Featured Image: Visit Hot Springs
Hot Springs, Arkansas is the ultimate getaway for a weekend of lake life. Nestled in the Ouachita Mountains and home to Lake Hamilton, Catherine, and Ouachita, it’s the prime spot for waverunning, tubing, skiing, and everything in between.
What you may not know about Hot Springs is its infamous history with America’s most notorious Gangsters. Between the 1920s and 1960s, Hot Springs strongly appealed to mobsters and served as a neutral playground where America’s most wanted agreed to “peace.”
Thanks to the corruption of local authorities and under-the-table payouts, gambling, bootlegging, and other criminal activities ran rampant–making Hot Springs a literal gangster’s paradise. If you’re thinking about soaking in the thermal bath waters and living like Capone for a few days, here’s my guide to The Valley of the Vapors.
What to Do
Gangster Museum of America
Is there really a better way to enjoy a city known for its gangster activity than to dive into its history? The Gangster Museum of America boasts seven different galleries, walking you through thirty years of gangster activity in America. With some of the most notorious criminals known for hanging in the springs such as Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Bugs Moran, and Frank Costello, there’s no shortage of accounts when it comes to these famous felons.
Garvan Woodland Gardens
While the Garvan Woodland Gardens are certainly a shift from taking a historic tour through the gangster era, you won’t want to miss strolling the gardens. Whether it’s blooming season or not, the grounds are beautifully maintained, host regular events (such as paint and sip parties, craft classes, and birdwatching), and are also home to the famous Anthony Chapel, a church structure that appears as if it was taken straight out of Rivendell.
Downtown Exploration
If shopping, snacking, and strolling are some of your favorite things, you’ll love walking down Central Avenue. On the east side of the street, you’ll find Bathhouse Row, a stretch showcasing all of Hot Springs’ famous bathhouses. On the west side, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for some nibbles and window shopping.
Hot Springs National Park
When we think of national parks, we generally imagine landscapes, flora, fauna, and porta-potties. While Hot Springs National Park is also home to lush forest, running streams, and plenty of critters, its charm also includes Bathhouse Row, which features eight different bathhouses. This makes Hot Springs National Park a very eclectic blend of buildings, walking paths, and, of course, thermal streams.
Origami Sake Tasting
You’d never guess it, but Arkansas produces almost half of the United States’ rice. Thanks to its clay-rich soil and humid environment, Arkansas is the perfect place to grow the crop. Taking advantage of that, along with locally sourced thermal water, Origami Sake became the first craft sake brewery in Arkansas to use local rice and thermal water in its brewing process. You can book a tasting and learn all about the history and production of Sake.
Where to Eat
The Ohio Club
In addition to many major league baseball players, The Ohio Club was a favorite for many gangsters back in their prime time–including Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Bugs Moran. Known as Arkansas’ oldest bar and with beginnings as a casino, it put up a front as a cigar store during the rise of Prohibition and kept its alcohol service and gambling business behind the walls (literally). You’ll want to enjoy some pre-dinner drinks at the incredibly ornate and well-preserved bar downstairs before trying one of their famous house burgers.
Kollective Coffee and Tea
Perfect for an afternoon snack, brunch, or just a delicious craft beverage, Kollective Coffee and Tea specializes in local sourcing and serves an exclusively organic menu. If someone in your cohort has an allergy or dietary restriction, the kitchen is well equipped to handle most preferences and offers an array of gluten-free and vegan options, which are all delicious–especially the gluten-free lemon bars.
Superior Bathhouse Brewery
Getting to enjoy a delicious lunch and craft beer in a literal bathhouse is an experience in and of itself, but when you drink the house-made beers at Superior Bathhouse Brewery, you’re drinking beer that has been made from the thermal water that flows through Hot Springs and gives it its name. Let your server tell you the bathhouse’s history while you peruse their menu, which features 18 on-tap beers.
SQXBX Pizza Joint and Brewery
If you’re in the mood for some more thermal water brews, hit up SQZBX Pizza Joint and Brewery. Their pizza dough is made fresh in-house, hand-tossed, and stone-baked to perfection to pair beautifully with their rotating house craft beers. Musicians and melomaniacs will love this stop as the walls are adorned with musical instruments and related artifacts thanks to the owners’ previous careers as a tuba-accordion duo. Be sure to check out the pepperoni chips while you’re there.
Where to Stay
Lookout Point Lakeside Inn
If a romantic, serene stay is what you seek, Lookout Point Lakeside Inn is the perfect place for you. Located on the banks of Lake Hamilton, this boutique bed and breakfast offers picturesque views of the water to gaze on while you sip your morning coffee or enjoy a glass of wine in the evening.
Starlight Haven
Camping meets luxury at the Starlight Haven treehouse glamping resort. If you’re not quite ready to commit to camping, but still want to enjoy the outdoors on your own terms, book one of their treehouse domes, take a dip in the hot tub, and peel back the tarp for an (air-conditioned) night under the stars.
The Reserve
A timeless boutique bed and breakfast, The Reserve has been one of Hot Springs’ most iconic historic landmarks for over 130 years. Classic elegance flows through the entire property with expert renovations that have perfectly preserved the 19th-century architecture. Walk the grounds, peruse the fully stocked butler’s pantry for refreshments throughout the day, and be sure to enjoy one of the freshly baked cookies upon your arrival.
The Arlington
If you want to be in the center of the action, The Arlington Resort Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of downtown, making it within walking distance to most of Hot Springs’ restaurants, shopping, and activity hotspots. Be sure to carve out time to enjoy The Lobby Bar during your stay; it’s well known for live music, historic charm, and expert bartenders.
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