Historic resort city renowned for its natural thermal springs, preserved bathhouse district, mountain scenery, lake recreation, arts and entertainment, and outdoor activities.
General Information
How to Get There
From Little Rock (55 mi): Take I-30 west to US-70 west, then continue southwest into Hot Springs via Central Avenue and the downtown historic district.
Overview
Hot Springs is a resort city in the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas, built around dozens of natural thermal springs that have drawn visitors for centuries. Long believed to have healing properties, the springs turned Hot Springs into a famous spa town and, for much of the 20th century, one of the country's biggest illegal gambling destinations, drawing gangsters such as Al Capone alongside Major League Baseball teams in for spring training and, later, 42nd President Bill Clinton, who grew up here.
The area's thermal springs were set aside by the federal government in 1832, making it the oldest federally protected land in the country, and were designated Hot Springs National Park in 1921. Wide-open gambling and organized crime flourished here from the late 1800s through the 1960s, ending only when Governor Winthrop Rockefeller shut the casinos down for good in 1967; today, thoroughbred racing at Oaklawn Park carries on the city's wagering tradition legally.
The city's historic core, Central Avenue's Bathhouse Row, preserves eight early-1900s bathhouse buildings, including the still-operating Buckstaff and Quapaw Baths and the Fordyce Bathhouse, now the national park's visitor center. Downtown's Art Deco hotels and storefronts, many dating to the city's early-20th-century heyday, form the Hot Springs Central Avenue Historic District.
Just outside downtown, Garvan Woodland Gardens showcases native Ouachita Mountains flora on a peninsula jutting into Lake Hamilton, one of two nearby reservoirs, along with Lake Catherine, popular for boating and fishing.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hot Springs, Arkansas", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
Featured Locations
Arlington Hotel
Historic resort hotel offering thermal bath experiences, elegant public spaces, dining, spa services, and accommodations within a landmark early twentieth-century building.
DeGray Lake Resort State Park
Lakeside recreation area featuring a full-service resort lodge, marina, golf course, hiking trails, beaches, campgrounds, and water-based outdoor activities.
Garvan Gardens
Botanical garden featuring rocky inclines reminiscent of the surrounding Ouachita Mountains, floral landscapes, streams, and waterfalls in a natural woodland setting
Hot Springs National Park
National park preserves hot springs that flow from the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain, with numerous hiking trails and camping areas, and grandest collection of bathhouses of its kind in North America
Lake Catherine State Park
Lakeside recreation area featuring forested shorelines, mountain scenery, a full-service marina, cabins, campgrounds, hiking trails, and access to outdoor water activities.
Lake Ouachita State Park
Large lakeside recreation area featuring clear-water boating, fishing, swimming, hiking trails, campgrounds, cabins, and a marina surrounded by forested mountain scenery.
Mid-America Science Museum
Interactive science center featuring hands-on exhibits, outdoor trails, and immersive experiences designed to inspire curiosity and learning across all ages.
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