Meeting facilities at state parks

Planning a meeting in a Virginia State Park is easy

For conferences, meetings, banquets and retreats, Virginia State Parks are the natural choice. Leave behind the impersonal meeting rooms in generic glass and steel buildings and take advantage of one of Virginia's best-kept secrets.

From state-of-the-art meeting space at Hungry Mother State Park's Hemlock Haven Conference Center to the cozy Stewart Room of the Jones-Stewart Mansion at Chippokes State Park, Virginia State Parks can accommodate various group sizes in facilities across the state.

If you're planning an event for 375, a retreat for 250 or a meeting with three people, the serenity of a Virginia State Park is the natural choice to escape the noise and distraction of the day-to-day routine. Our affordable, comfortable accommodations, helpful staff and beautiful locations will make your next event memorable and unique.

Depending on the park and season, guests using meeting facilities also can enjoy all the park has to offer, including swimming, hiking, boating and many more activities. So the next time you're making plans for business or pleasure, look no farther than a Virginia State Park. No smoking is allowed in any Virginia State Parks indoor facilities.

Hemlock Haven Conference Center

Hungry Mother State Park, (276) 781-7425
Marion, Va.

Nationally acclaimed Hemlock Haven Conference Center at Hungry Mother State Park is the park system's largest full-service meeting facility. Hidden in hemlock-shaded mountains of southwestern Virginia, Hemlock Haven offers meeting space, lodging, audiovisual equipment and a wide variety of seasonal activities like swimming and tennis as well as group activities like softball, basketball and volleyball. Catering and WiFi are available.

Hemlock Haven accommodates 375 people for a reception and has banquet services for up to 250. More space is available in the park's restaurant. Overnight accommodations for 78 people are available in comfortable lodges and cabins. Twenty additional cabins elsewhere in the park may be available, and Hungry Mother Lodge can provide overnight accommodations for 16.

Cedar Crest Center

Twin Lakes State Park, (434) 767-2398
Green Bay, Va.

Nestled in the woods, Cedar Crest overlooks a picturesque lake. Located in central Virginia and backed by the beautiful and historic Prince Edward Lake, Cedar Crest is the perfect location for your single or multi-day event. Your rental includes access to three climate-controlled indoor conference rooms, a caterer’s kitchen, banquet room, a large deck, several picnic shelters, a gazebo, and parking during your event for your event guests.

View a complete guide to all things Cedar Crest. Call 434-392-3435 for information and reservations.

Cove Ridge Center

Natural Tunnel State Park, (276) 940-2696
Duffield, Va.

The center’s primary focus is outdoor education and adventure activities, but it is designed to be used as well for training workshops, meetings and retreats in the intimate and natural setting of a state park. The Cove Ridge Center Auditorium accommodates up to 100 and can be staged to meet the needs of your particular group. Also, the center features a classroom and a resource library that can be reserved for groups of up to 24. State of the art audiovisual equipment and high speed Internet access are included with the use of these facilities.

Water’s Edge Meeting Facility

Claytor Lake State Park, (800) 933-7275
Dublin, Va.

Water's Edge Meeting Facility at Bear Creek State Park The Water’s Edge Meeting Facility at Claytor Lake State Park offers a beautiful setting for weddings, reunions, meetings and other special events. The meeting room overlooks the lake and has a scenic view from the water’s edge. It can accommodate up to 125 people. There is a warming kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, freezer, warmer and microwave-convection oven. Audiovisual equipment can be rented. Claytor Lake is about two miles from Interstate 81 and offers fishing, swimming, hiking and camping for a memorable outdoor experience. Claytor Lake also has three lodges, 13 cabins and 110 campsites that can be rented.

Natural Bridge State Park Environmental Nature Center

Natural Bridge State Park, 540-291-1326
Natural Bridge, Va.

Base Camp offers nature and cultural exhibits. It is an interactive space with touch screen monitors, an observation beehive and exhibits of wildlife found in the park. The Interactive Classroom provides groups up to 80 with meeting space and audiovisual equipment for conferences, training and social events. The park has an interactive classroom that seats up to 80. The room can be set up for theater or classroom seating with tables and chairs, a podium with a sound system and an LCD projector with screens are available.

Pocahontas State Park

(804) 796-4255
Chesterfield County

Less than 45 minutes south of Richmond, Pocahontas State Park offers several options for meetings and group retreats.

Algonquian Ecology Camp and Swift Creek Camp (Camp 3) - In the woods, these two camps offer accommodations for groups of guests who want to camp together. The camps have from two to four cabin groups and an activity/dining hall with a kitchen. Each cabin group has four or five cabins (each of which can accommodate from four to six people), a leader's cabin that sleeps two, a shared restroom and shower facility, and a lodge. The cabins are rustic and have bunk beds and mattresses only, as well as a ceiling light. The lodge has a fireplace, an outdoor pit grill, electricity and a water spigot. Each building has screened windows and a campfire ring for cooking or a fire. Each cabin group accommodates up to 28 people.

And when it's time for a break, our parks have plenty to do. Powhatan and Swift Creek Dining Halls - These buildings are part of each group camp and may be rented individually for meetings, wedding receptions and other gatherings. Each hall has a kitchen with commercial grade stainless steel sinks, countertop, refrigerator, freezer, ice machine and oven. These restored Civilian Conservation Corps buildings also have fireplaces. Swift Creek Dining Hall also has a gas-log fireplace. Tables and chairs to seat up to 125 are available.

The Heritage Center Amphitheater is a full-size outdoor venue that holds up to 4,000. Its' perfect for concerts, stage performance and other large gatherings. It has bench seating for up to 350, and additional spectators take seats on a gentle, grassy slope. The area has an elevated stage with backdrop, restrooms, walkways, a concession stand and a ticket booth. Vendors may set up booths, displays or activities in an adjacent area that has electrical outlets.

Pocahontas offers fishing, swimming, hiking, canoes and everything that makes camping fun. A campground elsewhere in the park is available on a site-by-site basis.

Bear Creek Meeting Hall

Bear Creek Lake State Park, (804) 492-4410
Cumberland, Va.

Bear Creek Lake State Park The hall can accommodate up to 65 people, and its parking lot holds up to 25 vehicles. A podium without amplification is available free of charge as are tables and chairs. Many setup configurations can be made. Also, audiovisual equipment can be rented. The facility seats about 40 for a sit-down meal. Park staff can provide a list of caterers, or guests may work with their own. (Guests using their own caterer must call the park two weeks before the event date.) When it's warm outside, the facility's stone patio can be set up with twelve tables, each able to handle four chairs. The hall's kitchen is well appointed, but renters will need to provide their own cookware, utensils and dishware. Bear Creek Meeting Hall is the perfect size for intimate weddings and other get-togethers.

Alleghany Room

Douthat State Park, (540) 862-8100
Millboro, Va.

The Alleghany Room is above the beach house Minutes from Clifton Forge and Interstate 64, historic Douthat State Park has everything you'd expect in the Allegheny Mountains. Mountain hiking trails, stunning views, swimming, fishing and more are just a short walk away. The park's Alleghany Room, which seats 65 and is above the beach house, is perfect for weddings, receptions, retreats and lectures in the fall, winter and spring. Beard's Mountain Lodge accommodates up to 16 people, Creasey Lodge accommodates up to 18 people, and the park has 32 cabins.

Fayerdale Hall

Fairy Stone State Park, (276) 930-2424
Stuart, Va.

Fayerdale Hall You'll find this special conference center in one of Virginia's oldest state parks, Fairy Stone State Park, which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.

The park features a modern conference facility with a catering kitchen and room for more than 200.

Fairy Stone also has 51 campsites, nine log cabins built by the CCC, another 16 additional cabins, and the Fairy Stone Lodge, which sleeps up to 16. One of the largest state parks, Fairy Stone offers guided nature hikes and fairy stone hunts, a swimming beach and bathhouse, bicycle and hiking trails, picnic shelters, a boat ramp, rowboats, canoes, paddle boats and a universally accessible fishing area.

Helen and Tayloe Murphy Hall

Westmoreland State Park, (800) 933-7275
Montross, Va.

Murphy Hall photo Murphy Hall is a modern facility with rustic architecture. It's in a beautiful and scenic setting overlooking the Potomac River. The hall is ideal for groups holding banquets, ceremonies, classes, meetings, receptions, retreats, reunions, shows, social gatherings or weddings. It accommodates up to 72 people comfortably in a seated arrangement but can accommodate up to 100 people depending on event's purpose. Westmoreland is conveniently located within two hours of Washington, D.C., Annapolis and Baltimore, Md., and Richmond, Va.

Murphy Hall has a large open room with gas fireplace and modern lighting, a glassed-in porch, a deck, an executive board room, and a modern kitchen for catering. The fenced-in outside area contains picnic tables and a wood platform/stage with electrical outlets. Murphy Hall also has modern central heating and air-conditioning. Among the many amenities are WiFi access as well as numerous audiovisual aids. The grounds and hall may be designated for alcohol consumption by obtaining a banquet permit from the ABC board. The permit must be submitted to the park prior to using the facility. For an additional charge and with prior notice, a 20 by 40-foot tent may be set up for your event.

Chippokes State Park

(757) 294-3728
Surry, Va.

One of the oldest farms in Virginia, Chippokes State Park is just a ferry ride across the James River from historic Jamestown and Williamsburg. With three cottages sleeping 12, a conference shelter seating 50, and a 45-site campground, Chippokes is perfect for any special occasion. The grounds of the Jones-Stewart Mansion are a favorite for parties, and the Stewart room can seat up to 24 for meetings.

Victorian Parlor Conference Room

Southwest Virginia Museum, (276) 523-1322
Big Stone Gap, Va.

Meeting set up in the Victorian Parlor The Victorian Parlor of the Southwest Virginia Museum is a popular setting for business and club meetings, seminars, training and socials. The Victorian setting with modern conveniences can accommodate up to 50 people. The museum exhibits upstairs make meetings in the Victorian Parlor extra special.

Family lodges and other meeting spaces

Family lodges

These overnight facilities sleep from 15 to 18 and are great for small meetings and executive retreats. In addition to the sleeping areas, the family lodges have great rooms with ample space for formal or informal meetings.

The Belle Isle Mansion and Guest House each have a formal living room. The mansion has a formal dining room, and there's space in the guest house that can be used for various purposes. Both also offer a beautiful lawn for outside events (a special use permit is required for events that exceed the facilities' sleeping capacity, and use of the lawn requires rental of both facilities).

Environmental centers, multi-use facilities

Wash Woods Environmental Education Center. From the mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, Virginia State Parks offer environmental education centers for an hour or a night. With dorm style sleeping for up to 22 people, a kitchen, meeting room, audiovisual equipment and much more, our environmental centers are a great place to learn about Virginia's environment or host a special retreat or seminar. The two multi-use environmental centers are:

Cove Ridge Center

Natural Tunnel State Park
Scott County

Cove Ridge offers limited catering service.

Wash Woods Environmental Education Center

False Cape State Park
Virginia Beach

Visitor center meeting rooms

Many state parks make visitor center meeting rooms available. A mountain estate, an ocean side, or even a historical site, all these and more make a Virginia State Park the natural choice for your next meeting.

Meeting rooms are available at

Picnic shelters

Picnic shelters and gazebos are available at most parks for family reunions, company picnics or any special outdoor gathering. When not reserved, most shelters are available year-round free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more

Breaks Interstate Park

This unique park in Breaks, Va., has something for everyone. The Rhododendron Restaurant can accommodate and cater meetings and seminars, and the park offers a 34-unit lodge, two-bedroom, fully equipped cottages, a pool, a lake, horseback riding, an amphitheater and many other ways to recreate and enjoy the great outdoors. For more information about Breaks Interstate Park, call 1-800-982-5122.

For more information

A state parks reservations counselor will help with all your reservation needs. State agencies receive a special discount and, no matter where you are in the commonwealth, you're never more than an hour away from a Virginia State Park. Just call 1-800-933-PARK.