National Park #4 (Hot Springs)

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

We got up in Memphis, had breakfast downstairs, then walked arond downtown over to the National Civil Rights Museum. It was amazing to see the exact spot where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot.  I had no idea that he was only 39 years old at the time. 

We walked passed the FedEx arena (where the Grizzlies play), the trolley cars, a statue of Elvis and then made one last walk down Bealle Street.  Ryan counted cigarette butts on the road and decided that she didn't like Memphis because it was dirty (which relative to most downtowns, it was not).

After our walk, we hit the road and headed back to Arkansas.  I think it was about a 3 or 4 hour drive but we stopped in Benton, AR and had lunch at a Chili's. 

Then we arrived in Hot Springs around 1 or so - perfect weather.  We stopped first at the visitor's center and toured the Fordyce bath house which was named after the family from which the Federal Government "bought" the bath house back in the 1920s. 

Then we walked to the bathhouse that was the gift store because we of course, had to pick up the magnets and hatpins for the kids.  Off the two public bathhouses, one was closed and the other did not allow children under the age of 10 inside so we weren't able to actually take a bath.

We stopped for lemonade (Ryan), milkshakes (Grant) and beer at a little shop across the street then headed back to the car.  After driving around Hot Springs some, we finally headed down to De Gray (about a 45 minute drive).  We checked into the Lodge and the kids were in heaven.  They loved it!  With all of our obligatory site seeing behind us, now it was just time to have fun. 

The hottub and pool were the highlight of the trip for Ryan.  After swimming we ate at Fat Boys (better than it sounds), stopped by DeGray Liquor and got some wine in a box and headed back to the room for a good night's sleep.