Luxury meets Appalachia in White Sulphur Springs
With a historic Main Street and an iconic luxury resort, White Sulphur Springs is a small-town getaway in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. With about 2,200 residents, it offers mountain living surrounded by thick forests, rolling streams and state parks. “White Sulphur Springs has a small-town feel. It’s very walkable — you can walk from your house to the restaurants and shops on Main Street," says Amanda Pachis, office manager at Greenbrier Real Estate Services, who grew up in White Sulphur Springs. "And it’s great for the outdoors. There’re so many parks, rivers and trails nearby."
The town is home to The Greenbrier, a world-famous resort known for its stunning architecture, unique interior design and pristine golf greens. Throughout its history, 28 United States presidents have stayed at the hotel. “It brings people here from all over the world. There are also people who live at The Greenbrier full time, or have second homes there,” Pachis says.
Rivers, trails and national parks within a short drive
Outdoor recreation is a major draw for White Sulphur Springs — it’s immersed in wild mountain scenery that stretches out as far as the eye can see. Community parks like Lynch Field Park, Tuckahoe Park and Mylan Park offer playgrounds, ballfields and sport courts within walking distance, but the real gems lie just outside town. With 5,100 acres, Greenbrier State Forest has 13 miles of hiking and biking trails, a disc golf course and an aerial adventure course. Residents are also just a few miles from the Greenbrier River, a popular spot for fishing, kayaking and canoeing, and the Greenbrier Trail, which stretches for 78 miles along the river’s edge. Avid golfers can tee up at The Greenbrier, which has four separate golf courses, including one that has hosted both the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup. Just north of the town is the Monongahela National Forest, with an access point just a few miles away at The Big Draft Wilderness area.
Luxury estates, early 20th-century builds and golf course properties
White Sulphur Springs offers a wide variety of housing options, from historical homes near the town’s Main Street to Greenbrier golf course residences and luxury estates in the surrounding hillsides. Styles include everything from early 20th-century cottages and Traditional homes to sprawling, contemporary estates. Many of them offer gorgeous views of natural scenery and forested ridgelines that rise over the town. Older, smaller homes typically sell for between $80,000 and $400,000, while luxury properties and those near The Greenbrier can sell for between $1 million and $10 million. “Those million-dollar properties are at The Greenbrier. In town, you get a range. The houses closest to Main Street sell for a little bit more than if you’re further out,” Pachis says.
A handful of shops and restaurants are found on Main Street
White Sulphur Springs' Main Street is the town’s shopping and dining hub. Its walkable streets are lined with historical brick buildings that house a mix of local eateries, a hardware store, a bookstore, a post office and some other shops. Max on Main is a go-to for American cuisine, while Gustard’s Bistro offers a mix of comfort food and high-end fare. April’s Pizzeria is a long-running restaurant with local roots. Groceries and everyday essentials can be found at Food Lion, although many residents make the 10-mile trek to Lewisburg for shopping.
High school athletes might have a U.S. senator as their coach
Students start their education close to home at White Sulphur Elementary School, which earns a C-plus rating from Niche. The next steps are C-rated Eastern Greenbrier Middle School and Greenbrier East High School, which gets a B-minus. Both schools are in Fairlea, about 10 miles from town. U.S. senator and former West Virginia governor Jim Justice is a past and current basketball coach at Greenbrier East High.
Locals have easy access to a train station and a regional airport
White Sulphur Springs is about 10 miles from Lewisburg and about 70 miles from Roanoke, Virginia. The city is served by the Mountain Transit Authority, with bus lines that connect locals to nearby towns and cities. There’s an Amtrak train station in town as well, offering connections to Washington, D.C., Charlottesville and Charleston. Those in need of health care won’t have to travel far — Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, a 66-bed hospital with an emergency room, is about 12 miles away. Greenbrier Valley Airport is about 14 miles west.
