Find diamonds in Arkansas using these Web sites

Try something different on your next vacation. Go digging around in a pile of dirt searching for diamonds. Or relax in a hot mineral spring in a historic resort town.

Head for Arkansas and visit Crater of Diamonds State Park -- www.arkansas.com/outdoors--sports/crystals/ -- the only place in the world where you can pay a small fee to dig for diamonds -- and keep whatever you find. They'll rent you tools if you don't want to pack your own shovel.

Whether you find a diamond or not, you can relax in one of the thermal baths around Hot Springs National Park -- www.nps.gov/hosp/ -- which has been federally protected area longer than Yellowstone. The park includes eight historic bathhouses, 47 hot springs and outdoors areas. Click on "inDepth" for a virtual tour. Pick up more information on the town and its attractions from the local Chamber of Commerce -- www.hotsprings.org/.

For a few more reasons to visit Arkansas, click on "Must See" at the state's Department of Parks & Tourism -- www.arkansas.com/ -- and get acquainted with museums, 9,740 miles of streams, and caverns. Then go back to the main page and explore their sections on Civil War history, fishing, floating and history.

Click on "Outdoors & Sports" for tips on everything from birdwatching to camping. "Attractions" will lead you to links to the major tourism regions, including one called Delta Byways, the area along the Mississippi River where events include the King Biscuit Blues Festival held every October in Helena.

Parks and Tourism also has a magazine, Arkansas Travel -- www.arkansastravel.com/ -- where you can read about history, events and destinations.

Arkansas also has wilderness areas, national forests and miles of biking and hiking trails. Visit GORP -- http://gorp.com/gorp/location/ar/ar.htm -- to see details on what the state offers for all sorts of outdoor recreation.

Let the Ozark Mountains Region -- www.ozarkmountainregion.com/ -- tell you all about the hilly, wooded northern end of the state. They've got hunting, fishing and events such as the Dec. 9 Christmas Parade at Mountain Home.