CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- With school underway, busy times are at hand. However, in the midst of numerous activities and full schedules, it is important to stop and give yourself time to relax.

For a cool weekend, pack your bags and head for Locust Hill in Pocahontas County. Set just outside the picturesque town of Marlinton, Locust Hill is home to a bed and breakfast, lakeside cabin and day spa.

As you drive through olive-colored pillars, you're greeted by Locust Hill's renovated house sitting on a knoll overlooking the property. The entrance is through a picket fence and past a pear tree.

Upon entering the house, you feel a sense of peacefulness and welcome as you meet Dave and Paula Zorn, the owners and licensed massage therapists. On the first floor, you pass the day spa on the right, then enter the spacious living room, which is filled with antique household items and plentiful reading materials. 

The dining room windows are perfect for bird watching; birdfeeders are placed strategically in view outside. Dave and Paula cook delicious meals for their guests that may include fresh-squeezed grape juice, friendship bread and raspberry sherbet.

After observing the quaint sitting areas on the large front porch, head upstairs to your room.  The second floor boasts the Dream Believer room, decorated with pale pinks and blues, and the Star Dust room, done in soft whites and creams. On the landing is a pleasing variety of board games for guests.

The Almost Heaven room occupies the entire third floor. Complete with a Jacuzzi, over-stuffed chairs, queen-sized bed and pullout sleeper couch, this charming room is an expertly converted attic with sweeping views of the Locust Hill property. 

Located just down from the bed and breakfast, the "Dam Cabin" is a special place fit for a romantic weekend or family vacation. The cabin, located on the dam side of a lake, is an outdoor fantasy with its bright red roof and wrap-around porch -- which houses a hot tub. Inside, you'll find a cozy living space, a spacious kitchen, a loft with two beds and a downstairs bedroom. The view from the windows is stunning.   

The Locust Hill Day Spa is located in the bed and breakfast. Herbal and botanical based, Swiss-formulated Arbonne International products are used on guests, and various lotions and salt rubs are provided in every room. Choose a European facial, hot stone massage, reflexology or one of many others to complete your relaxing experience.

Besides having such wonderful amenities and accommodations, Locust Hill is near a host of West Virginia activities. It's a few blocks from the Greenbrier River Trail, and the owners offer shuttle service for guests who are bike riders.

Additional recreational activities include Snowshoe Resort, Cass Scenic Railroad, the National Observatory at Green Bank, Watoga State Park, Seneca State Forest and Beartown. There are also numerous other outdoor attractions. 

Before visiting Locust Hill, check into its numerous package offers, including biking, relaxation and pampering. Spend some time in the heart of the West Virginian Appalachians at Locust Hill this fall.

For a cool weekend, pack your bags and head for Locust Hill in Pocahontas County. Set just outside the picturesque town of Marlinton, Locust Hill is home to a bed and breakfast, lakeside cabin and day spa.

As you drive through olive-colored pillars, you're greeted by Locust Hill's renovated house sitting on a knoll overlooking the property. The entrance is through a picket fence and past a pear tree.

Upon entering the house, you feel a sense of peacefulness and welcome as you meet Dave and Paula Zorn, the owners and licensed massage therapists. On the first floor, you pass the day spa on the right, then enter the spacious living room, which is filled with antique household items and plentiful reading materials. 

The dining room windows are perfect for bird watching; birdfeeders are placed strategically in view outside. Dave and Paula cook delicious meals for their guests that may include fresh-squeezed grape juice, friendship bread and raspberry sherbet.

After observing the quaint sitting areas on the large front porch, head upstairs to your room.  The second floor boasts the Dream Believer room, decorated with pale pinks and blues, and the Star Dust room, done in soft whites and creams. On the landing is a pleasing variety of board games for guests.

The Almost Heaven room occupies the entire third floor. Complete with a Jacuzzi, over-stuffed chairs, queen-sized bed and pullout sleeper couch, this charming room is an expertly converted attic with sweeping views of the Locust Hill property. 

Located just down from the bed and breakfast, the "Dam Cabin" is a special place fit for a romantic weekend or family vacation. The cabin, located on the dam side of a lake, is an outdoor fantasy with its bright red roof and wrap-around porch -- which houses a hot tub. Inside, you'll find a cozy living space, a spacious kitchen, a loft with two beds and a downstairs bedroom. The view from the windows is stunning.   

The Locust Hill Day Spa is located in the bed and breakfast. Herbal and botanical based, Swiss-formulated Arbonne International products are used on guests, and various lotions and salt rubs are provided in every room. Choose a European facial, hot stone massage, reflexology or one of many others to complete your relaxing experience.

Besides having such wonderful amenities and accommodations, Locust Hill is near a host of West Virginia activities. It's a few blocks from the Greenbrier River Trail, and the owners offer shuttle service for guests who are bike riders.

Additional recreational activities include Snowshoe Resort, Cass Scenic Railroad, the National Observatory at Green Bank, Watoga State Park, Seneca State Forest and Beartown. There are also numerous other outdoor attractions. 

Before visiting Locust Hill, check into its numerous package offers, including biking, relaxation and pampering. Spend some time in the heart of the West Virginian Appalachians at Locust Hill this fall.