What's the one thing that gives everyone apprehension about attending a dinner theater?…read more The food - right? Fear not at Hot Springs Bathhouse Theater - the food here was on point. I had two teenage boys who are BIG eaters and they said the theater buffett was their best meal of our entire trip to Hot Springs. A bunch of variety from chicken wings, to turkey to beef and chicken, plenty of awesome sides and just a ton of great food to choose from. We attended on the opening night of the Christmas Spectacular show so close to a sold-out crowd and still plenty of food - even with folks of course piling their plates to the ceiling. We thought the wait staff was fun and energetic - drinks were re-filled quickly and nice generous pours of wine. The Christmas Musical Spectacular show - was Spectacular. Beautifully acted and sung, comical and entertaining at times and poignant and heartfelt at others. Great family evening in beautiful facility and great wholesome entertainment!

Three pools to choose from, each at a different temperature, so you can work up to the hottest one…read more You must wear sandals between pools and from locker room, which they can sell you for $7, a good value.

I am just going to start this out by saying, I don't usually enjoy things like this. My husband…read moredoes. To say I didn't want to go, is an understatement. I wanted chocolate cake. Because he was so excited to go, we arrived as soon as the doors opened. They have a lovely beer and wine lounge. I definitely needed a drink. The staff were all very lovely. They really made you feel welcome. I wasn't expecting that. And then pure magic happened. A very nice lady brought me chocolate cake. Black Forest cake in a little cup. It was delicious! I bought a some of that delicious chocolate cake all decked out in a wine glass. I was quite happy. When the show started, many of the employees that were serving us, were part of the show. They love what they do, which is to make people happy. I liked the music. I liked the dancing. I liked the jokes. I liked the audience interaction. I even liked the magic. I left happy. Warning: the magician likes to throw lots of things at the audience. If you rather not get hit, go for row E and beyond.

Ah, what can you say?!?! Maxwell is a great guy. We actually are return visitors, first visit was…read moreyears ago at the old theater. If you go in with the expectation to have a good time, you will. Is Maxwell the best illusionist we have seen? no; however, his personality & love of the art is palpable. He does play some Elton John covers and tells a lot of stories, which I really find enjoyable. The people in charge of the sound could really help TONS by getting the kinks worked out. The music is so loud at times that it is miserable. The volume drowns out the pleasure of the intent. I would recommend, as long as you go in with an open mind and understand that it's a bit of a variety show....not a Vegas level production.

I would recommend the Gangster Museum if the history is interesting to you. It's a very…read more"tourist-y" place but it's also historically accurate and the staff is good at what they do. I have been 3 times total. Once as a tourist myself, and twice taking others after I moved here. Some loved it and found it very interesting and others were bored to tears, visibly yawning as we walked from room to room. I think it's terrific, but again, subjective. /Gangster

If you go to Hot Springs, this is a must. It costs about $16.50 for adults. I'm not sure if…read moredifferent prices for children or other discounts. It's about an hour and half guided tour. If you get Bird, aka "the Bird Man," as a tour guide it will be informative and entertaining. Reminder...you can tip the tour guides. Doesn't seem like people remember to do that. He takes you "through time" and gives you the history of gangsters and Hot Springs. It was so informative and you learn about so many people and places of Hot Springs. They sell hats for men and women. They also sell souvenirs and books. The lady at the check-in desk was very friendly and helpful.

I am in heaven!! The variety of gems and jewelry is amazing!! The people are so kind and caring…read more Extremely knowledgeable about all the different sculptures and pieces they offer.

This is the place to go for incredible crystal, rocks, handmade jewelry and natural wonders. They…read moreoffer incredibly large geodes and other rock specimens for sale as well as handmade art and imports. I bought an amazing art mosaic for my home. Kudos to the staff, Mary and Lisa who were very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be returning on my next trip to Hot Springs.

On our visit to Hot Springs, we were told to check out Garvan Woodland Gardens. It was definitely a…read moregreat decision to come by and have a nice long stroll through the various gardens, forests, streams, and just nature. Its not too hard to find and there's plenty of parking out front. Leaving the parking lot is a little confusing though (signs would be helpful...). But its well worth the trip out! There were a variety of slices of nature and we spent a few hours here and still did not get to see it all. There's a whole nature preserve that's part of it and apparently great in the dawn/dusk to spot and hear various birds. We did see quite a bit of wildlife and fun plants around so even if we missed the preserve it was fun to see everything else. I think this is a great spot to reconnect with nature for a bit. There were well marked paths so it wasn't too strenuous and there were some more kid friendly areas as well for them to explore and run around.

Options for autumn when Canada was "closed" (1 of 2)…read more - - - - - Covid may seemingly be a thing of the past, but, for some, it will never be forgotten because it affected them or their loved ones in far more serious ways. It changed how we interacted, shopped, circulated, and even limited our options as to where we could travel. For a while, Canada was closed and it always comes to the top of my list when it comes to fall colors. That said, other options became New England, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the Ozarks. Garvan Woodland Gardens is located just outside of Hot Springs, Arkansas, thus in the general Ozarks area. Hot Springs itself was already on the map as place of touristic import. Along a major avenue there is "Bathhouse Row," a string of private spas in ornate mansion-sized facilities that rose to fame during the 20th Century. Its most famous visitor may have been Al Capone. I came to learn that Capone died a natural death. One might have thought otherwise. I vaguely knew about these gardens - the Garvan Woodland Gardens. However, if in town and you ask questions about things to do, their existence, and their details, become front and center. It's an easy drive from the small city of Hot Springs. The gardens began as a private garden that then flourished when they were donated and "privatized," or realistically operated by the University of Arkansas. As such, there is an admission fee. As can be expected, the gardens are segmented and themed. The most notable might be the Japanese Garden and the manicured plantings that go with that. There are also other themed areas, including some areas which are a little natural, or scruffier, if you prefer that word. There are other areas such as a toy railroad sort of old town, walkways abutting the lake, and odd contraptions that serve as stairs, bridges, and tree houses. Then, there are some areas with art installations of sort that look sort of granola. I didn't have time to read every placard explaining the logic, if any, of some of these things. There is also a non-denominational chapel on the grounds and it closely resembles the state's Thorncrown Chapel designed by the University of Arkansas's famed alum E. Fay Jones. I had already seen that chapel in Eureka Springs, but, if you can't make it to its remote corner of the state (actually just south of and somewhat close to Branson, Missouri), this one will almost enable you to check Thorncrown Chapel off your list. Seasonal blooms will affect what you see. Note that, if seeking fall color in the state, it will come later than other parts of America owing to the more southerly latitude. In the fall, it won't be as "flowery." The forested lands in which Garvan Wooodlands Gardens sits appear to be studded in Southern pine, and reminded me of the vegetation surrounding the Atlanta area. The employees on hand were very helpful. Note that, in this state, your bucket list ,at the very minimum, would be about 3 state parks, 2 more rugged natural areas, the historic areas of Little Rock, Eureka Springs, and Hot Springs, which would include these gardens. The beauty of everything you see may exceed your expectations. Just about everyone is giving Garvan Woodlands Gardens 5 stars. For its context and area, it should fetch 5 stars. However, compared to other places with a similar admission fee, I felt it was closer to 4 stars. It is nonetheless impressive and recommended and you should also consider the month in which you plan to visit. However, it could also be that the few hippie-dippy things there made for an eye roll. They always do.

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.

What was once a historical bathhouse now turned into an interactive play place for kids, it was…read moreclear that this place is desperate for money. The minimal effort put into creating an immersive experience for anyone was pathetic. Not even my 7 year old daughter was impressed. If anything she was dying to leave and visit someplace else. All of the activities could've been easily replicated with household items at home. With that type of experience, you would expect for tickets to be less than $60 (for an adult)! A literal experience that lasted a maximum of 10 minutes was $60. This was definitely a tourist scam.

We enjoyed it. We opted for the couple private bath, which was 20 minutes in the bath. It was a…read moresmall tub, big enough for two people. It was very relaxing, we had no idea how much time had elapsed. After we were provided cucumber water and a cold peppermint towel for our face. Staff were very professional and helpful.

My husband and I loved it here! They stayed open a little later so we could visit while we were…read morepassing through Hot Springs, and they were so easy to communicate with and really went our of their way for us! We didn't mind the price of admission, since they give so much back to the community. Excellent cause, such cool selection of collections, and a great tour with fun backstories! We came specifically for Star Wars nostalgia, but were pleasantly surprised with how much else was there! We would definitely come back if we are ever passing through Hot Springs again!

This is a great place to go for a little nostalgia. If you grew up in the '70s, '80s, or '90s--or…read morejust love vintage toys--you have to check out the Retroverse Museum. The toy collection is insanely fun and super well-curated. I saw everything from original Star Wars figures to Matchbox cars and He-Man. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the collections. You can tell a lot of love went into this place. New pieces are added as they are found "in the wild" or donated by collectors and families of collectors that have passed. They even have some duplicate/overflow items available to purchase in a little gift shop area. Tickets are a little pricy, but proceeds are used to maintain the museum, as well as a variety of community events.

My husband and I always choose Hot Springs for a relaxing getaway. After several trips we decided…read moreto eat at the Ohio Club and wow! The food was amazing, service was wonderful, and the history was so interesting! Especially because the servers went out of their way to share the stories instead of just leaving us to read it on the menu. Now I'm coming back this weekend for a girl's trip, and we will be at the Ohio Club for dinner for sure!

Everything went well!…read more Just loved being in this historic place and glad they provided information on its history. We sat upstairs at the balcony overlooking the bar from above. Cool view! Our round table was a glass covered roulette tabletop. What an expansive bar. They are known for their burgers so we had to indulge. We had the Blu on Black Burger and subbed for sweet potato fries. Yummy! Maybe a little small to share, but time will tell if we get hungry later. I also had a John Dillinger Gin Fizz. Cortney W took care of us and said we ordered well. The music just started as we finished up. We stayed through a couple of songs, but decided to give up our table for those waiting and to allow Courtney to continue earn more money.

I loved this pottery place so much. We got to watch one of the Drydens throw two bowls with ease. I…read moregot two little cute pots. Would different come back. The pieces are worth the prices and you can find a reasonable piece that you love.

I grew up eating off Dryden's famous drip glaze dishes, but the stuff offered by the (family owned)…read morepottery now is (generally) more artistic and thoughtfully made. (You can still find the stuff I grew up with, though. And it's surprisingly popular.) You'll find pieces ranging from ten bucks to hundreds of dollars. Friendly, engaging staff. Gorgeous surroundings