Crescent Hotel

Overnight on the Trail
The 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, a Historic Hotel of America in Eureka Springs.


Fayetteville Artosphere

Walton Arts Center
Arkansas Premier Center for Arts & Entertainment.

Crystal Bridges Art Museum Crystal Bridges Museum
of American Art

The Social Path
Facebook Twitter
We’re down with all the cool kids and live on all your favorite social networks. Friend, like and join us!

Photographs of trail views were captured by Edward Robison III.

Adventures on the Trail

There are plenty of adventures along the trail.

#1 Intrigue Theater.

Set in a eerie and intimate redeveloped Victorian church, this show takes audience members on a magical, humorous, and mind-blowing venture into the world of telepathy. The audience actually become part of the performance… unfolding, mystical tales, magical demonstrations and introductions to special guests from ‘the other side’ become an interactive experience.  Members of the audience often take the stage and, while under hypnosis, regress back to a previous life only to return with physical proof of having crossed over.

BUY YOUR INTRIGUE THEATER TICKETS!

#2 Crescent Hotel Ghost Tour

speaking of “the other side”, no building is more famous for their “guests who check out but never leave” than the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa.  Well-respected as a mountaintop spa resort and wedding destination, this Historic Hotel of America takes guests on a hotel ghost tour every night giving them the chance to perhaps meet apparitions like Michael, Theodora, or the Lady In The Mist.

The 1886 Crescent Hotel is recognized by many as America’s most haunted hotel. There is even a ghost tour developed for kids!

BUY GHOST TOUR TICKETS TO AMERICA’S MOST HAUNTED HOTEL!

#3 Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

How many big cats are cared for at TCWF? This 450-acre ranch is located just a few minutes from downtown Eureka Springs cares for abused, abandoned and neglected lions and tigers (and other animals). They are open to the public in hopes of getting people to join in their mission. Get up close to these magnificent animals.    Most recently, TCWR rescued nearly three-dozen big cats from a nearby county where they were being inadequately housed and cared for by a lady, due to her age and health condition, who could no longer give the animals proper care.  With this transition in its final stages, guests can meet the latest “cool cats” at this magnificent and breathtaking refuge that now houses nearly 150 animals including 138 big cats including mountain lions, cougars, panthers, bobcats, oh… and a bear.

BUY TURPENTINE CREEK TICKETS!

 

LEARN ABOUT MORE ADVENTURES ON THE TRAIL AND FIND LAST MINUTE DEALS AND GREAT RATES FOR A EUREKA SPRINGS SUMMER FAMILY VACATION!

SEE GREAT ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE ARKANSAS ART TRAIL!

Norman Rockwell in Northwest Arkansas

Norman Rockwell captured the essence of American life through the good and the bad. Visitors to Crystal Bridges Museum in Northwest Arkansas can see 50 of Rockwell’s original paintings and 323 Saturday Evening Post covers. Audio tours guide visitors through the exhibit American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell. norman rockwell exhibit arkansas crystal bridges museum of american art

Tickets are available at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art March 9-May 27, 2013.

Visit Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art for more information on this and other upcoming exhibits.

Visit a Top 25 Art Destination recognized by American Style Magazine…Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Just a short and very scenic drive from Bentonville.

Spring Break Vacation on the Arkansas Art Trail

Spring is blooming in the Ozark Mountains. Plan to spend spring break in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. Whether you visit the Ozarks every year or are new to the area, a trip along the Arkansas Art Trail is an easy way to explore the Ozarks. Take a road trip and spend a couple of days or weeks as you experience one breathtaking vista after another. Visit historical sites and natural settings made meaningful by local culture and artistic communities. Here are some ideas for things to do along the trail this spring. spring break vacations

Go Small Town…Northwest Arkansas is full of small towns with cute little town squares. In recent years many of these spaces have made resurgence. The opening of local shops, art galleries and independent eateries make for a fun afternoon or evening. Places like Bentonville Square and Eureka Springs Historic Downtown have colorful histories and storefronts. Take a tour of Eureka Springs with Downtown-N-Underground. Stay in a historic hotel in the center of town. The 1905 Basin Park Hotel overlooks Basin Spring Park in Eureka Springs.

Discover great spring break vacation packages and vacation deals in Eureka Springs on ReserveEureka.com.

Have Some Bloomin’ Fun…Stroll by clumps of daffodils as you hike one of many trails through the Ozark Mountains. Capture scenes of blooming dogwoods and a variety of native wildflowers along the Buffalo National River or Pea Ridge Military Park. Visit the natural springs of Eureka Springs. More than a dozen postage stamp green spaces surround the dozens of natural springs that dot Eureka Springs. Visit the impeccably manicured springs by car or on foot.

Spring to the Challenge….Learn something new along the trail. Take an art class. Eureka Springs School of the Arts offers every art class you can imagine. Write that book you have always wanted to. Take a writing class through The Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow. Cook up something new with a cooking class. Spend Spring Break at the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa and do morning yoga or take watercolor classes with their artist in residence. Enriching activities like this are resort amenities and are available at no extra charge.

Contact the Crescent Hotel and find out about upcoming activities.

Eureka Springs is Home To the Mad Hatter

A brilliant mind hidden by an outrageous hat…the Mad Hatter was a guest at the Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland’s adventures. Today, the Mad Hatter lives in Eureka Springs and every year, he throws a big party in October called the Mad Hatter Ball!

Whimsical hats and outrageous costumes are part of the fun at the Annual Mad Hatter’s Ball in Eureka Springs.

The Mad Hatter’s Ball is the largest fundraising event for the Eureka Springs School of the Arts and is held in the Crystal Dining Room at the Historic 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa. A silent auction touts fantastic works of art and gift packages, allowing guests to support the schools mission “to cultivate, promote and encourage artistic expression by providing art education opportunities in a unique environment of beauty and creativity!” Guests are required to wear wild hats and costumes….the crazier…the better. Enjoy great food, hat contests and a whole lot of dancing. Tickets are available at ESSA.

Make it a date and stay where the party is.  Check room availability at the Crescent Hotel.

Autumn Photography Workshop with Renowned Landscape Photographer

Explore the incredible photographic possibilities of the iphone, ipad with this workshop. Edward C. Robison III takes you on a tour of Autumn in the Ozarks and shows you how to create and edit beautiful photos using apps for the iphone, ipad and ipod touch. landscape photography workshop edward robison eureka springs arkansas

Robison has photographed landscapes throughout the United States and currently resides in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  Robison’s photographs have been featured in the Sierra Club’s Calendar and can also be seen on the Arkansas Art Trail.

Read more about Edward C. Robison III or visit Sacred Earth Gallery to learn more.

Register for the photography workshop in Kansas beginning August 25th or in Eureka Springs, Arkansas beginning November 10th.

Eureka Springs Art Galleries

eureka springs art galleries

The Eureka Springs Artists & Galleries Guide has a map to guide you. Pick up one at the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center.

Eureka Springs is home to hundreds of working artists and there are more than 25 art galleries in the Eureka Springs area. When you are in town, pick up an Artists & Galleries Map Directory from the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center on Highway 62.

Here is a partial listing of galleries in and around Historic Downtown Eureka Springs:

Serendipity at Crescent Hotel – 75 Prospect

The Prospect Gallery – 42 Prospect

Gryphon’s Roost Spa & Gallery – 137 Spring

Mitchell’s Folly Art & Antiques – 130-136 Spring

Fusion Squared – 84 Spring

Magee Jewelry – 80 Spring 83

Spring Street Gallery- 83 Spring

eureka springs art

Eureka Springs is home to dozens of art galleries and is recognized as a Top 25 Art Destination by American Style Magazine.

Zarks Fin Art Gallery – 67 Spring

The Jewel Box – 77 Spring

 J.A. Nelson Gallery- 37 Spring

Eureka Daily Roast – 27 Spring

Wilson & Wilson Folk Art – 23 Spring

Eureka Thyme – 19 Spring

Iris at the Basin Park – 8 Spring

Out on Main Gallery – 1 Basin Spring Ave (stairwell)

For more art gallery listings visit the Eureka Springs Gallery Association website.

Discover the art of vacation in August on the Arkansas Art Trail

Get back to your roots. Celebrate American heritage with some good ole mountain music in the mountain town of Eureka Springs during the Bluegrass Festival the second weekend in August. Attend an authentic Banjo Rally later in the month. You don’t play the banjo? Don’t worry, spectators are welcome. Let music uplift your spirit with an old fashioned Gospel Concert in the historic Auditorium in downtown Eureka Springs. Visit the Official Eureka Springs Calendar of Events for more details.

eureka springs art

Eureka Springs is home to dozens of art galleries and is recognized as a Top 25 Art Destination by American Style Magazine.

Explore local flavor. Watch a cooking demonstration by Karen Gros in Eureka Springs. Join Karen in her provencial-style home for cooking demonstrations of seasonal, French inspired food. Want to try your hand a preparation? Karen will teach you to prepare the dishes on your own with a hands-on cooking class and tasting lunch. Dishes feature locally produced foods from Foundation Farm and Serenity Farms of Eureka Springs.

Discover the Art of vacation. Enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of downtown Eureka Springs with a gallery stroll. Discover world class art in dozens of galleries. Stop to enjoy a glass of wine between galleries and listen to street musicians as you stroll from one gallery to the next. Find a treasure made by a local artist at the Holiday Island Art Show. Find inspiration with an art film at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

PLAN YOUR VACATION ON THE ARKANSAS ART TRAIL TODAY. STAY OVERNIGHT ON THE TRAIL.

Eureka Springs Bluegrass Festival

Celebrate American heritage with some good ole mountain music in the mountain town of Eureka Springs during the Bluegrass Festival eureka springs bluegrass festivalthe second weekend in August. Enjoy free music in Basin Park and mingle during the watermelon social. String bands like the HillBenders, Deadman Flats, Spring Street, the Buffalo City Ramblers, and Grass Crack perform throughout the day. See a detailed schedule at The Aud.

Plan your vacation. Stay overnight on the Arkansas Art Trail.

 

On the Trail: An Artist Studio Tour

All along the recently opened Arkansas Art Trail, travelers can find places where art is hung like Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; places where art is made like the artist village of Eureka Springs; and places that inspire such art like the hills and hollows of The Ozarks.  During April, the trail creators have also created a series of special workshops and exhibits entitled “April Art Experiences”.  These efforts come from a partnership between the Arkansas Art Trail and the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa, located in Eureka Springs on top of Crescent Mountain.

The first “art experience” features well-respected Eureka Springs artist, Larry Mansker.  This Kansas City native has made the most of the Trail’s vistas with a focus on the panoramic views of Eureka Springs.  “Whether ones view is from a mountaintop or at street level, the eye can be trained to see things in a happy mood that expresses the brighter aspects of being alive,” Mansker explained.

 Mansker’s exclusive package, entitled “Artist Studio Tour”, will be held at both the Crescent and at the artist’s private studio all on the evening of April 15, 2012.  The event begins with a tour of the 1886 Crescent Hotel and its eclectic art collection.  The tour will be led by hotel Vice-President of Operations and Development Jack Moyer.  The tour includes the commissioned display of Larry Mansker’s detailed murals that depict local scenes enhanced by popular local activities.

eureka springs event

Detail of mural by Eureka Springs artist, Larry Mansker. April's "Art Experiences" include a tour of Mansker's private art studio and dinner with the artist.

Following the hotel sojourn will be an intimate, artist-led tour of Mansker’s studio.  Wine and cheese will be served as the artist shares his private collection and workspace.  Attendees will then return to the hotel for an artistically inspired dinner in the elegant Crystal Dining Room Restaurant.

“This gathering is designed to be both intimate and revealing,” said Mansker.  “I want attendees to get a true feel of the elements of design –line, texture, contrast, composition and color- that create that happy mood in my paintings. I want to teach attendees how to ‘feel’ a painting with their emotions rather than simply gazing upon it with their eyes.”

The“Artist Studio Tour” package, based on two people per package, includes overnight lodging and breakfast at the Crescent Hotel, the private studio tour and reception, and dinner in the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant with the artist.  Participation is limited to the first 10 reservations with package rates beginning at $199. For full package and workshop details call the Crescent Hotel at 800-342-9766.

Art Experiences in April: Arkansas Art Trail features sites and events where nature inspires art

“Each moment of the year has its own beauty…every hour a picture which was never seen before… shall never be seen again.” –Ralph Waldo Emersoneureka springs events culture art outdoor

Imagine a place where rare images of beauty were displayed every hour, delicate works of art which had never been seen before can be seen only once. Emerson believed these images were created by nature every moment. Waiting be discovered, nature’s most creative work is on display on the Arkansas Art Trail. Visitors discover places where art and nature come together and where threads of discovery, exploration and reverence for the American landscape weave compelling tapestries that illustrate the American experience … past and present.

During the month of April, in partnership with the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, the Arkansas Art Trail introduces the American Experience as celebrated in Arkansas. Through art, music, dance and literature in ways that are as enigmatic as the Arkansas landscape.

The Arkansas Art Trail was inspired by the Hudson River School Art Trail. In the 19th century, artists of the Hudson River School captured iconic landscapes of the northeast with paint. Following the example of American writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, they sought an “original relation to the universe” through a life of simplicity and independence. In the process, American artists defined what it was to be American helped to shape a national identity that valued individualism and rugged beauty.

Today, artists are still creating defining work. The American landscape, both rugged and fragile, is an inspiration. The Arkansas Art Trail highlights unique architecture created with purpose and fundamental connections to the land. It stops for breathtaking vistas and wild rivers, and introduces visitors to the artists working in the Arkansas landscape. The trail offers a deeper look at the side of Arkansas many have never seen.

April’s art experiences are limited but with year round appeal, visitors to the Arkansas Art Trail are sure to discover moments of beauty “never seen before.”  A visit to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art provides an opportunity to see original 19th century Hudson River School paintings and a stop in Eureka Springs , a Top 25 Arts Destination, allows visitors to watch regional artists paint in plein aire or get creative with an art class, enjoy the music of esteemed international musicians or sit down to an authentic hootenanny, experience life in a historic town or marvel in contemporary architecture that celebrates the beauty of the outdoors.

Here are just a few of April’s Art Experiences:

Artist Studio Tour – April 15, 2012
Take a docent led tour of the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa and see local artist, Larry Mansker’s murals. Meet Mansker in his art studio for a glass of wine and then settle down for a splendid dinner with the docent and Mansker at the Chef’s table in the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant.

Package includes:

eureka springs

Painting of downtown Eureka Springs by Larry Mansker.

• 1 night stay in a Premium Room, breakfast included
• Studio Tour for Two
• Dinner with Artist in the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant for Two
(Artist Studio Tour is limited to 20 people.)

Photography Exhibit & Workshop – April 19-20, 2012
Explore the Ozarks with renowned landscape photographer and local artist, Edward C. Robison III. Follow Robison to some of his favorite photo spots and shoot at sunset then join Robison the following morning. See some of his photographs of the Ozarks and review photos taken the day before.

Package includes:
• 1 night stay in a Premium Room, breakfast included.
• April 19th & 20th-  4 hour photo tour of the Ozarks and morning workshop

eureka springs photography

Landscape photographer Edward C. Robison III.

(Photography Exhibit & Workshop is limited to 12 people.)

Meet an Artist in Residence – April 24-26, 2012
Learn to paint abstract birds, flowers and landscapes with artist Karrie Evenson. Evenson will be working in residence at the Crescent Hotel. Meet Evenson and watch her paint on the evening of April 25th. Enjoy wine and cheese.

Package Includes:
• Stay in a Premium Room, breakfast included
• Attend 2 workshop classes per day for two people
• Attend the wine & cheese reception on Wednesday, April 25th with Artist.

(Artist in Residence is limited to 10/workshop)

Artist in Residence Karrie Evenson.

Download Art Trail Brochure
Back to Top