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Bathhouse Row, consisting of eight turn-of-the century structures, lies within the National Park and is supervised by the Park Service. Only one of the bathhouses, The Buckstaff, remains in operation. However, another bathhouse, the Fordyce, has been converted into a museum to give tourists a glimpse into the fascinating past of the city. The federally supervised natural thermal waters are also used for thermal bathing at several downtown hotels, health spas and the Arkansas Rehabilitation Center. Along with its Bathhouse Row, one of downtown Hot Springs' most noted landmarks is the Arlington Hotel, a favored retreat for Al Capone.
The city has been a tourist mecca for generations due to the thermal waters and attractions such as Oaklawn Park, a thoroughbred racing facility; Magic Springs & Crystal Falls theme parks; a fine arts community that has earned the city the No. 4 position among "America's Top 100 Small Arts Towns"; the Hot Springs Music Festival; and the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, held each October at the historic Malco Theater, one of the top documentary festivals in the world, attracting numerous Academy Award winning films and producers.
Other annual events in town include the Hot Springs Jazz Festival, The Hot Springs Blues Festival, The downtown Bathtub Races, The Big Barbecue Cook off, the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade, and the outdoor skating rink November through January.
