A unique thermal bath experience in Arkansas

At the end of the spring semester, I attended a number theory conference in Dallas for a week. After the conference, my fiancé flew in to pick me up, and we took a trip to Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas! We hadn’t originally planned it, but once we realized how close Dallas was to the park, we decided to go for it. Without the conference, we probably would never have considered visiting Arkansas, given its distance and how far it is from other national parks. We really enjoyed the thermal baths there and hope to return someday!

To start, I should mention that everything we did happened in just one day, not including the drive to and from Dallas. This means it’s totally possible to visit this national park over a weekend if you’re interested! I’ve started with a photo of myself by the national park sign, which, as you can see, is located in a small town—quite different from the remote settings of many other national parks.

In fact, the visitor center is located in one of the historic bathhouses right on the main street. The town was very generous with parking—we found a free spot in a four-story parking garage just a five-minute walk from Bathhouse Row. Below are some photos of the main bathhouses (there are a few more, but this gives you the general idea). The Fordyce Bathhouse is home to both the visitor center and the museum, making it a great starting point for exploring the area.

The building has four stories, including a basement level. Inside, they’ve preserved the old bathrooms, changing rooms, spas, saunas, and even some fascinating old medical equipment—the kind of tools you’ve probably never seen before. The top floor houses the old gym, where all the exercise equipment is made of wood and has a distinctly vintage, almost museum-like feel. It was really interesting to see how people approached health and wellness back then!

After visiting the museum, we headed to the Quapaw Bathhouse, where we spent two relaxing hours enjoying a thermal bath. The last time I experienced something like this was in Budapest, so this visit felt especially meaningful and nostalgic. We both absolutely enjoyed our time there, and they even offered complimentary cold water to help cool down between soaks. The price was $30 per person, which is quite a bit more expensive than the baths in Budapest, but still reasonable considering it’s in the U.S.

After cleaning up, we stopped by a thermal water fountain outside and tried the water for ourselves. We didn’t exactly dislike it, but it was clear that the locals really love it—we saw more than three families filling up dozens of empty bottles and carrying them back to their cars!

After our little taste test, we headed to Superior Brewery, where we ordered a beer flight, a pretzel, and a burger. We couldn’t quite tell whether the food was genuinely amazing or if we were just incredibly hungry after the thermal bath—but either way, we thoroughly enjoyed it. The place also seemed to be a popular hangout spot for the locals.

Of course, it wouldn’t feel like a proper national park without some actual parkland—though I suppose the Gateway Arch remains the one infamous exception! Behind the town, there’s a mountainous area where metal enclosures have been built to protect the natural hot springs that rise from underground. There’s also a trail that leads up to the Mountain Tower.

Instead of hiking from the base, we drove up to the tower and enjoyed the city views from one of the nearby gazebos. The cost to take the elevator to the top of the tower was $14 per person, so we decided to skip that part and simply appreciate the view from below.

Last but not least, I have to mention our very first visit to Buc-ee’s—and honestly, it felt like a theme park experience all on its own! It was like Disneyland for road trips, packed with amazing food, tempting desserts, quirky mascots, and shelves full of souvenirs. We left with quite a haul, ending our trip on a sweet and savory note with some praline pecans and teriyaki jerky. Yum!