The following information is from the Travel Berkeley Springs office:

Berkeley Springs enjoys nighttime temperatures that drop into the 60s and dark skies filled with stars promising exquisite evenings sitting on the deck or in the garden or on the porch or just strolling through town. Yes, it's true, you can walk around this historic town after dark and feel perfectly safe. So come to cool off or....come for the music.

You know it's summer because the concerts in the park start this Saturday. The series is a 24 year old continuing gift from the Morgan Arts Council. This year they chose a hot local band with an international reputation to launch the summer. The Weber Brothers play a slew of original tunes that are a rockabilly sound with a decided pop flavor. You'll be dancing even if it's in the spring pools.

There is more family entertainment at the Star Theatre which starts its summerlong Thursday night shows along with the usual Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8pm. Plus, since it's "Marmaduke" showing, there's a Sunday matinee at 2pm as well.

Motorcycles have a part to play this weekend. Besides being an always motorcycle friendly place -- just check out the artist-created motorcycle welcome sign at Panorama Restaurant -- there's the 6th annual Ruff Rider Poker Run on Saturday to benefit the Humane Society. The ride begins from 9-10:30am from the Troubadour Lounge. That night, the exceptional Tonehounds play outstanding danceable country music at the Troubadour starting at 9pm.

Other music includes Tari's Jam Nite on Thursday featuring Dan Cronin and on Saturday at 8pm, after the summer concert, head across the park to Fairfax Coffee House for The Scones at 8pm, performing Celtic, Appalachian, and American Folk music.

Historically, hundreds of people cam each summer to "take the waters" from our springs -- as a means of cooling off from the city heat. The water comes from the ground at a constant 74 degrees and that's cool in hot summer. Today, the waters are heated in baths and matched with a wide range of spa treatments -- more than 50, in fact. So...relaxation takes another form. Although the main bath house in Berkeley Springs State Park still has a month or so to go before its renovations are complete, the Roman Baths remain open daily, and a limited menu of spa services are available even from the park. All our other private spas are up and running full tilt to help you slow down and take it easy. Check our spa page for the full list and the incredible range of service from acupuncture to reiki and a dozen approaches to therapeutic massage. There are feel-good services include pedicures and manicures as well as an alluring array of rubs and scrubs.

And, you can still "take the waters" like George Washington did by wading and splashing in the open pools of spring water in the park -- you'll see folks in there all day and into the evening plus during the concerts when it's a favorite location for all the kids. For those who want to really swim or lie on the beach, we have that too at our other state park --Cacapon -- just 10 miles down the road from town.

The perfect place to stay all this month if you want to enjoy Christmas in July is the historic Country Inn just adjacent to the park downtown where they offer a gift certificate special all month as well as their standard on-premises Five Senses Spa, restaurant and tavern serving three excellent meals each and every day. We started this message extolling our dark skies. The ideal place to stay for stargazing is Gobblers Knob. They provide the hammock and location atop a mountain so nothing interferes. It's a marvelous traditional log house with an in-room whirlpool tub and a hot deal that offers you a third night free if you stay two. It's a good deal since you'll never want to leave. These are only two of more than 100 choices you can make as the ideal place to stay from elegant B&Bs to rustic cabins to fully equipped vacation homes. Sift through our lodging pages and listen for the place that calls to you. Whichever one it may be, you can bet it's here in Berkeley Springs -- and closer than anyplace.