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

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Photographs of trail views were captured by Edward Robison III.

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.

Arkansas Things To Do – 5 Cultural Activities That Will Broaden Your Horizons

If you are looking for things to do that will inspire you then Northwest Arkansas may be just the place to visit. If you are not familiar with the state you may think that you have to go to Little Rock, Arkansas to find cultural attractions but that is not true. In fact there are many tourist places in Arkansas that encourage tourists to discover unique ways of life through interesting and engaging cultural activities. Cultural activities keep American heritage alive. Consider participating in one of these five cultural activities with roots in Ozark living:

1. Foreign Interests

foreign film arkansas
Carnegie Library in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Who thought you could travel the world from a small town. In the quirky little town of Eureka Springs, they enjoy experiencing different cultures through foreign film. From Jordan to Demark to France and beyond, foreign films touch on subjects that are important to all people, regardless of where we call home. Don’t speak Dutch? Don’t worry, the films are subtitled. You might be surprised how much you will understand just paying attention to body language. Sometimes, words get in the way. Films are screened in the Eureka Springs Carnegie Library. The library is a beautiful building located in the heart of a quaint little mountain town. Nestled next to the Crescent Spring, one of the many natural springs this town was named for, the library sits at the original entry to the famous Crescent Hotel which sits high on the mountain overlooking the town.

Speaking of films, the 1929 Lyric Theater in Harrison was built to screen the “talkies.” Find the Lyric Theater on the Arkansas Art Trail.

2. Music Traditions

Northwest Arkansas is a mountainous region with a strong music tradition. Today, music is still an important part of everyday life. From classical to old-time music, intimate gatherings enjoy each other as they play acoustic instruments to sonatas, ballads, and folk songs. The Cello Choir is a group of cellists who meet every Saturday at 11am in the beautiful Gavioli Chapel on the historic loop in Eureka Springs. Under diffused light streaming through stained glass, nine or so cellos played by people of all ages play four or more parts. People stroll in and out to listen just a few minutes or the entire hour.

Just outside of Eureka Springs, a hootenanny meets on the historic Berryville town square. A hootenanny, also called a wingding, is an informal group of folks of all ages playing banjos, guitars, fiddles and what have you. Mostly folk music, the hootenanny meets every Friday 7-9pm at the old Grand View Hotel.

Discover endearing American life visiting several small town squares like Eureka Springs, Bentonville, and Harrison on the Arkansas Art Trail. A hootenanny is a great way to get to know one of Arkansas’ small towns.

3. Master Artists

The world’s newest art museum just opened in Northwest Arkansas. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art houses an amazing collection of American art ranging from the colonial period through today. With a focus on education, Crystal Bridges offers guests a chance to Draw in the Galleries. Study elements of art while looking at masterworks. Class subjects include Landscape, Portraiture, and Figure Drawing. They are offered every month and registration is required.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is Day One of the Arkansas Art Trail.

4. Native American Vessels

Basketmaking or basket weaving is an ancient craft. The Cherokee people of native America have long been respected for their basketmaking skills and best known for their complex “double weave” baskets. Often made from white oak, baskets were valuable articles of commerce throughout history. Today, their value ranges from utilitarian to works of art. Learn to make your own authentic Cherokee “double weave” basket at Fire Om Earth studios and become a link in the chain that keeps American heritage alive.

Two Arkansas Art Trail sites in particular have Native American significance. Native Americans passed through Pea Ridge National Military Park following the Trail of Tears. Blue Spring Heritage Center near Inspiration Point was site to numerous Native American settlements. See artifacts and hear some of their stories at Blue Spring.

5. Love of the Land

Stewardship and environmentally conscious thinking is part of today’s culture. Recycling is essential to reducing physical and financial waste and preserves the beautiful natural resources of the Ozark Mountains for future generations. In that spirit, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art teaches art using recycled materials. Bring Your Own Art and make a collage using found objects.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is just one stop along the Arkansas Art Trail where nature and art intersect. Crystal Bridges also maintains trails. Discover the Arkansas Art Trail and Crystal Bridges Art Trails.

One of the best attractions in Arkansas is the Arkansas Art Trail. Ten stops take you to places where nature and art come together. See breathtaking vistas, mountain views, nationally significant sites and architectural features on the trail.

Download Art Trail Brochure
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