3 Charming Towns In Arkansas With Historic Trolley Tours
By Rachel Raimondi|Published January 19, 2023
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Rachel Raimondi
Author
Writer some days, editor other days, nerd all days. Love to travel to lesser-known spots and give them the love they deserve. Independently owned motor inns, Mom and Pop restaurants, uncrowded National Parks and trails.
In between these, spend my free time virtually adventuring through point-and-click games. Native New Yorker but can frequently be found roaming other parts of the United States.
While there are hundreds towns and cities within the Natural State’s borders, there are only a few that you can tour via historic trolley rides. Step back in time and board a historic trolley car to take in the sights and sounds of Fort Smith, Hot Springs, and Little Rock and North Little Rock from this more than century-old form of transportation.
The Fort Smith Trolley Museum is operated by the Fort Smith Streetcar Restoration Association, which works to preserve and educate the public about streetcars.
Here, you can examine several historic trolleys and trains, such as the Fort Smith Light and Traction Company Car No. 224. On the National Register of Historic Places since 1994, this car is the primary one in operation and has been since 1991.
Another operating streetcar is the Hot Springs Street Railway No. 50. There are also five locomotives, five passenger cars, three freight cars, and four motor buses to examine at the museum as well as various pieces of railroad-related work equipment.
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So grab a comfy seat and take the 0.75-mile ride through the city from Garrison Avenue, a historic district of the city that goes back to 1838, to the National Cemetery.
Fort Smith Trolley Museum, 100 S 4th St, Fort Smith, AR 72901, USA
While you can (and should!) certainly visit Hot Springs National Park on foot, there is another more unique way to do it. Hop on the Hot Springs Trolley and head into this gorgeous area.
You’ll head up into the mountains to see the 5,500-acre park’s landscape, including the Ouachita Valley. Along the way, your driver will provide interesting commentary and information about a range of topics from the area’s baseball history to its unique natural surroundings.
You’ll also see historic mansions and sites as well as charming neighborhoods. When you get up the mountains into the park, you’ll make a stop and be able to take in the views from both inside and outside the trolley.
At the conclusion of the tour, you’ll get to fill up your complimentary water jug from a mountain spring.
Hot Springs Trolleys, 706 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901, USA
There are three replica streetcars in operation that head along a serene 3.4-mile route through the downtown areas of both cities.
Along the way, you’ll see (and can hop on and off at) some of the area’s best eateries, hotels, shops, and attractions as well as the Little Rock River Market and the William J. Clinton Library and Museum.
Rock Region METRO, 901 Maple St, North Little Rock, AR 72114, USA
