Museum • History
The Gangster Museum of America
A downtown museum focused on Hot Springs’ gangster, gambling, bootlegging, and early 20th-century history. This is a strong stop for visitors who want more than just the bathhouse side of the city.
DOWNTOWN HOT SPRINGS
Things To Do Near Bathhouse Row
Build a downtown Hot Springs day around Bathhouse Row, historic bathhouses, restaurants, shopping, museums, tours, local finds, hotels, events, and walkable national park stops.
Start Downtown
Bathhouse Row is more than one stop. It is the easiest way to plan downtown.
A good Bathhouse Row visit usually turns into a bigger downtown day. You can walk historic sidewalks, stop inside bathhouses, grab food, browse shops, visit a museum, take a tour, and still stay close to Hot Springs National Park.
This guide keeps the focus practical: what to do nearby, where to go next, and how to turn the area around Bathhouse Row into a simple Hot Springs plan.
Plan Around Bathhouse Row
Use these nearby guides to build the rest of the day.
Nearby Stops
Easy things to do around Bathhouse Row.
Start with the historic core, then add food, shops, hotels, local finds, or events depending on your day.
Start Here
Walk Bathhouse Row
Start with the historic bathhouse buildings, Central Avenue sidewalks, thermal water history, and the downtown stretch most visitors want to see first.
View guide →History
Visit the Fordyce Bathhouse
The Fordyce is one of the easiest ways to understand why Hot Springs became known for bathhouses, mineral water, architecture, and health tourism.
View guide →Food
Eat near Bathhouse Row
Breakfast, pizza, breweries, historic bars, casual lunch spots, and dinner options are close enough to work into the same downtown visit.
View guide →Local Finds
Look for small downtown stops
Books, sweets, coffee, shops, mall-level finds, and local places around The Arlington can make the visit feel less like a checklist.
View guide →Stay Close
Make it a walkable trip
Downtown hotels near Bathhouse Row make sense when you want restaurants, spas, shops, national park stops, and history close together.
View guide →Events
Check what is happening soon
Before you lock in the day, check the events and weekend pages for markets, music, family activities, festivals, and downtown happenings.
View guide →Museums, Tours & Local Stops
Add another downtown stop while you are close.
These are the kinds of stops that make the Bathhouse Row area work better as a full afternoon instead of one quick walk down Central Avenue.
Tour • Family Activity
National Park Duck Tours
A land-and-water tour that starts downtown and gives visitors an easy way to see more of Hot Springs, with a family-friendly route that can include town history and Lake Hamilton.
Distillery • Local Stop
Crystal Ridge Distillery
A downtown distillery with tastings, cocktails, tours, events, and a visitor-friendly stop tied into Hot Springs’ moonshine and distilling history.
Simple Day Plans
Build the area into a real downtown afternoon.
First-time downtown visit
Start with Bathhouse Row, walk Central Avenue, stop inside the visitor center, pick food nearby, and leave time for shops or local finds.
Food and history afternoon
Pair a bathhouse or museum stop with lunch, coffee, a brewery, or dinner downtown so the day feels full without driving all over town.
Rainy or slower day
Use indoor-friendly stops like bathhouse history, restaurants, shops, galleries, local finds, and nearby lodging instead of depending on outdoor plans.
Quick Questions
Things To Do Near Bathhouse Row FAQs
What can you do near Bathhouse Row?
Visitors can walk the historic bathhouses, visit the Fordyce Bathhouse visitor center, eat downtown, browse shops, visit spas, explore nearby Hot Springs National Park stops, check local finds, visit museums, take tours, and stay in nearby downtown hotels.
Is Bathhouse Row a good place to start in Hot Springs?
Yes. Bathhouse Row is one of the best starting points for first-time visitors because it connects Hot Springs history, downtown walking, restaurants, shops, spas, and national park stops in one area.
Can you spend a full day around Bathhouse Row?
You can build a full downtown day around Bathhouse Row if you include a bathhouse or visitor center stop, food, shopping, local finds, museums, tours, nearby hotels, and current events or weekend activities.