Eureka Springs has a mysterious effect on people. No one seems to be able to explain quite why they love the place, secluded and peaceful with winding mountainside streets; the city has flair like no other. This Victorian village boasts the country’s only entire downtown on the National Register of Historic Places. Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas are painstakingly preserved Victorian homes that hug the slides of cliffs and hillsides.
Visitors can enjoy nightly music shows, music festivals, a big cat sanctuary, the country’s largest outdoor drama, and the country’s oldest folk festival. There are free outdoor concerts in the park, shows at the city auditorium and colorful parades for every occasion!
Eureka Springs can satisfy anyone’s appetite for everything from down home southern food to romantic, candlelit dinners. Award-winning restaurants serve savory Czech-German dishes, authentic Italian cuisine and spicy East Indian fare. You’ll find Mediterranean, Chinese, Irish, Mexican, Cajun, and Thai as well. You can also dine on a dining car at Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway.
Despite Eureka Springs’s small population, more than 300 residents are working artists, helping the town make the list of “Top 25 Arts Destination” by American Style Magazine. The entire month of May is proclaimed May Festival of the Arts—dedicated to all the arts including theater, performing arts, and music. Other events like a monthly gallery stroll celebrate these artists’ works on a regular basis.
Outdoor adventures abound. The city is surrounded by the 2 rivers and 3 lakes. On Table Rock Lake or Beaver Lake there is great fishing, smooth water for canoe/kayak float trips, take a guided cruise, rent a boat or jet ski, or even paddle board! The 1600-acre Lake Leatherwood City Park is crisscrossed with hiking and biking trails, and the 85-acre spring-fed lake is perfect for a day of swimming, boating or fishing.
The town’s history is colorful and lengthy. Artifacts of Eureka Springs’ rich past are displayed in the Historical Museum. Eureka Springs first drew visitors in the late 1800’s because of the healing powers believed to be present in over 60 natural springs there. The healing tradition spawned by the springs in the early days lives on today in the abundance of day spas, massage therapists, herbalists, and alternative healers. While the springs today are not potable, they are wonderfully landscaped & lushly gardened. They provide excellent picnic and rest areas as well as giving a beautiful arboretum-like feel.
This is decidedly not an ordinary town. For more information or to plan your extraordinary escape, visit www.eurekasprings.org.
The Crescent Hotel
Christ of the Ozarks
Thorncrown Chapel
