As one of the largest municipal parks in the country, the Oglebay Resort and Conference Center, located just outside of Wheeling, West Virginia, is full of fun activities for the entire family. Featuring several museums, a ski resort, hotel and conference center, zoo, a series of gardens and much more, the Resort offers family fun enough to occupy an entire trip. However, I am going to primarily discuss those portions of the Resort that can be enjoyed in the space of a single day. So if you’re in the area, definitely stop by and see what all the fuss is about.
The museums at Oglebay feature a number of important artifacts dealing with the history of Wheeling. Of particular note is the Oglebay Institute Glass Museum and Northwood Gallery. Located in the bottom portion of the Carriage House Glass Shop, the two museums are a delight to view and feature a number of beautiful glass pieces from the glory days of glass production in Wheeling. What’s more, you can even see examples of fine china made by three of Wheeling’s early china companies. The museum is also home to the famous Sweeney Punch Ball, the largest piece of cut lead crystal ever made. One can easily spend two hours wandering through the museum. Be sure to stop by when the Institute’s resident glass-maker gives demonstrations.
When you’re finished with the Museum, you can also purchase some wonderful glass pieces from the Carriage House Glass Shop. Of particular note are pieces of glassware from the Fostoria Company (formerly located in nearby Moundsville), as well as glass sculpture made by local glass artisans. When you’re finished with the glass, you can wander next door to the Oglebay Gourmet in the Garden shop. Here, you can find a number of delightful items available for purchase, including candies, specialty foods, books, and more. There are also
several other shops located at the resort, including the Palm Room and the Garden Center Gift Shop, which feature fine gifts for the gardener.
After shopping, take a walk through the magnificent Bissonnette Gardens, which feature a number of flowers and plants on a rotating basis. You can also enjoy the All-American Selections Display Gardens, which recently won 2002 Category II AAS Display Garden Exemplary Education Winner. The gardens are the only display garden in the United States, and as such are a great place to enjoy the natural beauty of flowers and vegetables. Both gardens are open to the public.
To round out your day at Oglebay, stop by the Good Zoo, the only AZA-accredited zoo in the state of West Virginia. The zoo features both indoor and outdoor exhibits and has a superb variety of animal species including: African wild dogs, a reticulated python, an ocelot, Red pandas, several species of kangaroo and wallaby, golden lion and cotton-top tamarins, and many more. The zoo also features a train that will take visitors through several of the exhibits. The zoo is also home to an amazingly intricate model train exhibit, which is definitely worth seeing.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor from out of state, Oglebay has something to offer for everyone. What’s more, you could definitely spend more than a day here, especially as the Resort offers a number of other museums, institutes, seminars, a ski resort, fine dining, and so much more. If you’re from the local area, be sure to check out the Oglebay Institute, which features a number of initiatives dealing with cultural literacy. If you’re from out of town, be sure to come back for the Annual Festival of Lights, held ever year from late November to early January. So come see Oglebay. I guarantee there will be something for you.
*My thanks to the website for the Olgebay Resort, which provided invaluable information for this article.
