We have been driving the roads between Dallas and West Tennessee for over a decade now. On our last trip, we finally decided to stop at the halfway point and check out Hot Springs, Arkansas. Here is our twenty-hour trip and why we recommend you make the stop.

Where to Stay: The Arlington Hotel & Spa

Common Areas

Upon entrance, the Arlington Hotel & Spa gives the impression that you are being taken back to another era, giving it a nostalgic charm. It’s in a great central location, too, being across from the open area where a hot spring sits and the sign to the national park greets guests.

The open entrance has a bar to the right and a cafe to the left. You have to walk a bit to get to the check-in area, but look to your right while you’re there, and you’ll notice one of the really neat aspects of the building. It’s an area where you can refill your bottles with mineral water. There is even an option to get the water hot or cold.

On the seventh floor, there are two pools and a hot tub—you just have to go across a bridge to get there. If you go when it’s not too busy, the views on the bridge are beautiful. We stopped to get pictures on our way over. The bottom pool is a bit larger and has a waterfall from the top pool. It’s lit up at night, giving it that perfect end-of-the-day ambiance.

We didn’t dip in the pool but opted for the hot tub. Two other families were there, so we were not alone in this idea. We talked about where we were from and why we were here. It was a great way to meet.

The Room

Again, you have to know that, going into the room, its charm lies in its age. It doesn’t feel creepy, like a motel from the 50s that hasn’t been updated, so you sleep on top of the sheets. The bed was comfortable and reminded me of sleeping in my bed back in the 90s- complete with the pillars that went up the headboard.

One interesting tidbit- we were missing a picture over the second bed. We all noticed it, but it didn’t change the experience.

The bathroom was small but did the job; the sink was super cute. Being there for as short of a time as we were, none of us showered. It was merely a place to lay our heads.

Places to Eat in Hot Springs

Superior Bathhouse Brewery

Superior Bathhouse Brewery was Rose Schweikhart’s brainchild. It is the only brewery in a national park; even more impressive, its beers are the only in the world that uses thermal spring water.

Originally constructed in 1916 as a bathhouse, this property sat vacant from 1983-2013, when Schweikhart leased from the Department of Interior. The construction process can be found on their website and is truly fascinating.

I splurged a bit—both with food and drinks. I had a flight of three—to four-ounce beers and some steak fries. I will be real with you here—I don’t typically like either. Fifteen years of working in the food industry kind of turns you away from fries, and beer has never really been my thing.

However, add steak, pickled red onions, cheese curds, shredded cheese, and a garlic aioli sauce to my fries, and we’ll talk. It was phenomenal. If you’re going to the brewery, get the steak fries. As far as the beers go, they were all good, but the one I would go back to get a larger drink of was the beach juice. It didn’t have the beer taste; it was light and refreshing.

Our waitress was also super nice. She sat with us and talked briefly, which might freak some people out, but we really enjoyed her company.

Kollective Coffee

If you thought I was going to skip out on the coffee conversation, you know me better than that! Kollective coffee was good *if* you like cold coffee.

Bre got a coconut lavender iced latte, and I got a hot caramel latte. The barista gave me an odd look as I ordered it. I just took it as I’m weird because I like hot lattes. I took one sip and returned to the register when I got it.

She looked at me and asked if I wanted iced tea, to which I replied, “Yes, can I have one like my daughter’s?” She happily obliged. I am grateful they didn’t question me any further about it.

We had a vegan chocolate pudding as a semi-sweet treat before we headed to Memphis to get linner. I liked it well enough that I ate mine and half of Bre’s portion, but we both want to try other items on their menu next time. Basically, I’m saying skip that one unless you’re vegan. It was mid, as the teenagers say. They had a cookie staring us down pretty hardcore.

The location is very cute, and it would be great to hang out and spend a day writing and people-watching in this touristy town. You can’t miss getting a coffee picture in front of their awesome mural.

Wrapping It Up

Hot Springs is the only National Park in which you don’t have to have a park pass to enter —the city is a part of the park. Our government thought it was that important to our history.

I plan to write another post on things to do while you are there- from visiting a bathhouse to walking down the square. What are your favorite things about Hot Springs?