Garvan Woodland Gardens
This was my favorite part of Hot Springs, by far. I love botanical gardens and Garvan Woodland Gardens did not disappoint.
I went to visit on a weekday on my own. (Andrew isn’t that interested in gardens.) It’s an easy, 15-minute drive from Bathhouse Row but at $20/adult, it’s a sightseeing commitment. That said, I thought it was absolutely worth it to meander around the beautiful trails surrounded by towering trees, flowering plants, and various themed gardens. I was there in April, which coincided with the “Tulip Extravaganza,” so make sure to see what seasonal events are taking place when planning your visit.
The gardens are part of the University of Arkansas, and they also feature architectural works that fold into their natural surroundings stunningly. In particular, the Anthony Chapel almost had this atheist doing the sign of the cross from her childhood. It’s a literally awesome structure of glass and wood from which you can see the trees surrounding you. Pure magic.
Quapaw Bathhouse
When in Hot Springs, right? Of all the old bathhouses on Bathhouse Row, only 2 of them still function as bathhouses. We had our choice of Quapaw or Buckstaff for “treatments.” Of the others, 2 had become visitor centers, 1 is a hotel, 1 is an art gallery, 1 is a restaurant and brewery (the only brewery in a national park!), and the other is a gift shop.
We decided on Quapaw purely based on online reviews. Both it and Buckstaff offered massages and private/couples mineral baths, but Quapaw also offered public baths (for a fee of course). We didn’t use them, but they seem like a nice middle option if you want to experience the mineral baths but don’t want private treatments.
I convinced Andrew that we should get a full spa treatment, which meant a private mineral bath followed by a massage. We could have done various types of massages or facials, but we went for a basic massage. The private bath was interesting, but when you get down to it, we were sitting in a jetted tub for 2 with hot spring water piped in. Ours was one of maybe 10 tubs around the outer wall of a large, tiled room on the ground floor. Each tub was partitioned off into little rooms but the top was divided with cloth so it didn’t feel very private. It was a fun novelty, but overpriced. I loved my massage, but again I think we overpaid for the novelty of getting a massage in a bathhouse. If I had the experience to do over, I’d pay the $25 fee to swim in the public thermal baths (I still want that bathhouse experience!) and book a massage somewhere in town.
