About Winter Things to Do
Lace up skates, dine in an igloo, go stargazing, drink a hot cocktail. Here are lots of places and ways to delight in the season, whether you’re chilling outside or getting cozy indoors.
Yes, you can stay toasty during a winter swim. Things are heating up at these natural springs and spas, which offer year-round soaks in hot water.
The Omni Homestead
Hot Springs, Va.
Drive time from DC: Four hours.
After a series of renovations, the Allegheny Mountains resort is reopening its Warm Spring Pools in December. An adults-only space features hot outdoor pools and massages.
Berkeley Springs State Park
Berkeley Springs, W. Va.
Drive time from DC: Two hours and 15 minutes.
George Washington was a frequent visitor to this spa, which includes two bathhouses with 102-degree water. The Old Roman Bath House has a high magnesium content—for achy joints—while the Main Bath House provides spa treatments.
Capon Springs
High View, W. Va.
Drive time from DC: Two hours.
Tiled baths are filled with spring water heated to 102 degrees at the all-inclusive resort. The alkaline water is not treated with chemicals, because Roman-style tubs are filled, emptied, and cleaned for each person.
The Greenbrier
White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
Drive time from DC: Four hours.
The luxury resort offers several soaking options in 100-degree water. Sulphur spring water is piped directly from the ground into steel tubs, while natural mineral water flows into step-down whirlpool tubs. Drive time from DC: Four hours.
This article appears in the December 2022 issue of Washingtonian.
