Greenbrier alternatives
 

I'm taking my hubby to the Greenbrier as a surprise 60th birthday gift. We'll be there for a week and I'm wondering if there are any other restaurants in the area where we can dine. I really don't want to have to dress up every evening for dinner in the main dining room and would like to explore other options. Are there any other inns/B&B's in the area that anyone can recommend that also have fine dining? Is there anything else to do once you go off property?

The town of Lewisburg, WV is right there with several other casual dining options. The General Lewis Inn has a fine dining restaurant which many people like - I have not personally eaten there.
You might also go to Tamarack Arts Center while you are in the area. It has a great collection of made in West Virginia fine art and crafts and their cafeteria service is by the Greenbriar. There are also a few dining options in Beckley (home of Tamarack). We have eaten at the Char steak house and thought it was great.

Isn't dinner still included in the price of your stay? It's been awhile since I was there, but I thought the food was scrumptious.

There are 3 restaurants in Lewisburg which I really like (you are just a few miles down the road from Lewisburg and it's an easy drive to get there):

Food & Friends (moderate priced, nice restaurant but you don't have to dress up, very good food)

Julian's Restaurant (very small so you may want to make reservations, great selections of wines, charming owner/chef who will probably come to your table and is glad to recommend a wine, don't have to dress up).

Tavern 1785 (higher priced, good food, don't have to get real dressed up but more so than the other 2 I listed.)

These and other restaurants can be found at a website about Greenbrier County. http://www.greenbrierwv.com/
Click on What To Do then click on Dining
or goto http://www.greenbrierwv.com/home/index.asp?page=256

As to what to do off the property - a lot depends on the time of year.

Goto http://www.greenbrierwv.com/ & put your cursor on What To Do.
Also check out things in Fayette County at http://www.fayettecounty.com/ (that includes the town of Beckley mentioned by another poster). Also goto http://www.newrivercvb.com/index.html and http://www.newrivercvb.com/calendar.html as well as http://www.wvexplorer.com/Regions/Ne...ier-Valley.asp

Couple more things:
I am making a run to The Greenbrier tomorrow (2 hours from me) to stock up on goodies from the gourmet shop. Be sure to get some of their Mango Lime Salsa, Black Bean Salsa, and Greenbrier Peaches (frozen). They will ship things home for you if needed.

A bonus reason for my going is the Fried Green Tomato sandwich at Drapers Cafe in The Greenbrier - it is wonderful.

Also stop in the Cooper Gallery in Lewisburg and check out the paintings by a WV artist who uses a 5-inch cement trowel as his brush. His paintings of nature are soooo gorgeous and lifelike.

Hint: There is a shop in White Sulphur Springs that sells "seconds" from The Greenbrier. I have not caught it open but sure would like to see what all they have. It's on the main road through town but you have to look hard or you will miss it.

I am jealous that you are staying for a week!!!!

Carolyn, When we go to The Greenbrier it is at a convention but what I have been able to figure out... The Greenbrier now offers the option of a room with or without meals. A room is something like $400 per night without meals or $400 per person per night with meals. Of course, the cottages are more. Don't quote me on this info however, I am not sure. Since we are there for a convention, I don't really pay attention to the details. Love the Greenbrier, but normally for what it costs to stay for 4 days we could stay in the Caribbean for over a week.

Thanks, LVSun. I was only there for conventions, also, for which my lovely company was paying. Now I'm retired and would rather spend my own money going to Europe or Hawaii.

Sam Snead's is much more casual than the main dining room and the food is every bit as good. In fact, my husband would rather eat all our dinners at Snead's. And you certainly can't beat the magnificent view at the sun sets over the mountains, then they raise the shades and you can see night fall. Have a wonderful time - what a great gift!

I want to thank everyone for their great ideas. The visit to Greenbrier was FANTASTIC! Felt like a princess - unfortunately the coach has turned into a pumpkin and my prince, well, my prince remains a prince, lucky for me! We did have dinner @ Julian's & Food and Friends, both of which were wonderful. Don't be put off by Julian's exterior - it looks a bit 'rustic' (putting it mildly) but once indoors you realize it's a funky place with lots of charm. We did have dinner at Greenbrier's newest restaurant Hemisphere - consists of a 7 course tasting menu with accompanying wines. Very expensive but so incredibly visual that you don't really care what you're eating because you're so blown away by the presentation. All of the activities have a hefty pricetag but it was worth every penny. Now I can't wait to see what hubby does to celebrate MY bithday!

Glad you enjoyed The Greenbrier and the dinners at other restaurants. Hemisphere was not open this summer - thanks for the report on it.

Hope hubby gives you a great birthday!!