A New Trip For a New Age – An Adventure to Arkansas

I knew I wanted to travel last year for my birthday in March. My whole life I’ve had a dream to visit New York City, and so I had been doing my research in hopes to make that trip happen.

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Obviously as you can tell from the title of this post, I did not go to NYC. As a younger woman still just getting started with solo travel, I psyched myself out of the idea of making the trip by myself, at least that time. It’s still in the works to make it there sooner rather than later though.

And everything still worked out as it were meant to, as I had soon after made plans to visit Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a few days during my birthday week. I was excited to have the trip to look forward to in order to celebrate my new age in a new place, since I hadn’t traveled elsewhere much before, especially not solo and for my birthday.

Throughout The Years

In my previous years, I haven’t frequently celebrated my birthday in any extravagant way. For my 21st birthday the year prior, I went to the DMV to get my new license photo taken, visited the liquor store as a fresh 21 year old would, and treated myself to a nice dinner.

For my birthday growing up and for each of my siblings, my family has typically made our favorite meal, and baked our favorite flavor of cake. This was a fun little celebration that we did for each other and I love looking back on many of those moments.

There have been a few unfortunate birthdays of mine though. I can recall my 16th birthday when there was a tornado coming through my hometown, typical Kansas, and so my family and I had to take shelter in the basement that evening. Then, on March 7th 2020 the day after my birthday, life as we knew it shut down due to Covid. That has since been my most unfortunately memorable birthday.

I remember fully going through the stages of grief when I found out that I wouldn’t be able to swim my last season in high school, or experience anything that a normal graduating senior would. Of course there’s nothing we could do to change this fact or control the inevitable, other than stay home as often as possible and wear masks when we did leave the house. I fell into a deep depression during this time, and didn’t know if I would be able to go to college, see my friends again, or do anything that a normal senior in high school would have done.

But eventually, I did still get the chance to receive my diploma and graduate in August of 2020, 6 feet apart from everyone while we all wore masks. And I did still leave the state for college to go to Illinois for a few years. More on all of that another time, but needless to say, my birthdays have tended to be memorable in one way or another.

My Inspiration

Now as I’m older and have more freedom to do as I wish without a pandemic or school stopping me, I’m leaning into traveling as much as I can, and I intend to make birthday trips a reoccurring adventure to look forward to.

Planning a trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas was definitely a bit spontaneous of me. But since I wouldn’t be visiting NYC and was just beginning my solo traveling journey, I thought starting off with a smaller trip would be the best way to go.

And so I began to do my research on towns near me that I could take a road trip to for a few days the week of my birthday. I had never been to Arkansas before and I had a few friends that had already visited Eureka Springs, so after hearing about the town and discovering what I could do while there, I decided that I wanted to make the trip.

Eureka Springs is a small city located in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. I made the doable 4 hour drive into town from Kansas City and admired the view on my way in, since the town is basically located in the mountainside.

The Town’s History

The town is commonly known as a Southern hippie town, which I definitely picked up on and felt the inclusive nature of. From the famous painted rainbow stairs, to the quaint but lively shops and the abundance of parks and springs all around, I felt that this was the perfect getaway.

The town was founded in 1879 around a group of mineral springs that were believed to have healing properties. They became well-known, attracting thousands of visitors, and rapidly growing the town’s population.

However, unfortunately it’s popularity was short lived, since in the early 20th century the population declined, due to economic decline and racial segregation. And so with little new development taking place afterwards, the town’s Victorian architecture remained relatively untouched.

Another aspect of the town’s history that still remains are the underground tunnels, which I had the chance to explore many of on an Underground Tour. The town was built on stilts over the original tunnel system which was used to treat patients throughout the Civil War and store ice.

Now, through some sidewalks on Main Street in downtown Eureka Springs you can see the lights and underground architecture of the city, some of which I visited on my tour in the basements of restaurants, hotels and a few secret passageways that are now closed off.

Things To Do

During my few days in Eureka Springs, I booked a room in the New Orleans Hotel located right on Spring Street in downtown. This was the perfect accommodation for my trip, located within short walking distance to shops, springs, and with beautiful views of the town all around. I took advantage of the many amenities of the hotel including a comfy lobby space on each floor, a pool room and a shared terrace space outside facing Spring Street.

Food & Drink

The hotel also included a bar and underground restaurant space, which I frequented while in town. Of course there were many more bars and restaurants around which I made sure to visit, including Rowdy Beaver Den which I stopped by on my first night for dinner and drinks. Missy’s White Rabbit Lounge is another popular bar in town, which I briefly visited for a drink the night of my birthday in order to listen to some live music and get the full town experience.

I can’t forget to mention the many cafes all around as well. I often started my day off with a chai tea and pastry from a local shop, whether at Eureka Springs Daily Roast, Chelsea’s Corner Cafe, or Mud Street Cafe and it’s ‘little sister’ – The Annex.

Sights To See

I visited the town in early Spring, so it was a bit chilly and rainy for the few days that I was there. However, this didn’t stop me from walking or driving around town to explore what Eureka Springs has to offer!

The town is surrounded by two rivers and three lakes, which provides visitors all of the adventure they could imagine. There are several beautiful parks and trails, including Lake Leatherwood City Park, a 1,610 acre park with over 25 miles of trails with varying terrains.

As I mentioned earlier, there are several springs all around that are typically found connected to older, Victorian buildings and history. Of the 60 some springs in the city, Basin Spring is the most popular at the center of Eureka Springs in the park. My underground tour began at the top of the park where steps lead up to right besides the Basin Park Hotel.

Crescent Spring is another located on the grounds of the Crescent Hotel, right outside of downtown and named after a nearby crescent-shaped rock outcropping. Nearby is also the Eureka Springs Carnegie Public Library, which I briefly visited and explored in the surrounding areas and shops just north of Spring Street.

Located on Magnetic Drive are a few must visit attractions, including Magnetic Spring. When going further down this path, you are led to the famous Christ of the Ozarks and the Great Passion Play, a landmark 67-foot statue of Christ standing atop the mountain overlooking the town, and where a production of Jesus’ days are performed in a grand amphitheater setting.

On the grounds of the Great Passion Play near the Christ of the Ozarks also stands a 10 foot piece of history being a section of the Berlin Wall, serving as a symbol for freedom from tyranny.

Right when exiting Magnetic Drive is another piece of history known as Eureka Springs Music Park. This park is a blend of music, art and nature with sound sculptures that act as an interactive sound experience.

An additional spring that I didn’t get the chance to visit due to arriving after hours is known as Blue Spring Heritage Center, the largest spring in northwest Arkansas that flows 38 million gallons of water every day.

When driving into town, I had to make a pit stop to one of Eureka Springs main attractions: Thorncrown Chapel, known as ‘one of the finest religious spaces of modern times’ and made with all organic materials. It can be found in a wooded hillside on the west side of town, and stands 48 feet tall with over 6,000 square feet of glass and 425 windows, topped with a skylight which filters the woodland light and lets the outside in.

Many visitors, religious or not, have visited the chapel and agree that there is a sense of peace and calm that comes from just stepping inside, which I can attest to. And, over 250 wedding ceremonies are held in the chapel each year!

Shops & Galleries

Of course there are several shops in the town of Eureka Springs that you can spend all day exploring as well, which I did for many hours. Although there are no big-box stores or malls in town, there is still plenty of shopping to be done. There is an array of several unique shops that line the historic districts streets, many located in the Victorian buildings that define the town’s architecture.

There are entire stores dedicated to niche items like kites and kaleidoscopes, herbs, olive oils, furniture, a variety of fashion and jewelry shops and even art galleries.

I also visited the Soap Stop & Body Shop, which offers high quality and hand-crafted bath and body products. Granny’s Place was a must visit, full of eclectic gifts, clothing and art, as well as renaissance and fantasy creations such as fountains, knives, and fairy figures. The Town Shop was one of many cute and quaint antique stores, run by the owner and his wife local to Eureka Springs and offering their own handmade items and more.

The Eureka Market and Eureka’s Nut House are two of many other family owned businesses in the heart of historic downtown that offer homemade goods and snacks for everyone.

I can’t forget to mention the several crystal shops that can be found, including Crescent Moon Beads which I made a few visits to while shopping for family gifts and for my own crystal collection, and which even includes supplies to create your own designs.

Oracle and Sage is another specialty retail boutique I made a visit to, where spiritual gifts, supplies, and psychic and aura readings are held! Since I visited on the day of my birthday and had always wanted an aura reading, I splurged on the opportunity and was amazed at the accuracy and information I received. If you’re curious, I have a green and yellow aura, one of many meanings being that I am a ‘natural healer’, and have an optimistic and light energy.

On my birthday, I also impulsively stopped by one of many long-standing tattoo parlors in downtown, known as Abyss Tattoo. I hadn’t planned to get one, but after looking at the flash tattoo available, all of which portrayed the town’s magical and artsy vibe, I decided to go for it. And so on my arm I left with a beautiful lamp post surrounded by a flower, which signified to me the light that shines and directs me on my path, specifically throughout my solo traveling journey.

While leaving town, I lastly had to stop at the Razorback Gift Shop & observation tower, where you can see a panoramic view of the Ozark Mountains and shop a vast array of jewelry, home and garden decor.

Now Go Visit!

Needless to say, the town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas has something to offer everyone. The historic downtown, arts vibe, and unique surroundings make for a destination unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

The inclusive and peaceful atmosphere with the small-town feeling made this the perfect location for my birthday getaway. Throughout just my few days while I was in town, I still found myself having had the perfect place and time to relax and explore.

So if you’re planning a solo trip and just aren’t ready to visit the Big Apple like me, or looking for a location for your next family vacation or romantic getaway, Eureka Springs is sure to offer you something new to discover in this quirky town of Arkansas!

1. 

   This is so powerful! A powerful boost of encouragement for new travelers, and a powerful reminder of how far we’ve…

2. 

   Such an inspirational post! I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without solo travelling when I was younger. I…

3. 

   Exactly! It was a walking, informational tour held both underground and on the streets where I learned more about the…

4. 

   These postcard cabins sound like a wonderful concept and great way to escape the city for a weekend getaway.

5. 

   Postcard Cabins sounds like my type of weekend getaway. I would definitely take advantage of that lock box though!