# Mining for Gems in Arkansas in Aug/other kid friendly activities?



## MLMarek (Jul 5, 2007)

We will may be spending a few days in AR in August this year. 

The kids want to mine for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds state park and hunt for quartz at the mines in Mt Ida (near Hot Springs). 

Unfortunately this is the only timeframe in which we can go.  
I know its going to be hot - how hot(I'm guessing 95)?  

I'm thinking we'll have to get there as soon as the places open in the morning, dig til we get too hot,  then find somewhere to cool off in the afternoon. 

I see the Crater of Diamonds state park has a water park so we'll go there afterwards.
Any recommendations for other kid friendly places, esp in Hot springs area? 

Suggestions for lodging? I want to save my Rci week to swap for someplace better.


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## cerralee (Jul 5, 2007)

I went once in August and Hot wasn't the word.  Scorching, was closer and there is little shade in that huge open field.  We did not last to long at all before we gave up from the heat.  We did this about 8 years ago and just the other day my daughter was asked what one of her biggest let downs was.  She related the story of going to Crater of Diamonds, finding a huge pretty rock that she "hoped" was a Diamond.  The Rock checker held it up to the sky, said well lets find out-set it on the table then hit it with a hammer breaking it into many small pieces.  Nope-not a Diamond.  She would have been happy with the large piece of Quartz.


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## lolaker99 (Jul 5, 2007)

*Crater of diamonds*

We have been to Crater of Diamonds in early August.  It will be hot with a lot of humidity.  So it will feel A LOT hotter.  The fields do not have a lot of shade either.  

There are several hotels in the Hot Springs area, in addition to timeshares that you may be able to rent instead of using you points.   We live in Little Rock and have not stayed in any hotels or time shares in Hot Springs. 

I would also suggest Lake Ouachita or lake Hamilton.  I believe there are places to rent jet skis or boats for the day.  This would be a cool activity and the lake is beautiful.

If amusement parks are your thing than there is Magic Springs/Crystal Falls(waterpark section) one admission for both.  Local grocery stores have $10 off on Pepsi cans right now.    Not a huge park, but they have added to the water park this year.

If gambling is of interest then Oaklawn has "games of skill" daily.  They do have live horse racing but only from Jan-April.

There is always the tour of the Hot Springs National Park, this is a free admission tour of the bath house.  There are also bath house right there that you can get a spa treatment.

Hope that helps.


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## mshatty (Jul 5, 2007)

Try the South Shores Lake Resort on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs.  It is a gem of a timeshare and they do lots of rentals.  Here's a link to their website:

South Shore Lake Resort


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## MLMarek (Jul 6, 2007)

Thanks for all the recommendations. 
I'm wondering how many days to stay in Hot Springs area- three maybe? one for quartz mining, one for the Natl Park, one for boating, hitting the amusement/water  park some where in there.  
What about sites along the way from Illinois- in Mo?
I was thinking Hannibal Mo but my kids haven't read Mark Twain  yet.


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## lolaker99 (Jul 6, 2007)

While we live in Little Rock now we are from St. Louis.  I would recommend a stop there.  
1.The St. Louis Zoo is wonderful and FREE!  If you get to the Children's zoo section before 10 (I think)  it is also free.   
2.The St. Louis Arch
3. Bowling Hall of Fame
4. Science Center is also free and was being remolded in areas when we were there 2 years ago
5. Grant's Farm is a neat place and is also free, the Cydesdales are housed here
6. tour the brewery (free tour and free beer sample at the end) soda for the kids
7. Botanical Gardens 
8. Forest Park which is where the zoo and science center are located also has the Jewel Box (flowers), Historical museum (free I believe), and Art museum 
I know I am missing more, but this is a start
Hope this helps


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## vemmajhose (Jul 15, 2007)

*We just got back from digging in the area....*

I am from the st. louis area.  My two older kids and some friends and I just got back from spending a few days digging in AR.  If you haven't gone yet, feel free to bounce some questions off me.  How old are the kids you will have with you?  I must say that just due to the mere fact of abundance the quartz mines were way more fun for the kids.  They all found quite a bit there...crater was neat to say you have been to, but don't expect to find anything.  That was a big disappointment to my kids after finding tons at the quartz mines.  I suggest arrowhead and sweetsurrender for sure!  Great folks there too.  If you go to murfreesboro via mt. ida be sure to stop at susies kountry kitchen and have their special.  YUM and a lot of food for cheap.  Also, opt for George and Rascals in mt. ida.  Have fun!
We weren't terribly hot either...actually, a couple of days we were cold because it rained all day we dug in the rainy mud.....still fun though!
jill


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## MLMarek (Jul 18, 2007)

My kids, both girls, are 8 and 12.
Sounds like we should visit Crater of Diamonds before the quartz mines.
I'm not sure how long the younger one will really be interested in digging, probably not long, the water park will be more interesting.
Which quartz mines did you visit? How rugged? I don't think the 8 yr old will last long, but at least the quartz  places aren't too far from where we'll be staying(Lake Ouachita/Hot Springs).   
I saw a place called Crystal Seen on the mt ida website where they have 100 yds of tailings right in their shop to dig in, we may go there if the mining is a disaster with my littler one.


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## MLMarek (Jul 18, 2007)

Vemmajhose,
Thanks, I just read your post more closely and checked out the Arrowhead and Sweetsurrender mine websites. 
Arrowhead sounds awesome! but it will be closed when we visit (8/5-8/9).


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## vemmajhose (Jul 18, 2007)

*Check out mt. idas chamber of commerce site*

and click on crystals.  It lists several places.  Some of them are very commercialized though and don't even have working mines anymore....they just get stuff from other countrys and toss it around.  Not really our idea of what we were after.  They are really not all that rough either.  I had my 9 yr. old boy and 7 yr. old girl and they both loved it and did fine.  You will be WET, I'll warn you.  If it is raining....you will be wet, if it is sunny....you will be wet.  It wasn't really that bad though, we were even able to keep our same digging clothes on for the ride home (8 hours) the second non wet day.  I HIGHLY suggest arrowhead and sweet surrender.  They are both very different but very good, especially for kids.  We went to ss the second time and Becky was there and worked with showing us and the kids how to find and what to find.  You will want to take or get some type of little bag to put them in.  They sell a feedsack type bag at the giftshop at crater that you probably won't really need for there but would be nice for quartz mines.  On your way to arrowhead you will pass wegner which is a nice shop to stop and see some awesome geodes of amethyst and such but not a working mine so you don't find your own really....though they will try to get you to stay there probably.  They have a sign that says water is .50....cold water is .75.  We were told to look around but not try to buy anything there.  We did purchase some awesome stones though that we felt were reasonable and kinda tough to find anywhere else.  There is a crystal shop right on the main drag between two gas stations that has a man working there that can/will show you some really cool stuff about properties of different crystals/gems.  The two places I mentioned above you can get the numbers from the site I mentioned and just call ahead to be sure they are open.  They will not charge for your kids there either, which was nice.  Oh, I almost forgot...if you don't get the bag thing at crater Wegner had some little burlap ones that you can tie to your belt, same idea for .75 I think.  We used those and they were good to have.  We got some beautiful stuff...haven't gotten it all cleaned up yet though...they suggest oxalic acid or wood bleach.  I don't have that in my basement.  I guess I should get some though.  The mines arent really what you probably expect, not really a mine at all.  I would suggest though to wear long pants and you have to have closed toed shoes.  The crystals are very sharp.  We all had some minor cuts but nothing serious.  You will have a good time.  Let me know if you have any questions, I'll do my best.
J


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