The Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia tri-state area is full of colorful holiday spectaculars to check out as the end of the year approaches.
By Pat Jennette, F505807
November 2023
Imagine driving your RV along a six-mile route through a park to see more than one million holiday lights. You can do that at Oglebay, a self-supporting public park in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Festival of Lights at Oglebay is one of several places to visit during the holidays across the compact tri-state area that encompasses parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the West Virginia panhandle.
While we’ve often ventured to destinations as far away as St. Augustine, Florida, and Southern California during the holiday season, we also appreciate the plethora of seasonal destinations right in our own backyard.
OGLEBAY FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
In West Virginia, the Festival of Lights at Oglebay (pronounced Ogle-bee) has brought smiles to millions of visitors since 1985. This festival is considered one of the best of its kind in the United States, showcasing more than one million lights over 200 acres. Throughout the drive, visitors can experience more than 90 displays, many accompanied by music. An option for driving the six-mile-long route is to book a trolley ride where the driver takes visitors through the display, eliminating the need to worry about directions.
In 1926, Earl W. Oglebay deeded his estate, Waddington Farm, to the city of Wheeling with the stipulation that it be used for recreation to benefit the community. This now-2,000-acre park is open year-round. The Oglebay Mansion Museum, built around 1845, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Good Zoo at Oglebay engages visitors with an indoor laser light show in the Benedum Theater and Planetarium, as well as the Rockin’ Holiday Light Show on the outdoor plaza. The latter features 40,000 LED lights set to the music of such artists as Led Zeppelin and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Plenty of other family-oriented activities are offered during the season. Also, try a meal at one of the restaurants on the grounds. The Nightly Holiday Dinner Buffet at the Ihlenfeld Dining Room in Wilson Lodge is popular. The Holiday Dinner Show presents entertainment organized by the West Virginia Public Theatre and features performers from around the United States.
Oglebay’s Herb Faulkenberry, vice president of sales and marketing, notes that RVers can park in the lower lot of Wilson Lodge near the designated motor coach section if they choose to take the trolley or enjoy other amenities of the resort.
This year, Oglebay’s Festival of Lights (oglebay.com/lights-drive) runs from November 9 to January 8 and is open nightly from dusk until midnight. A donation of $30 per vehicle is suggested.
Nutcracker Village features 200 colorful, individually themed creations.
NUTCRACKER VILLAGE
Take a short ride north to explore the ever-growing Nutcracker Village in Steubenville, Ohio, along the Ohio River. This seasonal attraction began in 2015 as part of a revitalization effort for the downtown area in what was once a burgeoning steel town. From a small group of people inspired by two area businessmen — Jerry Barilla and Mark Nelson — to the hand-carved artistry of Brodie Stutzman and intricate painting by Therese Fedoryka, it has grown to showcase 200 6-foot tall, wood-carved creations, each with a different costume or theme.
Besides the gigantic nutcrackers, folks can visit the German Gluhwein Garden on weekends to enjoy a cup of hot mulled cider or wine. Walk through the 4th Street Advent Market in the heart of town on Saturdays or the Christmas at the Fort Holiday Market on the grounds of historic Fort Steuben, a national park site and national historic landmark. The latter is open from November 24 through December 23 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons and evenings. Although the fort itself isn’t open during the winter, the visitor center and museum shop are open year-round on weekdays (except for major holidays).
Jump on the Polar Express Hayride for a free, lighted trip through town to see the Nutcrackers amidst the storefronts all aglow. Children’s activities abound, too, with a special area for face painting, making crafts, and playing games. Story times take place throughout the season, as does the Christmas StoryWalk on 4th Street, which combines reading a book and hunting for book pages around the nutcrackers on display.
Known as the world’s largest display of nutcrackers, the Steubenville Nutcracker Village (steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com) is open this year from November 21 through January 6. RV parking is available at several outdoor public parking lots within the city.
VICTORIAN VILLAGE
The Dickens Victorian Village Courthouse light show is a nighttime visual spectacular.
Established in 1860, the town of Cambridge, Ohio, has retained much of its architectural charm, with many buildings standing as they were more than a century ago. About an hour-and-a-half drive from Steubenville, Cambridge hosts its 18th annual Dickens Victorian Village this holiday season. Throughout the downtown Wheeling Avenue area, which is also part of the historic National Road/Route 40, visitors can view 180 lifelike Victorian figures represented in more than 90 scenes that re-create this era. On select Saturdays, you can ride the heated trolley. Weather permitting, you can also choose to take a carriage ride.
Each night during November and December, the 1880s Guernsey County Courthouse delights visitors with a computer-controlled light show. More than 66,000 lights and 60 animated displays are set to a synchronized holiday music track. The hour-long show begins at approximately 5:30 p.m. and runs continuously until 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. on most weekends and holidays.
Other popular activities are the Victorian and Queens teas, the Candlelight Walk, and the Chocolate Walk (for the latter, walkers receive chocolate treats from participating businesses). In the Welcome Center, folks can visit the Imagination Station to dress up in Victorian costumes and have their picture taken, or check out the Curiosity Shoppe’s handcrafted gift items.
For more information about these events and tickets, visit the Dickens Welcome Center and Curiosity Shoppe (dickensvictorianvillage.com), or call (740) 421-4956.
We learned about Dickens Victorian Village while camping at Ohio’s Salt Fork State Park this fall. Salt Fork is less than 15 minutes from Cambridge and offers a pristine camping experience with wide-open, easily navigable sites. Each of the campground’s loops has sparkling-clean restrooms, and several of them have heated shower facilities. We were impressed with how neatly manicured the grounds were and how level each loop was for walking access. During the winter season, one loop remains open, with 30- and 50-amp hookups available and access to an outdoor water spigot.
Drive through illuminated arches at Clinton Park’s annual Christmas Light-Up.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Just across the border in Pennsylvania, stop at the Christmas Light-Up drive-through at Clinton Park in Findlay Township. This one-mile ride through the park is an all-volunteer labor of love. Proceeds from the $10 donation per car support community charities, families, and individuals with financial and health challenges.
Resident Patty Faux and her late husband, Lloyd, established this celebration in 1993. They were inspired to provide a holiday experience with a faith-based focus for the area. Over the years, the drive-through has grown. In recent years, more than 10,000 cars have come through to see the ever-growing selection of displays.
A community-oriented display featuring trees decorated by area families, businesses, and organizations is a highlight of the drive. Christmas Light-Up drive-through (findlay.pa.us/291/Christmas-Light-Up) opens Thanksgiving weekend and continues daily, holidays included, through the first weekend in January.
The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden hosts its second annual Dazzling Nights display (dazzlingpittsburgh.com) in neighboring North Fayette Township November 24 through January 1. Dazzling Nights illuminates the various garden areas. Highlights include the Lotus Pond, a field of 2,000 dancing flowers, and the Tunnel of Giant Stars. Timed entry tickets can be purchased for any evening starting at 5:30 p.m. The last entry is at 9:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens presents Dazzling Nights, a magical walk through themed areas.
Off-site parking is available and can accommodate RVs. A complimentary shuttle takes guests to and from the gardens.
OTHER NOTABLE PLACES
As members of Harvest Hosts, we like to recommend overnight stays near places we visit. One of our favorites is Janoski’s Farm and Greenhouse (janoskis.com) in Clinton, Pennsylvania. This longtime family-owned business provides ample space for RVs and is a convenient drive to any of the holiday festivities described in this article. While there, explore Janoski’s expansive farm market and gift shop. In the farm market, visit the wine room and try some wine from Arrowhead Wine Cellars, located in northeastern Pennsylvania. There’s also a café with food selections to eat in or take to go. Many of their offerings are prepared using produce from the farm.
In Wheeling near Oglebay, consider staying through Harvest Hosts at the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum (toyandtrain.com). The museum can accommodate rigs as large as 60 feet. Separate tow-vehicle parking is also available.
Now in its 25th year, the museum, which is housed in a 1906 Victorian school building, showcases more than 30,000 toy and train items. These items are the result of a lifetime of discovering trains and more by Allan Robert Miller and his son, Allan Raymond. In the 1970s, this father-son duo began acquiring trains, particularly the Lionel brand. Over time, their collection grew to include many other train styles. Soon they also were discovering old dolls and dollhouses from as far back as the 1920s, as well as other vintage toys. The growing collection prompted their desire to house their treasures permanently. One room is dedicated to miniature toys and another to toys that represent transportation. The museum also boasts the most extensive Monopoly game collection on the East Coast.
During the holidays, the museum becomes festive. Santa Claus visits on the weekends, visitors can decorate their own gnomes, and local students perform Christmas music to kick off the season. For something different, park the RV and stay overnight here in their specially outfitted caboose!
CAMPGROUND INFORMATION
Creekside Camping
191 Gillespie Lane
Triadelphia, WV 26059
creeksidecampingllc.com
(304) 547-1469
Dallas Pike Campground
44 Bonfire Lane
Triadelphia, WV 26059
dallaspikecampground.wixsite.com/mysite
(304) 909-0826
Grand Vue Park
250 Trail Drive
Moundsville, WV 26041
grandvuepark.com/rv-park-camping
(304) 845-9810, ext. 403
Hidden Hollow Park
316 Swierkos Drive
Moundsville, WV 26041
hiddenhollowRV.com
(304) 280-2656