Hot Springs Travel Guide

Hot Springs is a national park inside a town, which is unusual and useful: Bathhouse Row, the Grand Promenade, and the mountain drives are free to visit, and the thermal water fountains around downtown are free to fill from. The paid part is a bathhouse soak, which is the reason most people come and still costs less than a spa day nearly anywhere else. Lake Ouachita and Lake Hamilton are minutes away for boating and swimming. Racing season at Oaklawn in spring is the busiest, priciest stretch. This guide covers what the park includes, when to come, and how to do the bathhouse experience for less.

Quick tips

• Hot Springs National Park has no entrance fee — Bathhouse Row and the trails are free.
• Fill bottles free at the thermal water fountains downtown.
• A traditional bathhouse soak costs far less than a comparable spa elsewhere.
• Avoid Oaklawn racing season weekends in spring if you want lower rates.
• Lake Ouachita and Lake Hamilton are minutes out for a free swim day.

Frequently asked

Does Hot Springs National Park cost anything?

No entrance fee. The park's trails, Bathhouse Row exteriors, and thermal fountains are free; bathhouse soaks are separately priced.

When is Hot Springs cheapest to visit?

Summer and late fall. Spring racing season at Oaklawn is the busiest and most expensive stretch.

How many days do you need in Hot Springs?

Two nights covers Bathhouse Row, a soak, the mountain drives, and a lake afternoon.