“Someone suggested that there's an incomplete part of our chromosomes that gets repaired or found when we hit New Orleans. Some of us just belong here.”

—actor John Goodman

While the Big Easy is uniquely grand (and boasts Fair Grounds), for many years I have felt this way about Hot Springs, Ark. I relax a bit when we exit I-30 and merge onto the wooded Highway 70, with Spa City 27 miles away. I fully exhale when my feet touch Central Avenue.

Oaklawn Park’s world-class horse racing draws us to the resort town the most frequently, but my husband and I gravitate toward it during the offseason, too. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Spa City outside of the track.

1. Explore Oaklawn’s other offerings. Book an appointment at the Astral Spa and indulge in a host of amenities before your selected service, including a needle shower, infrared sauna, cool room, steam room, whirlpool, and lounge. After my second visit, I purchased the plush robe to experience a slice of the luxury at home. It brings me joy every single day.

Be sure to stop by the pool in season.

The upscale pool has private cabanas that can be reserved for a nominal fee. We’ve found they are a great place to relax and enjoy simulcast racing on a private TV. The pool area has a bar and waitstaff. Earn bonus points for reading The Vapors while you lounge.

Have a drink at the First Turn Bar, overlooking the track. I like to check on the zelkova trees in the infield during the offseason. Dine at the OAK Room or the Bugler. Play roulette in the casino until the wee hours of the morning. Have breakfast at the Track Kitchen.

2. Visit the National Park, the only one in the country nestled in an urban area. Eight bathhouses remain from the golden age of taking the waters. Glimpse into this era at the Fordyce Bathhouse, the visitor center. Experience it firsthand at the Buckstaff, the only bathhouse continually offering the original experience. Book a modern spa package at Quapaw Baths & Spa. We relish the private microsilk bath, available to individuals or couples.

The world’s only beer brewed with thermal spring water. (Superior Bathhouse Brewery photo)

Dine at Superior Bathhouse Brewery, which boasts the world’s only beer brewed with thermal spring water. Stay at Hotel Hale, which was recently remodeled into nine luxury suites with thermal water soaking tubs, and be the guest of operator Pat McCabe, who doubles as the town’s mayor.

Walk on the Grand Promenade, the elevated brick pathway behind Bathhouse Row. It is inspired by the Prada, a pedestrian walkway in Havana, Cuba. The Promenade is the gateway to the trail system that is just beyond downtown.

Touch the 142-degree hot waters at any number of cascades or fountains. This is something I must do every visit. Fill up on fresh spring water at one of the nine jug fountains downtown.

3. The Waters, a historic building across the street from Bathhouse Row, was once the site of medical offices where doctors saw patients between thermal treatments. It is now a boutique hotel and one of our favorite places to stay. Every room is different. Have a drink at the outdoor Rooftop Bar or by the window at The Avenue, the hotel’s ground-floor restaurant, and watch the world walk by on Central Avenue. We also love the convenience of Best Court, a restored motor court with Model T garages and Best Café, one of the tastiest brunches in town.

4. Walk into the Art Deco lobby of the grand Arlington Hotel, which is undergoing extensive restoration. Attend their opulent 100th year anniversary New Year’s Eve Gala in the Crystal Ballroom (we’ve spent three NYE’s with them). Visit the shops at the hotel’s lower level, including Downtown Records and Black Ribbon Books (follow them on social media for excellent recs). Another can’t-miss store nearby is Bathhouse Soapery. My favorite soap slices are Cloud and Bathhouse Couture; my husband, Casey, is a Honkey Tonk Man.

Visit Rolando’s or one of many great dining options. (Rolando’s photo)

5. Enjoy dinner or a nightcap at other nearby establishments. Sit among the string lights and stone walls of Rolando’s outdoor patio and sip a champagne margarita. Celebrate a great day at the track and dine among winning connections at 501 Prime, DeLuca’s Pizza, or the Backporch Grill (where I met the late Toby Keith, a tremendous racing ambassador). Make a reservation at DONS Southern Social to receive the password and entrance instructions for this speakeasy-themed restaurant. Entering through the phone booth is a favorite recent date-night experience. Dance at The Ohio Club, the oldest bar in Arkansas.

6. Connect with nature at Garvan Woodland Gardens, the 210-acre botanical gardens of the University of Arkansas that includes Lake Hamilton shoreline. Stroll through their holiday lights through Dec. 31. In the spring, take in the colors of Daffodil Days and the Tulip Extravaganza. We search for George the peacock, who roams throughout the themed gardens and paths.  

This resort town nestled in the Ouachita Mountains away from a major city may be a surprising setting to find such a vibrant racing scene. Join us in the centuries-long tradition of visitors to the area, started by the indigenous people who came to the area for the thermal waters. There are a myriad of reasons to come to Hot Springs.