Things Not to Miss in Berkeley Springs West Virginia
What To Do on Your Weekend Getaway
I love quick escapes within driving distance, and Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, is one of those locations for us. We recently spent the weekend in this creative, friendly town, and here is the “what not to miss.”
While hotel rooms are available around Berkeley Springs, bed-and-breakfasts or cottage rentals are the most popular form of lodging. We stayed at the beautiful Parks House and immediately felt at home.
Shopping
Downtown Berkeley Springs is charming, and we visited several stores, including Jule’s Enchanting Gifts, Berkeley Springs Memories, Portals Metaphysical, Mineral Springs Trading Company, and the Antique mall – we picked up some Christmas gifts, a few items for our collections, and drooled over the Fenton glass (well, I did), then headed to the Farmers Market to check out what wares were available.
Salt Cave and Spas
Berkeley Springs Salt Cave. If you have never heard of a Salt Cave, don’t worry; neither had we. Halotherapy (from the Greek word halo, which means “salt”) uses dry aerosol micro-particles of salt or minerals inside an arid space to simulate salt mines. It is said to have healing properties. All we know is it was relaxing. We napped, enjoyed a massage, and settled in the sauna. Berkeley Springs’ history of being a “place of healing” has produced a business community with a heavy focus on self-care and rejuvenation. There are plenty of spas for doing just that!
Later in the weekend, we visited Renaissance Spa, where we got Swedish massages and worked out the kinks from our activities.
Art
Morgan County Arts Council’s Ice House, a creative arts center, hosts the Ice House Artist’s Co-op, which showcases and sells local artists’ work. We received a tour of the Ice House. We learned not only the history of the building but how MAC supports the arts community by showcasing work, hosting local arts groups, providing space for workshops and teaching opportunities, producing public performances, and holding events.
Breweries
Cacapon Mountain Brewery, where we enjoyed a flight. (Ginger Ale for me)
Berkeley Springs Brewing is on the Coolfont property, so we stopped to grab a growler
Food
Breakfast at Charlotte’s Cafe. Be sure to ask about the Fruity Pebble French Toast. It’s a game-changer!
Dinner at Country Inn, where we made sure we still had room for dessert before calling it a night.
Dinner at Tree Top Restaurant, at the award-winning, historic Coolfont Resort that was lovingly renovated by owner Larry Omps.
State Parks
The morning was a little gray, but that didn’t mean the views at Cacapon State Park weren’t anything short of incredible! Kelly Smith gave us a park tour, including the Robert Trent Jones public golf course, cabins, “glamping” tents, clay pigeon shooting (we didn’t do so bad!), followed by lunch. (Go with the grilled cheese and tomato soup special, trust me on this!)
Triple C Stables, where our horses, Charlie and Tonto (our horses), took us on a two-mile horseback ride on a trail full of deer, birds, and other fantastic wildlife. Luckily they knew what they were doing because it had been quite a while since I had been on a horse. Likewise, our (human) guides were knowledgeable, safety-conscious, and knew their horses and the trail well.
Berkely Springs State Park, where we visited the Roman Baths at the “Old” “Bathhouse below the Berkeley Springs Museum. Naturally warm, mineral waters from the main springs are heated to 102° in deep tiled swimming baths in private rooms. After a full day of walking, shooting, and horseback riding, this was a great way to soak away any muscle aches!
We have already started to plan our next trip, which will include:
A visit to the Cat Cafe to say hello to the kitties! Dropping in (during business hours) at Inspired Chaos because that just sounds like fun and Golf!
Plan your trip to Berkeley Springs by visiting: https://berkeleysprings.com/
Rebecca is the founder of Sightseeing Sidekick travel blog and the publisher of both a lifestyle and a bridal magazine. Living in Northern Virginia, she’s a 50+ mother and grandmother who started travel blogging to share her “new to her” experiences as she has more time to travel. She hopes to “inspire women who previously may not have been able to travel due to career or family obligations to plan, sightsee, and create memories.” You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube
