies will allow you to make reservations online and provide detailed photographs of the outside and inside of the cabins. If the cabins are very nice outside and inside they will be proud and will display the images on their site. Usually, if the pictures do not show very much of the cabin or accompanying yard and surroundings then they are trying to hide something.
The prices for the cabins are almost always posted online and vary from season to season, as I mentioned previously. However, in a slow season a renter may tend to be negotiable with the renters fee. So it does not hurt to call the renter up and haggle a little on the price. You may find that you can save what it will cost you in gas for your trip.
In conclusion make certain that you research and plan your trip as far in advance as possible. This will allow you to make the most of your precious vacation time. A lot of us only get 2 or 3 weeks of vacation time each year and how many of us actually take vacation? I hope you enjoy your trip to West Virginia.
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