11+ Fun Things to Do In Hot Springs National Park

There are a lot of amazing things to do at Hot Springs National Park!

Hot Springs National Park is the second-smallest of the 63 National Parks in the National Park System.  The Park is just over 5,500 acres and has about 1.56 million visitors per year (2017).  It is located right in the heart of downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas and showcases eight bathhouses that have been around since the late 1800s / early 1900s.  Hot Springs is known for the thermal waters that were once believed to have curative properties.  Today the park continues to attract visitors that want to enjoy the history and beauty of the area.

So, what can you do at Hot Springs National Park? Below is our list of 11 amazing things to do.  Enjoy!

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For some great history on the Hot Springs area, check out this book.

1: Take a ranger guided tour of Fordyce Bathhouse

Check out the ranger led interpretive tour.  This tour, offered free of charge daily at 11am and 2pm is the best way to get the inside scoop of the highlights of the Fordyce Bathhouse which serves as the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center.  This bathhouse which was operational from 1915 to 1962 is the most luxurious of the bathhouses.  In it, you will see beautiful stained glass, statues and tilework along with some awesome historical artifacts.

Learn how the thermal waters were used for medical treatments back in the early 20th century.  You will hear that treatments in the bathhouses were prescribed by medical professionals for illnesses that ranged from polio to syphilis.  Interestingly, the ranger suggested that some of the older forms of treatment may not be too different than how we administer treatment today.

Visit the Gymnasium

Make sure to venture to the top floor of the bathhouse to the gymnasium and the reading room (my personal favorite space).  Also don’t miss the men’s locker room on the first floor (men have had it so much better than women – just saying’) to partake of beautiful artwork, marble benches, and the gorgeous stained glass ceiling.

The gymnasium was a neat place to see. Diet and exercise still seem to be the keys to a long and healthy life.

Visit the Basement to see the Actual Flowing Spring

Also, while it’s an optional portion of the tour, we highly suggest going to the basement to see the actual spring water flowing underground. It’s in an enclosed area, but still absolutely awesome!  Also, check out the YouTube video at the end of this article to see how hot springs water is formed.

Other things to do at Hot Springs National Park in the Fordyce Bathhouse

Note: You can still tour Fordyce Bathhouse even if you miss out on the ranger-led experience.  The tour is multi-floor, and you have the option of riding in the functioning elevator if you cannot climb stairs.

The ranger led tour of the Fordyce Bathhouse will take you to the third floor reading room. This was a favorite for me in the Fordyce Bathhouse.

2: Take a bath 🙂 – this is one of the things you MUST do at Hot Springs National Park

Have you ever taken a bath in a National Park?  Here’s your chance.  Visit the two operational bathhouses in the park, the Buckstaff Bathhouse and the Quapaw Bathhouse.  Buckstaff Bathhouse is the only bathhouse that has offered services without interruption since opening.  Here you will find some of the traditional bath services that were offered some 100 years ago.  Quapaw Bathhouse provides public and private bathing options as well as modern spa experiences.  We tried the public pools with thermal water (swimsuit required) at Quapaw.  There were three pools that ranged from 98 to 102 degrees.  The bath was super relaxing and was a “new to us” experience!

3: Enjoy the architecture of the bath houses

Take a stroll along Bathhouse Row and you will see the beautiful and unique facades of each of the bathhouses. Also, explore displays that are dedicated to the unique architectural features of the bathhouses which is located in the Fordyce Bathhouse on the first floor outside of the area where the Hot Springs National Park video is shown.

Each bath house has its own unique style complete with a cool gargoyle.

4: Take a hike along the Grand Promenade

There are a number of nice trails where you can walk / hike and enjoy the outdoors. We explored the Grand Promenade and Tufa Terrace trails that provided nice shaded views from above the bathhouses. You can check out a list of the trails along with their distance and difficulty at the National Park Service site here.

We enjoyed walking the gorgeous Grand Promenade overlooking the Hot Springs Bathhouse Row.

Been to Arkansas, Hot Springs? Click here to get the sticker to show it off!

5: Get stamp cramp

National Park Passport cancellation stamps are located in both the Fordyce Bathhouse which serves as the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center and the Lamar Bathhouse which serves as the National Park’s Bookstore. Each of these bathhouses has its own stamps, so don’t miss out by visiting only one!

If you don’t already have a passport book, you can purchase one in the Lamar Bathhouse bookstore, or you can get one on Amazon.

Another cool thing, Hot Springs has the new Junior Ranger cancellation stamps as well!  Find out what “stamp cramp” is by reading our stamp cramp story here.

6: Listen in on the audio tour

At various stations around the National Park, you will see numbered stations. Use your cell phone to call the number listed on the sign to hear some background about the feature that you are visiting. This is a great way to learn about the history, science, and features of Hot Springs National Park.

7: Taste the water inside the Lamar Bathhouse bookstore and take some home with you

There is a fountain, complete with small paper cups in the bookstore that you can use to taste the warm thermal waters. You won’t forget the smooth taste!

There are also a number of stations where you can fill your own containers with hot spring water (for free!).  We picked up a glass gallon jug from the Lamar Bathhouse and filled it up along with a couple of other containers that we had brought.  Sharing the water with friends and family back at home has been a hit!

Bring your container to take some of the lovely thermal spring water back home with you.

Grab your National Parks Passport book and get stamp cramp at Hot Springs!

8: Go to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower

Take in a great view overlooking Hot Springs from the Hot Springs Mountain Tower.  While rain deterred us from this experience during our visit, we heard that it is well worth the trip to the top.  There, you can see the entire city of Hot Springs below!

9: Take a picture at the National Park sign

Some may think that taking pictures at the park signs is cliche, but we are not of that number! It’s a nice way to commemorate your visit (we think so at least).

In addition to collecting National Park stamps, we seek out the signs to commemorate the experience.  There are a few signs within the park that are photo-worthy.  This one is right across the street from the Arlington, an historic hotel and prominent landmark in Hot Springs.

10: Touch the open spring water (be careful, it is hot)

There are a number of places where you can touch the thermal waters, see the steam, and feel the warmth that the hot springs water gives off. One such place is at the bottom of the Tufa Terrace trail at the end of the Bathhouse Row, right across the street from the Arlington Hotel. Coincidentally, it’s also where the Hot Springs National Park sign is located, so you can take your picture at the sign and touch the thermal waters in succession.

We caution that you be aware that the water is hot. However, it’s not hot enough to dissolve your flesh or anything (no need to fear).

11: Grab a Root Beer at Superior Bathhouse

The Superior Bathhouse Brewery is a restaurant, brewery and distillery that operates out of the Superior Bathhouse.  This was one of our favorite places to grab a bit to eat in the downtown area, and is the only brewery operating within the National Park Service.  They craft their beverages using the thermal waters that flow in the Park. Try their root beer – the smoothest and most refreshing drink after a nice day of exploring!

Check out our recommendations for what to order at the Superior Bathhouse Brewery and other restaurant recommendations by clicking here.

That’s our list of 11 things to do in Hot Springs National Park – what else might you add?

Just for fun…

Have you ever wondered how hot springs are actually formed?  Check out the first 50 seconds of this video to get the inside scoop!