What is it like?

Is Hot Springs anything like Eureka Springs or Branson Missouri? My family is looking for something just as fun but somewhere different for a weekend getaway.

What is it like?

Definitely not like Branson. Branson has all the shows, attractions and shopping. Hot Springs, in my opinion, is much more laid back. Granted I%26#39;ve only been once in February. But Hot Springs is a national park and what seems to be more of a normal city than Branson is.

I hate to compare to Eureka because I haven%26#39;t been there in many years. But it seems like Eureka might have more shopping than Hot Springs. When you say family I assume you include kids. Magic Springs is an amusment park in town; there is a cool kids science museum; there are plenty of outdoors related attractions like hiking and lake activities. Of course you could always go for a massage and/or bath but that doesn%26#39;t seem like something kids would be into.

What is it like?

Neither is anything like Branson. Eureka Springs is like . . . well, it%26#39;s really not like anyplace else I%26#39;ve ever been. It%26#39;s very compact (at least the downtown part is), it%26#39;s very steep, and the buildings are all the sort of thing you think of when you think of the late Victorian/early Edwardian era. There are probably old mining and resort towns in the west that are similar, but I haven%26#39;t been to any so I wouldn%26#39;t know. It%26#39;s always been a resort/tourist town, but never had the crowds or the money or the notoriety of Hot Springs (no doubt partly a result of the remote location).

Hot Springs is more like what I imagine resort towns in the Catskills or Adirondacks to have been like. It always attracted more people, and more well-known people, than Eureka Springs, and the presence of baseball teams during spring training, gangsters from Chicago and elsewhere, and gamblers from everywhere gave it a very different feel from Eureka Springs. Branson was basically nothing until 30 years ago, while Hot Springs 30 years ago was just catching its breath between its heyday before and during WWII and its recent revitalization. I%26#39;ve always had a good time in Hot Springs, and you should have no trouble finding things to do for a fun weekend.

Thank you so much for the info. I have been to both Eureka and Branson and I was hoping that Hot Springs would be just as much fun. We enjoy the touristy (if that is a word) atmosphere, sites, attractions, fun gift shops and was hoping that Hot Springs to be something comparible.

Eureka Springs is more upmarket than Hot Springs. Has far better restaurants, nicer shops with quality art and antiques. I spent a month in Hot Springs thinking to buy property there but couldn%26#39;t find a decent restaurant. I went up to Eureka Springs and there are at least six fabulous eateries and several of them are on a par with Commander%26#39;s Palace in New Orleans!!!

If you want ultra pampering and luxury, book at CLIFF COTTAGE INN - they are the only B%26amp;B right in the heart of the Historic Downtown. They have ultra-deluxe jacuzzi suites and individual historic cottages with outdoor private hottubs.

An elf delivers a fantastic gourmet breakfast right to your door and pops Champagne or white wine (complimentary!) in your fridge. The owner learned to cook in France and has been a guest chef on a CBS TV cooking show. Outstanding breakfasts!

For over a year, they are Trip Advisor%26#39;s #1 Most Popular B%26amp;B in Eureka Springs. Check them out - www.cliffcottage.com

Hot Springs can be thought of as two different vacation spots. Out near the lakes are nice hotels and condos with areas nearby to rent boats, jet skis, etc. You can also go to Magic Springs, which is a funpark with rides, etc. The downtown part of Hot Springs (around Central Avenue) is the old part of town. There are several old hotels (with a few fancy new ones a couple of blocks off of Central). The upper floors of the large old buildings are mostly abandoned with shops operating out of the bottom floors. Many of the old hotels have thermal baths and massages available right in the hotel. There are old bars with local bands playing in different areas. Some of these areas are hidden away and you have to walk and explore to find them. The downtown area is definitely for nostalgia buffs and those that like to do the nightlife thing and the lake motels are for the families and water-sports types.

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