This year I skipped the previously annual two birthdays in June type post and instead benched the topic for a different type post on 3 Not-so-Frugal Purchases I Don’t Regret. One such item was a birthday party at the train station. We received two complimentary tickets redeemable before October. So in today’s post, let’s go for a ride on the Arkansas Missouri Railroad to Old Town Van Buren, Arkansas.
I would like to stress that this is not a sponsored post; I am simply sharing a fun experience offered in Northwest Arkansas.
LET’S GO FOR A RIDE ON THE ARKANSAS-MISSOURI RAILROAD
I’ve always known there was a passenger train that went to Van Buren and that it’s beautiful to take the trip in the fall. They also have themed Christmas rides. We’d just never thought much about going.
In June we celebrated little man’s fifth birthday on a stationary train car at the railroad station. It was a big hit. As a thank you for booking the party with them, we were given two complimentary passes. True to us, I booked a trip the very last weekend available before they expired.
It was a fairly long day, which made us think twice about dragging our kids along for the full ride. We arrived at the Springdale station at 7:30 AM, reached Van Buren around 10:30 AM, and had a three-hour layover. The train was a bit late arriving back to Van Buren, but we still arrived back more or less on schedule at 5:20 PM.
THINGS TO DO IN OLD TOWN VAN BUREN
I do not recommend taking the trip with small children if you do not plan to get a ride to other locations in the area. “Old Town” is about two blocks long and is mostly boutique-style shops. There are only two restaurants in the district, which was surprising.
We walked the entire district twice, had lunch, and perused the independent bookshop twice before going back to the station to wait for the train.
I was very excited to pick up a used book that contained a favorite recipe of my husband’s that I accidentally donated during an overzealous decluttering sesh years ago. Hopefully, I’ve redeemed myself. I also picked up a little something for my sister’s birthday.
The banking industry was apparently booming in 1886; three buildings at one intersection (shown just above) all had bank names and nearly identical years listed on their facades.
One of which is now a sports bar, where we had lunch. Nearly all the furnishings, decor, and even flooring looked refurbished. It was a great atmosphere. The food was good and decently priced. I had a club sandwich with sweet potato fries.
There is a pretty big car show that happens every October in the Old Town district we will probably go back for (by car) with the kids. One of the shop owners told us it is one of if not the biggest in the state, with cars lined up along both sides of the street. That should be fun.
COURTHOUSE SQUARE
The Courthouse Square was an interesting assortment of landmarks, consisting of Civil War facts, a statue of Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth and beauty, and a historic one-room schoolhouse.
It was a nice trip for us, but I can’t imagine keeping the kids entertained the whole time. The trip also fell on our anniversary weekend, so it was nice to spend a whole day together sans kids.
LET’S GO FOR A RIDE: VIEWS FROM THE TRAIN CAR
I was somehow surprised by the number of homeless camps visible from the train. I knew there were quite a few in the area, but riding past them was quite eye-opening.
Riding through the West Fork bridge was fun too; it is completely dark save for the lights on the end of the train cars in front of and/or behind you for a good two minutes.
All in all, it was a fun day, and if you’re interested and it fits your budget I recommend you take the train ride at least once if you’re in the area. Shorter excursions are available.
Until the next post, stay frugal and healthy my friends. With cooler temperatures now is a great time to get out and explore.
I was wondering if you recall if the streets in downtown Van Buren were paved, cobblestone, gravel? Mostly I want to know if it’s wheelchair friendly.
Hi! Yes, the streets were paved, and the sidewalks fairly wide, although not necessarily very smooth. The downtown section is maybe three blocks long, and relatively flat. You should be good to move around. There are a few shops with basements that only have stairs, since the buildings are old, but the street/sidewalks should be fairly easy to navigate.