Ride the rails

This morning, we finally took the kids on an excursion train ride at the ES & NA Railway here in Eureka Springs. It was a nice ride, although very hot and humid today. While the train is moving there is a nice breeze coming through, so the ride itself was very pleasant. Also the conductor, Travis, was a kick. He had lots of stories and was in good humor.

The historical aspect is fun, I just wish the train tracks didn't run parallel to the highway for most of the time. If we couldn't see the cars, it would really feel like we stepped back in time one hundred years ago. Since locals ride for free, it was a nice family experience and we will do it again, but probably in the fall when it is cooler and the leaves are changing.

Attraction review: Pivot Rock and the Natural Bridge

Here I am again to tell you about another "free for locals" attraction here in Eureka Springs. Pivot Rock and the Natural Bridge are the oldest tourist attractions in the entire state of Arkansas. They are natural rock formations that you hike along a beautiful trail through the woods to get to. We just went on the short trail since we had our 86 year old grandmother with us, but there is a longer trail we will definitely check out soon.

Now that all the trees are blossoming, there is so much color in the woods! We have to get out as much as possible now, before we are invaded with bugs and it is too humid to be outside for long periods of time. We worked on the yard and planted some flowers last weekend. There is still plenty of work to do, especially since we have who knows how many years worth of leaves piled up. Our previous next-door neighbors used to blow their leaves onto our yard (nice, huh?), so we have about a foot and a half of leaves on that side.

Attraction review: Onyx Cave

Last week we discovered yet another "free for locals" attraction here in Eureka Springs: Onyx Cave. We enjoyed it very much. It is the perfect length for kids, since it takes 30 to 45 minutes to explore the whole cave. The kids were amazed and had a great time. Also, the path through the cave is fenced on both sides, paved and easy to walk on - so you're not worried about your toddler slipping over the edge. My husbands parents and grandmother (86 yrs old) were with us and had no trouble getting around down there.

It is a self-guided tour and they give each person a pair of headphones before entering the cave. There are 8 check-points with a button to push, a voice comes on the headphones explaining all the natural wonders of the cave, and lights come on to spotlight the area they are talking about. It was very educational and a great family outing. I highly recommend it for all ages!

Overflowing with fun free entertainment

I have posted before about all the benefits we get for being residents of Eureka Springs, and this week, we found two more! We are having relatives visit and of course, they want to check out all the fun things to do around here. We haven't even seen all of it yet and we've lived here nine months already. So yesterday we went to Pivot Rock and the Natural Bridge, which are the oldest tourist attractions in the state of Arkansas. We were delighted to find out that locals get in free. It was beautiful up there and we will definitely go back to do some more hiking.

Today, we went to Onyx Cave and again found out that locals get in free! So now we can go there anytime we want too. In April when the trains start running again, we will definitely take advantage of the free ride for locals on a day excursion. And there is still Turpentine Creek Wildcat Refuge and Blue Spring that are both totally free for locals as well. Gosh darnit, I love Eureka Springs!!!

All the amenities of a big town

It's nice that even though Eureka Springs is a small town of only about 2,300 residents, we still have all the amenities and attractions of a bigger town. We have more restaurants and hotels than any small town I have ever seen, which is due to the high volume of tourism we experience. I'm not a big shopper, but I do enjoy window shopping and walking downtown and there are enough shops here to satisfy even the seasoned shoppers.

We have a wildcat reserve in town that works as a zoo since there are also monkeys, bears, and birds along with the tigers, lions, panthers, and leopards. We have a museum, a train depot for day or dinner rides, caves to explore, an awesome city park with camping and hiking trails. We have a dance studio in town called "Evolve" where people of all ages can learn traditional ballet, jazz, or creative movement. They have an after school program downtown at the "Main Stage" where children can learn break dancing, freestyle, hip-hop, and more. Overall, whatever you are into, you can probably find it here.