2 Days to kill in Eureka Springs/Fayetteville (Little Rock, Springdale: chapel, hotels)

[austin-steve]

My wife and I will be visiting Eureka Springs mid-July to attend a Truck Camper Rally. We don't own a truck camper but are driving up from Austin to meet some owners and learn more about that particular type of RV. We'll be in a car, staying in hotels.

We'll be done with that on a Tuesday afternoon and don't have to be back to Austin until Friday night (10 hour drive) so we have the rest of Tues afternoon and all of Wed/Thu free to explore and be tourists. We like generally poking around new towns, seeing local attractions, museums, good eats and coffee spots, but also nature hikes and nice scenery as long as we don't have to drive too far.

We're thinking Tuesday night and Wed in Eureka Springs, then to Fayetteville Wed night and Thursday, then head home Friday.

Is there enough to see and do to make that a reasonably good agenda or would you suggest an alternate plan or different destination that's still on the way back toward Austin? Namely, Little Rock wouldn't be too far out of the way, but we don't know of a reason to go there instead of ES and Fayetteville.

Thanks!

Steve

[nmnita]

Steve,

Just some ideas; visit Beaver lake of course. and take in Crystal Bridges for starters. Then you might want to see Pea Ridge and the civil war area. The Bentonville town square as well as the Fayetteville town quare are fun and the Walton museum (an old dime store) are great places to visit. thursday morning the Fayetteville farmers market is open. It is a fun place just to walk around if nothing else. I am sure others will have more suggestions.

[gunslinger256]

Crystal bridges is a must see, but you should try to see the Buckey Ball at night just outside of Crystal Bridges on J street.

if you head to little rock and you are a gardener you can try to visit P. Allen Smith's Mountain Home

If you drive through Arkansas back to Austin, you can visit the Japanese internment camp museum, hot springs, The diamond mine state park

[biscuitmom]

What nmnita said, plus be sure to eat some AQ Chicken Over the Coals from one of their 2 restaurants in Fayetteville and Springdale.. Get it to carry out and have a picnic.

[jeffbase40]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

My wife and I will be visiting Eureka Springs mid-July to attend a Truck Camper Rally. We don't own a truck camper but are driving up from Austin to meet some owners and learn more about that particular type of RV. We'll be in a car, staying in hotels.

We'll be done with that on a Tuesday afternoon and don't have to be back to Austin until Friday night (10 hour drive) so we have the rest of Tues afternoon and all of Wed/Thu free to explore and be tourists. We like generally poking around new towns, seeing local attractions, museums, good eats and coffee spots, but also nature hikes and nice scenery as long as we don't have to drive too far.

We're thinking Tuesday night and Wed in Eureka Springs, then to Fayetteville Wed night and Thursday, then head home Friday.

Is there enough to see and do to make that a reasonably good agenda or would you suggest an alternate plan or different destination that's still on the way back toward Austin? Namely, Little Rock wouldn't be too far out of the way, but we don't know of a reason to go there instead of ES and Fayetteville.

Thanks!

Steve

You'll love Eureka Springs then. It is one of my favorite places. You can spend all day just browsing through the downtown and checking out the individual shops, nooks and crannies. There is a chapel made out of glass that is really beautiful and some Branson style shows at night. The passion play is a great outdoor experience as well, but July will be pretty humid. Turpentine Creek is definitely worth a visit too.

[Rock Climber]

Wed pm & Thur in Fayetteville:

Wednesday night - Go out to eat somewhere in downtown Fayetteville. Personal favorites are Deluxe Burger, Arsaga's (trailside) and Greenhouse Grill (south of downtown).

Thursday morning - get up early and visit the Fayetteville Farmer's Market on the town square.

Thursday AM to noon - explore the downtown area, Dickson St, Mt Sequoyah's overlooks, the college campus, Wilson Park.

If you have all day Thursday, Crystal Bridges in Bentonville is a fantastic museum, but you will also be subjected to daytime work commuter traffic in Bentonville depending on the time of day.

An alternative to Bentonville, and further along your way home, you might check out Devil's Den State Park just south of Fayetteville. Try to find the Yellow Rock Trail or hike the crevasses, etc.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Rock Climber

Wed pm & Thur in Fayetteville:

Wednesday night - Go out to eat somewhere in downtown Fayetteville. Personal favorites are Deluxe Burger, Arsaga's (trailside) and Greenhouse Grill (south of downtown).

Thursday morning - get up early and visit the Fayetteville Farmer's Market on the town square.

Thursday AM to noon - explore the downtown area, Dickson St, Mt Sequoyah's overlooks, the college campus, Wilson Park.

If you have all day Thursday, Crystal Bridges in Bentonville is a fantastic museum, but you will also be subjected to daytime work commuter traffic in Bentonville depending on the time of day.

An alternative to Bentonville, and further along your way home, you might check out Devil's Den State Park just south of Fayetteville. Try to find the Yellow Rock Trail or hike the crevasses, etc.

Good suggestions: as for the afternoon rush hour traffic, well the OP is coming from Austin thus I doubt he will be too bothered with the traffic. There are times we all would like to scream when stuck in it, but it can be much worse in austin..

[DC at the Ridge]

If you do decide to go hiking in July, bring lots of water, and bug spray.

[austin-steve]

Thanks for all the tips and ideas.

Looking forward to our trip even more now.

Steve

[sdquarle]

Some places to try in Eureka Springs


Brunch -

Mud Street Cafe (located in Underground Eureka)

Local Flavor

Lunch -

Oasis: Original Ark Mex, get the green salsa. Service is slow but worth the wait.

Geraldis(good pizza)

Dinner -

Grand Tavern(If you're looking for a nicer place to eat)

Gaskin's Cabin (Great steaks)

Devito's (local farm raised Trout)

Local Flavor

Nightlife -

Stonehouse (great wine bar with small plates)

Chelsea's (Local hangout, great pizza, bluegrass music, etc).


Hope this helps, enjoy Eureka!