Hot Springs, Arkansas. I have to admit that I never heard of it until I
started planning for our Diamond Mine Trip. Ross is from
Arkansas and when I started trip planning he started throwing out
suggestions of things to do in the area. Hot Springs was the first place
that he mentioned. He had grown up about 2 hours away and had visited
as a kid, but didn't remember much about it.
Waiting for our Hot Springs Ghost Tour to start
(click here for my review of our Ghost Tour)
I had planned this trip as a way to see a good friend before she moved back to the East Coast, and as a way to check Arkansas off of my list of "states to see". My friend was only going to be in the area for a day, so Ross and I added an extra day to the trip for ourselves and visited Hot Springs.
First, it should be noted that I rely heavily on reviews when I plan my vacations.
TripAdvisor is my favorite site, by far, for reviews. I've found that other sites either group reviews by "most popular" instead of in chronological order, or they seem to be full of angry people complaining about things.
TripAdvisor seems to have the best amount of REAL reviews. By "real" I mean that all people - happy people, content people, and angry people - all review their experiences. I have yet to find a place that has made me feel misled by this review site. Sometimes you do have to take the reviews with a grain of salt and make your own decisions based on your own knowledge. For example, I love history and I love staying in old historic hotels. However, many times, reviews will be negative towards these places and they will say things like "The rooms were small", "the walls were thin", "It was old and falling apart". In my mind, that doesn't mean it's a bad place. It means that it's a historic place and I have to just accept that not everyone appreciates historic buildings.
So taking that into account, the reviews of Hot Springs were very mixed. Some people loved it. Others hated it. After reading reviews for various attractions in the city, it seemed pretty clear that a lot of visitors looked at Hot Springs as a run down town, full of crime and debauchery. That did have me a little concerned. However, when we got there and learned more about the town, we learned that this town has ALWAYS been full of crime and debauchery! While that may not appeal to everyone, to me there is something interesting about the fact that this town has always centered around illegal activities, while also being known for their hot springs! Of course, I don't want to be wandering around in a crime ridden town, but I never felt unsafe while I was there, and after learning the history of the town, it's easy to appreciate the town in its current state (even the bad things about the town). For the record, I didn't find the town to be as run down as some reviewers made it sound. I found the people in it to be very friendly and welcoming and the sites to see were one of a kind!
But that being said....who doesn't appreciate a business that simultaneously functions as both a mortuary (specifically a drive through mortuary) and a bordello?
So for starters: Hot Springs is the boyhood home of Former President William Jefferson Clinton. I knew that he was from Arkansas, but had no idea that we were headed to the town that he grew up in. Knowing the history of the town, and knowing that Bill Clinton grew up there during the town's heyday, makes me feel like I understand him a little better now - seriously. But that's a whole different story!
Hot Springs is very obviously proud of the fact that Clinton grew up there as can be seen by these pictures:
The boyhood home of former president Bill Clinton - now a private residence
This is inside a gourmet popcorn store. Go inside to buy popcorn and visit the Bill Clinton shrine!
Aside from their love of our former president, Hot Springs is clearly know for their hot springs. Having seen hot springs in other locations, I wasn't really prepared for the experience in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I had expected something akin to hanging out in a really hot pool, which is how my experience has been elsewhere. The experience is completely different here though. Instead of just bathing in a pool of hot water, this town built multiple bath houses around the natural hot springs that are found there. People would come from all over the world to receive the medicinal and therapeutic benefits of the water here. Many of these people were sick, and had been given a prescription to go to these bathhouses. Others just came for the therapeutic benefits. All of them spent a lot of time in Hot Springs while they were visiting the bathhouses, which is where the crime and debauchery creeps into the city's history.
First stop: Our hotel. When I travel, I try to avoid the large chain hotels if I can. It's not always possible (especially if I am traveling with my cats), but if I can find a family run hotel that has good reviews and is affordable then I choose that one. I like supporting local businesses and sometimes it's just nice to get away from the corporations of the world. We choose to stay at the
Alpine Inn in Hot Springs. It is a smaller, old roadside motel that is now run by a husband and wife from Scotland. Don't let the fact that it looks like a roadside motel deter you. The owners were two of the friendliest people I've ever met and the rooms were spotless and well cared for. Each room had a theme (We stayed in the Havenwood room) and you could tell that a lot of care went into making this place a nice place for guests. The rooms are smaller, because of the fact that it's an old roadside motel, so it may not be something you would like if you want a lot of space in your hotel room. But if you can get past the size of the room, you will love this place!
Click here for my personal review of the Alpine Inn.
Me sitting outside our room at the Alpine Inn
View of the Alpine Inn from our room
The Alpine Inn
As much as I enjoyed our stay at the Alpine Inn, I would still choose to stay somewhere different the next time I return to Hot Springs. To be clear, this is NOT because of anything wrong with the Alpine Inn. I highly recommend them to anyone visiting. They are affordable, clean and comfortable - everything you could want in a hotel. The reason I would choose differently, is because once I saw another hotel that I had considered, I regretted not making reservations at that one!
The Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa in downtown Hot Springs looks like an experience in itself. I had debated making reservations here because the reviews were very mixed. Some people loved it and some people hated it. The bad reviews seemed like legitimate reasons to not like a place so I was torn. The price was higher than the Alpine Inn and in the end I decided that it wasn't worth the risk. I chose the cheaper option because it had better reviews.
Once I saw the Arlington though, I decided that it would probably be worth it to stay there. It's an old historic hotel that sits at the very end of Bathhouse Row. My love of historic hotels made me regret not choosing the Arlington in the first place! It's a building full of history! Famous people, including gangster Al Capone, have stayed in this hotel. There is a bathhouse right inside the hotel and some of the rooms even have the water from the hot springs running into their bathtubs. This will be a must do the next time we're in town.
The Arlington Hotel. The grassy area is the location of the original Arlington Hotel which burned to the ground in 1923.
Hot Springs exists as a town because of the hot springs there (common sense there right?) People have been bathing in the hot springs for hundreds of years! Native Americans considered this area to be sacred and the fact that people still visit the springs today speaks to how much people value this place. The United States has turned the area into a National Park to protect it, while still allowing people to enjoy it.
Bathhouse Row
Bathhouse Row
Today there are 8 bathhouse buildings still standing. They were built between 1892 and 1923.
Bathhouse Row
Only two of them still remain open as a bathhouse though. One has been turned into a brewery and restaurant. Another one is now the National Park Visitor Center and museum, and a third is the National Park gift shop. The other 3 are closed to the public, but you can still walk past them and up to their doors, and read information that is posted about them.
The two that remain open as bathhouses are
Quapaw Baths and
Buckstaff Baths. I did a lot of research before this trip because I wanted to visit one of the bathhouses and get an authentic experience. Both sit in the boundary of the national park, but they are privately owned companies.
We opted to go to Buckstaff Baths.
Click here for my personal review of Buckstaff Baths.
Buckstaff Bathhouse
Both Bucksaff Baths and Quapaw Baths have good reviews, but we opted for Buckstaff because it gives visitors an authentic bathhouse experience. Quapaw Baths still uses the mineral water from the hot springs but it is set up as a modern day spa. The only thing historic about Quapaw Baths is the building itself. The rest has been modernized. I can't speak from personal experience but the consensus seems to be that if you want to go to a modern day spa, then Quapaw is the perfect place to go.
Quapaw Bathhouse
On the other had, Buckstaff Baths still functions the way it did when it was first opened. All of the equipment is historic and you get an authentic historic experience. If you're looking for a modern day spa then you won't find it at the Buckstaff Bathhouse. But if you're looking for a historical experience you will definitely find it here!
Me, sitting on the porch of the Buckstaff Bathhouse
Since Buckstaff is a functioning bathhouse, pictures aren't allowed to be taken inside. However, the Fordyce Bathhouse is now the National Park Visitor Center and Museum, and you can take as many pictures as you want in there. While the Fordyce seemed much fancier than the Buckstaff, the set up and equipment was basically the same, so the following pictures were taken in the Fordyce Bathhouse.
Click here to read my personal review of the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center.
Fordyce Bathhouse - now the National Park Visitor Center
When we got there, Ross was taken to a locker room on the first floor where the men's section is. I was taken by an old fashioned elevator (complete with an elevator operator) to the second floor where the women's section is. The first thing they have you do is get undressed, then you are wrapped in a sheet and brought to a huge bathtub filled with 105 degree water and an antique whirlpool pump. I'm 5'2 and about 100 pounds and I have to admit that it was a bit uncomfortable until I figured out how to settle myself in there. I felt like I was either going to float away or drown at first!
Sitting in one of the tubs at the Fordyce Bathhouse
The next step was the steam cabinet. This was, by far, my least favorite experience. You are put into a literal cabinet with only your head sticking out. I'm not sure how hot it was in there but I am certain that I sweated off at least 5 pounds while I sat in there. I was only in there for 5 minutes but I was about to let myself out if my attendant hadn't come back when she did!
Next was either the Sitz Bath or the hot towels. I was taken to a table to lay on and I was wrapped with hot towels on my arms, legs and back, while a cold towel was placed on my head. I was given cold mineral water to drink and laid there for about 20 minutes. The steam cabinet was awful, but the hot towels were wonderful!
The Sitz Bath is exactly what it sounds like. You sit in it. It's supposed to be therapeutic for your lower back, so only your butt and lower back go in the water.
Sitz Bath and Steam Cabinet in the Fordyce Bathhouse
Sitz Baths at the Fordyce Bathhouse - thankfully the one that I used at the Buckstaff Bathhouse looked much cleaner than these! (though it was just as old)
The final step is a needle shower. It's basically a shower that sprays out at you from all angles, and the water is much cooler than the rest of the experience. After the needle shower you can go into a cool down room if you want to, and then the whole experience is over (unless you opt for a massage package - which I didn't).
Needle Shower at the Fordyce Bathhouse
I have to admit that I was incredibly surprised at how good I felt when it was all over! It was a HOT day, and this building had no air conditioning. Couple that with the 105 degree water and I was expecting to be on the verge of passing out from heat stroke when I was finished. Amazingly, I walked outside and felt incredible! Maybe there really is something to these mineral water baths!
Ross and me on Bathhouse Row
Ross and me in the display bathtub at the National Park gift shop. Look how huge this tub is!
Outside of the bathhouses, the National Park is a beautiful piece of land. It's not very big, but what's there is worth a stroll through. There is a Promenade to walk on behind the bathhouses, which will take you on a quick 15 minute walk. It's longer if you decide to go off on some additional trails, but we choose to just stay on the main Promenade.
Click here for my personal review of the Grand Promenade.
One of the hot springs on the Promenade
water fountain midway down the Promenade - that water is about 145 degrees
"The Cascade" - a waterfall of 145 degree water
me by The Cascade
Full view of The Cascade
Ross and me at the end of the Promenade walk, in front of The Cascade
The end of the National Park (the picture further up was taken at the opposite end)
After our National Park experience we decided to check out the town. Our first stop? The Gangster Museum of America! It was this museum that taught us a lot about the history of Hot Springs. I highly recommend a visit here if you ever visit the area. It explains so much about why the town is the way it is, and you'll learn all about Al Capone and other famous gangsters that spent a lot of their time in Hot Springs. It's not necessarily the best museum I've ever visited, but the history lesson that you'll get by taking a tour was well worth the time and money.
Click
here for my personal review of the Gangster Museum of America.
entrance to the Gangster Museum
Just hanging out with Al Capone in the Gangster Museum!
And finally, we enjoyed a decent meal at the Ohio Club - a famous bar in Hot Springs. To me, the most interesting thing about the bar was the bar itself. It is carved out of one solid piece of wood and is over 200 years old. The history nerd in me loved that!
Click
here for my personal review of the Ohio Club.
200 year old carved wooden bar inside the Ohio Club
The Ohio Club Bar
We had a great time in Hot Springs and I would personally love to go back one day! We couldn't leave town without filling up some jugs with the delicious mineral water! The best thing about the town? There are free water stations set up for people to come and get water. While we were filling up our souvenir jugs, there was a guy there filling up an entire car load of water bottles! It was definitely delicious tasting water!
The water was HOT!
