Hot Springs and Little Rock

In central Arkansas, the capital Little Rock and the spa town of Hot Springs are about an hour’s drive apart, between the Arkansas River valley and the Ouachita Mountains.

Little Rock grew on the banks of the Arkansas River from a small rock outcrop that served as a landmark for French travelers in the 18th century. In 1957 the city made history when nine Black students required federal troops to enter Central High School, a pivotal episode in the fight against school segregation. The school remains in operation and has a National Park Service visitor center. Along the river are the Clinton Presidential Center, the old state capitol, and a network of trails and pedestrian bridges.

Hot Springs developed around hot springs that emerge at about 62 °C from a mountainside. The area was protected by the federal government in 1832 and became a national park in 1921. On Bathhouse Row, a row of early 20th-century bathhouses, two still offer thermal baths and the most opulent has become a museum.

The town gained a reputation as a health resort and gambling center, hosted baseball teams for spring training, and drew visitors from across the country. Around it, lakes and mountain trails round out the visit.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Little Rock, Hot Springs.