Eureka Springs

It's not easy driving through Arkansas...

At least, it's not easy for someone who only drives once or twice a year and almost exclusively on the straight and wide highways across the plains of Texas.

I found the insanely narrow and winding roads through the Ozarks to be incredibly stressful!

But I cannot deny how incredible the views were.

We arrived in Eureka Springs in the far northwestern tip of Arkansas in the evening. After a hearty and unhealthy dinner at the Horseshoe Grill, my wife and I had an early night. I was exhausted from driving all day, and wanted to have lots of energy for our adventures the following morning.

The morning dawned bright, crisp, and cold, with temperatures below freezing. Although it was already warming up down south in Texas, it still felt like winter in northern Arkansas. We started the morning with some hot coffee, then bundled up and headed downtown to start our day of exploration. 

It's difficult to park in downtown Eureka Springs, a cramped little village built more or less directly on the sides of the steep hills of northern Arkansas. We decided to buy a one-day ticket for the town trolley and started out with a full loop on one of the lines through town.

The trolley cars themselves are designed to resemble the vintage streetcars from the early 20th century, adding a nostalgic touch to the experience. They are used by both tourists and locals to get around the little town, and we had a ton of fun looking out the window to get a good feel of Eureka Springs as we took the 25-ish minute loop around town.

We caught the very first trolley of the day and had to run to jump on just as it was pulling out of the main park and ride station! We settled down on the surprisingly comfortable wooden seats and started off on our journey.

The loop took us all the way to the historic (and famously extremely haunted) Crescent Hotel, one of the most famous landmarks in all of Arkansas.

On the way back, we asked the drive to drop us off downtown. He suggested taking us up to the very top of the hill on which downtown is built so that we could walk more easily through the town back down to the main road at the bottom.

Eureka Springs has an incredibly charming downtown, built in a distinct Victorian style along the steep, narrow, and winding streets. 

The downtown district features an array of well-preserved late 19th and early 20th-century buildings, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As you stroll through the streets, you'll encounter quaint shops, art galleries, boutiques, and cafes that cater to a variety of interests.

By the time we had window-shopped our way through downtown, we both agreed that it was time for breakfast.

And not just any breakfast, but a good, old-fashioned American breakfast!

We stepped into a small diner called the Main Street Cafe for one of the best full breakfasts I've ever had.

 

I love Thai food, and I'm very happy to eat it for nearly every meal of the day, but I have to admit that I miss American breakfast. There's just nothing that can replace it.

After breakfast, we took a drive to Razorback Tower, another one of the town's iconic landmarks. This roadside attraction and giftshop situated on the historic Pig Trail Scenic Byway. The Razorback Gift Shop is known for its extensive collection of Arkansas Razorbacks merchandise as well as handmade crafts, locally made products, and other Arkansas-themed items. 

It's also home to an old fire watch tower which visitors can climb for an incredible panoramic view of the surrounding Ozarks.

We were surprised and delighted to see Japanese Sakura trees blooming at Razorback Tower! I guess it's the right time of year, and it was certainly cool enough, but I never would have thought of cherry blossoms growing in Arkansas. It was really beautiful.

What a cool, historic, cultural, and beautiful town!