Discover and Celebrate the Bliss of Hot Springs North Carolina... just a short drive from Asheville

"... Named for the hot mineral springs located here the town is just about 40 minutes north of Asheville at the junction of the Appalachian Trail and the French Broad River... You will find great hiking on the Appalachian Trail ; whitewater rafting and canoeing; mountain biking; horseback riding; fishing and more.... As one of the few sources of natural hot mineral spring water on the east coast, Hot Springs has long been a source of healing and relaxation....the fascinating history of our quaint town starting with the discovery of the hot mineral springs in 1792 and then the creation of the Buncombe Turnpike to connect Tennessee to Charleston and the east. In the1800’s the town was a famous resort attracting people from all over the country to take the curative waters and enjoy the healthful mountain air....." CLICK HERE for the rest of the story.

Hot Springs is located where the Blue Ridge mountains join the Great Smokie Mountains... and where Bold Spring Creek which winds through the valley joins the French Broad River at the Hot Mineral Springs, once a turn of the century health spa catering to wealthy tourists.

Hot Springs is once again a destination for tourists seeking peace. Either hiking the Appalachian Trail, or rafting down the French Broad River or just relaxing and savor the area's awesome scenery while soaking in the Hot Mineral Springs or dining in an outdoor cafe or listening to music being played by any of the talented musicians who continue to arrive in Asheville and Western North Carolina.

Frank Bell's Rapid on section 9 of the French Broad River near Hot Springs

Hot Springs Mineral Bath Jacuzzi Tubs
"...Located along the scenic Spring Creek and French Broad River, Hot Springs Resort & Spa mineral baths offer medicinal and curative properties. Whether you're treating a health problem or simply relaxing in the hot waters of our natural mineral baths, the health-giving properties of this resort's hot mineral waters have been famous since 1778. Just relaxing in the hot water relieves stress and fatigue from the mind and body, and after strenuous exercise or work, soaking in these waters eases stiffness and pain of the muscles and joints, helps increase circulation and oxygen flow and has been known to help most circulatory illnesses.... We feature modern Jacuzzi style hot tubs built into attractive wooden decks with the hot natural mineral water flowing constantly to them from deep inside the earth. Each bath is drained and sanitized after each use. One can relax in secluded, private outdoor settings along the scenic Spring Creek and French Broad River. Fill your water jugs at our spring at no charge. Twelve outdoor mineral baths ranging from 100-104 degrees are available seven days a week year round, however call in advance during winter months for changes in hours of operation.... Enhance the curative powers of the mineral waters by drinking from our tap as well as soaking in our tubs! Bring plastic water bottles or jugs to fill at the drinking spring at no charge...."

Click on each of the dozens of categories to the left to uncover what makes the Asheville area so vital, so intriguing and so, well, UTTERLY BLISSFUL!

From Rolf Potts' Vagabonding blog:

I've never been one of those uptight literary types who thinks that you have to have actually read a book in order to recommend it to others. So I feel no trepidation in suggesting Eric Weiner's new travelogue-slash-memoir The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World The premise of the book is simple but intriguing-- here is Amazon's description:

Part foreign affairs discourse, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, The Geography of Bliss takes the reader from America to Iceland to India in search of happiness, or, in the crabby author's case, moments of "un-unhappiness." The book uses a beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Singapore benefit psychologically by having their options limited by the government? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina so damn happy? With engaging wit and surprising insights, Eric Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.

In the imaginary Netflix queue of books-that-I'm-planning-to-read, this one has just jumped to the top. By the way, why has no one started a Netflix for books? This question, and many more, I'll leave for another day.

A "Moment of Zen"... the Rolling Waters of the French Broad River near Hot Springs NC.

Some of Hot Spring's Delightful Accommodatons

Duckett House Inn
"... 1900 Victorian Farm House next to Hot Springs Mineral Baths & the Applachian Trail. A Hot Springs Tradition since 1990....Wake to a bountiful breakfast, organic coffee, fresh fruit, Brian's breads baked fresh daily and eggs from our free range hens. For those who don't eat eggs or dairy, we offer alternatives. Advance notice for dietary restrictions (i.e. macro.vegan)...." Group specials (8 or more) include dinner.

Hot Springs Suites
"... four lavishly styled rooms ... Enjoy your very own private, jetted, heart shaped hot tub filled with the Thermal Mineral Waters of the Hot Springs Resort & Spa, heated by Mother Nature deep within the earth. Our in-house Massage therapists are available to perform massages on site by appointment. Outside landscaping, a built in aquarium are being located along the French Broad River to make this facility a natural choice. Each room is equipped with: Private heart shaped hot tub, satellite TV(basic channels-locals & HBO)VCR-DVD; Refrigerator, Microwave, Phone, and High Speed Internet Access...."

The Hot Springs Campground
"... is located along the banks of the French Broad River, a short stroll from the Hot Springs Spa and Natural Mineral Baths. This facility is a favorite stopping point for travelers of all types from hikers coming off the Appalachian Trail to vacationers and health seekers. Our campground is family friendly and shrouded amongst trees offering shade and beautiful settings, even on the hottest day...."

Bright Leaf Junction
"... 'wildly different'... renovated historic 15 room hotel, brings to the area a fresh and unique approach to the lodging industry while embracing the true essence of southern hospitality....The romance of the past is preserved while the modern amenities of a full service hotel are provided... The hotel is comprised of two adjoining downtown historic buildings in the heart of Hot Springs. The original hotel was built in 1929 while the building that houses the restaurant, is reported to have been built prior to 1890 and is said to be one of the oldest commercial buildings in the county. The painstaking year-long restoration successfully preserved the unique character of the buildings as well as the original architectural details which include stamped tin ceilings, elaborate cornice work, original skylights, plaster and lathe walls, transoms and heart of pine floors. For close to a century this downtown property has served the citizens of Hot Springs and those traveling through the region as a hotel, boarding house, haberdashery and hardware store..."