Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States

Hot Springs, Arkansas, is located in west central Arkansas just a little bit southwest of Little Rock. There are a lot of touristy things to do in Hot Springs which makes it a great place for an extended weekend getaway. The town gets its name from the numerous springs found in the area. Today, there are several bath houses still in operation. Two of them let visitors take advantage of the restorative powers of the hot springs. The others have been turned into museums. Most of them are located in an area called Bathhouse Row. According to the National Park Service, the Government Free Bathhouse "was one of the first facilities in the United States to use penicillin". In addition to the bathhouses, there are many spas in the area that offer massage services.

The Buckstaff bathhouse has been in operation since 1912. A Traditional Bathing Package includes a thermal mineral bath, whirlpool, Swedish massage and loofah mitt for $50. Sounds like a good deal to me. They are open 7 days a week from March 1 through November 30 except for major holidays. From December 1 through February 28, they are closed Saturday afternoons and Sundays.

Hot Springs is also known for horse racing. Oaklawn gives visitors an opportunity to enjoy good old-fashioned horse racing as well as gambling. It has been in operation since 1904. This year, opening day was on Friday, January 16, and closing day was on Saturday, April 11. Oaklawn is home to two restaurants and a private club. Reservations are recommended.

My favorite place in Hot Springs is Garvan Woodland Gardens. It is a beautiful outdoor nature area. There are several paths throughout the Gardens. The paths wind through trees, streams and flower gardens. The Full Moon Bridge and Millsap Canopy Bridge were two of my favorite spots. The Gardens are mostly bordered by Lake Hamilton. The entrance fee is very reasonable, in my opinion. Adults are $8.75 and children (age 6-12) are $4.50. However, on Sunday afternoons during the summer, children get free admission.

Lake Hamilton offers excellent fishing and boating opportunities. The Belle of Hot Springs Riverboat offers a sunset dinner/dance cruise, luncheon cruise and a siteseeing cruise. I recommend paying for the cruise without the meal and then finding a nice restaurant after the cruise.

Hot Springs is also known as the boyhood home of President Bill Clinton. He was the 42nd President of the United States. The Clinton Presidential Center is located in Little Rock.

For a luxurious retreat in Hot Springs, I recommend Butler Manor. It sits on the edge of Lake Hamilton inside Hot Springs National Park. They offer some nice packages that include a room, homemade breakfast and massages. For the budge conscious, I recommend Baymont Inn & Suites. It sits right on Lake Hamilton and has a nice deck area for guests to fish from.

Official Hot Springs website.