A national park, a leading thoroughbred racetrack, a 210-acre botanical garden, a combination theme and water park, and an arts community that’s earned the city a ranking among America’s Top 10 small arts towns are just some of the reasons the bustling resort town of Hot Springs—the boyhood home of former U.S. President Bill Clinton—is Arkansas’s top tourist destination. Its host of family attractions includes live music and magic shows and the Mid America Science Museum. Three area lakes—Hamilton, Catherine and Ouachita—accommodate water-based recreation, private resorts and two state parks. The town and Hot Springs National Park owe their existence to a remarkable array of springs, which still supply naturally heated water for thermal bathers. The Fordyce Bathhouse, located on famous Bathhouse Row, serves as the park’s visitors center. Oaklawn Park offers live thoroughbred racing from late January to mid-April and simulcast races during the rest of the year. Garvan Woodland Gardens, located on the shores of Lake Hamilton, is one of the state’s newest major attractions. Among the many features at Magic Springs/Crystal Springs theme and water parks are the Arkansas Twister roller coaster and the Arkansas Ocean, a 350,000-gallon wave pool.
