Downtown street in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Image credit shuttersv via Shutterstock

10 Picture-Perfect Main Streets In Arkansas

Skip the drab and dull for a downtown that raptures your soul and awakens the inner child with giddiness. It could have rows of eye-catching murals, beautiful Victorian architecture, or a fairytale backdrop: mountains and all. Many people will swear that Eureka Springs has the most picture-perfect Main Street in Arkansas, perhaps even in the South. While that could be true, several other towns rival its charm, most of them filled with so much color and character. Keep reading to discover the 10 most picture-perfect Main Streets in Arkansas.

Eureka Springs

Downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Image credit Shuttersv via Shutterstock

Eureka Springs is the quintessential Arkansas fairy-tale town. It expresses its unique beauty and layout through how its streets curve and overlap, sometimes stacked atop one another. All these give the town a maze-like, storybook feel that is incredibly mesmerising. It often surprises visitors that the ground floor on one street may be the second or third on another. Plus, nearly every structure in the downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places, and you don't get that often. Eureka Springs is the only city in America whose entire historic downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Historic downtown area of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Historic downtown area of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Image credit Rachael Martin via Shutterstock

Although the 1886 Crescent Hotel is a hit with visitors, especially for billing itself as America's Most Haunted Hotel, there are several other interesting gems to rapture your soul. For example, Thorncrown Chapel ranks as the fourth most significant American architectural structure (according to the American Institute of Architects), while Lake Leatherwood City Park is the third-largest city park in the country.

Batesville

Main Street, Batesville, Arkansas.
Main Street, Batesville, Arkansas. Image credit Davidiad via Wikimedia Commons.

If you did not read it in any magazine, you would still suspect that Batesville is among the oldest in Arkansas. Batesville was founded in 1821 and is the oldest existing city in the state. Its Main Street, recently revitalised, blends river town charm and historic appeal in a way that is enchanting enough to earn it a place among the most picture-perfect in Arkansas. Pocket Park is a cute little spot on Main Street with benches to sit on and many items to shop for, especially when the farmer's market comes around.

A rustic building in the town of Batesville, Arkansas.
A rustic building in the town of Batesville, Arkansas. Image credit Melissa Tate via Shutterstock

You will find eye-catching murals, including the one emblazoned with the word “Batesville” on the side of Siloe Boutique, which stocks some very unique clothing apparel and accessories. You can catch a show at Melba Theater on Main Street, a 1940 property listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Keep in mind that White River flows through the town and provides a delightful range of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Hot Springs

An aerial view of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Overlooking downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Hot Springs bills itself as the Spa City and as America's First Resort. Hot Springs National Park is one of the most unique in the nation, especially because of its unusual location in the heart of town. You pull over Central Avenue and, instead of driving through a designated entrance to pay a specified fee, you find a mind-bending national park open to the public and free to visit. Although Bathhouse Row is the park’s centrepiece, this urban national park, one of a handful in the nation, boasts more than 20 miles of scenic trails to wander through.

Downtown view in the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Superior Bathhouse Brewery, which served as a bathhouse until 1983, is today the only brewery in a US national park. Spend time at the nationally-famous Gangster Museum of America before exploring the aptly named Sunset Trail, which features beautiful mountain trails.

El Dorado

Main Street in El Dorado, Arkansas.
Main Street in El Dorado, Arkansas. Image credit Chris Litherland, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

History buffs know that El Dorado represents the legendary treasure city of South America, sought eagerly by the early Spanish explorers. While they threw everything into the search, the Spaniards never found El Dorado. Today, you will find El Dorado (without the gold) glimmering with a different kind of treasure: music festivals and historic architecture. Its downtown square brims with Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, beautiful brick streets, and the grand Murphy Arts District, which features one of the largest outdoor venues in southern Arkansas.

The Gallery of History Museum, on Faulkner Street, is a beautiful hidden gem full of interesting artifacts and history. Still on little hidden gems, the chefs at Hella Fresh Kitchen on Jefferson Avenue serve salads as if their lives depend on it.

Mountain View

People sitting and listening to music in Mountain View, Arkansas.
Music festival in Mountain View, Arkansas. Image credit Travel Bug via Shutterstock

Music has always played a central part among Mountain View residents. Some days, particularly Saturday nights, would find locals at a "picking" in a neighbor's house or yard, when residents would engage in a variety of foot-tapping delights. Today, Mountain View is widely known as the “Folk Music Capital of the World.” Its Main Street features traditional music gatherings, many of which are surprisingly spontaneous.

Historic businesses along Highway 66 in Mountain View, Arkansas.
Historic businesses along Highway 66 in Mountain View, Arkansas. Image credit Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

With Mountain View’s Appalachian-style storefronts and landmarks such as the two-story Stone County Courthouse, the focal point of Court House Square, Mountain View’s Main Street has an appearance that will prove difficult to forget. Ozark Folk Center State Park, a long-running cultural site for crafts, music, and food, often draws tourists from every nook of the state. It is an interesting living history state park and probably the only one in the Natural State focused on preserving Ozark culture.

Siloam Springs

Old buildings in the historic district of Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
Historic district of Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Image credit RaksyBH via Shutterstock

With Sager Creek flowing through it, and giving it a mist of rustic allure that many confess to be incredibly enchanting, Siloam Springs is another Arkansas charmer, whose Main Street can hold you mid-step. City Park & Gazebo hugs the waters of the creek and is a quaint space with a sparkly little waterfall. It doubles up as a nice place to relax and fish in downtown Siloam, today a revitalised space with brick-lined streets and neat walkways.

Highway passing through Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
Highway passing through Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Image credit RaksyBH via Shutterstock

The Park House Kitchen + Bar is across the street in a charming, historic building and serves unexpectedly delicious avocado fries. The Park House building was constructed in 1880, meaning the walls have stood for more than 120 years. During warmer seasons, you can savor a mouth-watering meal on the beautiful street-facing patio.

Van Buren

Downtown street in Van Buren, Arkansas.
Downtown street in Van Buren, Arkansas. Image credit Roberto Galan via Shutterstock

With its wide, brick-paved Main Street, array of beautiful antique shops, and tastefully restored 1800s storefronts, Van Buren effortlessly makes other towns in Arkansas look disappointingly average. The Main Street Historic District is anchored at one end by the handsomely restored Frisco Train Depot, an Old-timey space, whose history dates back to 1901. Today, it serves as the Van Buren Visitor’s Center and terminus of the Arkansas-Missouri 1920s vintage excursion train, a 70-mile round trip through the ruggedly beautiful Boston Mountain range of the Ozarks.

Historic Crawford County Bank Building on Main Street in Van Buren, Arkansas.
Historic Crawford County Bank Building on Main Street in Van Buren, Arkansas. Image credit Jonathan C Wear via Shutterstock

The prominent King Opera House, also on Main Street, is a nice place to catch a mood-changing show. Many regard it as Main Street’s undisputed crown jewel. Make sure you snap a picture of the Crawford County Courthouse: the oldest continuously operating courthouse west of the Mississippi.

Helena (Helena-West Helena)

Downtown street in Helena, Arkansas.
Downtown Helena, Arkansas. Image credit Thomas R Machnitzki (thomas@machnitzki.com) via Wikimedia Commons.

None other than Mark Twain once described Helena as occupying “one of the prettiest situations on the Mississippi.” Helena, a small community with eye-catching historic architecture, is a beautiful Mississippi River town that doubles up as one of the oldest in Arkansas. You will want to start your trip at the Arkansas Welcome Center in Helena-West Helena on Martin Luther King Jr Drive. Other than free coffee and clean restrooms, you will discover several places to see that you previously had no idea about. In the years after the Second World War, Helena transitioned into a vibrant blues community and today hosts the longest-running blues radio show in the world: King Biscuit Time.

Spend quiet time at the Helena River Park, where a boardwalk takes visitors right to the edge of the Mississippi River. You will find interpretive panels explaining some of the local ecosystem and the town’s history. Meanwhile, Freedom Park is the first location in the state designated as a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site.

Paris

Downtown Paris, Arkansas, US, Facing South on Highway 309.
Downtown Paris, Arkansas.

Paris is beautifully set against the scenic Ozark backdrop and was named after Paris, France, affectionately called "the City of Love." While Paris, Arkansas, may not be as romantic as its European namesake, it features a charming square with a replica Eiffel Tower. Paris has a decent number of gorgeous historic buildings, including the Logan County Courthouse, a Classical Revival with elegant temple-style porticos on three sides.

Eiffel Tower of Paris, Arkansas.
Eiffel Tower of Paris, Arkansas. Image credit Granger Meador via Flickr.com

The nearby Mount Magazine, which gives the town a beautiful backdrop, is the state's highest peak. Bicycling Magazine once named it "the climb to do in Arkansas." Other outdoor spots to explore around town include the Paris Reservoir, home to a variety of fish species, including largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish.

Heber Springs

Arkansas Highway in Heber Springs, Arkansas.
Downtown Heber Springs, Arkansas.

With its tidy, old-school downtown that leads to the beautiful Greers Ferry Lake and Little Red River, it will not come as a surprise that Heber Springs is frequently ranked among the most photogenic towns in Arkansas. It is always a pleasure walking down Main Street and admiring the historic storefronts that offer a hazy glimpse into the town’s storied past. You will want to catch a matinee at the glamorous Gem Theater, a cherished venue that has been showing movies for over 80 years. It is conveniently located on Main Street.

The dam on Greers Ferry Lake in Heber Springs, Arkansas.
The dam on Greers Ferry Lake in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Image credit Melissa Tate via Shutterstock

Heber Springs has an artsy vibe, and places such as the Ellen Hobgood Gallery speak to this. It is where you can find big-city quality at small-town prices. Lastly, Bridal Veil Falls, home to some of the most beautiful views in the world, is just south of town.

If beauty will save the world, Arkansas, with its delightful array of picture-perfect Main Streets, could be the quintessential theatre of action. You will find storefronts that make you stop and look, dated red bricks that speak of a slower, saner time, and oaks, willows, and dogwoods. No wonder Arkansas is called the Natural State.

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