Visit the Ozark Mountains this Holiday Season
Plan a Holiday Reunion in Eureka Springs
Book a family reunion over the holidays at the Crescent Hotel & Spa
Traditions change with time and sometimes time changes a tradition. But for the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa one thing has not changed. During the proud 125-year history of this “symbol of Arkansas hospitality” families have come to rely on The Crescent as the place to make holiday season lifetime memories. That is why families flock here to this mountaintop spa resort, a proud member of Historic Hotels of America, every year from Thanksgiving through New Years for family reunions and informal gatherings of sort.
“We started coming to the Crescent Hotel during the holiday season several years ago for a mini-winter vacation and to enjoy such novelties as the great shopping and seeing the lights that sparkle throughout this Victorian village,” said one family patriarch. “Then three years ago we decided that it would be a great idea to invite the whole family, immediate and extended, to join us for a holiday reunion. The memories we now make here every year are the best gifts we can share… and they require no batteries. Plus we always make it back to our individual homes for Christmas day and our own hometown scheduled events.”
The overwhelming trend has been that families travel to Eureka Springs each year beginning Thanksgiving week and traveling through New Years Day. Holiday seekers especially enjoy the Early Season Shopping at the Eureka Springs Christmas Festival – featuring signature events like the once featured on A&E Network, nationally-acclaimed Historic Downtown Christmas Parade, and the Preservation Society’s Parade of Historic Holiday Homes. Many families will extend their visit beyond those dates to include the holiday celebration of “Christmastime at The Crescent Hotel”. Some stay even longer.
“Many may see Eureka Springs as a summer vacation spot, however we have always enjoyed returning to the area even more during the winter months. It is a magical place during the Christmas season with the lights and decorations plus all the unique stores and galleries that stay open just for we holiday shoppers,” said one grandmother last season who was downtown and surrounded by smiling, rosy-cheeked grandkids. “Beyond the wonderful shopping, we all go to the live Christmas music shows in Eureka. We also have a tendency to eat a lot, hike the urban trails and sightsee daily. We have even sojourned out to nearby natural treasures like a trip down to the Buffalo River National Park Region for such sights as waterfalls, herds of elk, teams of trumpeter swans and eagles on the wing.”
Some of this year’s holiday season activities slated for this National Register of Historic Places community include:
- Annual Silver Tea… coffee, tea and light snacks served from the finest silver to benefit a local charity.
- Annual Christmas Parade… Eureka Springs’ only nighttime parade with floats bands and spectacular lights winding through the streets of Historic Downtown.
- Living Windows… area residents dressed in period costumes become “living mannequins” throughout the Historic Downtown area.
- Holiday Tour of Homes… tour some of Eureka Springs’ finest preserved homes decorated for the season.
- Sit On Santa’s Lap… a chance for children of all ages to sit on Ol’ Saint Nick’s lap and have a photo made.
- Christmas Forest Tree Lighting… more than 30 trees brilliantly decorated by local charities come alive with the flip of one switch with caroling and refreshments.
- Santa’s Breakfast… a room full of great holiday treats to eat and chance to meet Santa up-close and personally
- Plus the Grinch’s Breakfast, Teddy Bear Tea, Evening “sleigh” rides, Storytime, Gingerbread House Making and much more
Groups of guests get the best prices for Christmas parties or reunions while individual guests can save nearly half of what our regular summer season rates are.
For more information regarding holiday activities and lodging packages, one may visit https://crescent-hotel.com/christmas
