Hot Springs, Arkansas is home to the smallest national park in the United States. Just a four and a half drive away from Dallas, it's a great place to do some hiking and get some fresh air. With a post-Ambulatory clerkship golden weekend just beginning, I went with some friends and rented a cabin near Lake Hamilton for some barbeque and late night smores fun to go with the hiking.
The best time to visit Hot Springs is in the fall when the leaves change colors and tick season is nearing an end. The weather is still warm enough to enjoy outdoor activities, but not the summer heat. However, we still made February a great time to visit by turning up the indoor fireplace and watching movies. The first night we got there, we fired up the barbeque grill in 20 degree weather bundled up and just had lots fun with it.
Things to Do
Hiking in Hot Springs
Spending half a day hiking in Hot Springs National Park is a great way to enjoy some nature in Arkansas. There are several easy to medium short hikes to enjoy with well marked trails. Goat Rock Trail was an hour and a half long hike that ended with a bird's eye veiw of the national park and part of the town. We even saw wild deer on our way back to the car.
Other popular trails are the Dogwood Trail and the Sunset Trail. Regardless of which trail you choose, remember to bring water and snacks to stay hydrated and energized regardless of the trail difficulty. If hiking during tick season between April and October, be sure to wear long pants and long sleeve shirts and carry EPA approved repellent. After spending the day outdoors, check your body for any possible ticks. As a future health care professional, we definitely see cases of tick borne illnesses, so being prepared is never a bad idea!
Hot Springs Mountain Tower
The Hot Springs Mountain Tower is one of the popular spots to stop at in the park. The drive up to the tower from the town center is a short 15 minute scenic drive ending at a decent sized parking lot in front of the tower. Admission to climb to the top of the tower was $8 with a small gift store at the bottom. From the top, there's supposed to be a 360 degree view of the town.
Bathhouse Row
Hot Springs is famous for the Bathhouse Row that used to attract people from all over to experience a bath with possible healing qualities. Each bathhouse is decorated differently but creates an opulent atmosphere. The history of this place is quite interesting, especially to someone going into the medical field. People with all sorts of ailments would end up in Hot Springs as a last ditch effort for their sickness to be washed away. Today, the only two bathhouses you can still get spa treatments at are the Buckstaff and Quapaw, but reserve in advance to avoid any disappointment.
Of all the bathhouses, the Fordyce Bathhouse is the only one that still houses its original interior design to showcase how it used to function in the past, and the exhibit does a great job in going into the details about the bathhouse row history.
Anthony Chapel at Garvan Woodland Gardens
Just fifteen minutes away from Lake Hamilton, the Anthony Chapel is a popular wedding spot. The architecture of the chapel is stunning with clear inspiration from the nature surrounding it. When there isn't an event going on, then visitors are free to go inside and walk around it to admire the architecture from all sides.
While visiting the chapel is free, the entrance to the Garvan Woodland Gardens costs $15/person. There are several interesting sites to visit in the gardens like the Treehouse, but we decided it was time to head back home.
Places to Eat
Superior Bathhouse Brewery
My favorite part of spending time in the city was visiting the Superior Bathhouse Brewery which makes their beer using the 143 degree hot springs water. They proudly advertise being the only brewery in the world that uses hot spring water in the brewing process. Even though we didn't really notice a difference in the taste of the beer from other craft beer we've had before, it was fun trying all the different flavors offered at the brewery with a whopping 18 flight Beer Bath. The appetizer of shishito peppers was also to die for! Before we left, we signed our initials on the flight carrier for finishing all 18 flights!
The Pancake House
We didn't get a chance to try this famous brunch place located in Hot Springs town center near the Bathhouse Row, but it was highly recommended by several others who have tried it. They are said to have enormous pancakes that could keep one satisfied for days!
Hale Bathhouse Restaurant
As we were walking the Bathhouse Row, the sign in front of the Hale Bathhouse advertising their soup of the day, Portuguese Wedding soup, caught our eye. Even though I've been to Portugal, I was not familiar with this soup, and we just had to taste it! The fact that there were three dollar mimosas just sweetened the deal. This bathhouse also serves as a hotel that guests can stay at.
Fat Bottomed Girl's Cupcakes
The owners of this bakery were once featured on Food Network. We tried the Churro and Lemon Lavender flavored cupcakes. Needless to say, their cupcakes were delicious and well worth the stop on the way to the parking garage.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Five Points Cabins in one of the new three bedroom cabins. The place was perfect for a short cabin getaway with an awesome owner who spent twenty minutes going over all the things to do nearby and stocked our fridge with breakfast goodies. Staying near Lake Hamilton can be a lot of fun, especially in the summer, when there all sorts of lake activities to do. The location is only 20 minutes away from the town center, making it convenient to enjoy both.
Other popular places to stay are located within the center of Hot Springs with nearby access to the main street and the national park. The Arlington Hotel was the first hotel to be built in Hot Springs and still provides lodging today. The Waters Hotel is another popular hotel to book a comfortable stay while in Hot Springs.