We recently did the Downtown N Underground Walking Tour of Eureka Springs , Arkansas
*Disclosure – This trip was sponsored by Eureka Springs Co-op but all of our experiences and opinions are our own.
After having a snack at Famous Ed’s we headed to downtown Eureka Springs! In this article we share our experiences of the Downtown N Underground Eureka Springs Tour but we don’t spoil the tour’s interesting facts and history. You really must go see for yourself, we just want to help you plan for this tour and share things we wish we knew before embarking on this adventure ourselves.
What is the Downtown N Underground Tour?
The Downtown N Underground Tour is a historic walking tour that goes through the history of Eureka Springs from its beginnings as a Native American Healing Springs destination, to what it is today. Your guide will take you back in time sharing the stories behind the land, the buildings and what’s hiding underground.
Our Experiences on the Downtown N Underground Tour
We had a great family experience during our tour. It was a fun way to see the downtown and underground areas while learning about some of Eureka Springs rich history.
Parking
At times, finding parking in Eureka Springs can be a challenge especially during large events.
Thankfully, their trolley system is a great way to navigate the entire area easily. We ended up driving downtown and finding a parking spot this day. In hindsight, if I knew more about the trolleys we would have just hopped on the trolley stop, located at our hotel , and gotten off downtown.
We managed to find excellent parking right next to the old Basin Spring Bath House building. (To our surprise, it was right next to the ending of the tour). This lot has parking meters, as do most areas around downtown Eureka Springs. The meters are the only newer structure allowed in historic Eureka Springs. They don’t even have stoplights.
We used the Passport Parking app to pay for our parking meter. We had never used it before but it was super easy to download and use. It can be used in many other cities as well. Keep an eye out on our guide to using the Passport Parking App in an upcoming article.
Basin Hotel
After parking, we walked up the stairs at the bath house and across the street to the Basin Hotel.
You will see the front desk upon entering and right around the corner is where you can purchase tickets and find more information.
If you don’t purchase tickets online you can get them here at the Basin Park Hotel.
The hotel staff informed us that the tour would start in Basin Park by the cutout of Carrie Nation and that we should arrive 15 mins before tour time.
Basin Park
People started gathering for the tour and the guide checked us in. Patty was our guide for the day. She really knew her stuff and was friendly and an awesome guide.
Patty suggested to get some water bottles before we start because we would be doing some walking. We came prepared with bottles already. Before we knew it, she was teaching us the interesting history of Eureka Springs.
The Tour
We Headed up our first flight of stairs. There were many flights of stairs but it wasn’t a issue for our family or anyone in our tour group which included one sweet older lady. We did however take our time and stay near the back of the group.
Patty explained that the hardest part of the tour was this first section of stairs leading up to our first meeting spot up on the hill.
The tour took us through many streets of downtown and two different underground areas.
Thankfully, during our tour we had plenty of moments to stop and get our breath from walking during the hot summer day. There were also a couple opportunities to sit down and relax.
Our guide was so full of knowledge and quick to answer any questions we had.
The kids enjoyed seeing the different buildings and street art!
The tour ended underground at the Basin Bath House where we watched a video about the area.
Make sure to sign the guest book!
You will have a great time, so make sure to leave a tip for your guide!
5 tips for bringing kids to the Downtown N Underground Tour
5. Bring water.
It was a very warm summer day when we took our tour, so make sure to stay hydrated.
4. Leave the stroller.
There are many steps and staircases. If you have little ones, we would suggest bringing a baby carrier since a stroller will just slow you down. If you have older kids, make sure they have good waking shoes and be prepared to carry them on your shoulders
3. Use the bathroom before the tour.
During our tour, Cash had to use the restroom but we did not have a restroom accessible. Be sure to take care of business before the tour starts!
2. Snacks
The tour lasted a little over an hour and a half. We suggest eating a light meal or plan to bring a few snacks.
1. Don’t get a balloon animal until after the tour.
There are locals that often make balloons animals and things for kids near the start of the tour. If you want to get them a balloon, I recommend waiting until after the tour. Our boys got some balloon swords before the tour and they were not ideal during our walk with a group of people.
More info
Hours
Mon: 4PM
Tues: 4PM
Wed: 4PM
Thur: 4PM
Fri: 4PM
Sat: 4PM
Sun: 4PM
Prices
$13.50 per adult
Kids 16 & under free
more info can be found on their official website.
Where is the Downtown N Underground Tour?
It starts at Basin Park in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
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Check out more Family Fun Things in Eureka Springs on our list of 20 Family Fun Things in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Thank you for the very kind and detailed write up. I will say that snacks are rarely needed for even the little ones as they tend to stay engaged with the stories and constant movement/walking. I enjoy having children on the tours as much as adults. Great having you along.