{"id":107274,"date":"2024-05-15T18:25:22","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T01:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=107274"},"modified":"2024-05-15T18:28:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T01:28:38","slug":"eureka-springs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/eureka-springs\/","title":{"rendered":"Eureka Springs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Step back in time<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tucked into the heart of the Ozarks (northwest corner of Arkansas), about an hour (50 miles down country roads through a couple of hollows) from the lights and\u00a0electronic music of Branson lies Eureka Springs. The only entire downtown on the US National Register of Historic Places, it is listed in \u201c1000 places to see before\u00a0you die\u201d, and for the second time has been chosen as one of The Great Towns in America. Called the \u201cgem of the Ozarks\u201d, it is also known affectionately as \u201cLittle\u00a0Switzerland of the Ozarks\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Native people settled here for the waters, believing the mineral springs had healing properties. When that notion reached settlers moving west, they too came.\u00a0Trains, making the area even more accessible, created growth resembling San Francisco 1850s boom times.<\/p>\n

The Eureka Springs Historic District is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Arkansas. Victorian era homes hug cliffsides along streets that rise and fall in\u00a0a series of whirlpool-like circles within the curvy, hilly topography in a 5-mile long loop. Very scenic but drive slowly.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the \u201cWedding Capitol\u201d of the mid-south, with more than 4,000 weddings performed each year. No blood tests or waiting period \u2013 marriage licenses may be\u00a0purchased at the local Court House.<\/p>\n

Many reasons to visit: Thorncrown Chapel (4th best architectural achievement of the 20th Century), White River trout fishing, spa treatments, fine restaurants,\u00a0picturesque one-of-a-kind shops, boutiques, galleries, craft shops, wonderful Ozark mountain and lake scenery. Filled with creative types \u2013 artists, writers,\u00a0musicians, intellectually curious \u2013 Eureka Springs describes itself as a \u201ccollege town without a college\u201d.<\/p>\n

Totally charming<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 perfect for a long weekend or 2-week extended vacation. Here\u2019s what we saw\/did in 2 1\/2 jam-packed days.<\/p>\n

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day 1\u00a0photos<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

fly into\u00a0new\u00a0Branson airport\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0then drive to Eureka Springs
\nNewly opened May 2009. Built at some $155 million on land formerly owned by Tennessee Ernie Ford, and said to be the largest privately-owned commercial\u00a0airport in the U.S. Construction involved flattening the tops of nearby Ozark Mountains and carving roads through them \u2013 thought to be the largest earth moving\u00a0project in Missouri history. Closest commercial airport is Springfield-Branson National Airport, 50 miles northwest of Branson, owned by the City of Springfield.<\/p>\n

4 pm<\/strong>\u00a0arrive\u00a0Eureka Springs<\/strong>
\ncheck into\u00a01886 Crescent Hotel & Spa\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nSitting on top of Crescent Mountain like a European chateau overlooking the town, this \u201cGrand Old Lady of the Ozarks\u201d opened in 1886 to be the finest hotel west\u00a0of the Mississippi. In the late 1800\u2019s, when a new railroad brought thousands of tourists to Eureka Springs for the recuperative health treatments of the mineral\u00a0rich hot springs, the hotel flourished along with the town. Has a rich and colorful history \u2013 having served as a luxury hotel, all girls school and cancer hospital run\u00a0by Dr. Baker, a snake oil salesman. Fell into disrepair over the years, but has been restored to its former Victorian glory. Now a National Historic Hotel \u2013 and also\u00a0considered by many to be the most haunted hotel in America!<\/p>\n

6 pm<\/strong>\u00a0dinner\u00a0Local Flavor\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nClean, cozy, candlelit, semi-fine dining, color-print tablecloth restaurant. Excellent, inventive cuisine and professional friendly waitstaff. Wine list mostly\u00a0Napa\/Sonoma greats with notable European varietals also featured. Good location at the start of Main Street. Highly recommended by\u00a0hotel\u00a0concierge and others\u00a0\u2013 a local favorite. Great dining way to begin a visit!<\/p>\n

8 pm\u00a0Ghost Tour<\/strong>\u00a0Crescent\u00a0Hotel\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nQuirky, rambling, tiny bit freaky \u2013 and a lot of fun. Hotel investigated by TV show \u201cGhost Busters\u201d which found paranormal phenomena all over the place. We take some unusual pictures that we\u2019re still puzzling over. Room 419 hosts a ghost dubbed Theodora, believed to be one of Baker\u2019s cancer patients, who sometimes\u00a0introduces herself to surprised guests and housekeepers. We happen to be staying in 419!<\/p>\n

stay<\/strong>\u00a01886 Crescent Hotel & Spa\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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day 2\u00a0photos<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

breakfast\u00a01886\u00a0Crescent Hotel & Spa\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nFull buffet\u00a0breakfast available in the large dining room with view of the gardens and\u00a0porches. Leisurely\u00a0and luxurious way to start the day.<\/p>\n

10 am<\/strong>\u00a0shopping\u00a0and sightseeing downtown
\nMuch to see\u00a0here \u2013 allow more time or come back for several visits.<\/p>\n

11:30 am<\/strong>\u00a0lunch\u00a0The\u00a0Oasis\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nYou get here\u00a0by going down a little wooden staircase leading down to 53C (between 53 and 51\u00a0Spring\u00a0St.) and then it gets interesting. 2 SMALL rooms we ate in the back\u00a0(only 2 tiny tables) ordering off the\u00a0handwritten wall menu (over the\u00a0water heater). One cheffette, one sassy waitress prepare and serve\u00a0great\u00a0Ark-Mex food with many vegetarian options. Retro funky. They don\u2019t\u00a0advertise or have a website\u00a0\u2014 don\u2019t miss the cultural experience.<\/p>\n

1 pm\u00a0Great\u00a0Passion Play\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Christ of the Ozarks<\/strong>\u00a0statue\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nFirst\u00a0performed in 1968, The Play (styled after that of Oberammergau, Germany) has\u00a0been seen by over\u00a07.5 million people making it the largest\u00a0attended outdoor drama in America. The outdoor performance\u00a0is staged 4 or\u00a05 nights a week from May through October in the 4,100-seat amphitheater. Too\u00a0early for\u00a0the first show, we had a backstage site tour. Also nearby on the\u00a0grounds is the Christ of the Ozarks\u00a0statue the largest Christ statue in North\u00a0America a popular place for weddings.<\/p>\n

2 pm\u00a0Queen\u00a0Anne Mansion House Museum\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nBuilt in 1892,\u00a0this first new major attraction to open in Eureka Springs in over a decade is\u00a0an immersion\u00a0into the rich culture and history of the 19th century. In\u00a0a pre-opening tour of the entire museum we saw\u00a0fine artisanship,\u00a0architecture with balconies and wrap around porches, beautiful carved woodwork,\u00a0original stained glass, musemum quality furniture and a collection of fine\u00a019th century decorative arts.\u00a0Buffalo Bill and Harold Bell Wright visited this\u00a0home. An addition to the house includes art gallery space\u00a0and public\u00a0rooms. Memorable, must-see experience.<\/p>\n

3 pm\u00a0Keels\u00a0Creek Winery<\/strong>\u00a0Wine Tasting\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nWine in\u00a0Arkansas? Well, yes sort of. Not exactly Napa\/Sonoma but Arkansas\u2019s newest\u00a0winery is located\u00a0in Eureka Springs. The vineyards, in the hills of\u00a0Keels Creek, about 3 miles from the city limits are not yet\u00a0mature\u00a0enough to supply all of the grapes needed for the winery. But the winery has\u00a0begun producing\u00a0wines, many of them somewhat exotic hybrids which we\u00a0sampled. Wine production is small, mostly\u00a0sold out. A valiant effort stay\u00a0tuned!<\/p>\n

4 pm\u00a0Turpentine\u00a0Creek Wildlife Refuge\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nThis largest\u00a0lifelong refuge (USDA licensed) for abused, abandoned and neglected big cats in\u00a0the world\u00a0is home to over 100 lions, tigers, cougars and leopards, and\u00a0other animals. Tanya Jackson Smith,\u00a0founder and president of the Refuge, whose\u00a0family sold everything they owned in order to buy the land\u00a0and set up\u00a0the Refuge, gave us a guided tour. Without the Refuge, 90% of the animals\u00a0would now be\u00a0dead. Perched on a hilltop with extensive acreage and great views,\u00a0their Zulu Safari Lodge comfortable\u00a0canvas structures with private baths,\u00a0individually decorated offers big cat lovers a place to stay in total\u00a0comfort\u00a0nearby the magnificant animals and contribute to the mission. Very well\u00a0designed.<\/p>\n

6 pm<\/strong>\u00a0dinner\u00a0Ermilio\u2019s\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nEureka\u00a0Springs\u2019 number one recommended restaurant for many years is located on the\u00a0Historic Trail in a\u00a0Victorian cottage surrounded with blooming\u00a0gardens. Excellent Italian food prepared using\u00a0grandmother\u2019s recipes:\u00a0quick, attentive service. Casual, comfortable, nice experience. Order Tiramisu\u00a0for dessert if calories are not important. Delicious!<\/p>\n

8 pm\u00a0Pine\u00a0Mountain Music and Comedy Theater\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nFor some local\u00a0regional entertainment, we take in an evening of classic country music and\u00a0comedy\u00a0theater. The 7 performers sing, play and comedy their hearts\u00a0out for over 2 hours (with an\u00a0intermission). We even get to talk with the\u00a0performers at intermission and after the show. The show has\u00a0been playing\u00a0in various incarnations for over 36 years and has the distinction of being\u00a0\u201cArkansas\u2019 first\u00a0and most attended family show\u201d. We come away smiling\u00a0and fully popcorned. Very Ozarkian and worth\u00a0experiencing.<\/p>\n

stay\u00a01886\u00a0Crescent Hotel & Spa<\/strong>\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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day 3\u00a0photos<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

breakfast\u00a01886 Crescent Hotel & Spa\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

10 am\u00a0Fire Om Earth Studio<\/strong>\u00a0go
\nThe full name of this collaborative creativity studio is Fire Om Earth Retreat Center & Working Studio of Artists Lorna & Craig Trigg\u00a0Hirsch. These folks do it all: hand crafted musical instruments (drums. flutes, ocarinas), ongoing classes in Yoga, Tai Chi and Belly\u00a0Dance plus creative workshops, house concerts, and private and group retreats, massage, Sweat Lodge, Watercolor class, custom\u00a0retreat Classes & Workshops. We come by to view true artists\/entrepreneurs in action.<\/p>\n

noon<\/strong>\u00a0lunch\u00a0Mud Street Caf\u00e9\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nFrom Main Street you go down a number of stairs to enter (apparently the bulding was street level at one time but they later raised\u00a0the road). They\u2019ve won a number of food awards through the years, including: Best Breakfast, Best Coffee, Best Dessert and Best\u00a0Family Restaurant. A \u201cmust\u201d for breakfast or lunch \u2014 see for yourself.<\/p>\n

2 pm<\/strong>\u00a0narrated\u00a0Tram Tour\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong>
\nVery nice 50-minute narrated tours start at and return to the Eureka Springs Transit Center, just off Main Street. Great way to get a\u00a0sense of the town. Our narrator is an ex-dam (not damn) superintendent, educational and witty. Recommend starting with this,\u00a0rather than doing it at the tail-end as we did.<\/p>\n

4 pm<\/strong>\u00a0depart\u00a0Eureka Springs for Branson<\/strong>
\ndrive to Branson\u00a0for Silver Dollar City 50th Anniversary Celebration\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Thanks to all who helped create this fine experience<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eureka Springs<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/span>CAPC<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0(City Advertising and Promotion Commission)\u00a0go<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Ken Rundel\u00a0<\/strong>Eureka Springs CAPC Publicist
\norganized the visit and acted as guide\/facilitator<\/p>\n

Fun of Travel<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Joseph Cillo<\/strong>\u00a0Publisher & Editor in Chief
\ndesign and text
\n\"\"<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Mary Buttaro<\/strong>\u00a0Creative & Photo Editor
\nphotographs and narrative
\nwho together created this story and photo journal<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 Fun of Travel<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Step back in time Tucked into the heart of the Ozarks (northwest corner of Arkansas), about an hour (50 miles down country roads through a couple of hollows) from the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[838],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-107274","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-joseph-cillo"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"