As cold and gross as winter can be, weekend ski trips to the mountains can make it all worthwhile. But you don’t need to give up a whole weekend to get that same ski lodge feeling.

The Lodge, a Hickory restaurant, captures this feeling in a unique way. The restaurant resembles a log cabin with a decent-sized dining area and a bar.

The Lodge is not only a great place to dine in the winter but in the summer as well. Outdoor tables let diners enjoy the warm summer air while eating fabulous food. During the summer, they also open up a huge outside bar, somehow still managing to capture that ski lodge feel. Around the bar, they have old ski lift chairs .

The Lodge has your standard bar food, as well as many different kinds of chicken, fish steak, salads, wraps, and quesadillas. Never forgetting the kids, they also have a “little hikers” menu which has classics like corn dogs, macaroni and cheese, and amazing chicken tenders.

Any restaurant located in the state of Maryland cannot be considered good without having at least a few crab entrees. One of my favorites is “The Long Horn.” For this entrée, you get a choice of chicken or beef (I prefer the chicken) topped with delicious crab dip and piled on a roll. However, be prepared to use a few napkins for this one, as a lot of the crab dip ends up running down your hands.

The Lodge is a restaurant that family members of all ages will love. There is hardly ever a long wait, and food is always superb. So next time you are looking for a place to eat dinner, try something different and go to The Lodge.

Jill Sparkes is a contributing writer for “The Patriot” and jcpatriot.com.