If you’re looking for the ultimate weekend getaway in the southern United States, then Hot Springs, Arkansas is a great place to visit! This city offers a small town feel with friendly local restaurants and coffee shops, a unique history, as well as a plethora of hiking options nearby.
With this ultimate outdoorsy Hot Springs, Arkansas itinerary, you’ll get to explore the city’s best features and venture into Hot Springs National Park and the nearby Lake Ouachita State Park. You’ll likely find yourself drawn to the underrated natural beauty and the relaxing spring fed bathhouses (my favorite parts of Hot Springs!).
A Weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas
With a population under 38,000, Hot Springs is a small city with lots to offer. Once believed to have medicinal properties, tourists flocked to Hot Springs to soak in the thermal spring waters in hopes of healing ailments. The historic bathhouses even attracted visitors like Al Capone and President Harry Truman.
As this is a fairly small city, 2 to 3 days in Hot Springs, Arkansas is the perfect amount of time to enjoy your stay without feeling rushed. The best time to visit is spring or fall for the best weather. Spring is very green and lush and fall offers an underrated fall foliage peeping opportunity.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links; we get a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through one of them. Read our affiliate disclosure.
Where to Stay in Hot Springs, Arkansas
- Hotel Hot Springs – Check Availability
- Private House with Pool – Check Availability
- Gulpha Gorge Campground in Hot Springs National Park – Check Availability
- Lake Ouachita State Park Camping & Cabins – Check Availability
We’ve camped in both Gulpha Gorge Campground and Lake Ouachita State Park. Both have clean, serene campsites and bathrooms. Lake Ouachita is much bigger so there are showers along with full RV hook up sites. Both are also dog friendly!
3-Day Hot Springs, Arkansas Itinerary
Day 1
Coffee Break at Kollective Coffee & Tea
Before you start your day of hiking in Hot Springs National Park, grab some breakfast and coffee from Kollective Coffee & Tea in downtown. They serve delicious lattes along with a variety of teas, breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and even some vegan options.
If you’re one to wake for sunrise, you can head out to enjoy the sunrise on the Goat Rock Trail and refuel after your early morning hike at Kollective Coffee & Tea.
Hiking in Hot Springs National Park
Start your trip off strong by enjoying the scenic hiking trails throughout Hot Springs National Park. Although this is the second smallest national park in the United States, there are still some great trails to check out.
It’s also one of the few dog-friendly national parks! Some of the best trails in the park include Goat Rock Trail, Hot Springs Mountain Tower Trail, and Oertel Trail. Read more about hiking in Hot Springs National Park here.
I highly recommend leaving time to visit the observation deck on the top of the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. You do have to pay to enter (about $14), but this cost is worth it for the views and the history exhibits inside.
Top Hiking Picks:
- Goat Rock Trail
- Hot Springs Mountain Tower Trail
- Oertel Trail
Dinner & Drinks at Superior Bathhouse Brewery
After an active day full of hiking, wind down with a flight of locally crafted beer, the only in the world brewed with thermal spring water and the only brewery within a national park!
Not only can you find delicious beers at Superior Bathhouse Brewery, they offer a full menu of burgers, sandwiches, and nachos so it’s great for groups of all ages. Make sure you leave room to end your meal with one of their famous root beer floats.
Day 2
Downtown Hot Springs
Day 2 of the Hot Springs, Arkansas itinerary is all about exploring Bathhouse Row and the charming downtown area. I recommend starting your day off with a hearty breakfast at the Pancake House, a Hot Springs staple since 1940.
Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center And Museum
After breakfast, dive into the history of the city by starting with a stop at the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center And Museum, the national park’s visitor center. Housed in the historic Fordyce Bathhouse, this museum is free to enter and is an immersive opportunity to learn about the thermal springs history.
Walk through the bathhouse and step back in time. As you walk through the museum, you’ll be walking through the various rooms of the bathhouse like the women’s wing, special healing chambers, and more.
After you’ve explored the inside of the museum, head around back to the Grand Promenade and climb the stairs to see one of the natural hot springs. Or walk down to the park on the corner of Central Ave and Fountain Street to see a natural hot spring. Stick your hand in and see how hot the water is!
Relax on Bathhouse Row
Take some time to walk down the entirety of Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs. It’s only about a block long so it won’t take long, but each house is unique and fun to admire even if just from the outside. When the thermal spring water comes up from the earth here, it’s far too hot to swim in, so the bathhouses were built to slightly cool the water while retaining its natural qualities.
Now it’s time to get your suit on and relax in the thermal pools of Hot Springs’s still operating bathhouses. The best places to visit are Quapaw Baths and Buckstaff Bathhouse. I personally opted for Quapaw Baths and highly recommend it.
You can book a personal bath experience or massage, but the “general admission” allows you access to five pools of varying temperatures and because this is a large bathhouse it doesn’t tend to get cramped.
Quapaw Baths has changing rooms, bathrooms, showers, and even a swimsuit dryer to wring out your suit after soaking for as long as you’d like. Remember to pack sandals to wear in the bathhouse as you’re not allowed to go barefoot (you can also rent a pair for an extra cost).
Dinner at Grateful Head Pizza Oven and Beer Garden
After an educational and relaxing day exploring Bathhouse Row and wandering around downtown Hot Springs, spend the evening indulging in pizza (and more beer flights if you wish!) at Grateful Head Pizza Oven and Beer Garden.
Day 3
Lake Ouachita State Park
The largest lake in Arkansas is Lake Ouachita, located about 15 minutes from downtown Hot Springs. If you have a third day to include with your weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas, I highly recommend planning a day trip to Lake Ouachita State Park.
The best thing to do here is hike, especially in the fall months. Caddo Bend Trail is a 4 mile scenic loop that takes you around the entire perimeter of the peninsula where the campground is located.
If you’re up for an outdoor adventure, plan to camp at Lake Ouachita State Park at least one night to fully enjoy the scenery.
In the summer you can swim, kayak, and fish at Lake Ouachita; head to the marina to rent boats and kayaks etc. for the day.
Dinner at The Pho House
Top your trip off with a yummy dinner at The Pho House, a great Vietnamese restaurant. Their spring rolls are some of the best, and their taro fries are a must try. Or if you opted to camp at Lake Ouachita or Gulpha Gorge, enjoy a camp meal!
Tips for Visiting Hot Springs, Arkansas
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Hot Springs, Arkansas is early or late summer, or during fall. The middle of summer is stifling, but early summer and late summer allow you to enjoy swimming on Lake Ouachita and the fall months are best for fall foliage. Hot Springs is an underrated fall destination in the US.
Spring is also a nice time to visit as everything is very green and lush and it’s still fairly cool. But for the best weather and small crowds, the best month to visit Hot Springs, Arkansas is October.
What to Pack for Hot Springs, Arkansas
Packing for this Hot Springs, Arkansas itinerary includes some essentials no matter what time of year you’re visiting:
- Swimsuit: Don’t forget a swimsuit for the bathhouses and Lake Ouachita in the summer.
- Sandals: Pack a pair of sandals to wear in the bathhouses as they’re required.
- Hiking Boots: The best shoes for enjoying the Hot Springs trails are hiking boots.
- Jackets: Always bring a jacket even in the summer, and pack an extra warmer outer layer if you’re visiting in winter.
- Hiking/Athletic Pants: A couple of pairs of athletic type pants for hiking (i.e. leggings, joggers, hiking pants).
- Sunscreen: When hiking, or enjoying any outdoor activities, remember to pack sunscreen.
- Reusable Water Bottle: I love having one on any trip, but especially when hiking.
- Small Backpack or Day Bag: A small backpack to carry essentials like water bottles and snacks when hiking can also double as a purse when exploring downtown.
When you go hiking, make sure you have all the day hiking essentials with you to ensure a fun and safe day on the trails.
Transportation
A car is required for visiting Hot Springs, Arkansas. It’s the easiest way to get around downtown and to various trail heads, especially if you plan on visiting Lake Ouachita State Park too. If you’re flying in, rent a car from the airport. Little Rock, Arkansas is the closest airport to fly into.
You can also fly into Dallas, a much larger airport, and drive 4.5 hours to Hot Springs.
How many days do I need in Hot Springs, Arkansas?
Two to 3 days in Hot Springs, Arkansas will allow you plenty of time to explore the historic Bathhouse Row and downtown area, as well as hike in the national park and by Lake Ouachita.
Can I swim in the Hot Springs in Arkansas?
The thermal spring water in Hot Springs, Arkansas is too hot to swim in which is why the bathhouses provide pools pumped with the spring water slightly cooled to the perfect temperature for relaxing and soaking.
One Weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas Recap
Hot Springs, Arkansas is worth visiting if you’re looking for a small town feel surrounded by nature. It’s a peaceful place for a weekend getaway. Learn about the city’s unique history with its Bathhouse Row. Hike in the national park and admire scenic views from Goat Rock and the mountain tower with a weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Stop by the local coffee shop and Pancake Shop and end your days with hearty meals at local favorites like Superior Bathhouse Brewery. The combo of hiking, relaxing in the thermal pools, and dining on delicious food makes for a great weekend getaway in the southern United States.
If you love a small town getaway, plan a visit to McKinney, Texas just outside Dallas for a charming time in the south!
