West Virginia’s ACE Adventure Resort commits $1 million on Infrastructure for Upcoming Season



Preparations Being Made for the Spring Grand Opening of ACE’s Wonderland Waterpark

Come spring 2016, a 1,500-acre playground in the West Virginia mountains will strut new finery thanks to a nearly $1 million infrastructure upgrade and enhanced guest amenities.

Along with lodging and food & beverage refurbishments and additions, roads and parking facilities have been expanded and a new entrance landscaped. Much of the splash, however, has been lavished on a five-acre water park that is at the heart of ACE Adventure Resort in Minden, W.V.

This destination resort, focused on river and mountain adventure is also the East Coast’s premier hideaway for world-class whitewater rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers.  But when people return after a day on the river they usually head to the vast waterpark.

“Consider literally thousands of people of all ages enjoying this liquid playground from April through October.  While some are here for multiple-night stays, others drive in for a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday just to enjoy our one-of-a-kind lake and its inflatable toys,” said Heidi Prior, ACE Adventure Resort Marketing Director. “We’ve substantially dialed up the fun meter with our lake-related enhancements.”



New Wonderland Waterpark installations and amenities include two brand-new 300-foot industrial-strength waterslides, 40 new inflatable lake toys, an expanded beach area, new hardscape and greenscape, a new retail store, snack shack and arcade, and the addition of seven new bathrooms and eight changing rooms.

Once at the resort, people like to stay put. This means that on premise dining and beverage venues are integral to the resort. The current improvements herald renovations to the bar, both inside and out, including a large outdoor pavilion. Also new pizza ovens have been added to facilitate ACE’s award-winning brick oven pizza.

In addition to being the region’s largest private campground for tents and RVs, the resort hosts overnight guests in more than 55 cabins and lodges that sleep from four to 14. Nearly all of the deluxe cabins now have new beds, comforters, window dressings, lamps and furniture. Nine one-room Cozy Cabins have been renovated to offer two bedrooms. Full bathrooms have been added to 10 Cedar Cabins. Four other cabins that formerly utilized ladders to access sleeping lofts now have staircases.

Spring officially begins here when the rafts start running the rivers. ACE’s first trip in 2016 was March 7 with temperatures in the mid 70’s. The New River offers a whitewater roller coaster ride of towering, crashing waves plus mild sections for the first-time rafter. The mild Upper New River section is ideal for family vacations. The New River Gorge National River is part of the National Park System of parks.

Resort activities that don’t involve getting wet include zip lining, mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, disc golf, paintball, stand-up paddle boarding and more. Throughout the season are special events and activities that will add to and enhance a stay at ACE Adventure Resort. For info on mud runs to marathons plus a mountain music festival featuring top named acts see: http://aceraft.com/pages/special-events.

For more information and to make trip and lodging reservations, please telephone (800) 787-3982 or email ace@aceraft.com. Visit the website at www.aceraft.com.

About ACE Adventure Resort
ACE Adventure Resort is the East Coast’s largest mountain hideaway exclusively focused on world-class whitewater rafting along with guided adventures, outdoor sports and activities, lodging, camping and other amenities. The nearby New River Gorge National River is affectionately known as the “Grand Canyon of the East” and features rafting from April to October. The New and Gauley Rivers combined offer over 100 miles of rapids all within 30 minutes of the resort. Both rivers are administered by the National Park Service.  ACE’s passion since 1980 has been to create vacations wrapped around these rivers and other outdoor adventures so that guests can experience “a world of adventure in one place.” The 1,500 acres here encompass both forest and a 5-acre lake plus a series of ponds, a mining-era ghost town and spectacular cliffs for rock climbing, waterfalls and overlooks.

Winner of many awards over the years, in 2015 ACE Adventure Resort’s website was a Star of the Industry Winner for Best Website at the West Virginia Governor’s Conference on Tourism. In the 2015 Best of Blue Ridge Awards, ACE Adventure Resort placed at the top in the following categories: best kid-friendly outdoor destination, best paddling river (The Gauley River), best climbing crag and best place to play hooky (New River Gorge).

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