The following information is from the Travel Berkeley Springs office:

Berkeley Springs invites you to use the first long weekend of 2010 to visit the country's first spa. There's warm water and very full spa menus. There's music and history and shopping and food. Of course, all this fun and excitement is happening all the time. We do have special treats for this weekend.

The music starts on Friday evening with the sacred. Living Springs Chorale presents a winter concert of "In Dulci Jubilo" at 7pm at the Seventh Day Adventist Church south of town on US522. Saturday at 8:30pm, the live band Outer Rim is performing at Earth Dog Cafe where there is barbecue and burgers as well as action-packed nightlife. Karaoke fans can find a place to perform both Friday and Saturday nights at the Troubadour Lounge where Friday is also Steak Nite.

If you bring the kids, (and quirky adults) the Star Theatre is the place to find fun as well as world class popcorn. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8pm with a Sunday matinee at 2pm, it's "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" voiced by George Clooney and Meryl Streep and great fun for kids and adults.

Another unusual outing this weekend is to visit the 4th Annual Bath-Romney Campaign Commemoration Encampment. From Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, there is a living history Civil War camp in Berkeley Springs State Park with presentations of fife and drums, and talks about history at the Country Inn adjacent to the park. For those who think musket firing is the key to any reenactment -- you're in luck. Musket firings are scheduled for 5pm on Friday; 11am and 3pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday all in the park.

Special treats are common fare at the Country Inn including their regular Classic Afternoon Tea on Thursday - Saturday from 3pm - 5pm featuring freshly baked scones served with clotted cream and preserves, finger sandwiches and pastries. Reservations are required.

There are special hours at some places this weekend including Panorama at the Peak where they'll be serving their wonderful local/farm-centric menu as well as tasty specials until 7pm on Sunday night. Choice food is also available at a variety of other restaurants all listed on the dining page. With breakfast one of the most popular meals, check out Temptations, Maria's Garden, Cacapon State Park, the Country Inn -- and all day at Earth Dog.

Happily, the RAG Shop reopens this weekend for all your recycled American goods needs. Another shopping opportunity is at Creekside Creamery where they are serving ice cream and sandwiches Friday through Monday as well as having great sales on everything in the store. The perfect memory to take home from Berkeley Springs this weekend is a beautiful color poster of the great view at Panorama available at Creekside for only $1. There are plenty of other shopping spots from antiques and art to Tibetan treasures and wine. Even though the Ice House Gallery is closed for repairs, there is plenty of other art available in places like Mountain Laurel, Tari's Cafe and Heath Gallery. For those warm coffee drinks while you stroll the downtown shops -- stop by the Fairfax Coffee House.

All the spas are open for everything from historic Roman Baths at Berkeley Springs State Park to rubs, scrubs, wraps, steams, acupuncture, reflexology, reiki and massages of all sorts. Check the spa page for details.

Now we need to find you a place to stay this weekend. Highlawn Inn has an online special that gives you 15% off the cost of a two night stay at one of their elegant Victorian rooms and spectacular breakfasts. Another special offer for lodging comes from the Bathkeeper's Cottage. All month long, you can stay two nights and get the third one free in this special little cottage in the heart of downtown. If you choose, hostess and History Hero, Betty Lou Harmison, will take you on a tour of town. The Country Inn also has a two consecutive nights and get third free special -- see their website for details and other packages.

Start your year off with a great little escape to a warm water destination that's closer than anyplace -- and that has been soothing, healing and entertaining visitors for more than 250 years. Let 2010 be your year with Berkeley Springs.