Nirvana awaits in Hot Springs, Arkansas! Hot Springs Arkansas offers you the most incredible vacation experience possible. With the crystal clear water of many various hot springs running freely through this area and with three crystal clear, beautiful lakes and the mountains of the Ouachita range here all within reach this is the most incredible area of the United States. It is as if the Gods have handed down some celestial comforts they have been enjoying for thousands of years.

I confess I had never been the recipient of a spa treatment, but that all changed when we visited Hot Springs Arkansas, hometown of our 42nd President, Bill Clinton. Hot Springs Arkansas is the spa center of the United States, there really is no other place like it. At Hot springs National Park there are over 47 naturally flowing thermal springs enticing you to jump in or drink freely of her waters. People have been traveling thousands of miles for hundreds of years since the time of the Indians to lie in this spring water to cure their ills.

Basically all I wanted was some relaxation time away from the kids. They were arguing about what we were going to do tomorrow, so I left all the bickering behind. You can go practically anywhere in Hot Springs for a natural spring bath, including dunking in sudsy mineral water by Lake Hamilton or in the city of Hot Springs. I opted for the cityscape route due to the recent restoration of the world famous bathhouses here.

I have to say it was kind of intimidating and strange because I was wondering what taking a bath naked was going to be like with a bunch of strangers. But that's not how it was: I received my own room with an attendant that drew my sudsy mineral water bath for me. Just hearing the water running, and knowing I didn't have to clean up the tub after, relaxed me into a nirvana-like state.

I was given a glass of hot mineral water to drink, as my attendant, Melissa said, "This warms up your body in preparation for the bath." The water tasted really fresh leaving me thinking I could use a cup of this everyday. I was given my own room that didn't look at all like my bathroom--it was clean, for one thing!  Melissa helped me get into this robe-thing that covered all the essentials. Then it was on to the nirvana-like state I talked about earlier. I laid back into a soothing, soaking experience in 100- degree water that felt like heaven for 20 entire minutes. It felt a lot better than the Calgon take me away bath experience.

It was truly a peaceful, serene experience. But I have to tell you, they give you a choice of bathing experiences, it's not your standard tub like at home: It's one where you dangle your legs over the edge. You also have the choice of sitting in a steam cabinet for 20 minutes. I opted for the tub, and my legs didn't mind being dangled for 20 minutes at all! Plus, Melissa checked on my every couple of minutes, to see if I still was smiling.

Millions of people have travelled to Hot Springs Arkansas for hundreds of years for the restorative properties of her spring water. Besides lying around in spring water, there's so much to do here that you will have to schedule a month long vacation to enjoy it all! (Or send the husband with the kids and take a month-long bath!)

This guide to the relaxing spa experienced of Hot Springs was brought to you by Kate Johns.

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