A vacation is often a challenge in the current economy. Some folks opt for the "staycation"—taking a few days off work but staying home either to simply relax or to do projects around the house. Then there's the traditional vacation: taking the family to the beach for a week, an Alaskan cruise, maybe a trip to Europe. All of those are great—if you have the time and money. But suppose you want something in between? Not quite a staycation and not a long, expensive trip either.

You want to relax. You don't want a rigid schedule. But you want the option to do a few things here and there. For those of you in Western North Carolina (or Eastern Tennessee), Hot Springs may be the perfect solution.

Hot Springs has an array of accommodations to suit just about every budget. Before we talk about present accommodations, let's first talk about where it all began. The mineral springs on the grounds of what is today the Hot Springs Resort and Spa were documented in 1778, but artifacts found at the site reveal that the Cherokee had discovered the springs long before white settlers came into the area. Over the years, the grounds were home to several luxury hotels, the first golf course in North Carolina, and even a German village created to house some 2,500 German passengers who were in New York Harbor at the outbreak of World War I.

Now the Hot Springs Resort and Spa offers camp sites, suites, cabins, and the Sandbar House, former residence of the property's past owners. Camping fees range from $20/night for primitive sites to $65/night for a small rustic cabin. Many other sites, including those for RVs, are also an option. Room rates range from $100–200 per night while the Sandbar House, which sleeps six in a three bedroom house, rents for $300 a night. The mineral baths are still a major draw to the property, while message therapy and other bodywork are available, too.

RiverDance, located just a few miles from downtown Hot Springs, offers a blend of vacation rental and bed and breakfast. Guests can choose between two separate suites, Tree Tops and River Rock. Both are located in a gorgeous new home (the Barn Owl design from MossCreek) with a fantastic view of the horseshoe bend in the Laurel River 300 feet below and the mountains beyond. Callie and Dave Wellendorf act as your hosts and guides but give you all the privacy that you need. Callie says the most important thing is that you feel at home without having to do all the stuff at home you don't like to do. Local artists and craftspeople have contributed quite a few details to a place perfect for a romantic weekend or family getaway.

If you are looking for a traditional B&B stay, Mountain Magnolia Inn & Retreatis located in downtown Hot Springs and was the former residence of Colonel James Henry Rumbough and his wife Carrie. The Rumboughs were former owners of the 350-room Mountain Park Hotel, one of the hotels that once stood on the grounds of what is now Hot Springs Resort and Spa. The home is now a completely remodeled 1868 Victorian estate in park-like surroundings operated by Pete and Karen Nagle. The inn offers five guest rooms plus a two-bedroom suite. It also includes a nearby property, Fowler's Bend, which offers another two suites and a small one-bedroom unit. On-property dining and spa services are available and the inn caters weddings and other events, too.

You'll also find lots of cabins in the Hot Springs area. Rentals at places such as Broadwing Farm Cabins, Sherwood Cabin, Hot Springs Log Cabins, Briar Rose Farm, and Pleasant Bank Riverfront Cabin Rentals offer an array of accommodations typically ranging from $115–165 per night.

Small cabins and vacation rentals dot the landscape of Hot Springs and you're sure to find something to fit your needs. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the nearest substantial grocery story is in Marshall, more than ten miles from Hot Springs. So if you are staying in a vacation rental, it might be wise to pick up your groceries on your way into town.

For outdoorsy types, Hot Springs offers plenty of options. The Appalachian Trail (AT) runs right through the middle of town and plenty of other trails are located within five miles, including Lover's Leap, Laurel River, Pump Gap Loop, and Roundtop Ridge. The town is so trail-happy that each April it celebrates the AT with Trailfest, an event offering food, music, arts and crafts, and more.

When it comes to hiking in the area, you can stop in as part of a six-month through-hike along the AT or you can hike for an hour in the beautiful Pisgah National Forest. Stock up on supplies ranging from food to clothing to camping gear at Bluff Mountain Outfitters, which even provides shuttle services.

For cyclists, the Mill Ridge Bike Trail and Golden Ridge Loop offer scenic riding, as does the Laurel River Trail or a trip up River Road. Located at the confluence of the French Broad River and Spring Creek, water activities are immensely popular in Hot Springs.

Huck Finn Rafting Adventures is located on Bridge Street in downtown Hot Springs. Heath White and his father began the company in 1999. Heath's guides offer half- and full-day rafting adventures as well as tubing trips. "We're a family-owned business that focuses solely on the French Broad," Heath says. "We put our years of experience into giving customers the best river experience they can get." Other rafting companies are nearby, too, including French Broad Rafting Expeditions, Blue Heron Whitewater, USA Raft, and the world-famous Nantahala Outdoor Center.

If you consider yourself more indoorsy, you can spend some time at the Iron Horse Station. Taking up a substantial footprint in downtown Hot Springs, the Iron Horse houses shops, a restaurant and tavern, and a splendidly refurbished inn. A look down the wide hallways of the inn might make you think you're on a Hollywood movie set. After all, actor James Franco did spend some a few nights at the Iron Horse.

One of the anchors of Iron Horse Station is the new Artisun Gallery and Marketplace, which had its grand opening in May. The Artisun dabbles in a little bit of this (coffee shop, wine shop) and a little bit of that (pottery, antiques, crafts, art, and jewelry). You might even meet one of the exhibiting artists, such as Bill Weldner from just up the road at Creek View Studio. He uses digitally manipulated photographs to create artful scenes of the Western North Carolina mountains. A longtime art instructor in New York, Bill says he loves the simple life that the Hot Springs area offers.

Plan a trip to Hot Springs now and you, too, can experience that simple life that so many of us need to recapture—even if it's just for a day, a weekend, or a few days of mountain town bliss.

For more information on Hot Springs, visit the Hot Springs Tourism Association online.