Whenever you are in the Great State of Arkansas, Eureka Springs is a distinctively different destination that should be on the top of the list for any Arkansas Travel Itinerary, especially during the holiday season.

Overlooking Eureka Springs from it's perch on Crescent Mountain the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa is as much a part of the history of Eureka Springs as the city itself.

A rich and colorful history grace the Crescent's past. "The Grand Lady of the Ozarks" has served as a hotel, a girl's school, and a cancer hospital, she continues to welcome guests today as one of Arkansas' premiere hotels and resort spas.

November and December find the Crescent decked out in her holiday finest for the annual "Christmas at the Crescent". Step back in time to an era when Christmas was a simpler time, enjoy the sights and sounds of the season with carolers, special programs, holiday treats, workshops & classes and even a visit from Ole' St. Nick.

Christmas is a time for giving and what better gift can you give your loved ones than a unique, one-of-a-kind item from one of the many boutiques, shops and galleries in historic downtown Eureka Springs.

True power shoppers know you have to be close to the stores to get the best buys and no place puts you closer to the heart of downtown Eureka Springs shopping than the 1905 Basin Park Hotel.

After a long hard day of shopping return to the hotel to relax & rejuvenate as you're pampered by the expert hands of the staff of the Serenity Day Spa, located inside the hotel.

Make the Basin Park hotel your shopping headquarters and enjoy not only the shopping but all the fine dining, shows and holiday decorations Eureka Springs has to offer, all within walking distance of your hotel.

The 1905 Basin Park Hotel presents a holiday concert series, special rates and nightly receptions during the holiday season. Couple that with the historic comfort the hotel is famous for and you' ll understand why the 1905 Basin Park Hotel is "The Hub of Downtown Eureka Springs".

Another stop you should add to your list of must see attractions is Thorncrown Chapel. Built in 1980 and designed by noted architect E. Fay Jones this award winning structure is listed on the American Institute of Architects' list of the top buildings of the twentieth century.

Nestled in the woods just west of Eureka Springs, Thorncrown Chapel rises forty-eight feet into the Ozark sky. This magnificent wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass and sits upon over 100 tons of native stone.

Open daily for visitation and Sundays for worship services, Thorncrown Chapel is a favorite location for those getting married in Eureka Springs.

Mere words and photographs don't even begin to do this magnificent structure justice, it's a place you must experience for yourself to get the true feeling inside it's design, location and ambiance inspire.

A natural for the Christmas holiday season, The Great Passion Play turns it's grounds into a living, breathing Christmas experience you will want to make part of your family's Christmas traditions.

This magical Christmas adventure begins in the Victorian Era as the "town crier" invites you to step back in time, "beyond Dickens" to the very first Christmas.

You'll find yourself in the ancient town of Bethlehem as this living Nativity is brought to life and you experience the wonder and joy of the first Christmas along with the camels, donkeys, Roman soldiers three wise men, Mary & Joseph and the citizens and visitors of Bethlehem.

The experience concludes as you learn how Christ's birth is celebrated in different countries the world over in the "God Bless Us Everyone" Christmas exhibit of nativities from around the world.