Best Attractions In Hot Springs Arkansas
Just the other day I was watching a show that was covering Arkansas. While I knew the state had quite a bit going for it with regards to travel, I never really thought about some of the older traveling spots that are part of yesteryear, but still have influence. One of those spots that I saw being talked about was Hot Springs, Arkansas. This led me to think what kind of things can you do while you are in Hot Springs and will the place still have the same type of influence you would expect when you were heading to the healing springs before. Well, I know the healing springs portion of Hot Springs may not be the big draw as what they were before, but you will find that Hot Springs still has plenty for you to do and enjoy. With that being the case, here is our list of the best attractions for you to check out in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
How Did I Narrow Down The List
Now, I know that Hot Springs may not seem like much as it is a smaller town that is 40 miles South of Little Rock. However, it does have quite a few things that I do like and some of those items are a throwback to the older time when Hot Springs was known mainly for the mineral springs that were known for the healing properties that so many people had believed in. While some people still believe in these properties and yes some of the bathhouses do make my list, I found the location has quite a bit of other attractions for you to see as well. So I looked towards what you can do in the town, but also more along what it has available that is family friendly as well. With that being the case, here is the list of some of the best attractions that you can find in Hot Springs.
Buckstaff Bath House
As I already said, I told you that one of the places that I would be looking at would be some of the bathhouses that you can check out. That is exactly that you are going to get at Buckstaff as the place is one that allows you to enjoy a lot of the original mineral springs that are in the region. This location is one that does take advantage of the warmer and natural springs that allow you to have a great time because you can enjoy the original main attraction.
What is really great about this location is it is the only one that is located in the Hot Springs National Park. This allows you to have quite a bit of privacy as the park is a beautiful area, but also know that you are getting a chance to enjoy the true feel of the park. At the location here you do not have to worry about being in the same location as the different sex as the facilities are separate which allows you to not have to worry about any issues of being around people who may make you nervous. When you do get a treatment here you do not have to worry about additives or chemicals either.
Keep up with all the latest changes at Buckstaff Bathhouse by clicking here.
Garvan Woodland Gardens
When you want to check out a great place that has plenty of plants and garden space for you to check out, then you need to go to Garvan Woodland Gardens. The gardens are only 6 miles from the Hot Springs National Park. The best part about the location is it is properly maintained and covers 210 acres, but it is run by the University of Arkansas. What that means for you is the chance for you to check out the plants that are starting to be growing to be saved, preserved, and in some cases brought back to be seen as a great place for you to check out. What else you can enjoy here is the fact that it has 210 acres to explore. If you are looking for a place to see some great flowers, then you have to check out this locations Facebook page or website for the local calendar, I will put the link to the Facebook page at the bottom of the section here.
When at the gardens you will notice they have admission prices that may seem a little bit on the high side, but they do go to helping the gardens out and keeping them properly supported. What I do like about the Garvan Gardens is they do allow dogs if you are traveling with your dog. Now, I do recommend having some time set aside here to explore everything that you can see.
Check out the Garvan Gardens Facebook page to explore even more.
Hot Springs National Park
The Hot Springs National Park actually is the oldest part of land set aside in the United States. The park was set aside long before a National Park concept was around and started off as a reserve in 1821. It would take close to a hundred years before it would become a National Park, but it was well worth the wait and while some of the original buildings from the early 1800’s are gone, the legacy of the place still lives on and it is still a great place to go and spend several hours or potentially a couple of days for you to enjoy the great outdoors and the amazing National Park system that has made America great.
When you are here you will be amazed by the beautiful rock formations you can see, but also can find the best and most clear water ever. The water for the most part is potable if it comes from the hot springs, but the colder springs do have an ozone filtration you can use. You will want to make sure you check for any type of specialized permits you may need to have for getting the water, but overall it is a great time and a great place to just sit and reflect on things as well in the park setting.
If you want to explore more of Hot Springs National Park, I recommend the National Park Page.
Booking.comTiny Town Trains Across America
Trains are what founded the exploration of the West and while trains are not as popular as what they used to be, mainly because they are very expensive, the legend of the trains and legacy they made popular is going to be a great thing for you to enjoy. I do have to admit when you are looking at this place you may find it is a model train display, but if you look at the popularity of the train display in Germany, it is easy to see exactly how popular this place can become. It is important for you to note that you may want to go here early in the day as it is a smaller space, but it is an amazing place.
One thing that you will want to do is make sure you take your time going through the display. Just standing and taking it all in you are sure to see something that you would have missed if you were hurrying. Yes, I know it can be hard to stand still in the modern world with everything supposed to be so quick and done right away, but you are on vacation and you do pay to go in here so take it all in and enjoy your trip!
You can find out more about the location on their website by clicking here.
Mid-America Science Museum
Sometimes you will want to explore all the different science that is in the area. Well, I have to admit I was a little bit shocked to see that Smithsonian has a great location here as they opened up the Mid-America Science Museum. This location was built in the 80’s, but it is definitely a place that you are going to spend some time exploring. The downside is some of the permanent exhibits you find here are the same ones that have been around since the 1980s, but it is being updated and you may find plenty of traveling exhibits for you to explore.
Unlike some of the museums you may have explored before, you may notice this is a place that does have an outdoor and an indoor exhibit space. This means you can get outside and enjoy the region as well, but still have the educational experience for everyone in the family related to the science you can learn here. Now, if you do have kids they are sure to love the fact this is not a boring type of museum where you cannot really do anything, instead the Mid-America Science Museum does have over a 100 hands-on exhibits for you to enjoy.
You can learn more about the Mid-America Science Museum here.
Historic Baseball Trail
It is easy to think that baseball started in places like New York or Cincinnati, but you need to realize that while it was a popular sport and did start in multiple places and grew in popularity in multiple places one place that is often overlooked is Hot Springs. This little town while it does not have a major league team is one that does have quite a bit of history and impact on the game. So it is always great to take a stroll down the memory lane and have a chance to recall some of the impact the region had on the national past-time.
Something that I did find really cool is they have recently rolled out an App that can help you in finding the places that you need to see for the trail. What else is great about the app is it provides you with a great tour, but also gives you information that you would normally get with a tour guide. Now, this is for the self-guided option which can work out great for some, but if you want the personal touch you may want to look for some of the tour guides that can help lead you around the area.
You can find out more about the Historic Baseball Trail here.
Booking.comThe Galleries
The downtown region in Hot Springs, Arkansas has something that you may not expect to see and that is quite a few art galleries to check out. Now, the galleries are going to have different hours and different types of art for you to check out it is important for you to take time to stroll the region and just take it in. I mean, I am not going to tell you which one of the galleries you should check out, but just take time to see everything you can. It used to be a lot of the galleries would stay open later at night on Friday’s, but that may not be the case, but you can always do the window shopping if the gallery you want to go into is closed at the time you are in town.
While you may not realize it America has quite a few things for you to enjoy and you will find that the Hot Springs, Arkansas area is one place that used to be very popular among the tourist and if you are looking for a great place that is quiet is a hidden gem. The place has some of the best attractions for you to check out if you are looking for a natural mineral spring, but it has quite a bit to do outside of the Hot Springs National Park as well. All told, you cannot really go wrong by checking out some of the great attractions that has made Hot Springs one of the best places for you to visit and know you are going to have a fantastic trip.
