Hot Springs, Arkansas: Gangsters, Bathhouses, Motor Courts, and Fried Pies
October 29 – November 1, 2026 Steven and I spent Halloween weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and I'm not entirely sure how to describe this place. It's a little bit of Colorado, a little bit of Utah, a little bit of Western Canada, and somehow parts of it feel European. There are mountains, lakes, forests, grand old hotels, little historic motor courts, and a national park woven right into the city. And then there are the gangsters. Hot Springs was once a fashionable health resort, a major destination for professional baseball players, and a haven for some of America's most notorious criminals. Quite a combination for a city of fewer than 40,000 people. Thursday, October 29: A Little Piece of 1937 As usual, our plans to leave Dallas early didn't quite materialize. We arrived in Hot Springs shortly after sunset and checked into Cove Tourist Court , a beautifully restored motor court built in 1937. The original nine-unit property was built by Carl Crocker, with accommodat...