Since I mentioned Berkeley Springs in Monday's post, I figured I should say a little bit about the town itself (if only for an excuse to post more pictures). As I learned over the weekend, Berkeley Springs is actually America's first spa town (how cool is that?). Good old George Washington himself couldn't get enough of the town's healing waters.
So on Saturday morning, my friend, Julia, and I drove on over to the state spa for presidential pampering. Or not. On the upside, there is something incredibly cool about a historic place of luxury. And the private roman baths were amazing, nothing like floating naked in hot water while snow falls outside. Regarding the massage itself, um, it was more of a "rub", not a lot of kneading going on (if any), just a lot of lotion. I found this odd. And a little disappointing.
On the upside, other moms frequented the town's private spas (there are several) and had nothing but good things to say. The town also hosts a variety of cute little boutiques (including a great used bookstore), a nice coffee shop, and a REALLY REALLY good restaurant called Tari's.
In summer, Berkeley Springs State park houses a public outdoor swimming pool, fed by the healing waters. Further, Cacapon Resort State Park (right down the road) provides golfing, lake activities (including swimming), hiking opportunities, and vacation cabins. Drive time is only about 2 hours from Washington DC.
A wonderful weekend getaway, though beware of the "rub".
Happy Wednesday everyone!!
J.'s grandparents lived in WV, so we were lucky enough to get to go and visit with them in the summers. We always picked a different park each year at which to stay and I always liked staying at Berkeley Springs because there was plenty of antiquing to do (I am not the biggest fan of hiking in the mountains). If you are ever looking for a similar vibe in a different part of the state, I highly suggest White Sulphur Springs or Bluefield in the south. Both are beautiful and charming!
ReplyDeleteSorry about the crappy massage. What a letdown! But glad you had a great time overall.
Thank you for the lovely bit of armchair tourism!
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