With easy access off the interstate, Berkeley Springs is an 18th century healthy haven with plenty of modern attractions.
EAT
Dining in Berkeley Springs is fun. Tari’s Cafe is inviting and spacious, with local art on the walls and food made from local ingredients. Lot 12 Public House is a beloved restaurant that serves chef-prepared, locally sourced food in a beautiful historic home overlooking downtown—it is a place where you will want to linger over a glass of wine. For breakfast, you can’t beat The Country Inn Restaurant or the atmosphere of Morgan Tavern, both located in The Country Inn at Berkeley Springs. Morgan On Main offers casual food and tasty cocktails.
PLAY
Test your wits at Crunch Time Escapes. Catch a film at the Star Theatre, a vintage, single-screen moviehouse that showcases one first-run film every weekend. Or make a new feline friend at Give Purrs A Chance cat cafe, a five-bedroom Victorian house where visitors get to know cats’ personalities in a cage-free environment. For local music, visit The Granary, Black Cat, or Troubadour Lounge.
While the area’s spas bring thousands of visitors each year, Cacapon Resort State Park—located 20 minutes outside of town—draws those seeking outdoor recreation, with horseback riding, golf, skeet shooting, hiking trails, boating, and fishing. Berkeley Springs is also a good launch pad for stunning scenic drives. Follow the Washington Heritage Trail through Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson counties. Make sure you visit Dutch Cemetery, the Paw Paw Tunnel, and George Washington’s Bathtub.
Berkeley Springs also plays host to several unique festivals. The Festival of Light Psychic Fair & Alternative Healing Expo draws hundreds of people for workshops and lectures on everything from essential oils to tarot. Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting is a prestigious event that includes water bottlers and municipalities from around the world, and the Apple Butter Festival features turtle races, belly dancers, a beard and mustache contest, and, of course, lots of scrumptious apple butter.
SHOP
Quirky shops abound here. From antiques to art to alternative medicines, there’s something for everyone. Ice House Artist Co-Op Gallery and Mountain Laurel Gallery feature the work of local artists. Pick something up for your foodie friend at the new Fleur de Lis cheese and wine shop or the Naked Olive, a gourmet oil and food shop that also offers tapas and adult beverages at night. For those with more eclectic tastes, check out Portals Metaphysical and Homeopathy shop or Jules Enchanting Gifts & Collectables.
The Country Inn at Berkeley Springs, located beside the state park, beckons you with cozy, newly renovated rooms and its Renaissance Spa.
Manor Inn is a beautifully restored historic 1879 Victorian with a lovely wrap-around porch, located in a quiet part of town.
Maria’s Garden & Inn will serve you a full country breakfast in the morning.
Sleepy Creek Tree Farm Bed and Breakfast features gardens, trails, and excellent bird watching.
White Pines Estate Bed and Breakfast is a charming southern mansion on 65 acres with wraparound porches that allow you to enjoy the beautiful mountain views.
Highlawn Inn is a 10-room Victorian bed-and-breakfast with charming rooms and a gourmet breakfast.
Bella Mattina is located only two miles from the center of town in an 1850s restored farmhouse resting beneath a 100-year-old oak canopy with a beautiful view of Sleepy Creek Mountain.
Cacapon Resort State Park has four types of cabins and a 48-room lodge. The Old Inn, created by the Civilian Conservation Corps as the first overnight accommodation lodge in the West Virginia State Park system, is a 12-room log structure that sleeps up to 32 guests.
Berkeley Springs Cottage Rentals offers a variety of lodging choices, from suites to cottages to cabins.
HEALING WATERS
People have been coming to Berkeley Springs for 300 years and at Berkeley Springs State Park, located smack dab in the middle of town, you’ll figure out why. The warm spring water that drew the likes of George Washington still flows through the park at a pleasant 74 degrees. Visitors can relax at the park’s Old Roman Bathhouse—in continuous use since 1820—by choosing from one of nine large historic Roman baths. Enjoy additional spa treatments at the park’s Main Bathhouse, Atasia Spa, and several other practitioners and healing centers open daily.
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