Spend a winter weekend in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.
Located in the heart of the Laurel Highlands and just 1.5 hours from Morgantown, Ligonier, Pennsylvania, is snow-globe nostalgic. Its picture-perfect town square, the Diamond, surrounded by blocks of boutiques and restaurants in well-kept historical buildings, even has a bandstand. And Ligonier is a short drive from great winter recreation.
For an in-town feel, you can unpack your bags within walking distance of town center amenities at Thistledown at Seger House boutique hotel or Colonial House on Main bed and breakfast. If snow sports are your priority for this trip, make Seven Springs Mountain Resort your base, and consider Nemacolin for a pampering weekend.
Wherever you stay, you can ski and snowboard to your heart’s content at any of three resorts, all within a half-hour’s drive of Ligonier. Between them, you can find all of the variety: bunny runs and double diamonds, terrain parks, night skiing, and
snow tubing.
A walk around Ligonier will give you all the good feels of the season. You’ll come across lots of locally owned boutiques, like The Wooden Mantel, Celtic Culture, My Honey Bee, and Quacked Glass Studio, that are full of gifts, antiques, candy, cigars, men’s and women’s clothing, and more. For art, check out G Squared Gallery, Main Exhibit Gallery, and, a short drive south of town, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. On your way back into town from the museum, get your local history fix at the independent nonprofit Fort Ligonier and its museum. Or, for a more stylish sort of history, the Frank Lloyd Wright building sites Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob are less than an hour’s drive from Ligonier.
After all of that, you’ll find plenty to eat in town. Stop at Abigail’s Coffeehouse or Tubmill Creek Provisions for pastries and coffee, sandwiches, and more. Ligonier Tavern & Table offers a big menu and bigger beer and wine lists in a Victorian home. The Kitchen on Main is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or just a fun cocktail. There’s something for every taste at Carol & Dave’s Roadhouse, and head to Fat Daddy’s Place when you need burgers and pizza. For special meals just outside town, try Eastwood or The Gray Goose.
Just a few winter days in Ligonier will leave your heart warmed and your spirits refreshed.
High Fun in the Highlands
If there’s one thing the Laurel Highlands are known for, it’s frosty frolicking. The slopes typically open by mid-December, and you’ve got options.
Laurel Mountain Ski Resort
20 minutes from Ligonier
Originally a playground for the wealthy with slopes designed by legendary ski instructor Johann “Hannes” Schneider, Laurel Mountain is a mid-Atlantic skiing pilgrimage. A quad chairlift and a surface lift serve the mountain’s 19 slopes and trails. Ski the double diamond Lower Wildcat if you dare! With a top elevation of 2,766 feet, Laurel Mountain also features the longest ski run in the Highlands. laurelmountainski.com
Hidden Valley Resort
30 minutes
You can play all day on Hidden Valley’s 26 slopes and trails, where eight lifts maximize your time heading downhill. The fun tops out at 2,875 feet, and when you’re ready to change it up, there are two terrain parks and night skiing. hiddenvalleyresort.com
Seven Springs Mountain Resort
35 minutes
Seven Springs has a peak elevation of 2,994 feet and maintains 33 trails, most open to night skiing. Love freestyling? It also has a whopping seven terrain parks. Ten lifts, including six-packs, quads, triples, and more, make for short waits. Hit the 11 lanes at the snow tubing park for family fun. 7springs.com
Nemacolin Nights and Delights
For a Laurel Highlands visit with every amenity, plan a stay at Nemacolin. Choose from three distinctive hotels, or book one of the private estates.
You can carve fresh tracks on Mystic Mountain’s ski slopes, glide across the ice rink, or trek by snowshoe through the forest. Try a SNO-GO ski bike—or take an enchanting horse-drawn sleigh ride. Schedule your stay around the February 7, 2026, Winterfest to meet the dogsled team and compete in the downhill no-spill Out Cold Race.
Back inside, warm up with fireplaces, fine dining, and a world-class spa. Families will find art classes and wildlife encounters, and couples can savor candlelit dinners and retreat to cozy accommodations that blend rustic charm with refined comfort.
Signature Event
Ligonier Ice Fest
January 23–25, 2026
More than 50 ice sculptures all over town. Past years’ events have included merchant specials, kettle corn, horse-drawn carriage rides, and live ice sculpting. “Visit Ligonier” on FB
READ MORE STORIES FROM OUR WINTER 2025 ISSUE
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