The 10 best sharable photo ops around Eureka Springs are at your fingertips when you read on. Eureka Springs is a beautiful, charming community nestled in the heart of Arkansas known as “Little Switzerland.” Surrounded by gorgeous natural landscapes, winding roads, and the stunning Ozark Mountains, it’s no wonder it’s a popular tourist destination. Whether visiting with your family, friends, or solo, you’ll want to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings and document your trip with outstanding photos. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the ten best sharable photo ops around Eureka Springs to help you get the perfect shot!
#1 The Crescent Hotel
The Crescent Hotel is an iconic and historic landmark in Eureka Springs. This beautiful hotel offers stunning views of the Ozarks and is the perfect spot for taking panoramic photos. Take their ghost tour and grab a photo or two of some of the haunted points. If you want great scenery from the fourth-floor balcony while enjoying Gourmet Pizza or Crescent Calzone, then check out Skybar Pizza. Order your favorite pie and an ice-cold drink and snap off a sharable photo with Christ of the Ozarks in the background. You’ll also want to check out the beautiful gardens surrounding the hotel.
#2 Thorncrown Chapel
Thorncrown Chapel is a stunning architectural feat designed by the renowned architect E. Fay Jones. This beautiful chapel offers a serene and peaceful setting that’s perfect for your sharable photo op. You’ll want to capture the beautiful architecture, inside and out; furthermore, you’ll want outdoor photos to include the surrounding natural beauty of this tranquil space. It’s easy to see why couples seeking the perfect place to say their nuptials choose this magical glass chapel. Click here for information about Thorncrown Chapel’s weddings.
#3 The Pivot Rock
This amazing natural rock formation is another fun attraction for a photo opportunity when in Eureka Springs. You can pose with this interesting rock formation and shoot stunning photos of the surrounding area. This is the perfect spot for both landscape and portrait shots. Be sure your phone or camera is charged and ready to go!
#4 Beaver Lake Dam
The Beaver Lake Dam is located just a short drive from Eureka Springs and provides stunning views of the Beaver Lake surrounding area. Beaver Lake is a man-made reservoir situated in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas and attracts visitors far and wide. A dam on the White River is responsible for this lake and approximating 487 miles of shoreline. The shoreline of Beaver Lake is exquisitely chiseled into a jigsaw puzzle appearance, with shores showcasing limestone bluffs, caves, and heavy vegetation. Beaver Lake is popular for water sports, fishing, and limitless recreation. The picturesque beauty of Beaver Lake and the Dam provides the perfect venue for perfect sharable selfies.
You will find several outfitters and shops to assist you with equipment, gear, and services needed to head to the lake. A few include Kings River Outfitters, Float Eureka, Riverside Canoe Rentals, Holiday Island Marina, Trigger Gap Outfitters, and Beaver Dam Store.
#5 Blue Spring Heritage Center
Blue Spring captures the overall history of the Ozarks, from the American Indian travels and early settlers to prehistoric civilizations. There is evidence of a Mill and a community centered on the water. With exquisite arrays of plants and flowers, this site has been a tourist attraction since 1948. In 1993 33 acres transformed the space known as Eureka Springs Gardens transformed. Ultimately, in 2003, the Gardens transformed into what we know today as the Blue Spring Heritage Center. Artifacts, photos, and films speak to the significance of the Blue Spring site, and the walkways through the natural world await visitors. You will find a mile of trails of amazing blooms of crops, plants, flowers and healing herbs. Position yourself along the calming water and flowers for the best photo op ever!
#6 Beaver Bridge
Nestled in the mountains of Carroll County, just to the northeast of Eureka Springs, you’ll find the Beaver Bridge, known as the “Golden Gate of the Ozarks.” This bridge is a unique example of a one-lane suspension bridge built in Arkansas in 1943. Beaver Bridge is a historic swinging bridge that crosses the White River and is the last one in Arkansas open to vehicular traffic. In 2005 the movie, “Elizabethtown,” featured the famous Beaver Bridge.
Beaver Bridge is one of the most visited landmarks in the area. Don’t miss this historic landmark, on your quest to finding great sharable photo ops.
#7 The Great Passion Play & Christ of The Ozarks
The Great Passion Play is an outdoor theater that offers a stunning and awe-inspiring performance depicting the last days of Jesus Christ. You’ll want to snap some pictures of the beautiful sets and costumes.
The Christ of The Ozarks is a beautiful statue located on top of Magnetic Mountain. This is the perfect spot for taking panoramic photos of the surrounding area, in addition to fabulous selfies. Christ of the Ozarks is one of the most photographed statues in the United States. While you visit this magnificent area, consider purchasing tickets for The Great Passion Play. In fact, you have the opportunity to explore the entire grounds, gift shop, Holy Land, and even dinner.
#8 Crescent Fresh Springs
Crescent Spring Park, on Spring Street near the Carnegie Library, has a beautiful Victorian-like gazebo and characteristic rock walls. The healing waters of the Crescent Spring are almost as well known as the Basin Spring. Indian Healing Spring, located on a hillside with a rock outcropping with a “Crescent“ shape, soon became known as Crescent Spring. The Crescent Hotel is named after the Fresh Spring, an impressive limestone structure constructed at the summit in 1886. Twelve stairs of limestone lead to public access ten feet wide, extending to Park Avenue on the hillside above. A sketch artist published a drawing of the Crescent Spring in 1881 that shows a small wood shed built to shade the spring and protect the healing waters. In 1886, a wood gazebo with a copper roof replaced the old wood shed. Eventually, wooden benches, a boardwalk, and gas street lamps created a beautiful thoroughfare.
#9 Flatiron Building
Right where Spring and Center streets split and form a “V” sits Eureka Springs’ very own flatiron building, one of the most photographed structures in Arkansas. That’s because Flatiron Flats, as it’s more formally known, is simply stunning to behold. This ornate building blends brick and concrete, with tall windows in the narrow front and wrought-iron balconies on both sides. Moreover, Flatiron Flats is home to four luxury suites, with boutique shops on the bottom floor. This stunning building, presented in a position where Spring Street slopes upward while Center Street slopes downward, makes for some very intriguing photo angles. The original 1880 building, destroyed by fire in 1890, was rebuilt only to be destroyed by fire again. The current building as it stands today, built in 1987, is constructed entirely of concrete and houses several specialty vendors.
#10 Tall Pines Inn
Ever imagine yourself in front of an authentic historic log cabin on the Registry of Historic Places? Visit Tall Pines Inn. The Tall Pines Inn has been in operation as an Inn since 1947. This historic Inn is registered on the National Register of Historic Places and operating in business continuously under the name of Tall Pines. World War II saw travelers looking for the simple lifestyle of small towns. Better transportation and improvement of the roads made it easier for travelers to visit these small towns. Travelers interested in American nostalgia left the cities and traveled to the interesting countryside communities. Eureka Springs was one of these communities that benefited from these curious travelers looking for and enjoying the nostalgia of these towns. The travel into Eureka Springs continues today and is present into the twenty-first century.
Philip and Alice Nordquist, Edna Deiley (daughter), and Donna Ann (granddaughter) moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Eureka Springs to build Tall Pines in 1947. The main log home, built as the central home, had six rental cabins in a quarter-circle facing the owners’ residence. The cabins and home were constructed of round pine logs with saddle-notched corners, chinked with concrete, and built on concrete foundations. Outside lights of glass behind metal cut-out evergreens were hung on each building and are still in use today.
In conclusion, this list of the ten best sharable photo ops around Eureka Springs will help you capture some amazing memories of your trip. Remember that Eureka Springs is a beautiful and unique town, so keep your eyes open for unexpected photo opportunities. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just want to document your trip, Eureka Springs has something to offer everyone.