Mid way through the pandemic, when cases were plateauing, hubby and I needed to get away from all this craziness. We desperately needed a break from continuously working and not traveling. We decided to make a quick two day trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas to check out the town since neither of us have been there. It was only a quick four hour drive from Dallas, so we started early Sunday morning and headed straight to sight seeing!
Attractions
Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs
Our first stop and my favorite part of the trip was the Garvan Woodland Gardens. With over 200 acres of botanical gardens, ponds and greenery, this is great place to check out when you’re in Hot Springs. You can easily spend several hours here exploring the whole area. We took sunscreen, hat, plenty of water, and even a few snacks. The area was big enough to safely socially distance from others. Within the gardens itself, there is a beautiful chapel called the Anthony Chapel. Since there was a wedding set to take place there that day, we were not allowed in, but they do offer group tours to see the inside.
National Duck Tour Hot Springs
The next morning, hubby and I got a chance to see the whole town and learn about it’s history by taking a tour. We booked a trip with the National Park Duck Tour that takes us throughout the whole city on land and water. It was $20 per person and the rides are every 1.5-2 hours, unless it’s peak season, in which they leave every 15 minutes. You don’t need to book in advance, unless you want a specific time during peak season. We were able to get the tickets that morning, walk around town and come back in time for the tour.
I would recommend this for anyone who is on a time crunch, but wants to see the whole town and learn a bit of history!
Downtown Hot Springs
A majority of our time was spent walking along the downtown strip. We got some popcorn from a local store, went in to several souvenir stores and took pictures of the street art. We also got to see some hot springs above ground there. The water was boiling hot with a temperature of around 143 degrees Fahrenheit!
Where To Eat?
We only spent one evening in Hot Springs and went out to a local pizza place named Grateful Head Pizza Oven and Beer Garden! It was such a long wait to place an order- also because they had many to-go orders and call in orders. But when we got the food, we realized why they are always so busy! Definitely worth the wait, the pizza was delicious. If we had a chance, we would have came back for another round. The setting and atmosphere was also perfect with outdoor seating and the family friendly, yet chill vibe.
After dinner, we took a stroll in the main street downtown and decided on a ice cream shop that was calling our name. We bought some homemade ice cream from Mamoo’s Paradice Cream and enjoyed the night lights of this small town. The town is so small that by the end of the evening, we were seeing the same familiar faces!
Accommodation
Hubby and I have always wanted to try out a bed and breakfast stay instead of going with a hotel. We chose to stay at the Hilltop Manor Bed and Breakfast and we enjoyed it! Of course, the personalized breakfast was the best part of the stay. We were able to pick what we wanted prior to the visit and there was always coffee and snacks available! It’s a bit pricier than booking a hotel; expect to pay between $200-300 per night. It’s great for people with young children or those who want a more private home type feel. It was also a safer option than a hotel during this corona season.
Would we choose a bed and breakfast again? Although we enjoyed our stay, we don’t think we will opt for a bed and breakfast next time around. Here are a few reasons; we already live in a house and my husband cooks extravagant breakfast every weekend. Secondly, we try to be out and about whenever we go to a new city and try to make most of our trip. Considering this, the price range is a little high for the time we spent there. And lastly, when we visit a new town, we want to try as much recommended food spots as possible! An ideal morning on vacation includes an early morning stroll/activity (at least for me!) and a brunch!
HOWEVER, this was an exceptional place for our first time bed and breakfast! We would give it a 5 star rating and would recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a bed and breakfast stay. It will also be a great option for a group of people who are vacationing together. The owners, Jennifer and Joanna were very welcoming and always available if we had any questions. Their quick responses made our check in, check out and our stay very smooth, even in the midst of Corona. There was a particular french cream breakfast item that we enjoyed SO much. After looking all over the internet to find the recipe and failed, I contacted them. They were so generous to share the recipe and it has been a hit dessert in the family since!
Check out the small video below for a sneak peek inside Hilltop Manor Bed and Breakfast!
What did we miss?
We missed out on eating at the famous pizza spot there, called Rod’s Pizza Cellar because they were closed on Mondays! Guess we will save that for another trip!
Check out my blog post on Oklahoma or Weekend Getaways from Dallas!
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