Centuries before the first Europeans came, Native American tribes met here to take in the "Valley of the Vapors," steaming-hot mineral springs. The area was such a tranquil setting that visiting tribes deemed it a no-conflict zone where they could come together in peace.
President Andrew Jackson named Hot Springs the first Federal Reservation in 1832, making it, in essence, America’s first -- and oldest -- national park.
Today Hot Springs National Park is a world-famous resort built around its natural 147° thermal waters -- and the number-one tourism destination in the state of Arkansas. The park contains eight historic bathhouses; the circa-1915 Fordyce Bathhouse, restored to its marble glory, is now home to the park visitor center.
Bathhouse Row
Bathhouse Row in the downtown area, a National Historic Landmark District, is at the heart of America’s first resort, which also earned the nickname "The American Spa." Along Bathhouse Row, turn-of-the-century architecture houses classic hotels, shops, restaurants, and galleries. And you won't have to go far to experience the healing waters. There are a variety of grand bathing facilities open to the public on Bathhouse Row and in hotels and health spas downtown.
The hometown of former President Bill Clinton (he moved there from Hope, an hour and a half away, when he was in the second grade), Hot Springs welcomes visitors to see the house where Clinton grew up, his high school, and the Park Place Baptist Church he attended.
Romantics can focus on antiquing, museum tours, walks through the botanical gardens, candlelight suppers, and nighttime dinner cruises on a moonlit lake.
The Hot Springs area also has theme parks, Thoroughbred horse racing, a Smithsonian-affiliated science museum, musical shows, the EPA’s cleanest lake in America, and plenty of watersports. With so much to offer, Hot Springs can be a perfectly relaxing, romantic retreat.
