It's been a while since RoadTrip took to the highways to seek out that perfect weekend adventure.

But the warm weather is back and gas prices are down from last summer, so we thought we'd check out what our girlfriends have been raving about for years: Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

In fact, this quaint historic town a little more than 150 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle, celebrated its eighth annual "Hey! Girlfriend Weekend" last weekend, drawing hundreds of women from around the country.

"We've always found that it's not unusual to see a group of eight to 10 girls, one of them having a veil on their head, here to celebrate her bridal party, doing a girls' weekend," said Laura Smith of the Travel Berkeley Springs visitors center.

A lot of college roommates or longtime friends also meet in Berkeley Springs because it is halfway between their hometowns. The town is about 90 minutes from the Washington, D.C./Baltimore areas.

"It's a town with four spas, offering different specialties, right downtown, and plenty of shops," she said. "If you stay at the Country Inn [at Berkeley Springs] or B&Bs downtown, you don't need to get in the car all weekend."

Listed in travel writer John Villani's book "The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America" (only Lewisburg, W.Va., and Easton, Pa., have also won that designation in this region), Berkeley Springs today is wrapping up a weekend celebrating its art -- particularly metal fashioners and blacksmiths. As part of the festivities, a collection of blacksmiths and metal workers gathered yesterday for a Hammer-In. Art exhibits, and musical entertainment continues today.

This Morgan County town was settled in 1776 by George Washington and his family and friends as the Town of Bath, named after the noted English spa. The center part of town -- five blocks long and four blocks wide -- is still incorporated under the name of Bath. About 16,000 live in Berkeley Springs, including 600 in Bath.

It's located at a fountainhead of warm mineral waters that flow at a constant 74 degrees (flowing at 2,000 gallons a minute) from the base of Warm Springs Ridge. Townspeople like to think of Berkeley Springs as the Country's First Spa.

According to the city's Web site, no one knows the source of the mineral water, which is about 25 degrees warmer than typical underground water. Theories include the nearby Cacapon River or a huge underground aquifer.

Of course, the warm waters have been a main draw for visitors to this area since they were discovered by Native Americans. In the heart of town is Berkeley Springs State Park, where visitors can check out two public spas operated by the state. The main bathhouse provides steams, baths and masseuses for women on one side and masseurs for men on the other. On the north end of the park is the Roman Bath House, built in 1815, with nine 750-gallon walk-in tubs -- heated to 102 degrees -- in private chambers available by the half-hour. The park also includes an outdoor pool open in summer, a public tap for free spring water and open pools of spring run-off.

If you're looking for a more private or upscale experience, the town also has privately owned spas and resorts that offer all sorts of body treatments.

History is rich in this town, and once you've relaxed in the waters, you can spend a few hours on a walking tour of the town's heritage sites as well as visit the Berkeley Springs Museum, which includes a display of early swimsuits worn by spa goers (you'll be happy to know that you're allowed to go au natural in many of the private chambers).

And of special appeal for those girlfriend getaways are all the boutiques, shops, galleries, restaurants and wine bars that have sprung up over the years along downtown streets, as well as the development of a vibrant visual and performing arts community.

The Ice House, an artists' co-op on Independence and Mercer streets, offers a gallery showcasing and selling the work of more than 30 local and regional artists. The building, once an apple storage facility, also houses the Morgan Arts Council.

As far as accommodations, you can choose from B&Bs, cabins, inns and resorts.

The town's busiest weekends come in October because of the popular Apple Butter Festival and fall foliage. The festival, now in its 36th year, will be held Oct. 10-11, Columbus Day weekend. Activities include a parade, apple-butter making, baking contests, beard and mustache contest and hog calling.

Ms. Smith said she gets a chuckle out of all the calls she receives in September from potential visitors who want to know when the leaves will change. "They expect me to be able to tell them the exact date and time," she laughed, adding that the colors usually peak in mid-October.

You can learn more about Berkeley Springs at http://www.berkeleysprings.com or by calling 1-800-447-8797.