SnapshotPlanning Your VisitWhen we visited the park We went to Hot Springs National Park in July. As expected, it was hot and humid! We realized that walking around the park areas should be done early in the morning before the sun becomes too intense. We did eat outside in the evening while we were there, but it was very hot and we positioned ourselves near the misting fans on the patio. We were glad we had a pool to cool off in during the day. I would imagine this would be a beautiful destination in the spring and fall and you would be able to enjoy some of the outside activities more easily throughout the day. Things to Consider 1. The first thing to know is, the park is in the middle of a busy city, and unlike anything we had been to before that is a National Park. 2. We had kids, so couldn't do a treatment at the bathhouses, but Arlington Hotel has specific rooms that pipe the spring water into the tub in the room. 3. There are only a few cold water springs to fill water bottles at. 4. The mountain tower drive has a limited length for any trailers. The switchbacks are tight on this road. 5. There are a lot of great local places to eat and enjoy time downtown. Take advantage of some of the unique places the town has to offer. How to Get There From Little Rock: Take I-30W towards Texarkana. Exit 111 for US 70W/Hot Springs. Turn Right onto Spring St. Turn Right onto Central Ave. Drive North, the Park will be on the right after Reserve St. From Texarkana: Take 1-30E. Exit 78 for AR-7 and turn left under the highway. Follow AR-7 North for 31 miles. AR-7 becomes Central Ave. Additional Maps offered by the Park Where to Stay Inside the Park Hotel Hale This is a historic bathhouse that you are able to stay at, and it is considered inside the park. It is the oldest standing bathhouse in Hot Springs. I would label this as more of a boutique hotel, and you will pay for it. The cost per night ranges from $300-$415 depending on the room you select. They have an onsite restaurant and mineral tubs in the room as well, so you will be able to enjoy everything without having to travel far. Gulpha Gorge Campground There are 44 sites that accommodate tents and RVs here. It is a short hike to the downtown area of Hot Springs and Bathhouse Row. The campground is open year-round and costs $34 a night. Reservations are recommended here, and you can make them through recreation.gov. Outside the Park Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa We stayed at The Arlington, which is at the end of Bathhouse Row. We selected this hotel, because of the historic aspects of it and because they have specific rooms you can book that pipe the spring water into the bathtubs in the room. This was an alternative to booking a treatment at one of the bathhouses, which does not allow kids. Room rates vary between $165-$250 depending on the time of booking and type of room you request. Hot Springs, AK Lodging There are plenty of options for lodging outside of the park, that are still close to the area attractions. The variety of lodging is endless. You can find bed and breakfasts, resorts, cabins, vacation rentals, and boutique hotels. The city's website has is a great resource to find places to stay. Lake Ouachita Houseboat Rental We rented a 14-person houseboat from Northshores Resort & Marina in Jessieville, AR. It was about a 35 minute drive through rolling hills from Hot Springs to get to the marina. We traveled with two of my best friend's families, which is why we rented a larger boat. It fit us perfectly, had AC, kitchen, living room with satellite TV, two bathrooms, and 6 bedrooms. If you are worried about driving a boat this big, no worries, they captain the boat to the best site they can find on the lake for you. If you are worried about being stuck in one place on your trip, rent a fishing boat, or bring yours to get around the lake. Check out the Arkansas section of the blog for more information about our time on Lake Ouachita! Camping Hot Springs KOA The KOA offers a variety of rental options. They have tent and RV sites, but they also have different size cabins available for rent. It is under five minutes from Hot Springs National Park. The campground is open year-round and costs start at $45 for a tent or RV site and range between $78-$150 for a cabin rental. Hot Springs, AK Camping Additional campgrounds and unique sites are available through the city's website. ![]() What We Did The first thing we did while we where here was walk along Bathhouse Row. Because we were with our kids, we were not able to do any of the treatments these facilities offer with the springs water. However, you are able to see inside most of the entryways of the bathhouses and the glamorous details and finishings these places offer. We decided to check out the only Brewery in a National Park, and the only Brewery to use thermal mineral water from the springs in its beer. Superior Bathhouse Brewery had a cute tasting room, eating area, and outdoor patio to enjoy. We decided to get flights of the beers they offer and enjoy them on the patio under the mister fans. This allowed our kids to run around on the lawn across from the Arlington Hotel. We were seeing our friends for the first time at this point, so it was a great way to let the kids run around and enjoy their time together while the adults got to catch up. Superior Bathhouse Brewery ![]() After we had a couple of drinks, we decided to find a place to eat. We found a pizzeria that was on a hillside with more outdoor seating. We ate at Grateful Head Pizzeria and Beer Garden. This unique site offered great food and a nice setting for our group to talk. There are many other places to eat along Bathhouse Row, this is what we picked because of our group size and flexibility with the kids.. The rest of the night we spent swimming and enjoying the rooftop pools at the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa. We picked this location because of the historic aspects of the building and also because we selected a room that pipes the mineral hot spring water into the room. Not all rooms do this, but we selected this option because we couldn't do a treatment at a bathhouse. It was the compromise we made that allowed us to experience something similar to the bathhouses. The Arlington is a huge building, and centrally located to Bathhouse Row, The Promenade, and other hot spring locations. The next morning, we decided to explore some of the natural features Hot Springs National Park has to offer. We headed out early to avoid some of the afternoon heat and humidity. It was still hot, but not unbearable. We started by walking The Grand Promenade. The west entrance is right up the street from The Arlington, so easy to access. As we were walking this paved and easy path, we saw different thermal springs along the way. We looped back down Bathhouse Row again and stopped at some springs. We saw Display Spring, Hot Water Cascades, and the Stevens Balustrade Fountain. I recommend getting a local map of all the different springs in the area, because there are more than what we saw on our morning walk. The visitor center is also along Bathhouse Row, so we made sure to stop there and get the kids their stamps for their national parks passport. There is also a walking audio tour that you can do as you go down Bathhouse Row and The Grand Promenade. We started this at the Hot Water Cascades, and there are several stopping points throughout the park. There are many other springs in the area as well, and some have filling stations. Bringing bottles to fill with this mineral rich water is a good idea. Most of the springs are thermal, however there are a couple sites that have drinkable water. Before we checked out of The Arlington, we took our water bottles up the street to the Happy Hollow Jub Filling Station. There is something so fresh and just better about spring water. We wanted to take some with us! Where this fit in our Road Trip This was a one night stop on our road trip. We stayed in Hot Springs the night before we headed to Ouachita Lake and State Park. It was about a 35 minute drive to the state park, and I highly encourage your to check this area of the state out if you head to Hot Springs. It has rolling hills, a huge lake, and endless areas to explore. We did four nights on a houseboat with good friends, and it was amazing! More information on our houseboat trip in the Arkansas section of the blog. NPS App and All Trails Maps I highly recommend using the National Park Service (NPS) App, as well as the All Trails App for hiking. There is limited service in the park, so planning ahead is helpful. These two apps allow you to download sights, maps, and trails so that you can access information anywhere. The NPS app also links to the full National Parks Website, with a plethora of information. Don't forget to follow along on Instagram @wanderlust_with_three
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Proudly powered by Weebly