Echo Canyon Resort & Marina was a fantastic home away from home July 20-22, 2025…read more I chose the dog-friendly "Duck Blind" studio cabin which turned out to be wonderful! The only thing I really didn't love about this cabin was the stickiness and lack of smoothness on the kitchen table. Also, I was a little bummed to find out that the restaurant was not open. Otherwise, it had so much charm in this semi remote area outside of Hot Springs, AR, next to Lake Ouachita. The bath towels were shaped like ducks. The back porch had a fabulous view of the lake and the rising sun. Tall trees surrounded us. Finally, not only was the hostess an absolute sweetheart, but she even sent a handwritten thank you card to our house after we departed. Who does that anymore?! It was $184 per night, not including taxes. I cooked breakfast both mornings & had all the cookware and utensils I needed. Wi-Fi and TV service worked great. My oldest daughter and I shared a queen bed while the other kiddo slept on the pullout couch and it was surprisingly comfortable. Our dog had plenty of room for her bed on the floor. Our dog went on lovely walks with us in the evenings. There was a swimming area on the opposite side of the lake that we all enjoyed. Dogs were not allowed there, though. I loved this area. The weather was mid 90s with no thunderstorms or cloud coverage, but I'd go back even during another summer in a heartbeat. Highly recommend.

We needed a place to stay for a few days between other reservations and are so glad we happened on…read moreEcho Canyon. The staff was friendly, very helpful and made us feel like old friends. We stayed in a cabin (Weekend Hooker) with a delightful covered deck overlooking the cove. The cabin had everything we needed for two very comfortable days including the ability to cook several meals. We had our own wifi and television had we wanted to watch. We preferred the deck and the view of the water and the wildlife. Our gps was accurate in getting us there and the office staff accommodated our late arrival with no issue. Staying at Echo Canyon was a highlight for us - the cabin, the scenery and definitely the people. We hope to plan a trip back next Spring.

Fun urban walk with historical businesses and there is enough nature to walk and see from above I…read more The tower as well

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six-week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and experience it beyond simply driving by. Hot Springs National Park was one of the most unique parks on our journey because it is unlike any other national park we have visited. Rather than protecting vast wilderness, this park preserves the history and natural thermal springs that gave birth to the city of Hot Springs. For centuries, people believed the mineral-rich waters had healing properties, and during the late 1800s and early 1900s, the area became one of America's premier spa destinations. The beautifully preserved Bathhouse Row is a reminder of that era, with historic buildings that still define the character of the park today. The park itself blends seamlessly into the city, making it feel less like a traditional national park and more like a living historic district. Personally, I see it as being closer to a national monument than the expansive wilderness parks most people picture when they think of the National Park System. But that doesn't diminish its value, it is simply a very different experience. I spent quite a bit of time hiking the surrounding trails, which were peaceful, scenic, and offered beautiful views over the town and the Ouachita Mountains. It was a pleasant surprise to discover how much nature surrounds the historic district once you begin climbing into the hills. The town itself is charming, full of history, unique architecture, good restaurants, and an easy pace that invites you to slow down. Between exploring the bathhouses, learning about the fascinating history of hydrotherapy in America, and enjoying the trails, we found there was plenty to fill a full day. Overall, Hot Springs National Park is beautiful in its own way. It may not offer towering mountains or dramatic wilderness, but it preserves an important chapter of American history while still providing opportunities to enjoy nature. It is certainly worth visiting with an open mind and an appreciation for both history and the outdoors.

Before I was told about Avatar Crystal Mine by a sweet friend of mine who has been to Arkansas…read moreseveral times, I had other much more commercialized and seemingly crowded dig sites on our itinerary. This place was great! Mt. Ida - where this outfit is located - is referred to as the "Quartz Crystal Capital of the World." Both Joe and Bee were really friendly owners. They allowed our dog to stay with us. Bee gave me a discount ($20 for all four of us) since we only had an hour to dig. She gave us lots of tips. Took photos of us too with an amazing Ouachita National Forest background. Probably my least favorite thing about this venue is the road leading up to the mine. I saw several cars up there, but I would recommend 4WD if in case of rain. The rain will help the crystals come into view, but that road had some places that looked like it could get sketchy if a downpour occurred. Plus it's a narrow road. One lane. If an on-coming vehicle approaches, one of you has to figure out a safe place to pull over. We made some precious memories even though it was fairly hot and dry that afternoon of July 20, 2025. And we got some amazing crystals considering the duration we were there. Recommend!

We had a beautiful day to float the Caddo, with two kayaks and two canoes in our party yesterday…read more One canoe had novice paddlers for the 3+ hour float back to the vehicles. Our bus and some of the equipment (paddles, canoe) were a bit banged up or well used. It was a lot of fun, more class 1 or maybe class 2 than expected by the novices. But fun fun fun. We plan to do it again!

I wanted to be sure to come back and write a review as I couldn't find many newer reviews prior to…read moregoing. I'll start out by saying that the owners were great!!! We originally booked a camp side with electric and water for 2 days and would float on our last full day. We decided to extend our campsite and change our float to the next day AND swap to kayaks Instead of tubes. When we went to the office to make the changes and they were more than happy to help us as if it were no big deal! I also watched the owner down by the river everyday we were there just greeting people and chatting and helping in any way possible. I'm pretty sure I saw him pulling someone's car that had broke down. Just a testament to how helpful they are. The Campsite- my wife and I got site L for 3 days. The owner had just finished mowing the grass as we pulled up and it was very clean and level. I had read one old review that said the electric pole was a hundred feet away or something so I showed up with 5 extension cords. lol to my surprise, the electric pole was right at the side and 10 feet away from our tent! But I was ready. The water spigot was also right behind that so it was all very close. There was a nice fire ring and a camp style grill and the picnic table was in great shape. No one was in the site to our right but there were some folks in the site to our left but there was just enough space that it was no bother. The bathrooms were just a short walk up the hill. There was one men's and one women's restroom that stayed clean the whole time we were there and there were two showers, each in its own individual room. All 4 doors had pin pad knobs so they stayed locked and you needed a code to get in, they didn't give us any issues. The showers were push knobs so you have to hold them to keep water flowing but the temps were good. A little warm for my tastes but my wife loved it. The River- we decided on the kayaks instead of the tubes as we have tubes the river a few times and wanted to check out a little more. Since we were camping at the shuttle site, we just had to jump on a van once we were ready and they took us on a ten minute ride to the river. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave us some good tips. We ultimately floated for about 4 hrs to get back. The river was around 5.3 river level gauge so we did have a few spots where I had to get out but my wife slid right over. Guess I should lose a few pounds hahaha. It's definitely an easy paddle and kid friendly. There were a few spots with some faster moving water but nothing to be alarmed about. All in all it was a great experience. I will say, if you are looking for a quiet, in the woods campsite, this isn't it. It is close to the road so you hear every truck going down the road and those boys in Central Arkansas love their glasspack mufflers! lol but if you are looking for somewhere to camp after floating the river, this place is perfect! You don't have to drive to a shuttle area and then when you get done, you are back at camp. Caddy River Camping & Canoe, you guys are doing a great job!!

This was our second visit, and it's a lot of fun! The staff is nice and the prices are very…read morereasonable, even with the extras for feeding some of the animals. They also have alligator feedings on certain days. The zoo has wolves, raccoons, alligators, peacocks, and a few other animals for guests to enjoy. For the petting zoo portion, there are goats, emus, birds, turtles, and rabbits you can feed. You can even hold and feed a baby alligator! Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo has been around for decades, and it shows in a few areas. There are a few enclosures that could use some updates. Other than that, I definitely recommend this place if you're in town.

All of the staff members were super friendly and gave us a ton of information about the animals…read more They have a good handful of animals here. Kids loved this experience. You can feed the goats, sheep, donkeys and Emus. You get one free cup of feed per person addition feed you'll have to pay. The gift shop has so many great items to choose from. They have parking in the back and are open everyday. Such a fun experience. Would definitely recommend and I'll be back.

Our daughter went for a week to Brookhill Ranch for the first time and had a blast. It was the…read morefurthest she had ever been from home and has become hooked and is waiting to go back. Camp is faith based and very well organized and offers a website where daily camp photos are loaded to see what your child is up to. Drop off and pick up functions like a well oiled machine and there are plenty of activities. Just FYI, camper's cabins are not air conditioned. Old school camp.

Brookhill Ranch was a great camp. After my first week at Brookhill Ranch, I was hooked. The kids…read moreat Brookhill were very nice and I made a lot of friends. Activities: One of the nicest things about Brookhill is that you are able to choose your own activities (4 activities total - remember it may be different now). Activities include: arts/crafts, big/small lake activities, fun swim (with waterslide), horseback riding, go-carts, archery, riflery, dancing, Hodge Podge (different sports games each day) and bumper boats (probably missing a few but it has been awhile since I have been there). Outside of the chosen activities, each night there is other night time activities, the first two nights (not including the starting day of camp) we fished and it was boys versus girls on the fish count. The third night I cannot remember; fourth was a hacky-sack night where we raced in big burlow sacks and fifth was a carnival night. In the event of rain/storms/inclement weather, indoor activities will take place in the main pavilion in place of chosen activities. I have had a few of these days and they were a lot of fun and by no means a disappointment for missing the chosen activities. Meals: All of the meals were given in the dining hall located in the main pavilion of camp. It was cafeteria-style just like you have at most public schools. I do not have much knowledge as to the type of food they had but I do not recall disliking anything. Do not expect steak or a four-course meal, but food was good. Outside of the meals you have access to a canteen that is available at the beginning of the 2-hour rest period each after afternoon after your fourth activity. The canteen has different drinks, snacks and confectionary (limeades/lemonades, sno-cones, etc. - all canteen items extra charge so bring some money with you). Religious activities: as a Christian type camp, obviously you will expect some Christian activities. Each day after lunch and before our 3rd activity, we sang a few Christian songs. On Thursday night, the staff had all of the campers in the main pavilion and put on a drama act of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Very powerful and moving. On Friday night, they have all of the graduates (10th graders going to 11th grade - the last year they can attend camp as a camper) light a candle and walk around the pavilion in the dark while Kathy Troccoli's song "Go Light Your World" was playing. One night each week the boys would walk over to the girls cabins (after they are in bed) and sing to them and vice versa the next night. There were numerous other activities of this nature throughout the week but to save some length of this quite lengthy review, I will omit them. Important notes: you are not allowed to bring any form of electronics with you to camp. This includes: mp3 players, iPods, all cellular/satellite phones (everything with an on/off switch). I am note sure but you may be able to bring a camera; not too sure about that though. Do not worry, if it becomes necessary, the staff will call your parents or legal guardians if something important arises; they just want you to just basically escape the outside world and all of its distractions (texting, calling, etc.) and enjoy your time with the friendly kids and staff around you. One of the annoying things I experienced at this camp (a very small one) was when it was time to take showers at night. There was always a big line and about 10 seconds after you enter the shower, staff says to hurry up and get done; they have you start rubbing in your shampoo in your dry hair even before you get into the shower. The temperature of the shower was a little bit on the cool side. I do not know what the cabins look like today but back then, they were rustic bunkhouses (bathroom was in a separate facility and not a part of the bunkhouse). There was no air conditioning so bring your own personal fan (preferably a clip-on fan). I personally used a standard big box fan but if you do not want that much air, a smaller one will work. All in all, an excellent camp. The first year I went for just one week. The second year, I went for one week then I spent a week with my grandparents just up the hill in Hot Springs Village and then another week at Brookhill and I did this for the third year as well. If you are worried about being homesick especially if this is your first experience away from home and your parents/legal guardians do not worry, the staff will make your time super enjoyable and by the end of the week, you may not want to go back home yet. I almost forgot to mention, they also had a miniature gold course for you to play during your off time. Again, some or all of the things I have mentioned here could have changed as it has literally been a decade since I have camped here. Any doubts, just sign up; you will be very glad you did.

What we thought was a bad battery on our boat these guys discovered it was something else. They…read morefixed the problem very quickly squeezing us in and were honest about our battery being good. Took the return and saved us some money! Highly recommend this shop!

Ouachita marine is my go to for all my girls ( boat ) work. They have always delivered superb…read morecare and expertise. Thanks Tom and Crew!!

great place clean and friendly. Lanes look like new. We always have a good experience when we go…read morethere

Best bowling alley around! We visit from Texas 3-4 times a year and our kids absolutely love going…read morebowling here. Friendly staff, updated lanes and we never have to wait