Taking the Waters: A Morning at the Buckstaff Bathhouse in Hot Springs.

An experience guests a hundred years ago could enjoy is still available to you today, in the original building (and tubs!) where folks have been enjoying a soak in the pure thermal waters of Hot Springs National Park since 1912. The Buckstaff Bathhouse's offerings will leave you relaxed and ready for more adventure in the Spa City.

Destination: Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The start of racing season at Oaklawn is a good time to dive into all the magnificent wonders there are to experience during winter in the Spa City. Here's a fine selection of articles on where to stay, play and dine in Hot Springs.

Mountain Valley Water - A Brief History.

Mountain Valley Water is found on tables at some of the world’s finest restaurants.  But how did this humble flow make it from the Hot Springs area to international prominence?

A Pizza and a Smile at Rocky's Corner in Hot Springs.

Great food can be found across the street at Rocky’s Corner.  This longstanding Italian eatery has delighted residents and visitors alike for generations. Let's take a look.

Float Up Service at Fisherman's Wharf in Hot Springs.

Enjoying the great weather on Lake Hamilton? Want a bite to eat? Head over to the east side of the Highway 7 bridge and pull up and dock at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Cool Places To Stay: The Ruyard Kipling Room at the 1884 Tinkerbelle’s Wildwood in Hot Springs.

Looking for a great weekend escape? Head to Hot Springs with the one you love and hide away inside the 1884 Tinkerbelle's Wildwood, a gorgeous pink Victorian home to one of Hot Springs' best known bed and breakfasts.

Things To Know About Racing Season in Hot Springs.

This time of year is a busy one in the Spa City.  On January 15th, racing season begins at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Here's a quick rundown of what you need to know if you plan to go -- and information on area attractions, restaurants and lodging you may find helpful.

137 Things Found at Central Station Flea Market in Hot Springs.

Like flea markets? Love antiques? The Central Station Flea Market in Hot Springs is jam packed with all sorts of neat and nifty nabobs, cool crafts, swinging souvenirs and a variety of vintage items. Take a look inside.

The Wonderland At Garvan Woodland Gardens.

Under a canopy of pines, all along a peninsula on Lake Hamilton, Garvan Woodland Gardens sprawls in quiet majesty.  It's open eleven months of the year, a haven for nature lovers, romantics and such... but during the last six weeks it becomes a wonderland of light.  Come explore!

Inside the Arlington - The Largest Hotel in Arkansas.

Hot Springs is known as one of Arkansas's most popular tourist destinations.  Nestled in between the Diamond Lakes, speckled with a plethora of grand, fun and friendly attractions, dotted with great shopping opportunities and blessed with world-famous thermal bathing, the Spa City is a top choice for travelers looking for the right place to kick back and relax.

The city's most famous accommodations can be found within an edifice overlooking the famed Hot Springs Bathhouse Row.

Alliance Rubber in Hot Springs is the Western Hemisphere's Largest Maker of Rubber Bands.

It’s not a stretch to say that Alliance Rubber Company has the squeeze on rubber band manufacturing in America. The Hot Springs operation makes more of the pliant, springy bands than any other operation in the western hemisphere and possibly the world. Like its products, Alliance Rubber Company has managed to remain flexible and resilient over all these years.

Magical Setting, Magic Springs.

Since before I was around, there's been this great theme park less than an hour from Little Rock where families can go and have a good time. I grew up with Magic Springs, and just like me, it's had its ups and downs. With the addition of the Crystal Falls waterpark area, the park has managed to keep relevant and fun for all sorts of folks.

Taco Mama, Freshest Mexican In All Of Hot Springs.

You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Mexican restaurant in Arkansas… whether it’s authentic, Tex-Mex or Ark-Mex. Some are good, some are decent, some you wonder how and why they survive.

But no one ever asks why Taco Mama survives. They already know. It’s magnificent.

Fighting Words About Stubby's Bar-B-Que and its Sauce.

When the random person anywhere in the United States is asked about barbecue and Arkansas, particularly barbecue from Hot Springs, you know what they're going to say.  But there are other barbecue joints in the Spa City, and one of them has been around more than 60 years.

This Is The Museum You're Looking For... If You're A Star Wars Fan.

Hunter and I are exploring Scenic Arkansas Highway 7 from end-to-end this week. Watch my Twitterfeed @TieDyeTravels for updates each day on where we've been and where we're headed.

We like to explore. And

we both have an almost insatiable curiosity. So, when we saw the yellow building on Hobson Avenue Tuesday on our way downtown from Mid America Science Museum, decorated with at-ats, we both made a mental note to check out this place called Galaxy Connections.

Wednesday's rainy start provided a perfect excuse to squeeze a visit into our schedule.  When we entered, the floor got my immediate attention.  Turns out, owners John and Bridget Clower (who also own the pest control business in the back of the building) got the idea from visiting another comic book store.  They

experimented and tried several things before this worked, but it makes a stunning entrance.

We were greeted and asked if we'd like to take the tour.  We signed up.  It's $10 for adults and $8 for kids.  There was another tour ahead of us, so we waited a little while.  Another family came in and joined us.

Galaxy Connections opened November 30th, 2013.  It consists of John Clower's extensive Star Wars collection.  Now, John may not be a superfan, but he's an adept collector with a good eye, and he's managed to put together quite a few great things to make this museum happen.

This map shows where people came from just over the course of a portion of 2014.  While yes, there were a lot of people from Arkansas, there were visitors from the world over.  Our tour guide, Richard, told us about a young man from Russia who got excited about Jabba the Hutt, since Jabba apparently

means "big fat frog" in Russian.

Inside the tour, we first encountered a Stormtrooper -- or rather, a Stormtrooper costume.  Richard shared with us how it was made, what it was for, and how today's 501st wouldn't consider it more than a low-quality version of their high-end recreation costumes.   He also shared with us schematics for the sets for the original Star Wars (or, as we know it today, Star Wars IV: A New Hope).

This room also contained a control panel, which interested Hunter more than anything else.  I suppose having control over whether to destroy whole planets at her fingertips made the child a bit giddy.  That's my girl, I guess.

Richard also showed us an original costume for Darth Vader.  It was a bit shorter than we expected. We had a conversation about David Prowse, the guy in the Vader costume in the movies... and how his voice was dubbed over afterwards by James Earl Jones.  Wonder why?  Check out this video clip before the dubbing.

In the next room, Han Solo's still ensconced in carbonite. Or, there's a version of the famed visage from the end of Empire Strikes Back and the beginning of Return of the Jedi that's been cast from the original mold, along with a perfect model of a Jawa and a rather imposing costume of Boba Fett.  

And, of course, there's Yoda.  This Yoda's not a puppet.  He's actually one of the remaining Pepsi promotional display Yodas that went out to stores as part of a contest.  He fared a lot better than the rest.

The last room of the exhibit is the largest.  It's an entire room full of memorabilia, including a huge case with all the different original trilogy Star Wars toys.  We learned how George Lucas struggled to have action figures created, and how the fledgling Kenner came forward and

started the process.  There's a certificate on display from that one Christmas when the toy set wasn't ready, so many kids woke up and found that certificate rather than a complete action figure set under the tree.  

And there's the X-Wing... which a fan in Memphis actually built for his child's birthday party.  This provides a great photo-op for kids.  While Hunter had been reluctant to pose with any of the costumes or figures throughout the rest of the exhibit, she had to get in on this.

Richard made the tour a lot of fun, answering all sorts of questions and making sure everyone got the photos they wanted to take.  But this was the best.  At the end, he lets families dress up in Jedi, paduwan or fledgling robes and "battle" with light sabers.  You can

really tell he loves his job.

You wouldn't expect to find something like Galaxy Connection in Hot Springs, with no obvious ties to Hollywood or George Lucas.  But it's a great stop, especially if you have a fan in the family.  

Galaxy Connection
906 Hobson Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71913
(501) 276-4432
Facebook
Website

Renewed Wonder at Mid America Science Museum.

 Hunter and I are exploring Scenic Arkansas Highway 7 from end-to-end this week. Watch my Twitterfeed @TieDyeTravels for updates each day on where we've been and where we're headed.

Like thousands of other Arkansas children, I grew up with the really cool place, the Mid America Science Museum.  Field trips and summer visits offered a world of wonder and lots of chances to play.

Even as an adult, I visited many times.  Over the years, some of the things became routine, but it was always still a great stop.  

A few weeks ago, the newly remodeled museum reopened.  Hunter and I planned a visit for our spring break road trip.  After visiting the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources the day before and having the place to ourselves, we didn't expect all that many people out for the mid-week stop.  Imagine our surprise when we arrived to find people parked all along the road leading to the museum, and a full parking lot as well.  Take a look at all the cool stuff we found inside.

She was excited from the moment we arrived.  Before, even.

On the outside, it doesn't look all that different.

But on the inside, it's a different story.

Right inside the front door, there's a neat video project where kids can hula hoop
or play ball or dance, and it'll loop and reverse.  Notice the difference in Hunter
on the screen and Hunter on the floor.

Could packing peanuts and a trampoline ever be quite this fun?

A lot of the old attractions and experiments are still there, such as this metal
funnel.

Some of the attractions make a lot of noise.

The old skybridge is now called the Light Bridge, and you can see the new
Skywalk from there.  It's unique!

There are a lot of different pieces on the light walk.

This is a frame full of different prismatic glass pieces that distort what lies beyond.

Hunter enjoyed playing with the different colored cels to create different colors.

A two story structure just inside the main building uses water to propel balls
up and down.  It requires a little kid participation.

As you see, that's not a problem.

Hunter launched balls from this contraption up into that spring overhead...

which spun down into this water funnel.  Kids below grabbed balls and put them
on tracks to launch them back up to the top.

Sometimes the balls escape, but that's all right.  There's help getting those back, too.

As you can see, there are a lot of changes to the main area of the museum,

And there were plenty of people there to enjoy all of it.

Without a doubt, Hunter's favorite thing at the museum is this structure.

Here, rubber pieces are piled up and knocked down to create mountains and rivers.

When you hold your hand over it, it rains.

The mastadon is still there...

As is this giant lump of quartz crystal.

You can see what you look like in infrared.

Or check out this ice coil!

The Gyroid is a neat climbing contraption for the kids. Hunter had to get her
shoes off immediately to tackle this.

She never made it to the top, but she sure tried!

Those fabulous Rowland Emmett machines are still on display throughout
the museum.

Hunter got a real shock out of this contraption.

She rather enjoyed connecting circuits in the Tinkering Studio.

We went out on the Skywalk.  It was an adventure... a musical one. 

There were a lot of people out.

Hunter loved the kaleidoscope.

Here's what it looked like inside.

This giant trampoline was the center of attention.

Hunter was far more interested in the tightrope... but after this run, she said never again.

The cafe is still located on the bottom floor of the entry building.

Here's a carbon atom display.

And here's another one of those amazing machines.

There's even a machine to break rocks.  Which is genius, since this allows the kids
to make gravel for the paths... KIDDING...

And of course, we had to check out the gift shop.

If you'd like to learn more about the Mid America Science Museum, check out the website.