Hot Spring National Park: First Visit

🔥Given that there aren't many places to visit near Dallas, after Christmas, we drove for over four hours to Hot Spring National Park for a two-night, three-day trip. We arrived in the afternoon and checked into the Courtyard Hot Springs, a Marriott property. It's conveniently located within ten to fifteen minutes of most attractions, and Marriott is generally reliable. 🌟In the afternoon, we visited Garven Woodland Gardens. The admission was $20 per person to see the Christmas light display. Due to image limitations, the first five photos were taken between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM. We went in the evening when it wasn't too dark, but the lights would look even better later. It's worth mentioning that the Anthony Chapel also requires a ticket to enter during Christmas because of the Christmas tree inside. 💯For dinner on the first and second nights, we dined at "J&S Italian Villa." Their steamed clams as an appetizer were excellent, slightly salty but very fresh. The buttery bread soaked in the broth was also delicious. The lamb chops were cooked medium rare, not gamey, and just right; remember to ask the server to toast the side dishes a bit longer for better flavor. 🤷🏻‍♀️The seafood pasta was well-seasoned, sweet and tasty, and even the soup alone was enjoyable. Although we ate there for two nights, the meatball pasta, scallop alfredo pasta, and fried shrimp and squid were average and not particularly impressive. I wouldn't recommend ordering any pasta other than the seafood pasta from them. #Dallas #DallasLife