The Greenbrier

Civil War buffs know The Greenbrier as a place that housed military hospitals on both sides—but any whiff of creaky history has been delightfully expunged. Now, it’s the type of place Reese Witherspoon and her brood flock to for some over-the-top hospitality, with bottomless activities (carriage rides! Croquet! Fairy and gnome workshops!) and Instagrammy interior design (book the Carleton Varney Suite for chintz and stripes galore). To feel steeped in centuries past, book a Gable Room. They’re small (just 150 square feet), but awash in Dorothy Draper’s pattern choices and set above The Bunker—a Cold War fallout shelter hidden under the mountains that acted as a government relocation facility for Congress.

A legendary Southern retreat since 1778, with an iconic spa and interior design by 1950s society legend Dorothy Draper.

Tiny. This is a mega resort nestled on some 11,000 acres, complete with every single trapping one could want on vacay—including five (yes, five) golf courses, one designed by Tom Fazio and another that hosted the Ryder Cup.

There’s a dress code, and you’ve grown weary of slovenliness—especially in five star restaurants. For dinner in the main dining room, leave your denim at home, and BYO jacket and tie.

In their journals, Civil War soldiers raved about the restorative sulphur-rich waters that bubbled up from Alvon Springs at The Greenbrier. As you steep in your own soaking room, you instantly feel why. All the aches of travel have dissipated, and in their place? Just the most blissful version of you, and no less.

Draper's - Casual dining serving traditional southern dishes In-Fusion - Serving pan Asian cuisine Main Dining Room - Signature southern and American dishes Rhododendron Café - Offering poolside refreshments Prime 44 West - Classic steakhouse Sam Snead's - Seasonally-opened restaurant offering an à la carte menu The Forum - Serving authentic Italian dishes Tree Tops Café - Healthy options served poolside 42 Below - Dance club with signature drinks Café Carleton - Live piano music and show tunes play Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in this bar serving premium wine and spirits Greenbrier Royale - Cocktails and wines are served at this bar in America's only private casino Lobby Bar - Idea place to mix and mingle before or after dinner JJ's Sports Lounge - Sports bar featuring ballpark style food Slammin' Sammy's - Sports bar featuring big screen TVs Twelve Oaks - High-end lounge serving signature cocktails and cordials