As the name implies, Hot Springs is famous worldwide for its water. It looks good. Tastes good. Feels good. It makes amazing sake, beer and pizza. Hot Springs’ water is so good, in fact, that it made famous gangsters like Al Capone and Frank Costello stop fighting and just… relax.
So in a way, Hot Springs is like an adult “waterpark,” only without the crowds, chlorine and screaming kids. It’s also remarkably affordable, with a full bathhouse spa treatment costing less than $50 per person.
But what exactly should you plan to do in Hot Springs? Let’s explore.
Pose with Al Capone at The Gangster Museum of America
Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello all frequented Hot Springs throughout the first half of the 20th century. And yet, you never really hear Hot Springs mentioned alongside other gangster hotspots like New York or Chicago. Why is that?
It could be because Hot Springs was shockingly peaceful throughout its gangster years. Hitmen, moonshiners and gamblers all agreed to hang up their Tommy Guns while they visited Hot Springs, as many were there for the same humble reason: because the hot spring baths were rumored to cure syphilis. So the unspoken rule was, “Fellas – let’s not fight while our pants are down – kapiche?”
Hot Springs’ criminal history is a fascinating part of its legacy (and birth), and you can learn all about it at the Gangster Museum of America, located right downtown.
Please see our related story on Hot Springs: Amazing things to do in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Tiptoe through the tulips Garvan Woodland Gardens
Another thing pacifying the gangsters could’ve been Hot Springs’ ridiculous natural beauty. Nowhere is this on fuller display than in the Garvan Woodland Gardens. Located at the basin of the Ouchita Mountains – just 18 minutes from downtown Hot Springs – Garvan Woodland Gardens welcome visitors year-round, and feature hundreds of species of flowers, trees, and other visual delights that would make a botanist giggle.
Even in the winter months you’ll be able to enjoy lake vistas, multi-story treehouses and the regal Anthony Chapel – which looks like it was plucked right out of a Lord of the Rings film.
The good folks at Garvan Woodland Gardens strongly encourage you to book online before arriving. You can do so at garvangardens.org.
Mind your own business at Avant Mining Fisher Mountain
Due to Hot Springs’ unique geography, gorgeous stones like these pop right out of the ground. They only need about 200 million years to form, and then bam – they’re yours for the taking.
You can “mine” for them at places like Avant Mining. I was admittedly afraid that I’d catch the “Black Lung” like Derek Zoolander, but no; crystal mining is more like an Easter egg hunt than mining in the traditional sense. They live near the top of the soil, so it’s just a matter of spotting them poking out and pulling them out with crowbars, brushes or your bare fingers.
Case in point, look at this absolute chonk that Noreen and I pulled out of the ground. It’s bigger than a softball, and the owner told us he would’ve sold something like that for $200+ in the store. Even before we discovered “Al Castone,” as I named him, we were having an absolute blast mining for quartz and other gems at Avant Mining. It really did awaken the part of our brains that loved playing in the sandbox as kids.
Taste the award-winning Origami Sake
Arkansas is famous for:
- Its enriching hot springs water
- Producing over 50% of America’s rice
So why not put 2 and 2 together, and make Hot Springs sake? Such was the thinking of Ben Bell and Matt Bell (no relation), who made their first test batch of Arkan-sake in October of 2022. It was a smash hit, and sales have been booming since 2023.
I asked Matt what the Japanese thought of his sake, and he said, “They love it.” In fact, Origami Sake has won numerous awards from Japanese critics for its exceptional taste and quality.
When you go in for a scheduled tasting, even your designated driver will have a blast since they have amazing non-alcoholic sake, as well. Book a tour and tasting via drinkorigami.com/tours.
Slide a slice into your mouth at Deluca’s Pizzeria
Hot Springs didn’t need a world-class pizza joint. Given its humble size compared to Chicago or New York, a couple of “very good” places would’ve been just fine. But if he was going to live there, Brooklyn native Anthony Valinoti wasn’t going to settle for “very good.” So he packed his 2-ton pizza oven (figuratively speaking) and the rest was history.
You can tell from the photo alone that Deluca’s pizza is crunchy, cheesy and authentic. No dime was spared, no corner cut when it came to fresh ingredients, so the meaty Benny Briggs Pie and the veggie-friendly Jamesy Pie both sing with flavor.
Down a brew at Superior Bathhouse Brewery
If we can make sake out of Hot Springs water, why not beer? Better yet, what if we brewed the beer right inside an original bathhouse, so the water is as fresh as humanly possible??
Such was the intrepid thinking of Rose Schweikhart, founder and matriarch of Superior Bathhouse Brewery. She didn’t let red tape stop her, and as a result, she’s now the owner of the only brewery located inside of a U.S. National Park.
As for the beer itself? Schweikhart’s gambit clearly paid off, because her beer is absolutely unique and delicious. And since you can’t legally bottle and ship Hot Springs water, you can only purchase Rose’s beer onsite. So be sure to carve out some time for a pint on the patio.
Walk the trails, visit a bathhouse at Hot Springs National Park
Of course, no visit to Hot Springs is complete without a visit to the main attraction. Hot Springs National Park isn’t like Yellowstone or Glacier. It’s not a vast, uninhabited wilderness located miles from the nearest major city.
In fact, if you’re standing in downtown Hot Springs, you’re already in the thick of it. Highway 7 – Hot Springs’ main thoroughfare – cuts right through the park, and if you look to the hills past downtown, you’ll see many of its famous trails. A “visit” to Hot Springs National Park could include a walk along those hilly trails, but the #1 draw for 2 million annual park visitors is visiting a bathhouse.
Hot Springs’ legendary bathhouses may look like humble boutique hotels from the outside (and granted, some have been converted into boutique hotels). But on the inside they’re like marble cathedrals, complete with century-old stained glass.
When you visit a still-functioning bathhouse like Buckstaff, you’ll get the same treatment that Al Capone received in the 1940s:
- A private dip in a Whirlpool Tub
- A detoxifying mist in the Steam Cabinet
- A visit to the Sitz Tub for lower back relief
- A delightful “mummification” in Hot Packs
If all that sounds expensive, it isn’t; this classic, four-part package starts at $45.
For more attractions, hidden gems and planning out your visit, check out hotsprings.org.
– Chris Butsch, staff writer. All photos by Chris Butsch unless otherwise noted.