Houston to Hot Springs AR drive: Best stops, distance & time

The best road trip stops on the Houston to Hot Springs AR drive are Nacogdoches TX, Marshall TX and Hope AR. The distance from Houston to Hot Springs AR by car is 401 miles, with a 6h41m drive.

Planning a Houston to Hot Springs AR road trip itinerary

The Houston to Hot Springs AR drive connects the biggest city in Texas to arguably the most attractive spot in Arkansas.

The top Houston attraction is unquestionably the NASA Space Center, which takes you behind the scenes of the Johnson Space Center. This includes the Mission Briefing Center, and a vast array of high tech exhibitions.

Other attractions include the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Children’s Museum,

For more Houston experiences, try hip hop party bike tours, foodie walks in the Montrose neighbourhood and quirky tours of Houston’s tunnel system.

Top Houston accommodation options include the superb value Club Quarters Houston Downtown and the upscale but boutique Magnolia.

Hot Springs in the Ouachita Mountains has loads to do. The natural highlight is Hot Springs National Park, which strings thermal springs together on a series of hiking trails. The historic bathhouses are also part of the national park.

There are also several amusement parks, of which Magic Springs is arguably the best as it has a water park.

Other Hot Springs experiences include zip line adventures and the Star Wars and superhero-obsessed Galaxy Connection.

For well-rated Hot Springs accommodation with charm, go for the Hilltop Manor B&B or the Gables Inn.

Houston to Hot Springs AR distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Houston to Hot Springs AR is 401 miles. That makes for a driving time of around six hours and 41 minutes. The quickest route is largely along the US-59 and I-30.

The best road trip stops on the Houston to Hot Springs AR drive are Nacogdoches TX, Marshall TX and Hope AR.

Houston to Hot Springs AR road trip attractions: Nacogdoches TX

Nacogdoches is regarded as the oldest town in Texas, having been founded in 1779. The Stone Fort Museum is a recreation of founder Antonio Gil Y Barbo’s house. Nacogdoches is also home to the Stephen F Austin State University, which gives us the Ruby M Mize Azalea Garden. Azaleas are the focus, but there are 46 beds across 11 acres covering a wide variety of flowering plants.

Best stops between Houston and Hot Springs AR: Marshall TX

The main city in wealthy Harrison County, Marshall, has plenty of heritage on display. The Starr Family Home has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, and the Harrison County Historical Museum covers the region’s backstory.

The most interesting section delves into the bizarre period where Marshall became the Confederate capital of… Missouri. The Missouri Confederate leadership decamped here to lead a government in exile during the Civil War.

Accommodation in Marshall is almost entirely motel-style. Hunt here for deals.

Houston to Hot Springs AR drive: Bill Clinton Birthplace

The official name of Bill Clinton’s birthplace in Hope, Arkansas, is the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site. Saying that takes almost as long as the tours of the home, which last 25 minutes.

The neighbouring visitor center is arguably more interesting, as it contains lots of insight into the President’s childhood, much of it provided by Clinton himself.