⛲ Hot Springs, AR Family Vacation in 19 Hours

Well, nothing like breeze-cruising back home from a visit with family. After we visited for several days with family in Memphis, we made a "quick" stop at Hot Springs on the way back home.  
The idea was to spend part of the day there, but we arrived too late! We got there with 15 minutes to spare til closing time - 5 pm. It was a rushed walk down Bath House Row. Hot Springs is a neat little town! We discovered The Arlington Hotel which creepily looks similar to Mineral Wells' The Baker Hotel. We went in to see. Just to see, of course.
This rock was was massive and pretty impressive! 
Bathhouse Row was closing and here I was trying to capture everything in 15 minutes!
When they kicked us out, we ventured out to onto the Promenade. Witty found this trail, and it would be thee trail of trails (that pretty much nearly kills you). As steep as Mt Everest I would say...and with 3 whiny kids, a gruesome ascent to the top! 
Someone had had enough...
BUT. WE. MADE. IT. YOU GUYS! We had all collected walking sticks.
Our reward was the Hot Springs Mountain Tower! A neat tower but we were too late to really enjoy it! We ran a few times around it and saw the exhibits right under the views and also bought some gift shop items. It was super windy up there! 
Going up! 
Trying not to blow away! It was also getting cold, as nobody wore their jackets. 
Even after that gruesome ascent, Witty made us all go back down the same trail to land once again, at the Promenade. The sun had cooperated just enough to snap a few more pictures. 
Walking around some more, we found some little natural springs that were SO. INCREDIBLY. HOT. They would be perfect for Nana's bathtub. 
We soon realized there was no way we could make it home (another 6 hours) and Gary quickly booked us a room at a nearby hotel. I found an awesome place to go eat at...on the side of a mountain with twinkle lights. It was love at first sight for me. The kids were ecstatic it was pizza. 
The Grateful Head was a maze of a place. Old stone steps, winding little trails that led to a sitting area. Old iron wrought fence and the best part....beer! The place was so popular we waited half an hour to sit. Which was fine by me, exploring the place and snapping pictures was pretty fun. 
The coolest cups full of soda was just what these kids needed! A cold draft is all this mama and daddy needed! 
Apparently when a stranger offers to take your family portrait, they're supposed to snap their picture to your phone for posterity sake...hello kind stranger! I shall remember your face always!
Y'all, they had a basement sitting area for shows. The bathrooms and murals down there were wild! 
If this impromptu quick stop wasn't the best already, Witty had reserved our room at the quaintest little motel called The Happy Hollow. With the cleanest sheets, comfortable bed, vintage heating lamp in the bathroom and that old room smell, it was perfect and cheap. 
Check back tomorrow for part 2! 

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