Visiting Hot Springs, Little Rock and Eureka Springs July...

I%26#39;m from Houston TX and planning a week long visit in Hot Springs, Little Rock, and Eureka Springs. Looking for the best day trips with two kids ages 4 and 12. Looking for some out of the ordinary really fun side trips on the days we are changing hotels and moving from city to city.

Visiting Hot Springs, Little Rock and Eureka Springs July...

Do you and the kids like outdoors? You could find some interesting hiking to do. I don%26#39;t know what route you will take to Eureka but Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton is great. There is a trail that goes down to a waterfall. I don%26#39;t believe it%26#39;s too long but you could check online. I believe the web site www.arkansas.com has info. on the state parks. If they like water parks there is one in Little Rock, Wild River country.

I am going to Little Rock tomorrow to hike Pinnacle Mountain. It might be too much for a 4 year old, but I know they have some basic trails around the mountain.

This really isn%26#39;t a side trip but I believe the USS Razorback WWII submarine should be docked and open in Little Rock. I would have loved that as a kid.

Again, I don%26#39;t know which way you will be taking to or from Eureka, but in north central Arkansas (if you take U.S. Highway 65 north to Harrison it would be just to the east) is Blanchard Springs Caverns. I went there as a kid and remember the caves with all the beautiful formations to be really cool.

Hope that helps.

Visiting Hot Springs, Little Rock and Eureka Springs July...

My kids love going to Magic Springs in Hot Springs. It is not a huge amusement park, but has some pretty good rides. The park has two sides, rides and water. We like to do the rides early, then go to the water side of the park when it gets hot. Lake Ouachita just east of Hot Springs is clear and beautiful. We usually camp there, but there are day use areas.

In Little Rock you can visit the new Clinton Library. The four year old would be bored, but my 11 year old liked it because she had just studied 20th century American history in school. My kids like going to the River Market on Saturday mornings. There is a pretty good children%26#39;s musuem downtown Pinnacle Mountain is a great hike. My 7 year old could manage it, but it was difficult for her. There is a nice playground at the base of the mountain that I used to use when she was smaller while my husband took the older one up the mountain. Maumelle State Park is just northeast of Little Rock and is very pretty.

I too, enjoy going to Petit Jean State Park. The hike down to the waterfall could be done by the 4 year old with some help. There is an easier hike that takes you to a view of the waterfall.

Eureka Springs is so much fun. My girls could have spent the whole day just riding the trolley up and down the winding streets. Branson, MO is a short drive north and has amusement parks, music shows, and Table Rock Lake.

Have fun. I lived in Arkansas for 32 years and miss being close to so much natural beauty.

thanks to both who responded! Blanchard Springs is on the list and I want to now add Jean Petit State Park. Thanks for helping me with the plan!

If you are going to drive to Blanchard Springs, I recommend stopping by the Ozark Folk Center (www.ozarkfolkcenter.com) first. It is south of Blanchard Springs Caverns near Mountain View. I usually take HWY 65 north from Conway to HWY 9. My kids love the Ozark Folk Center. It has various craftpersons outside and inside their shops. They are very friendly, especially to kids. I not a ';country craft'; type of person, but I always enjoy going. We usually spend the morning at the folk center then drive to the caverns when it starts to get hot in the afternoon.

I am visiting the week after you are going, I am also taking two teenagers, one 17 and one 18. Is there anything to keep these technology aged kids from being bored?

Petit Jean has a nice lodge and cabins you may want to look into, if you have an extra night to spend somewhere. The trail from the lodge to the waterfall is a good 20 min. to a half hour each way -

I was there last year in Nov. when Arkansas was getting a-lot of rain -

the trail was flooded and the water fall was huge,

I was told that is isn%26#39;t usually flooded and the water fall isn%26#39;t all that big. I%26#39;ll bet it%26#39;s 30 foot high. The walk is nice and follows a creek. It%26#39;s not a must see in my eyes -

but it%26#39;s nice, my girlfriends 90 year old grandmother made the walk.

Magizine Mt. is also nice and relaxing -

the visitors center has a little museum and a place for bird watching, there are places to picnic -

I%26#39;m not sure if the lodge is open yet,

it was under construction when I was there, it will have great views of the lake below though.

Eureka Springs -

how do I put this,

it%26#39;s nice, we always go there when we%26#39;re in Arkansas -

but, for us, it%26#39;s more of an afternoon or one night trip -

check out the Passion Play -

it%26#39;s worth seeing.

The historic area has some nice shops and places to eat but having never traveled with kids there I%26#39;m not sure what there would be for them to do. I think it%26#39;s more for adults -

the architecture and shopping are the main attractions -

they do have nice jewlery and art for sale there -

it%26#39;s not cheap and tourist-y.

The main road through the town reminds me of Wisconsin Dells -

cheaper hotels and tourist-y.

My favorite thing about Arkansas between Hot Springs and Eureka Springs is the fact that it%26#39;s not ';built up'; and crowded,

this may not be good for the kids but it%26#39;s a great place to pick a back road, which will most like-ly will be dirt, and look around. The scenery is great and the wine produced in that area is some of the best I%26#39;ve ever had.

Depending on when your going -

place seem to close down in Eureka Springs for the season,

mainly the resturants, just something to keep in mind.