Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Created | Updated Jan 5, 2013
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Most likely the first thing you will truly notice about Eureka Springs is that the atmosphere prefers not to entangle itself with what is known as "everywhere else", which is incredibly refreshing. It's probably the only city in the States where a stairway is just as likely to carry you into a brick wall or a sudden drop as it is to a door. Occasionally both or all three. It is rumored to be the location of De Soto's sought-after fountain of youth (along with 25% of the rest of South-eastern United States). There are those who bring children, but as the general mood there is one of peace and quiet, no one is sure why they do, except the people who bring them -- and no one asks them.
Eureka-ans are extremely friendly and welcome visitors from a wide range of backgrounds (even if with light pockets). As for the locals, there appears to be a surreal coexistence of devout, somewhat conservative protestants alongside a vibrant gay community. Besides the cost of staying there (~$100-$140/night), which is a must in order to appreciate its ambiance, it is possible to give in to some of the quaint lure and still get out of the place without emptying your account. At the same time, the set of curious shops intermingling Christian bookstores with witchcraft shoppes along with the array of art could conceivably bankrupt Bill Gates. As for shopping, the authentic spots aren't difficult to pinpoint individually, but for the oblivious if you obey the general principle of avoiding shops that sell purses, you should be okay.
Although the Bed and Breakfasts there are slightly pricey, the aren't that much more than the hotels, and are far more worth it. For romantic purposes, The Heartstone Inn is fabulous and has an adorable couple running it that are straight out of the heart-warming romance flick, Wall Street in Mayberry, which isn't a real movie, but would be if Rob Reiner had stayed there.
Try to aim for a weekend with an event, as they are frequent. The Volkswagen parade is splendid as long as you're not planning on trying to get from one part of the town to another in any timely fashion. Of course you could always walk, but you will be faced with beautiful contours of land that have the topography of a shark's mouth. By a stroke of the author's luck, Ani Difranco stopped in for a concert there. You never know.
Ghost tours
The Crescent Hotel is a somewhat famously haunted hotel which is pretty expensive to stay in (~$2oo/night), but free to walk around in, and for about 15 bucks you can tour it with your friendly neighborhood ghostbuster. This is, for those of belief, entertaining. For skeptics, the history alone is well worth the tour. Either way you will likely not look at maintenance closets the same ever again.
Quigley's "Castle"
If you have ever seen a castle of any sort, whatsoever, you have not seen anything...er, precisely like Quigley Castle. Do NOT expect majestic, but like many other things in Eureka Springs, the insanity of it is worth the visit.
The Great Passion Play
wasn't bad. You get to stare at a 50-ft Jesus for a while.
Turpentine Creek
If you cry easily skip this section. Turpentine Creek is a wildlife refuge run by some fantastic folks who rescue large cats from dire circumstances and attempt to build them habitats to make life livable for them. It's cheaper than a movie and will get you pretty close to some beautiful creatures. By the way, a Liger is a real animal. Hm. Go figure.
For eats
It's hard to go wrong, as food is one of the main attractions of the place, and if you have a bit of extra dough, Rogue Manor doesn't know how to serve anything mediocre, and Ermelio's has the best Med-rare steak this author has ever tasted.
Summary
Eureka Springs has been said by many to have a bubble of good energy around it, and always seems to have a few more things to do. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive vacation and can manage to ride up and around the hills to this getaway site, you will recharge and come back into reality with a bit more youth. Just ask De Soto.
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Most likely the first thing you will truly notice about Eureka Springs is that the atmosphere prefers not to entangle itself with what is known as "everywhere else", which is incredibly refreshing. It's probably the only city in the States where a stairway is just as likely to carry you into a brick wall or a sudden drop as it is to a door. Occasionally both or all three. It is rumored to be the location of De Soto's sought-after fountain of youth (along with 25% of the rest of South-eastern United States). There are those who bring children, but as the general mood there is one of peace and quiet, no one is sure why they do, except the people who bring them -- and no one asks them.
Eureka-ans are extremely friendly and welcome visitors from a wide range of backgrounds (even if with light pockets). As for the locals, there appears to be a surreal coexistence of devout, somewhat conservative protestants alongside a vibrant gay community. Besides the cost of staying there (~$100-$140/night), which is a must in order to appreciate its ambiance, it is possible to give in to some of the quaint lure and still get out of the place without emptying your account. At the same time, the set of curious shops intermingling Christian bookstores with witchcraft shoppes along with the array of art could conceivably bankrupt Bill Gates. As for shopping, the authentic spots aren't difficult to pinpoint individually, but for the oblivious if you obey the general principle of avoiding shops that sell purses, you should be okay.
Although the Bed and Breakfasts there are slightly pricey, the aren't that much more than the hotels, and are far more worth it. For romantic purposes, The Heartstone Inn is fabulous and has an adorable couple running it that are straight out of the heart-warming romance flick, Wall Street in Mayberry, which isn't a real movie, but would be if Rob Reiner had stayed there.
Try to aim for a weekend with an event, as they are frequent. The Volkswagen parade is splendid as long as you're not planning on trying to get from one part of the town to another in any timely fashion. Of course you could always walk, but you will be faced with beautiful contours of land that have the topography of a shark's mouth. By a stroke of the author's luck, Ani Difranco stopped in for a concert there. You never know.
Ghost tours
The Crescent Hotel is a somewhat famously haunted hotel which is pretty expensive to stay in (~$2oo/night), but free to walk around in, and for about 15 bucks you can tour it with your friendly neighborhood ghostbuster. This is, for those of belief, entertaining. For skeptics, the history alone is well worth the tour. Either way you will likely not look at maintenance closets the same ever again.
Quigley's "Castle"
If you have ever seen a castle of any sort, whatsoever, you have not seen anything...er, precisely like Quigley Castle. Do NOT expect majestic, but like many other things in Eureka Springs, the insanity of it is worth the visit.
The Great Passion Play
wasn't bad. You get to stare at a 50-ft Jesus for a while.
Turpentine Creek
If you cry easily skip this section. Turpentine Creek is a wildlife refuge run by some fantastic folks who rescue large cats from dire circumstances and attempt to build them habitats to make life livable for them. It's cheaper than a movie and will get you pretty close to some beautiful creatures. By the way, a Liger is a real animal. Hm. Go figure.
For eats
It's hard to go wrong, as food is one of the main attractions of the place, and if you have a bit of extra dough, Rogue Manor doesn't know how to serve anything mediocre, and Ermelio's has the best Med-rare steak this author has ever tasted.
Summary
Eureka Springs has been said by many to have a bubble of good energy around it, and always seems to have a few more things to do. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive vacation and can manage to ride up and around the hills to this getaway site, you will recharge and come back into reality with a bit more youth. Just ask De Soto.
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