Idaho Falls, Idaho, United States

Idaho Falls, Idaho, is one of the Top 100 Places to Live according to RelocateAmerica. The city is located on the Snake River on the eastern side of the bottom part of Idaho. It is due east of Boise. Because of the road system in Idaho, you can't go in a straight line from Boise to Idaho Falls. If you start in Boise, you have to take a curved southern route to get to Idaho Falls. Here's a link to it on Google Maps.

What is there to do once you get to Idaho Falls? You can visit the Tautphaus Park Zoo. It opened on April 11, 2009, and closes for the year on October 4, 2009. However, they will be open for Boo at the Zoo October 29 through October 31. Adults (13 and over) are $5.00 plus tax. Children (4 - 12) are $2.50 plus tax and children 3 and under are free.

If you're interested in the Titanic, you can visit the Museum of Idaho. They have Titanic artifacts on exhibit until September 7, 2009. They are open every day except for Sunday. The fee is $7.00 for adults (18 & up) and $5.00 for youth (4 - 17). Depending on the size of your family, it may be cheaper to purchase the family pass for $20. The Museum is also home to Lewis & Clark expedition artifacts.

For those of you who were wondering, yes, Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer are still performing...together. They will be at the Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium on Saturday, June 6. If you're looking for something a bit more current, Blake Shelton and Julianne Hough will be performing at Sandy Downs on July 16.

If you are looking for day trips from Idaho Falls, there are some National Parks close by. Grand Teton National Park is a little over 2 hours away in western Wyoming. Yellowstone is north of Grand Teton but less than a 3 hour drive from Idaho Falls.

Time for the census figures. According to the U.S. Census website, Idaho Falls had an estimated population of 52,786 in 2006. In contrast, Boise had an estimated population of 198,638. Here's an interesting fact: in 2000, there was an average of 15.6 people per square mile in the state of Idaho. In 2000, there was an average of 1003.2 people per square mile in the state of Rhode Island.

Official website for Idaho Falls.

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.