Desperately Seeking Fun: Eureka! A Weekend in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Disclosure: Dining and activities were provided by Main Street Eureka Springs partners.  Text, photos, and opinions are my own and I have not been compensated in any other way for this post. 

For the last few years, Thom and I have been vacationing separately.  For one reason or another it’s just been smarter and more convenient for us to head to Michigan either alone or together but on separate sides of the state; with him visiting his kids over on the east side and myself in western Michigan.

We did that again this year for ten days and while the time away from our normal routines was nice, it was time for us to spend some quality time together away from home and free of everyday stresses.

It wasn’t hard to choose a destination that met both our requirements for a romantic weekend getaway; a one-tank trip; romantic, quiet setting but with plenty of sight-seeing opportunities; affordable lodging; historical significance (yep, I am the nerd who loves to learn-even on vacay); and in the Natural State as there is still SO much to explore here in our adopted home state.

Eureka!  Or, Eureka Springs to be more exact.

With our tank filled and a cooler stocked with ice cold water (it was HOT, y’all!), we headed up Highway 65 for a leisurely drive to Eureka.  It took just under three hours and the drive was absolutely beautiful.  We even had time to dip our toes into the Buffalo National River.

Our first stop was our lodging for the weekend.  We stayed at the Tall Pines Inn; adorable rustic cabins just a few minutes from the historical downtown district of Eureka Springs.  Robert met us at the front desk and was super friendly and so helpful; he mapped out downtown for us and recommended several establishments for dinner and even had menus for us.  It was like meeting up with an old friend.

A quick drive through downtown proved me right; Eureka Springs is adorable. I probably will overuse that word throughout this post but, really, it is-adorable.  Both Main and Spring Streets are lined with brick and limestone buildings (a building requirement after several fires wiped out the town).  The sidewalks were bustling with families weaving in and out of shops. The winding drive took us through beautiful neighborhoods (ok, my faulty navigational skills led us to many detours) and we were treated to blooming wildflower filled corners and lovely black & white road signs.

After a quick Thai dinner we headed out to see The Great Passion Play-a bucket list item for Thom.  We arrived early and were able to catch a free performance before heading to the main attraction. The outdoor theater was spectacular; the sets were Hollywood-movie set quality nestled into a hillside of which the actors regular ran up to for many scenes. The play began with the sound of a shofar and young shepherds herding sheep from one end of the set to the other.  Thom and I were disappointed to discover the pre-recorded voice track that was off-putting. The script was great and the actors had to learn the words anyway, why not just have live speech?

It was a family friendly venue, though, and watching the performance under the stars was thrilling, especially with a such a heavenly ending.

Our Saturday morning started with a Hell Raisers, Hoodlums, & A Heated History walking tour. We met our guide, Christie, at Basin Spring Park.  She took us into the Basin Park Hotel and the Elbow Room, a former illegal casino room that once held slot machines until it was raided by the Feds and shut down.  I loved that our guide was a life long resident of Eureka.

I spent Saturday afternoon wandering around downtown popping in and out of shops, speaking with shopkeepers, trying to stay cool, and eventually having lunch at the Mud Street Cafe and I enjoyed an afternoon pick-me-up Iced Caramel Macchiato at Eureka Daily Roast. I was so busy looking at the sweets that I missed the initial pour of caramel but I did catch the end; it wasn’t a syrup, you guys.  It was real, heated caramel.  Who does that nowadays?  Eureka Daily Roast does and it was THE best Iced Caramel Macchiato I’ve ever had.  Will definitely be back next time I’m in Eureka. (Coffee gets me excited)

Eureka Springs doesn’t turn in when the sun goes down.  A broad offering of Nightlife in Downtown Eureka Springs assures a fun time for everyone. Thom and I were treated to dinner at the Balcony Bar & Restaurant.  We dined out on the balcony overlooking Spring Street as the tourist crowd began to thin out. Live music, a friendly waitstaff (Hi, Cindy!!), and an excellent meal made for a relaxing evening.  Contrary to my pic below (bad perspective) the fish-n-chips was plentiful and well done. Dessert was not only perfect, it was plentiful (Thanks, Cindy!  Her strawberry shortcakes are “made for two”). A gentle mist helped cool us down after a day of sunshine and heat.

After dinner, Thom and I made our way to the Intrigue Theater for a night of illusions with Sean-Paul and Julianne Faye the medium. This entertaining sold out show was a hit with the audience which was filled with people of all ages. There were laughs, raised eyebrows, and even visitors from “the other side.” It was good family fun.

Our night ended after a moonlit tour of downtown and it’s surrounding neighborhoods (read: my poor navigational skills-again).

Just when you’d think the fun is about to end-a glorious sunrise ushers in another beautiful day with more adventures awaiting.  After our Saturday adventures I put away the phone and iPad and just enjoyed the rest of our time in Eureka. We were able to tour Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and see the work they are doing to provide sanctuary to abandoned, abused, and neglected “big cats” and bears. There is much work to be done still, but they are moving in the right direction slowly but surely.

We ended our weekend getaway with visits to Beaver Lake and Lake Leatherwood before heading down Highway 7 and back to reality.  It was a wonderful weekend in Eureka.

Thank you to the Eureka Downtown Network and its Main Street partners for a terrific weekend of #EurkeaFun!

For more pics of our #EurekaSprings weekend and other pics of the beautiful Arkansas sites we enjoyed on our way to and fro, visit Desperately Seeking {Gina} on Facebook.