Nestled Between Little Rock And Springfield Is Arkansas' Ozark Mountain City With Antique Shops And Live Music

In the Ozarks, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and Branson, Missouri, tend to get the most attention. But this expansive region, stretching for 45,000 square miles across Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Kansas, has plenty more to explore. Just a couple of hours away from Eureka Springs, hidden in the Arkansas Ozarks, lies the small town of Leslie. It's home to just a few hundred people, but it's lined with historic buildings and dotted with antique shops and lively music venues. 

Officially established in 1903, Leslie was at one time an epicenter for the local timber industry, up until around the Great Depression. Its population, which at its height reached around 10,000 people, dropped, and its nearby railroad ceased operations. Since then, Leslie turned a new chapter, becoming the peaceful town it is today. 

With its mountain scenery and creek running through town, Leslie, like many of the Ozarks' pretty small towns, is worth a visit. Whether you're headed to town for unique antique shopping, local music and entertainment, or a bite at a cozy cafe, the town surprises. To get to Leslie, the nearest airport hub is Little Rock, less than 100 miles to the south, or it's about 125 miles northwest to Springfield, Missouri.

This under-the-radar city is full of shops and is a gem for antique shopping, with a number of choices to explore right in town for that vintage treasure or one-of-a-kind souvenir. Leslie Antique Mall, rated 4.6 on Google Maps, offers an array of antiques and vintage items, including tools, kitchen supplies, glassware, and more. While here, you may even find unique items like Civil War-era weaponry. 

Cove Creek Emporium is another charming, colorful space in Leslie. Apart from selling antiques, the store also features a cozy coffee shop. Sharing their experience, one recent customer on Google said, "Stopped in for a chocolate shake just a few days ago and it was so good!" They went on to say, "Plenty to look at and take home with you! So many good bargains and neat thrifts!"

Thistle & Salt Mercantile, meanwhile, offers not only an array of antique and vintage goods, but a range of wellness products, including essential oils, shampoo bars, lotions, and more — plus freshly baked chocolate rolls. Also located in downtown Leslie, Antiques And offers "a little bit of everything," said one Google reviewer. "This place is a treasure."

When it comes to live music in Leslie, there's no overlooking Wiley's Cove Hideaway. You can find live music every Saturday night at the casual local restaurant. Expect genres ranging from rock to blues and country. Apart from live music, you'll also find fun entertainment like karaoke on Thursdays, as well as darts, cornhole, and pool, plus kid-friendly board games and decks of cards throughout the week. The restaurant serves burgers and sandwiches, appetizers like fried pickles and spinach dip, and plenty of desserts.

At Ozark Heritage Arts Center, find an array of musical, theater, and artistic programming, all within a historic, 1938 space. The 400-seat theater is used for an Arkansas fiddle contest, monthly bluegrass performances, open-mic events, and more. But the venue also features an art gallery, as well as a small museum dedicated to local 19th- and 20th-century history, with artifacts including an 1820s loom, a fiddle, carvings, and photographs.