Pride Journey Summer Getaway: Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hit the Trails in Hot Springs National Park

What’s better than hiking through a National Park that just turned 100 years old? That’s right, Hot Springs National Park celebrates 100 years as a National Park in 2021. Escape the hustle and bustle for a while with over 20 miles of hiking trails inside the National Park to explore. Be sure to check out Goat Rock Trail, Balanced Rock Trail and the Peak Trail for a nice hike leading to breathtaking scenic views.

Explore the Area Lakes

Summer fun in Hot Springs wouldn’t be complete without spending some time at one of our three great lakes. Lake Catherine State Park, Lake Hamilton and Lake Ouachita State Park offer fun recreational lake activities to enjoy. Check out fishing on Lake Catherine, rent a boat to explore Lake Hamilton or kayak to different islands at Lake Ouachita State Park, one of the cleanest lakes in the country. There’s also camping available at both State Parks so bring your tent or RV and all the fixings for smores!

Garvan Woodland Gardens

Arkansas’ premier botanical garden is located in Hot Springs on a 210-acre peninsula on Lake Hamilton. Garvan Woodland Gardens features 128 species of ornamental and native shrubs and wild flowers, 160 different types of azaleas, a 4-acre Asian garden with a 12-foot waterfall, three unique bridges, the Perry Wildflower Overlook, and the sandstone and redwood Garvan Pavilion, designed by Fay Jones and Maurice Jennings. Be sure to visit the glass Anthony Chapel, designed by Jennings and David McKee as well as the three story Bob and Sunny Evans Treehouse floating among the pines.

Magic Springs Theme & Water Park

If you’re looking for something thrilling, look no further than Magic Springs Theme & Water Park! The park offers an array of enjoyable attractions from roller coasters to water slides. Feeling like a dare devil? See if you have what it takes to ride the X-Coaster, with its 360-degree corkscrew roll before a drop plummeting at 65mph! If you’re not the biggest adrenaline junkie, no worries – the park offers plenty of thrill rides to fit your caliber of extreme. The fun doesn’t just stop at the theme park! Make a splash over at the water park with one of several water slides sure to send you flying or try your hand at the Boogie Blast to see how long you can boogie board against the waves. Stick around in the evening for the Magic Springs Concert Series, featuring live musical acts throughout the summer like Vanilla Ice, All That Remains, Sevendust and many other special guests.

Ron Coleman Mining

One of the most popular attractions in Hot Springs is digging for quartz crystals. We like to think of quartz crystals as nature’s souvenir and something about digging for little treasures to take home is seriously fun – no matter your age! Check out Ron Coleman Crystal Mine for a tour of their commercial mine and a day full of quartz crystal digging, all which you get to take home with you. Still looking for some thrills? Head to the Ron Coleman zip line that will send you soaring over 100 feet above the crystal mine for a birds eye view.