History in the Making
The Greenbrier (a.k.a. “America’s Resort”) continues its tradition of creating forever memories for its guests.
As a planner, my biggest challenge in recommending some of the East Coast’s better resort options is how to get my groups from Point A (their homes or offices) to Point B (the resort) without making them spend too much time on the road. Sure, it’s nice to reside at a pampering place, such a five-star inn, but if attendees are allocating a half-day’s travel to and then from the venue, proximity matters.
Let’s face it: The majority of attendees don’t mind the journey. In fact, we recognize that traveling is an important part of the trip. Some of us even enjoy it.
It only takes a smattering of attendees - or even one who doesn’t like to travel too far (more than 2-3 hours each leg) - to change an event’s location. It becomes a diplomatic sacrifice opting for closer instead of better, property selection-wise.
Not this attendee…
My own options for getting to The Greenbrier – possibly, America’s most beautiful resort and certainly one of its most iconic - were varied:
#1 – I could have jetted-in from Baltimore (BWI) direct to Greenbrier Valley Airport. Or from JFK (as low as $102!). Maybe next time…
Option #3 it was – Drive through spring’s spectac- ular greening, enjoying the gorgeous scenery which lined the way toward my destination just west of the Virginia state line, taking in the coniferous scenery of the Allegheny Mountains, along Rt. 64 - a smooth stretch of road; a fun drive.
#2 – Train in comfortably from Baltimore or DC, as there’s a convenient Amtrak station located just across the street from The Greenbrier. I would soon learn that particular railroad line played more of a part of The Greenbrier’s rich history than sim- ply commuter transport. That train line, which runs from Washington, DC, had once become the veritable lifeline of our highest orders of government during the Cold War – a way for our lawmakers of the day to quickly “Get out of Dodge,” as it were, if The Capitol had fallen under nuclear attack, bringing our leaders to this idyllic playground where they would have been quickly and secretly whisked into a completely covert bunker built into, and underneath, The Greenbrier. And so it was – the future of America would ultimately lie within the resort’s clandestine past.
But more on that aspect of government subterfuge soon…
By Ken Alan
76 May z June 2017
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