Festive and Fun in Oglebay

This post is sponsored by Oglebay and the West Virginia Department of Tourism, all opinions remain my own!

If you’re feeling fun and festive this holiday season and looking for a local trip, then Oglebay in Wheeling, West Virginia is the perfect place to visit! West Virginia is a beautiful state and a place I visit a lot in the summer to enjoy the outdoor activities. I was very excited to make my first winter visit! My sister, Michelle and I were craving a sister getaway for my birthday and for the holidays and this was just what we needed. As soon as our eyes set on Wilson Lodge they were filled with heart eyes. It was so beautiful, all decorated for the holidays and our accommodations were the perfect amount of cozy!

Oglebay is located about one-hour from Pittsburgh and is well known for their annual Festival of Lights. This year marked their 36th year for the light show. The resort also has a full-service spa, the Good Zoo, retail shops, and great dining. We hopped on one of the Trolley Tours and couldn’t wait to see all of the lights. We ended up seeing about 1 million lights over a 6-mile route throughout the park! It is great for all ages to enjoy! One of our favorite displays was Snoopy! The Festival of Lights is just the beginning of all of the fun. I’ll lay out a highlight of the places we visited if you are looking for places to visit within the park. There are so many events and activities going on that you are sure to find something for the entire family!

The Festival of Lights

A must-see light show presented by WesBanco illuminates the park and brings in more than 250,000 guests each holiday season. There are over 90 displays throughout a six mile drive. You can see nutcrackers, Snoopy, dinosaurs and more!

The Good Zoo

We were so excited to see the animals at the Good Zoo of Oglebay. It features over 30 acres with more than 50 rare species. We saw our favorite animal- the sloth! There were also meerkats, a snow leopard, wolves, and many more! We were even able to feed the goats and our hearts were so happy. They were so cute and sweet! At night, there was a  special guest that we ran into at the gift shop. Any guesses? There’s a little hint below!

Oglebay Mansion Museum

History was always one of our favorite subjects in school so we looked forward to the Mansion Museum tour. It is a big and beautiful historical house that Earl W. Oglebay owned as his summer home in the 1900s. Each of the 13 rooms is lavishly decorated for the holidays. They even had a Grinch room! My eyes were drawn to all the beautiful furniture and detailed glassware.

Dining

We started our mornings off with an excellent buffet breakfast including pancakes, eggs and bacon. It was a great way to start the day before heading out for our adventures. In the evening we overlooked Schenk Lake from the Ihlenfeld Dining Room. The staff were all so friendly and we enjoyed a prime rib meal with delicious desserts. We couldn’t get enough of the yummy cheesecakes! If you’re feeling hungry and need a bite to eat while you’re out shopping, I recommend the Speidel Grill for soup and sandwiches by the fire. Don’t forget to grab warm chocolate chip cookies with milk before heading out!

Retail Shops

Two girls who love to shop found their way around the park to the cutest gift shops. The first one was the Christmas Shop next to the Speidel Grill. It was filled with ornaments and decorations that would make great gifts for the family. We bought a few as gifts for our families for the holidays! After you fill up on sweets and treats at the Farmhouse Sweets & Treats shoppe, head to the Carriage House for handmade glassware, Fiesta Tableware and to see the life-size Nativity set.

As the night goes on, the Hilltop is a great place to see the 70-foot Welcome Tree that plays music and changes colors for a fun show! Then continue through the Garden of Lights to see a 5-minute light show on the Mansion Museum.

There are so many activities to see and do at Oglebay! My sister and I had the best time and really enjoyed our stay! We will definitely be heading back in the upcoming holidays to experience the Festival of Lights and everything Oglebay has to offer.

 

Hope you go visit Oglebay soon and have an incredible time!!

 

Xx,