50 – All American Getaways

Forget about coal mines and satellite dishes – when it comes to natural beauty, West Virginia’s mountains, forests, and raging rivers are among the best-kept secrets in the country. The Cheat Mountain Club, built as a sportsmen’s retreat at the turn of the century, is smack in the middle of the state’s highest peaks and the 900,000-acre Monongahela National Forest. The club is small (23 guests at a time) and somewhat rugged (only one en suite bathroom), but that didn’t bother Henry Ford or Thomas Edison when they were here. Built of hand-hewn spruce logs and rock maple, the lodge has maintained its country elegance since the 1930’s. Guests enjoy trout fishing, whitewater rafting, hiking and hunting, but badminton and croquet are options for those seeking quieter pursuits. Tell’em Henry and Tom sent you.