Greenbrier Resort

State: West Virginia. Type: historic luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County, in the Allegheny Mountains. Mineral springs drew visitors beginning in 1778; the current hotel building opened September 25, 1913, built by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. National Historic Landmark District designation June 21, 1990 (listed on the National Register of Historic Places October 9, 1974). Property spans 11,000 acres; 710 guest rooms and 33 suites, 9 restaurants and 11 bars. Owned since 2009 by the Justice Family Group (Jim Justice) after a prior C&O/CSX ownership era and a 2009 bankruptcy.

The Greenbrier is a historic resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, whose roots as a mineral-springs destination stretch back to 1778. The current hotel building dates to 1913, when the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway constructed it to draw rail travelers to the springs, and the resort has hosted generations of guests across more than two centuries in one form or another. Set on 11,000 acres in the Allegheny Mountains, it is a National Historic Landmark District known for Dorothy Draper-designed interiors, an extensive golf pedigree (it has hosted the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup), and one of the country's most famous open secrets: a Cold War-era underground bunker built in 1959-1962 to shelter Congress in a nuclear emergency, whose existence was only revealed publicly in 1992 and which is now a paid tour experience. Beyond golf and the bunker tour, the resort offers dozens of activities from spa treatments and a casino to horseback riding, falconry, fishing, and seasonal carriage or sleigh rides, alongside a roster of restaurants ranging from a Main Dining Room to a dedicated steakhouse and Italian restaurant.

The Greenbrier is located at 101 Main Street West, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986, in Greenbrier County in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, near the Virginia border. The resort property covers about 11,000 acres.

White Sulphur Springs sits in the Allegheny Mountains and experiences a four-season mountain climate, with cold winters and mild-to-warm summers typical of higher-elevation West Virginia; specific temperature and precipitation averages were not confirmed from the sources reviewed for this summary.

Because most core Greenbrier experiences (dining, spa, the Bunker tour, casino) are indoor and operate year-round, the resort can be visited in any season; golf and outdoor activities such as horseback riding and fishing are best suited to spring through fall, while winter adds sleigh rides as a seasonal option, per the resort's own activity listings.

Mineral springs on the site began attracting visitors in 1778, according to the resort's own history. An early hotel known as the Old White was built in 1858. The current hotel building was constructed by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and opened September 25, 1913. Ownership passed through the C&O, the Chessie System and CSX Corporation until a 2009 bankruptcy, after which the Justice Family Group (headed by coal businessman Jim Justice) purchased the property. In 1958, Congress mandated construction of a secret underground emergency relocation bunker beneath a new wing of the hotel, built 1959-1962 to shelter members of Congress during a Cold War nuclear crisis; its existence remained classified until Washington Post reporter Ted Gup revealed it publicly in 1992. The resort was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1974, and designated a National Historic Landmark District on June 21, 1990.

Signature activities include golf on the resort's historic courses (host to the 1979 Ryder Cup and 1994 Solheim Cup), the 90-minute guided Bunker tour of the Cold War-era fallout shelter, spa treatments, casino gaming, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking, Jeep tours, falconry lessons, an aerial adventure course, escape rooms, glass blowing, tennis, pickleball, bowling and an arcade, with seasonal carriage and sleigh rides. The resort describes more than 55 indoor and outdoor activities in total, plus more than 35 retail shops.

The historic hotel building itself, with its Dorothy Draper-designed interiors, is a landmark destination. The Bunker, the declassified Cold War congressional shelter beneath the West Virginia Wing, is one of the resort's best-known attractions and requires a paid guided tour. The resort's golf courses and gardens are also notable features of the property.

The Greenbrier is located in White Sulphur Springs in eastern West Virginia near the Virginia border; specific airport and highway access details were not confirmed from the sources reviewed for this summary. Visitors should check the resort's official travel page for current directions and any airport shuttle information.

The resort operates year-round; specific daily operating hours for individual venues (restaurants, spa, casino) were not detailed in the sources reviewed. The Bunker tour requires advance reservation and has its own schedule, including a noted closure from February 22-25, 2026; call the resort or check its website for current hours.

General resort access is tied to overnight stays or day-visit arrangements rather than a single admission fee. The Bunker tour is priced separately: as of research, group tours were $52 per adult and $24 per youth (ages 10-17), while private tours for 1-25 guests ranged from $1,205.20 (before 5 p.m.) to $1,815 (6:30-8:00 p.m.), prices inclusive of West Virginia sales tax and the Historic Preservation Fund. Confirm current pricing on greenbrier.com before booking.

As a full-service resort with dozens of activities, most visitors plan a multi-night stay of two to four days or longer rather than a single-day visit.

The Greenbrier itself is the primary lodging option on-site, offering Signature Resort Rooms with Dorothy Draper décor, Greenbrier Estate Homes, and Legacy Cottages across the 11,000-acre property; the resort has 710 guest rooms and 33 suites in total. Additional off-property lodging in White Sulphur Springs was not detailed in the sources reviewed.

The resort operates 9 restaurants and 11 bars on-site, including the Main Dining Room, the Prime 44 West steakhouse, and The Forum, an Italian restaurant, alongside additional lounges and casual cafes.

White Sulphur Springs, the surrounding Allegheny Mountains and Greenbrier County's broader outdoor-recreation areas are in the immediate vicinity; specific named nearby attractions beyond the resort itself were not detailed in the sources reviewed.

Specific nearest-airport and public-transit details were not confirmed from the sources reviewed for this summary; check the resort's official travel page for current transportation guidance.

The Bunker tour prohibits cameras, phones, bags, weapons and other concealment items, and requires guests to be at least 10 years old; arrive 15 minutes early at the Trellis Lobby check-in point and wear comfortable shoes. For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable walking shoes for the Bunker tour (which does not permit phones, cameras or bags), appropriate attire for the resort's dining rooms and activities, and golf or outdoor gear if participating in golf, horseback riding or fishing.

Book the Bunker tour in advance, since it runs on a limited schedule, requires a minimum age of 10, and has a documented closure window (February 22-25, 2026, as of research); cancellations require 24 hours' notice. Given the resort's wide range of paid add-on activities beyond a room rate, budget separately for experiences like the Bunker tour, spa and golf.

Dial 911 for any emergency. For resort reservations and general inquiries, including Bunker tour bookings, call 1-844-837-2466, per the resort's official website.

The Greenbrier - https://www.greenbrier.com

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This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.