If you are looking for some ideas on how to spend a weekend in Eureka Springs with your kids, look no further. We visited Northwest Arkansas this fall on a fantastic weekend getaway, and had the best time exploring this quirky little town. There are so many fun places to explore, and so much history behind this place… definitely put it on your list of must-visit places next time you head to Northwest Arkansas!
Related posts: Why your next fall family getaway should be Northwest Arkansas
Thorncrown Chapel is a stunning glass structure that sits atop a hill and overlooks the Ozarks. When you enter the building, you are asked to have a seat, and you can enjoy the beautiful view through the 6,000 square feet of glass that surround the chapel. The structure was built in 1980 and still functions as a chapel today. While it truly is a beautiful photo opportunity, my kids were not as impressed by the architecture as my husband and I were. We spent about 20 minutes here, as you could only enter 1 of the 2 buildings.
Razorback Tower is a 100-foot tall observation tower that overlooks the Ozark Mountains. It costs 4 quarters to open the metal gate to enter the tower, but there is a change machine right by the entrance. There are 9 landings on the way to the top, and the stairs are quite steep. Going up wasn’t too bad, but I was very nervous with my 2 and 4 year old coming back down. We only made it up to the 4th landing before we decided to turn around, but the views even ⅓ of the way to the top were incredible. Definitely a neat stop if you want some pretty views of the mountains. Don’t forget to check out the gift shop right next to the tower for some cool souvenirs.
This historic hotel was built in the late 1800’s and has quite the history. It is supposedly haunted, and they do nightly ghost tours in the basement. We chose to keep that information to the adults only during our exploration of the hotel since my 7 year old is quite sensitive to scary things.
It’s a really cool old hotel with lots of history, and they have an observation deck on the top floor that you can look out and see the Christ of the Ozark statue through the trees. There is also a restaurant on the top floor that is open to the public, but we had packed our lunch, so we headed out to the courtyard to eat. There are tree swings and some yard games that my kids played with while we ate and relaxed for a bit.
There are some hiking trails to explore right next to the Crescent hotel as well. The Crescent Trailhead leads you down a set of stairs to Glenwood Hollow, which is a perfect place to sit and take in the beauty. They were all set up for a wedding the morning we were there, and I honestly can’t picture a more beautiful place to get married.
You can continue on the Harmon Park Loop, which is a 1.4 mile trail that takes you through wooded areas and into the historic neighborhoods. We only had about 30 minutes to spend here, so we didn’t make it very far on this trail, but it was stunning and very kid friendly. We saw chipmunks, tons of birds, and even a small snake hidden in the leaves.
Take this open-air tram ride through the heart of the city of Eureka Springs and learn a ton of history about the town. The tour is fully narrated by a local guide who is very knowledgeable about the town and its history. You will travel past hundreds of historic sites and see some truly magnificent buildings and homes. The tour lasted about 90 minutes, and there were 2 different stops where we could get off and stretch or use the bathroom.
My two-year old used this as an opportunity for a much needed afternoon nap, but my 4 and 7 year old loved it! They enjoyed the guide, who was wonderful to listen to, and thought it was so cool to ride with no doors.
This was by far my favorite activity that we did in Eureka Springs, and one that you should not miss out on. I love learning about the history of new places in a way that keeps my kids engaged, and this definitely did.
About 10 minutes outside of Eureka Springs is Onyx Cave. It’s one of the oldest caves in the state, and their tour is self-guided using a wireless headset. The cave itself is pretty small, and the tour only took us about 30 minutes. It was toddler friendly, with very few steps or steep areas. There are lots of neat rock formations to view inside the cave, and it really is breathtaking to see such natural beauty formed by Mother Nature herself. There are a few above ground activities you can do if you have older kids, such as ax throwing and gem minute.
Although we didn’t have time to make a stop here, it is high on our list for our next visit! Turpentine Creek is a privately owned animal sanctuary and rescue for big cats.
You take a one-hour guided tour through the park to see and learn about the animals that live there, and then can wander through the Discovery area at your own pace to meet more of the park’s habitants. They have lions, tigers, bears, cougars and more.
We love visiting unique zoos, and this definitely sounds like one of a kind!
Downtown Eureka Springs has a TON of quirky, fun little shops to explore, it’s a must do on your visit!
Now, if you are a mom to littles like me, I know how you just cringed at reading that. Going into a small, crowded shop with 3 kids in tow and tons of breakable things right at arms reach sounds like a bad idea, right? I feel you. BUT, hear me out.. These shops are so unique that you have to at least check out a few of them. Shopping with toddlers is awful, so we mostly do window shopping, which works perfectly in Eureka Springs. There are so many amazing window displays, and it takes the temptation out of needing a different souvenir at every shop.
I know there are so many other unique things to do in Eureka Springs with kids, one day there definitely isn’t enough! Do you have any favorite things to do in Eureka Springs? Let me know in the comments!