Attractions in Hot Springs ARHot Springs AR and Hot Springs National Park. The question is where do I start? There are so many attractions in Hot Springs AR to visit and they're scattered about the area; Downtown, Up Town, and more on the outskirts of town. Well duh! How about I break it down just like that? We'll call 'em simply "Downtown", "Up Town" and "Around Town". Downtown - Attractions in Hot Springs ARDowntown stretches along several blocks of Central & Park Avenue. (MAP) Home to famed Hot Springs National Park & Bath House Row, Downtown Hot Springs is an enchanting experience for families, art aficionados, history buffs and couples on weekend getaways.
The area along Bath House Row is designated a National Historic Landmark District and lends to a by-gone era with it's grand hotels, beautifully restored Victorian buildings, and the Bath Houses built in the early 1900's. 
History buffs will enjoy simply walking around Downtown taking in the "old-school" feel and marveling at the architecture. Pay particular attention to the many sidewalk and cornerstone plaques that allude to the historical significance of Hot Springs National Park. It's like looking for Elmo! How many can you find? Maybe you're in need of a little pampering Other attractions in Hot Springs AR are the spas. World renowned retreats for relaxing and healing the body, mind and spirit. Come and experience the rejuvenating properties of our natural spring water on tap, both hot & cold. The "Arts Scene" in Hot Springs AR is mostly concentrated in the Downtown area, and will surprise you for a relatively small town in Arkansas. Once you've explored our art galleries you'll understand how we manage such high rankings among small arts communities. You're bound to get hungry after experiencing all these Hot Springs attractions! Luckily, there's all kinds of great food Downtown too. The delectable delights range from good ole home cooking to the exotic, and the retro theme is continued with old fashioned soda fountains, cafes and ice cream parlors. Most of the major hotels Downtown have their own restaurants as well, and I have yet to experience even one that didn't "pass inspection" both with atmosphere and cuisine. I can honestly say that Downtown Hot Springs and Hot Springs National Park could easily stand alone as a self-contained vacation package and I've only skimmed the surface! Up Town - Attractions in Hot Springs AROK, here we go Up Town, heading south on Hwy. 7 to what is basically themiddle section of Central Avenue & Hwy. 7 ( map ). This section extends from Grand Avenue to the 270 West by-pass which is officially named the Martin Luther King Expressway. Now mind you, we "the locals" don't really call it Up Town but it does the job for its intended purpose so work with me here will ya? There is no doubt the main attraction Up Town is Oaklawn Park where you'll find thoroughbred horse racing at it's best! A HUGE draw to Hot Springs since they ran the first race card in 1905, Oaklawn's live action season starts in January & ends in April. 
Modern technology lends a hand in providing simulcast coverage of racing from coast-to-coast and is available year round! Racing fans come from far and wide to visit Oaklawn Park and watch the ponies run.You can do more than watch if you brought along your sense of adventure. Of course, a little cash helps too! Try your luck, or skill as the case may be, at picking winners and you could actually cover expenses for your entire trip! It wouldn't be the first time it's happened! Then again, Lady Luck could be riding another horse that day and that's where the adventure lies! My wife Laura, bless her adventurous soul, makes it to Oaklawn Park a couple times each season and somehow manages to cover her expenses for the day, while having an absolute blast (her words) and come home with about what she left with. Her secret? She bets on the horses whose names she fancies most. Go figure! Horse racing doesn't do anything for you? No matter, Up Town has plenty of other attractions in Hot Springs AR for you too! There's themed miniature golf, Indy-style go carts, a ten theater cinema, and shopping out the Wazoo! There are privately-owned specialty shops all along Central Avenue and an absolutely enormous indoor flea market that can keep you busy for hours! Take a break from shopping or satisfy "post-racing" hunger pains at any of a literal sea of eating establishments in the Up Town area. The possibilities include all your favorite fast food joints and just about any franchised "Family Style" restaurant you can think of, plus a very interesting array of "specialty cuisine" like Italian, Chinese & bar-b-que. Around Town - Attractions in Hot Springs ARNow for a quick look at the "scattered abouts" I mentioned earlier.Looking at the map again, Downtown at the top, Up Town in the middle and Around Town is like a great big smile under all that! A happy smile that starts at the far right, or the East side of the map and grins all the way around to the left, or West side. We'll start on the East side, the right side of that big smile, with the Music Mountain Jamboree Entertainment Complex. Those folks are as busy as one-legged tap dancers with all they have to offer to entertain you & yours! There's indoor miniature golf in a rain forest setting that is complete with jungle sounds & a 24 ft. waterfall, live music shows, Indy-style go carts and an arcade room. Then there's the single-largest summer tourist attraction in Arkansas; Magic Springs and Crystal Falls! A triple threat attraction for sure, located just a couple miles East of Hot Springs, Magic Springs is a theme park with dozens of great rides. Crystal Falls is a water park where you can "cool your summer heels". And if that's not enough, there's also the Timberwood Amphitheater where the summer music scene sizzles! In that same general area you can go horseback riding, or there's a great off-road park for slinging mud with your 4x4, ATV, motorcycle/mountain bike. Head West around that grin a bit and you'll find Garvin Woodland Gardens, a beautiful botanical garden located on the banks of Lake Hamilton and one of our newest attractions. (MAP) Speaking of Lake Hamilton, it and its sister, Lake Catherine are also found "Around Town". The further West you go, the more you'll find! Lake attractions in Hot Springs AR include boat rentals, fishing, water sports of every kind, plus dinner cruises on Lake Hamilton. Great shopping Around Town too, perhaps the best shopping for you "mall rats"! You're bound to get hungry after experiencing all the wonderful attractions in Hot Springs AR! And food? Holy-Food-Fest Batman! Central Avenue, from around the 270W By-Pass and South to the edge of town should be called "Eat 'em up Row"! If your group can't find something interesting to eat in this area, somebody is just too picky! No, seriously even picky eaters can find turn-ons for the old taste buds here! (MAP) Now, on the road again to the other side of that happy smile, the West side of town for a bit of "higher education" at the Mid-America Science Museum An interactive affair, this museum is quite the learning experience for your whole family & fun to boot! You will learn about scientific principles relating to life, matter, energy and perception. Also available on the west side; "Safari-style" miniature golf, bumper boats, go carts, a state-of-the-art indoor firing range and "rock, rock till you drop" at a number of crystal and rock shops for the "rock-hound" in you! Let's face it folks, you want to know about Attractions in Hot Springs AR just keep clicking around this site. It's probably listed in here somewhere! There is an attraction in Hot Springs AR for every person, interest and budget. When was the last time you had a really good vacation? Check out a broader view of all the attractions in Hot Springs AR by clicking on the various area buttons below... 
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