Eureka Springs Activities

Eureka Springs not only boasts natural beauty but also features outstanding restaurants with a variety of cuisines - from down-home to gourmet - a vibrant art scene with over 30 galleries, plenty of interesting visitor attractions, great shopping, and a myriad of outdoor pursuits for the active traveler.

Here are a few of our favorite ideas of what to do in the Ozarks during your stay in our Eureka Springs cabins:

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Turpentine Creek is the largest Big Cat Refuge in the world with over 120 rescued tigers, lions, leopards, and cougars. This non-profit organization is dedicated to providing lifetime sanctuary for abandoned, abused, and neglected wild animals.

Only in Eureka Springs, Arkansas can you see America's #1 Attended Outdoor Drama - The Great Passion Play. From May through October, hundreds of actors and live animals bring to life the story of Christ's last days on earth. Located on the grounds is the Christ of the Ozarks, a statue depicting Jesus with arms outstretched that stands seven stories tall.

Find peace and tranquility at Thorncrown Chapel. This chapel in the woods is 48 feet tall with 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. The American Institute of Architecture chose it as one of the top designs of the 20th century. Available for daily visitation, weddings, and Sunday services.

Keel's Creek Winery offers tours of its wine-making facilities, wine tasting, and an art gallery.

Tour the legendary 1886 Crescent Hotel, learn about its history, and perhaps catch a glimpse of its ghosts... Bring your curiosity, intuitive sense, and camera.

Quigley's Castle claims to be the Ozarks strangest dwelling and has 400 varieties of flowers.

Blue Spring Heritage Center features a trout filled sparkling blue lagoon with a daily flow of 38 million gallons of cold, clear water. Visit the historic bluff shelter and the many native gardens.

Beaver Town Bridge is a single-lane swinging bridge over the White River. This "Golden Gate of the Ozarks" is the last one in Arkansas open to vehicular traffic.

Step back in time with a visit to War Eagle Mill, an authentic, working undershot water-powered grist mill. And you can purchase organic stone buhr ground products while watching the mill in action.

PEOPLE MOVERS

Bring a little nostalgia back into your lives, along with a lot of convenience: Ride a Trolley. It's easy and inexpensive. You can catch a trolley at the Tall Pines and visit over 100 stops around town.

Or Ride the Rails...on the ES & NA Railway. Experience turn-of the-century era locomotive transportation including the option for lunch or dinner in the dining car.

One of the best ways to enjoy the scenery of The Ozarks is via horseback. Dinner Bell Ranch offers horseback rides that are suitable for all ages and skill levels, plus breakfast, lunch, and dinner rides.

And one of the most romantic ways to experience Historic Downtown Eureka Springs is in an old-fashioned, horse-drawn carriage.

WATER WAYS

Eureka Springs is surrounded by water. Within 5 minutes of the Tall Pines, you'll find Lake Leatherwood City Park and Black Bass Lake, both with miles of nature trails for hiking and mountain biking. Drive 15 minutes in either direction along Hwy. 62 for canoeing and kayaking on the Kings or White rivers. The White also features premier trout fishing.

Beaver Lake and Table Rock, both within a half hour of the Tall Pines, provide the perfect setting for fishing or boating with over 500 miles of shore line, secluded coves, and full service marinas. Rent a pontoon boat for the day and stop whenever you like to swim or fish in the clear waters of Beaver Lake. C & J Sports, located near the Beaver Dam, offers Scuba Diving and archery. Or if you're looking for a more leisurely activity, cruise Beaver Lake on the Belle of the Ozarks.

Holiday Island Marina on Table Rock Lake offers water sport rentals to include but not limited to pontoon boats, power boats, jet skis, water skis, fishing equipment and more. Also within 30 minutes is Roaring River State Park with 10 miles of trails on 4000 acres. Walk around the free outdoor trout hatchery and see fish of every size and color. There are great fishing spots along the bank.

MUSICAL NOTES

On any given weekend, there will be free entertainment downtown in Basin Spring Park, and live music spilling out from cafes and clubs. In between the annual, popular music festivals (folk, blues, bluegrass, gospel...), the 81 year-old auditorium, affectionately known as The Aud, hosts a variety of big-name touring acts as well as talented locals.

A lot of that local talent is showcased in two nightly music theatres: the Pine Mountain Jamboree and Ozark Mountain Hoe-down. Each show features Country, Bluegrass, and Gospel music plus comedy for the whole family.

Enjoy your music a little more high-brow? Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point enters its 59th summer season of outdoor entertainment with its renowned training program for aspiring young opera singers.

DOWN AND DIRTY

Enjoy the outdoors, indoors at one of the many caverns and caves that are just a 45-minute drive from Eureka Springs. Cosmic Cavern boasts two "bottomless" cave lakes and one of the longest soda straw formations in the Ozarks. War Eagle Cavern on the shores of Beaver Lake features a spectacular natural entrance and is home to over 75,000 bats.

Get a workout hiking and biking at Lake Leatherwood with approximately 15 miles of trails. You'll enjoy cool springs, historic stone walls and bridges, and unusual rock formations. And don't miss the city's newest trails at Black Bass Lake, the old city reservoir built in 1894, which features a cut limestone dam and is fed by several springs.

DREAM WEDDINGS	KID PLEASERS
Eureka Springs has over 40 unique places for you to give voice to your special love. One choice with beautiful views of Beaver Lake is Circle of Light. For other choices, from formal and traditional to small and unconventional, please visit Eureka Springs Weddings.	Drive through 4 miles of beautiful Ozark landscape and see over 500 animals- including antelope, deer, zebra, and lemurs- from the comfort of your car at Promised Land Animal Park. And feed animal babies at the Petting Zoo. Kids will also enjoy the world-class skateboard park and playground at Harmon Park.