Eureka Springs Things to Do

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We decided to try something different. Visited Eureka Springs and North Arkansas Railway and booked a trip on the dinner train.

Dressed up and with dreams of experiencing the romance of train travel in the past, an antique looking 1920 train pulled up at the station and we were escorted to the elegant dining salon.

It was a very enjoyable experience with great food and lovely views from the windows whilst the train slowly rolled down the tracks.

Here's a sample of the dinner menu :

"Chicken Eurekan"
Baked Chicken Breast
~ $36.50 ~

"The Conductor"
Chef's Prime Rib
~ $36.50 ~

"The City of New Orleans"
Rainbow Trout Almondine
~ $36.50 ~

All entreés are accompanied by our Chef's Special soup & salad, rice pilaf, vegetables and Flaming Baked Alaska.

Wine & Champagne available.
Casual to semi-formal attire suggested.
Prices include train fare and meal. - Gratuities not included. Reservations Suggested.
Sorry - minimum of 5 years of age on dinner trains only.

I had the rainbow trout almondine which was very fresh and tasty. The dessert - flaming baked alaska was presented with flair and I wished they had given us more.

Details on the train ride :
- April through October
- Boarding 10 minutes before departure.
- Departs at 5:00 p.m.
- 4 1/2 mile round trip - approx. 1 1/2 hrs.

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The ES & NA is a restored railroad with many historical pieces of equipment in the railyard. It was the railroad used in the mini-series "The Blue and the Gray." There is a fun shop in the depot. You can either just ride as a passenger on a short trip or have dinner on a special excursion.

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The hotel sits at the highest point above the town and is worth rambling around inside and if I were planning to stay overnight in Eureka Springs I would certainly want to stay here! Be sure to appreciate the grounds and the facilities. You can park your car briefly on the grounds (longer if using the facilities). The associated Basin Park Hotel is nearby . It is where the original springs were (are).(12 Spring St).

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Please Click Picture to see Statue more clearly and be sure to look at second photo of statue up close

We first saw Christ of the Ozarks when we took the tram tour and were standing on the balcony of The Crescent Hotel and Spa. That makes one want to see it up close.

Our guide told us that it is one of the most visited attractions in the Ozarks. It's located on the grounds of The Great Passion Play complex, and it overlooks the village of Eureka Springs.

It really is massive [it stands 7-stories high!]. It was completed and dedicated in 1966. It was sculpted by the late Emmet Sullivan who was one of the artisans who sculpted Mount Rushmore.

We were told that there are no poured segments; every inch of the sculpture was built by hand. The foundation is welded into the rock of the mountain and required 340 tons of concrete interlaced with steel.

During construction, they had to completely surround it with scaffolding, and the workers built an elevator up the side of the framework so they could reach the higher segments.

The statue is made of 24 layers of white mortar on a steel frame; it weighs over two million pounds!

The statue's hands [from wrist to fingertip] measures approximately 7 feet, and the arm spread spans 65 feet

You'll be glad to hear that the Christ of the Ozarks is open to the public 24 hours each day of the year, and it is FREE.

Note that autos are limited to a parking area several yards from the grounds so you have to use a gently sloping paved walkway to get close to it.

As you can see from the 2nd photo, it is difficult to capture the entire statue up close unless you have a very complicated and expensive camera.

aIn 1978, a retired school teacher named Jim Reed asked architect E. Fay Jones to design a place of worship for people who came to Eureka Springs. Jones created a masterpiece, a 48-foot tall wooden and glass chapel with 425 windows. It's beauty takes your breath away.

Two years later, in 1980, the chapel was opened to the public, and since then, over 5 million people have visited this sanctuary in the woods. I'm pleased to know that it has won many architectual awards, and the American Institute of Architects placed the Thorncrown Chapel 4th on its list of the top buildings of the 20th Century!

In 1989, the Thorncrown Worship Center was opened. It was also designed by E. Fay Jones, and it stands as "a sister building to Thorncrown Chapel." It has a 50 foot window and seats over 300 people. That's why so many people use it for weddings.

It is really impressive at night when you see reflections of the crosses in the chapel lights surrounding the building.

It was hard for me to conceive that there are over 6,00 square feet of glass! How appropriate that it sits atop over 100 tons of native stone and colored flagstone. Although it appears so majestic, it is really a very simple design. Because it is located in a spot where you have a marvelous view of the lovely Ozark hills, you somehow [or at least I did] feel closer to God.

Thorncrown Chapel is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is FREE, but donations are accepted. There's plenty of parking. It's located on Highway 62 West, 3 miles outside of Eureka Springs.

I hope that if you decide to visit Thorncrown Chapel, you will be as inspired by its architecture, simplicity, and beauty as I was. I think you will also relish the added bonus of the natural beauty of the Ozark vista.

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One of the reasons that Eureka Springs became popular again is because it is home to The Great Passion Play. About 35 years ago, the play became a reality, and since that time, more than 7 million visitors have seen it. The literature says that "it was voted one of the top 100 events in North America"

It is good to know that the seats are comfortable because they have backrests; you are able to see no matter where you are because of the multi-level venue.

It's a cast of hundreds, including live animals.

The Great Passion Play Performance [includes Sacred Arts Center & Bible Museum] Cost:

12 and up: $23.25
6-12 10.00

New Holy Land Tour [includes Sacred Arts Center & Bible Museum]

12 and up: $15.00
6-12 5.50

Museum of Earth History

12 and up: $8.50
6-12 5.00

EXTRA VALUE PACKAGE [Best Price]
It includes Great Passion Play Seating, New Hold Land Tour, Museum of Earth History, Sacred Arts Center, Bible Museum, and DINNER

Adults: $49.00
Child: 23.00

Passion Play Performance at 8:30 or 7:30, depending on date

I'm sure that Allan and I are similar to others who enter Eureka Springs vial Highway 62 and see a Glorious Queen Anne and ask, "What is that beautiful piece of architecture?" Well, we discovered that it is The Queen Anne Mansion and Rose Garden which, fortunately, can be toured.

This tour is wonderful, especially for history and/or architecture buffs such as myself. When you enter this home, you enter a splendid Victorian era [1891]. Ironically, this home was not built here in Eureka Springs. Instead, it was built in Cathage, Missouri! Engineer Russell Clay and his crew did what most people thought to be impossible. They disassembled, moved, and rebuilt the mansion from Carthage to Eureka Springs! On the tour, we learned that it took 37 trips in a low boy truck and 3 loads in a covered van to get the house here! Afterward, each piece was numbered, charted, and then reassembled.

Now, this is a 3-story mansion that covers 12,000 square feet. It is built of Carthage Marble, wood, and Warrensburg sandstone. The interior is a sight to behold. Its woodwork includes 7 fireplace mantles and 5 pocket doors that were hand carved by Italian and German woodcarvers. [Oak and Cherry]

Since I love gardens so much, I was also impressed with the rose garden. By the way, there were still roses in October.

We were told, and I could visualize, that many people decide to hold their weddings and/or wedding receptions here. What a perfect location.

The Trolley stops here as it is a designated TROLLEY STOP

Allan and I were much "smarter" this time when we visited Eureka Springs. Our first visit [after parking our car] was a visit to the main trolley stop in the center of the village. Here, we gathered information, bought tickets for an open-air tram narrated tour of the Historic District, got our complimentary 2005 Transit Map, and a complimentary transit pass to take us to the tram.

Starting this year, there are 3 means of transportation: the vintage-looking trolleys, the open-air trams [for narrated tours], and the gold "Village Shuttle" fleet for the narrow, twisting streets..

It is imperative to know that Drivers pick up and drop off from the right side of the road only.
Every transit vehicle has a color-coded pennant flying from the front bumper and near the front door to designate the route being served.

Passes are sold at the Downtown Depot, the Transit Office, at least 60 businesses in town, and with exact change only, from the drivers.

Drivers have the "right to refuse transport to a passenger under the influence of alcohol, illegal or dangerous substances or whose behavior or language appears abusive or offensive."

Smoking, eating, & drinking is prohibited on vehicles; no talking to driver as he drives; cannot play an audio devise unless using headset.

There are five different color-coded routes:

Red Route goes through the Historic District

Green Route also serves the Historic Downtown and goes all the way to the Visitor Center.

Blue Route serves the East Side Clockwise from the Downtown Depot

Yellow Route serves the east side counter-clockwise from the Downtown Depot

Purple Route serves the West Side

Limited service usually begins in February and starts again after Thanksgiving through January. Full service starts in March and goes through November.

Adult all-day pass: $4.00
Two-day pass: 6.00
One-ride pass: 2.00

Open-air Tram Historic District Tours:
Adults: $8.50
Children 4.00