The following information is from the Travel Berkeley Springs office:

Berkeley Springs is in the pleasurable business of making it easy for you to make memories. Any visit is an experience that may range from seeing a spectacular sunset as you dine on local foods to hearing a great band while you dabble your toes in famous spring water.

Let's start with this week's music. The Morgan Arts Council's free concert in Berkeley Springs State Park on Saturday brings African and Caribbean rhythms to town in the person of master percussionist Babatunde Lea and his back up musicians. Lea is offering a percussion jam starting at 4:30pm inviting everything with something to bang to come and drum along. The concert starts at 5:30pm, sponsored this week by Fairfax Coffee House which invites the audience to move across the park and enjoy more music at 8pm featuring Teporah, an alluring jazz, soul and blues artist from Baltimore. If you are looking for a country-style musical experience on Saturday, head on out the ridge to the Troubadour Lounge and enjoy the live band Longshot from 9pm on through midnight. Home of the WV Country Music Hall of Fame, the Troubadour provides an experience you can talk about for years. The music has money and food attached to it on Sunday afternoon at the Troubadour where The Country traditions play for the annual $1000 giveaway and meal. It all begins on Thursday with jam night at Tari's Cafe complete with one-of-a-kind appetizers Chef Devin creates especially to go with the music of The Back Creek Valley Boys.

Art is more than just music. Visit the special gallery show: "Putting on the Dog" at the Ice House Friday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm and you'll see how even your favorite pooch can be art. Don't miss seeing the signature doggie totem pole at the show.

You may expect to experience mountains and rivers and springs when you visit here, but the sky??? On Friday at 8:30pm, you can directly experience the night sky thanks to the rare Cassegrain telescope at the Morgan County Observatory where there is a Star Party. There may even be remnants of the Perseid meteor shower.

The great experience for the kids (and adults) this weekend is "Toy Story 3" at the vintage Star Theatre where the movie shows at 8pm on Thursday through Sunday and a 2pm matinee on Sunday. There is not a 3D screen at the Star but there is the best popcorn in four states and that's an experience worth talking about.

World class popcorn is not on the only unique food experience in Berkeley Springs. No dining experience is more rare than the special dinners at Highlawn Inn. With a single seating at 7pm, you can anticipate a gourmet dinner served in elegant style and featuring a selection of entrees plus amazing desserts and complimentary wines. Reservations are a must and seating is very limited so act quickly. If outdoor dining is the experience you crave, it comes in several flavors in Berkeley Springs from porch dining at Lot 12 with food that has earned Chef Damian repeated listings on the James Beard regional "best chef" list, the ONLY West Virginia chef to ever be listed. And, if you cannot make the restaurant, stop by Lot 12's booth at the Farmers Market on Sunday for take-out gourmet. Ambrae House offers half-price steamed shrimp from their outdoor deck bar on weekend afternoons from noon to 4pm, and Wilkes Street Wine Shop has wine tastings on their porch every Saturday afternoon. Tari's Cafe has outdoor tables as well as their elegant gallery room and an outstanding menu with chef specials daily. Creekside Creamery has a charming outdoor deck to enjoy their ice cream and sandwiches.

Panorama at the Peak brings the outside in and what an outside it is -- the most spectacular view in the region. They have a very special treat for this week only: West Virginia appetizers and desserts which translates into four different types of WV wine grapes, three different WV cheeses made just over the mountain in Paw Paw and house made rose sorbet. As if that's not enough, try their house made ice cream of the week -- vanilla with local cherries. Many of these local foods you eat around town, are available from the farmers directly at the outside market on Thursday afternoon or Sunday from 10am to 2pm. You can't miss them in the square. There are literally dozens of places to eat around town although fish lovers should not miss put on Temptations. Cacapon State Park is buffet heaven on weekends.

The Country Inn is a full-range experience all in itself from historic rooms to elegant spa to three excellent meals a day -- and you never have to leave the premises. Ladies may want to come on Friday to enjoy half price ladies night in the tavern ....or you can stay through Monday night, get a great deal on the room and enjoy a free bottle of beer with every burger.

Among the many shopping experiences to be found in town is Nature Niche which has a 20% off sale on all Gazing Globes and Stands while they last! Who has not desperately wanted a gazing globe for their yard? Now is the chance to get a deal on one.

Spa experiences are what made Berkeley Springs famous in George Washington's time (although he only got to BATHE) through several Golden Ages of "taking the waters" to the present where it is the main reason many folks come to visit. In Berkeley Springs, the spa experiences are authentic and range from the nearly two centuries old Roman Baths in Berkeley Springs State Park to cutting edge bodywork and massage at Atasia, the Country Inn, Bath House Day Spa and the newly relocated Awakenings Health Center on Fairfax St. facing the park.

The most defining experience for many visitors is where they choose to stay whether it is an elegant Victorian boudoir in town or a rustic cabin nestled in the woods along a ridge out of town or a charming bungalow along the river. Check out the full list on our lodging page so you can discover who allows pets, who provides breakfast, who has an outdoor hot tub and what the prices are.

While treasured experiences are priceless, accumulating them does cost money. In Berkeley Springs, we keep the prices low and the convenience of location, diversity of experience, and charm of our people high. Berkeley Springs is closer than anywhere so make your plans today.