The Area

During your Eureka Springs vacation you'll soon discover that your biggest worry is deciding what to do after breakfast! Spend a relaxing day strolling downtown, browse antique shops and galleries, sampling great food at local restaurants and eateries, or you may choose to take in a show or head out for an adventure in the great outdoors.

I have included here a list of things to do, places to visit or restaurants to enjoy. For a more complete list of area attractions and activities, please visit the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Eureka Springs Tourist Bureau websites along with the Event Calendar tab on this sites home page.

Attractions

• Blue Spring Heritage Center
  Blue Springs is a favorite place in spring or fall when the gardens are in bloom or the trees are at full fall color. A short drive west on 62 and you are there. Who would have thought that the calm looking spring puts out 38 million gallons of water a day.

• Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge
  Lions, tigers and bears, plus cougars, panthers, monkeys, and many other animals that Turpentine Creek has rescued over the years. Stories behind each of the animals they have rescued makes the visit a little more personal and are located at each enclosure. Try to plan your visit in the late afternoon around 4:30 pm for feeding time.

• War Eagle Mill Inc
  A short drive to historical War Eagle Mill, a water-powered grist mill on the War Eagle River, where the daily grind is fresh wholegrain cornmeal, flours, mixes and cereals. There is a gift shop and the Bean Palace Restaurant. If you go to War Eagle Cavern then make sure you also stop here.

• Thorn-crown Chapel
  Nestled in a woodland setting out 62 west about 3 miles from Eureka Springs is the Thorn-crown Chapel rising forty-eight feet into the Ozark sky. This magnificent wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. Designed by E. Fay Jones, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, Thorn-crown has won numerous architectural awards and has been featured on television programs and in national magazines.
   

Shows and Plays

• The Great Passion Play
  Everyone should see this at least once in their life. It's an outdoor spectacle with hundreds of actors and animals depicting the last days of Jesus. Very moving. They also have a dinner show with comedy and gospel music just before the play starts. Check their web site for dates and times.

• Pine Mountain Jamboree
  Enjoy music, comedy, and fun! Pine Mountain Jamboree in Eureka Springs is a live music and comedy stage show which has been performing for over 30 years.

• Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down
  This live stage show has the same format as the Pine Mountain Jamboree but with different entertainers and skits. Guests thoroughly enjoy the Hee-Haw skit.

• Intrigue Theater
  The Intrigue Theater takes you back to the Victorian age to experience an evening of Mystery & Intrigue performed by an Illusionist & a Medium Featuring Special Guests from the other side! Guests who have attended this show compliment Sean-Paul and Juliane put on a highly entertaining show that they enjoyed immensely.

Home Tours and History

• Eureka Springs Historical Museum
  For a small village museum there is a lot of history packed into this building. For those visiting Eureka Springs for its history, this is the place to start.

• Crescent Hotel Ghost Tours
  While the tour is long, you do get some excellent history about the Crescent Hotel's past, both historically and ghostly.

• Quigley's Castle
  It's not a castle or an architecturally significant structure. It's just one of the most interesting places here in Eureka Springs. If you go you'll also say, "That's interesting!"� Don't miss the butterfly wall, it's an incredible collage. Spring or fall are the best seasons to see this attraction.

Outdoor Activities

Fishing, hiking, biking and water activities

• Lake Leatherwood
  The largest hand-laid, limestone dam in the nation impounds a lake 1 1/4 mile long with about 3 miles of shoreline covering 85 acres. A quiet, serene place where you can enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch or try some of the excellent hiking and biking trails. There is now a handicap hiking trail also. Take 62 west just past -Chapel turnoff. Nice swimming area as well.

• Kings River
  Canoe and kayak rentals, fishing.

• Beaver Lake
  Swimming, canoe and boat rentals, fishing.

Horseback riding

• Steve's Horse Ride Stables
  Guests always come back saying the horses are great and Steve is a fantastic host.

• Dinner Bell Ranch & Resort Riding Stables
  They have trail riding, but what makes them unique is that they offer a breakfast, lunch and dinner ride.

Caves and Caverns

• Cosmic Cavern
  Cosmic Cavern was discovered in 1845, but wasn't developed until 1927. The cave features a 9 foot soda straw -  the longest known in the Ozarks, and two bottomless lakes.
  This is a guided 1 1/2 hour tour and is about a 20 minute drive from Heart of the Hills Inn.

• War Eagle Cavern On Beaver Lake
  Take Cosmic Cavern and turn it on its side and you have War Eagle Cavern. This was the cavern where the movie Jesse James was filmed. When you're done, consider visiting War Eagle Mill just a short ways down the road.

• Onyx Cave Park
  Onyx Cave is the closest cave to Eureka Springs. It has a thirty minute radio headphone self-guided tour. While not as big as either Cosmic or War Eagle caverns, it offers a quick glimpse of what caves are all about.

Branson

• Branson Shows

Restaurants
 

Note: Most restaurants in town do not take reservations, but serve on a first come, first served basis.

Autumn Breeze ****
Hours: Open Monday to Saturday 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Website: http://www.autumnbreezerestaurant.com/
Great Coconut Battered Shrimp and Beef Wellington. Their chocolate soufflé heavenly.

Basin Park Balcony **
Hours: Open 7 days a week.
Website: http://www.basinpark.com/balconybarrestaurant.shtml
Regular type food, but sitting on the balcony overlooking Spring Street and listening to their entertainment, makes this a great place to eat for lunch.

Bavarian German Czech restaurant ***
Hours: Open 7 days from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Closed during the winter)
Website: http://eurekaspringsinn.com/menu.phtm
Very good German-Czech food. Try the sauerkraut soup. Sounds odd, but tastes great. For dessert, try their German Chocolate cake. Nice thick layers of coconut filling and then topped with a hard chocolate ganache.

Chelsea's Pizzeria ****
Hours: Open Monday - Thursday Noonish - 10:00ish pm, Friday and Saturday Noonish - Midnightish and Sunday Noon - 10:00ish pm and sometimes later !!!!!! call 479-253-8231 In winter: January, February, and March closes one hour earlier except on weekends.
Website: http://www.chelseascornercafe.com/
They have free delivery or carry out 10.00minimum order and ask you take care of the driver and they do deliver to Heart of the Hills Inn as I order frequently!
Fabulous New York Style Pizza's on homemade herb crusts baked in a stone oven and oh my they are good. Check the guest guide in the room for a menu if another guest has not grabbed it and if it is gone ask David he will loan you his. The appetizers, salads and platters, gyros, nachos, calzone's and stromloli's are all great.

Cottage Inn (Mediterranean Cuisine) ****
Hours: Open Thursday thru Saturday 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Website: http://cottageinneurekaspgs.com
Their use of ingredients is a cut above most restaurants. The menu isn't what one would call a true Mediterranean cuisine, but is more of a Mediterranean influence.

DeVito's Italian Restaurant *** (**** for their trout dishes)
Hours: Open Thursday to Tuesday 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for lunch and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for dinner.
Website: http://www.eureka-springs-usa.com/devito/
If you like trout, this is the place to go. Their trout dishes are fabulous.

Ermilio's Italian Home Cooking (Italian) *****
Hours: 7 days a week, 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Closed some nights during the winter)
Website: http://ermilios.com/
One of the most recommended restaurants in Eureka Springs . It's only three blocks from the Inn, All their pastas are excellent, and they also cook a thick juicy pork chop dish. It's a casual restaurant, and they do not take reservations. The waits can be VERY long so plan to arrive early if you want to eat there.

Garden Bistro ***
Hours: Open for both lunch and dinner.
Website: http://eurekagardenbistro.com/
The Garden Bistro serves both lunch and dinner. They try and use as many local ingredients as possible so have a constantly changing menu based on the growing season. They have a Bleu Cheese, Pecan, Honey, Organic Apple Bruschetta and in season strawberry soup.

Gaskin Cabin *****
Hours: Open Wednesday through Sunday 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Website: http://www.gaskinscabin.com/
In an old log cabin, and the place for steaks. If you don't like steaks, no worry, the other half of their menu has a variety of items which will please your palate. If you're here during the week, they also have some great specials. Save room for their delicious chocolate bread pudding.

Grand Taverne *****
Hours: Open nightly from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and open for Lunch Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Website: http://grandcentralresort.com/tavern.html
An upscale restaurant in a grand old hotel. The chef has created some exceptional dishes. IF the piano player is there he used to be part of the Lovin' Spoonful once upon a time. The menu is outstanding. They take reservations.

Local Flavor *****
Hours: Open for lunch and dinner.
Website: http://localflavorcafe.net/
A favorite of the locals in town. I have come to really enjoy Local Flavor and have been getting some rave reviews from my guests for years now about this restaurant. They take reservations.

Mud Street Cafe ****
Hours: Closed Wednesdays. Open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (they now also serve dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings)
Website: http://mudstreetcafe.com/
This restaurant is downstairs off of Main Street with a good variety of sandwiches and other lunch items. They have Trivial Pursuit cards on every table, so indulge yourself while waiting for lunch. If you're looking for dessert, they have a whole case full of them.

Oasis ****
Hours: Open for lunch.
A classic hole in the wall. When entering, you wonder what in the world have you gotten yourself into. But their Ark-Mex food is excellent. Try the buffalo enchiladas, much leaner than beef and just as good tasting.

Rockin' Pig ****
Hours: Sun - Thur: 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Fri & Sat: 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.;
Website: http://www.rockinpigsaloon.com/
If you are looking for a great burger and rib joint, then try the Rockin' Pig. The ribs are wet and smoky and fall off the bone. The burgers are top shelf. Also, try the Loaded Sweet Potato Fries, with white cheddar cheese, fresh BBQ pulled pork and drizzled with chipotle cream. The wood fired pizza's are good as well.

Simply Scrumptious Tea Room ***
Hours: Open Tuesday to Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Website: http://simplyscrumptioustearoom.com/
This restaurant is open only for lunch but their soups, sandwiches and desserts are excellent.

If you need to know or want to know ask David...............