Indulge in Berkeley Springs Holiday Magic
All decked out for the holidays, this charming West Virginia town offers a slate of activities that make it
ideal for a festive trip.
As travel makes a comeback,
Americans are yearning for
accessible destinations to trade
their holidays at home for a
holiday away. But instead of long-
haul trips to urban destinations,
travelers are choosing close-to-
home getaways as their ideal
travel option right now.
Enter Berkeley Springs, West
Virg inia, where the entire
community comes together to
create a magical event for locals
and visitors alike. As a cherished
local tradition for years, “Hometown
Holidays” transforms downtown
Berkeley Springs into a winter
wonderland, making it the perfect
place to visit this holiday season.
Just a 90-minute drive from the
Washington D.C. metro area, this
small, picturesque town in the
Appalachians sprinkles its holiday
magic throughout the entire winter
season. During November and
December, residents of Berkeley
Springs stroll the bedecked
downtown area of festive, twinkling
lights, holiday-themed decorated
meters, refurbished street lanterns
and decorated Christmas trees.
Little ones stand on tip-toes to put
their wish lists in the special Santa
mailbox maintained by volunteers
at The Bath Christmas Project.
Friends gather round “elfie”
stations for photos to capture their
holiday memories. In the town’s
gazebo, a crowd gathers to sing
carols and hear a child read, “Yes,
Virg inia, there is a Santa Claus.”
This charming town feels like it’s
straight out of a holiday movie.But there’s no need to wait until
December to get in the holiday
mood. For many local businesses,like The Country Inn, the holidays
start around Thanksgiving. The
Inn’s chef creates a delightful
Thanksgiving dinner that kicks
off the season – and the property
is filled with festive decorations,
like ornamented trees and life-
size nutcrackers.Berkeley Springs officially launches
its 2021 Hometown Holidays
festivities on November 27 with
Small Business Saturday, featuring
discounts, prizes, and special
events from local merchants. A
slate of holiday activities, such
as the tree lighting in Berkeley
Springs State Park, continues
through the end of the year.To everyone’s delight, the Cocoa
Crawl returns. This free event
(beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Friday,
December 3), maps out local
shops to visit, each offering a
differe nt holiday treat or cocoa
flavor (think red velvet, salted
caramel and hazelnut). Visitors
can embrace a warm cup of
cheer and meet local shop
owners. Merchants stay open
later, allowing visitors to peruse
the downtown marketplace with
holiday shopping list in hand.This year, the Morgan Arts Council
(MAC) Ice House Gallery continues
its tradition of hosting a special
holiday gift show with handcrafted
items by regional artisans. Called
“A Season of Wonder,” the event
runs November 13—January 3
and curates a unique selection
of items including holidayornaments, jewelry, wearables
and other artistic treasures.After all the holiday activity, it’s
time to unwind. Atasia Spa mixes
their own vanilla pumpkin spice
sugar scrub in-house during the
holidays. Despite its size (6,
square feet), Atasia Spa feels warm
and intimate. Guests can relax in
serenity rooms after (or between)
services or head to the Zen-like
garden outside surrounded by lush
landscaping and two waterfalls.
Like the rest of town, Atasia Spa
gets into the festive spirit with
decorations and special packages
for the holiday season.Learn more about planning your
winter wonderland escape at
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INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF THIS CONTENT.