GETAWAY

A SUMMER GETAWAY TO OAKLAWN RACING CASINO RESORT

TEXT BY CALEB YARBROUGH PHOTOS COURTESY OF OAKLAWN

For those looking for a getaway in the Mid South, historic Hot Springs, Arkansas, is the ultimate destination.

Hot Springs is home to Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and Hot Springs National Park, as well as some of the Natural State’s most beautiful scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Hot Springs National Park is one of the most unique parks in the U.S. National Park Service system. Much of the city’s historic downtown, with its 19th-century bathhouses and period architecture, sits within the park’s grounds.

The park includes 26 miles of hiking trails and is conveniently located within walking distance of numerous restaurants. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and its worldclass, full-service hotel are just a short two-mile drive away.

For more than a century, Oaklawn has been a staple of the international thoroughbred racing circuit. In 2022, Oaklawn extended its racing season, which now runs from December to May. The Arkansas Derby and Rebel Stakes are annual highlights.

Oaklawn’s state-of-the-art casino offers live craps and blackjack, numerous slot games and a sportsbook area. The resort’s event center hosts live entertainment including music and other performances. On Aug. 6 country music legend Clint Black will take the stage.

Unlike many asinos, Oaklawn’s main gaming floor is 100 percent non-smoking. Smokers will find a dedicated smoking section in the casino outfitted with air-filtration technology that ensures the smoke never leaves the designated area.

This fall, just in time for football season, Oaklawn’s Sportsbook will premiere its online sports wagering platform, available as an app on Apple and Android mobile devices and on desktop computers. The new platform will mirror the wagering menu offered in the casino and will allow guests of legal age within Arkansas to bet on sports remotely through the casino.

Oaklawn visitors are sure to work up an appetite, and with various bars and restaurants on campus, they have plenty of options. Casual dining options include Big Al’s Diner & Deli, serving classic American staples inspired by 1950s diner fare, Percs, with gourmet coffee drinks and fresh pastries, Silks Bar & Grill, the best place to watch the big game, and the Track Kitchen, famous for old-time breakfast favorites and the best burgers in town. Oaklawn also offers multiple upscale dining offerings: The Bugler and The OAK Room both received 2022 OpenTable Diner’s Choice Awards. Each restaurant offers an array of American cuisine, including carefully selected fish and steaks, in a romantic and sophisticated atmosphere.

Guests can enjoy signature cocktails or their favorite beverage while listening to live music in Pop’s Lounge, overlooking the legendary racetrack from the patio of The First Turn Bar, or unwinding by the fireplace in the hotel lobby bar.

While it is best known for Oaklawn and the national park, Hot Springs is also a prime hub for some of the best golf in the Mid South. Less than three miles from Oaklawn, the Hot Springs Country Club offers two 18-hole courses spread across the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains.

A half-hour drive from the Spa City, Hot Springs Village is a golfer’s dream. The small community with a population of around 15,000 is home to eight public clubs including the 27-hole Isabella Golf Club complex.

Oaklawn’s new luxury hotel features spacious standard rooms and suites, all with free WiFi, large-screen TVs, fine bed linens and towels, robes and more. In spring and summer, the resort’s private swimming pool, available exclusively to hotel guests, features lavish cabanas and a bar with a range of food and beverages delivered poolside.

The Astral Spa, on-site at the hotel, promises a world-class spa experience with luxurious services including massages, body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures and more. In addition to the spa, Astral also features parlors and locker rooms with a steam room, infrared sauna, whirlpool, cold room and needle shower, reminiscent of the city’s historic downtown bathhouses.

Appealing to fans of history, luxurious relaxation, thoroughbred racing, gaming, golf, outdoor recreation, world-class entertainment, good food and great times, Hot Springs is the most versatile vacation destination in the Mid South.