To visit Hot Springs National Park in a day, start on Bathhouse Row, then walk the Grand Promenade or visit the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum. Both the park and downtown Hot Springs are in Arkansas, so you can combine a park visit with a meal and an afternoon stop on Central Avenue.
- Park: Fee-free year-round; no entrance fee or pass is required.
- Visitor center: Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum, at 369 Central Avenue, is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
- Walk: The Grand Promenade is 0.5 mile long and connects to several park trails.
- Downtown options: Superior Bathhouse Brewery and the Gangster Museum of America are both on Central Avenue.
Start with Bathhouse Row
Begin on Bathhouse Row, where historic bathhouses line Central Avenue and the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum gives you a place to start learning about the park. From Lotus by Hotel Inn - Hot Springs, the park is about a 5-minute drive.
The Fordyce is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The park has no entrance fee or pass requirement. For more context on the area and its facilities, the Hot Springs National Park visitor guide covers the park's main features.
Hot Springs National Park protects the only nonvolcanic geothermal springs of their kind in the United States. Thermal water is part of the place's identity, but outdoor soaking is not available.
The National Park Service identifies two places where you can touch thermal water: Display Spring behind the Maurice Bathhouse and Hot Water Cascade on Arlington Lawn. Two Bathhouse Row facilities offer visitors the opportunity to fully submerge in thermal water; Buckstaff Bathhouse has operated continuously since opening in 1912.
Choose a park walk or visitor stop
The Grand Promenade is a 0.5-mile National Recreation Trail and a convenient starting point for a longer walk among the park's 26 miles of hiking trails. You can enter from the Reserve Street stairs, Fountain Street ramp, Stephen’s Balustrade grand staircase, or the access ramp behind the Fordyce Bathhouse.
For a shorter outing, stroll the promenade and return to Bathhouse Row. If you want more time outdoors, trails branching from the promenade include the Oertel, Peak, and Tufa Terrace trails.
Arlington Lawn and the Grand Promenade are open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The same hours apply to sidewalks on Bathhouse Row, Reserve Street, and Fountain Street, with through-walking excepted from the sidewalk restriction.
You can also make the Fordyce museum your main park stop instead of taking a trail. Roads to the Hot Springs Mountain, North Mountain, and West Mountain summits are open to vehicle traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
For practical details on reaching the park, Hot Springs National Park parking and access can help you plan that part of the day.
Plan lunch and a downtown break
Stay on Central Avenue for lunch and a downtown pause after the park. Superior Bathhouse Brewery is at 329 Central Avenue. Its hours are 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; it is closed Tuesday; and it is open 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The City of Hot Springs Visitors Center, at 629 Central Avenue, is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., seven days a week. It offers parking, four electric-vehicle charging stations, and restrooms, making it a practical downtown stop if you need those facilities.
Add an afternoon attraction
Use the afternoon for another Central Avenue stop: the Gangster Museum of America is at 510 Central Avenue and focuses on Hot Springs’ 1920s–1960s heyday. Its seven galleries include an antique casino and a museum theater.
The museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. If you prefer a garden visit, Garvan Woodland Gardens is another area attraction; check its visitor information when shaping your plans.
Adjust the route for opening times
Check the day's opening hours before you settle on an order: the museum, brewery, and visitor center do not all follow the same schedule.
If the Fordyce is open during your visit, start there, then walk the promenade before heading downtown. If its closed days affect your plans, focus first on the outdoor park areas and fit in a Central Avenue stop that is open.
Park walking areas have their own daily hours, and the summit roads open to vehicle traffic later in the morning. Hours can change, so check the official site before you go.
FAQs
Is Hot Springs National Park free to visit?
Yes. The park is fee-free year-round, and no entrance fee or pass is required.
Can you soak in the thermal water outdoors?
No outdoor soaking is available. You can touch thermal water at Display Spring behind the Maurice Bathhouse and at Hot Water Cascade on Arlington Lawn.
How long is the Grand Promenade?
The Grand Promenade is 0.5 mile long. It is a National Recreation Trail and provides access to trails including the Oertel, Peak, and Tufa Terrace trails.
What can you do on Central Avenue after the park?
You can stop at Superior Bathhouse Brewery or visit the Gangster Museum of America. The museum explores Hot Springs’ 1920s–1960s heyday through seven galleries, an antique casino, and a theater.