Arkansas places

Places to Go in Arkansas

24 towns and places, by region. Pick one on the map, or browse below.

The Ozarks

Bluffs, caverns, the Buffalo National River and Ozark town squares

Bentonville

Bentonville, once known mainly as Walmart's birthplace, is known as the Mountain Biking Capital of the World. Nearly 70 miles of trails run through the city and connect to another 400 miles across the Ozarks. Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, five minutes from downtown, has a 20-mile multi-use trail system and a firefly sanctuary.

Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs is an Ozark mountain town of winding streets, springs and Victorian architecture, with its entire downtown on the National Register of Historic Places. Thorncrown Chapel, an architectural icon of glass and wood, sits in the forest canopy, and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is home to big cats.

Fayetteville

Fayetteville is the home of the University of Arkansas, whose Old Main and Senior Walk make the campus worth touring on foot. Its entertainment district lies between the campus and the historic downtown square, with art galleries, independent bookstores and live music.

Heber Springs

Heber Springs first drew travelers with its mineral springs and now sits beside Greers Ferry Lake. Below Greers Ferry Dam, the cold Little Red River produced a world record brown trout. Bridal Veil Falls and a courthouse square round out a visit.

Jasper

Jasper sits in Newton County, where more than a third of the land is preserved by national and state agencies. The Buffalo National River winds past limestone bluffs nearby, and an elk herd of about 600 roams the river corridor. Round Top Mountain Trail is four miles south of town.

Mountain View

Mountain View, known as the Folk Music Capital of the World, was so isolated that its first paved roads didn't arrive until the 1960s. Local musicians began playing around town to give people a reason to visit, and the tradition continues. It is also a base for Blanchard Springs Caverns and White River fishing.

Ponca

Ponca is a tiny mountain community at the heart of the Buffalo National River's most dramatic scenery. Nearby are Hemmed-In Hollow Falls, which plunges nearly 210 feet, the Whitaker Point Trail and the Lost Valley Trail to 53-foot Eden Falls.

Rogers

Rogers has brick-paved streets in its historic downtown, lined with shops, galleries and restaurants. The 25-foot-tall world's largest Daisy BB gun leans against the outside of the Daisy Airgun Museum, and the Railyard bike park has jump lines for every skill level.

The Ouachitas

Thermal springs, crystal digging and mountain drives

Hot Springs

Hot Springs grew up around 47 thermal springs in the Ouachita Mountains, on land Congress set aside in 1832 as Hot Springs Reservation. Grand bathhouses lined Bathhouse Row by the late 19th century, and the town also became the birthplace of baseball's spring training.

Mena

Mena is the Arkansas end of the Talimena Scenic Drive, which leaves US 71 here on Highway 88. The road quickly enters the Ouachita National Forest and climbs Rich Mountain, at 2,681 feet the state's second-highest peak, passing Queen Wilhelmina State Park on the way to Oklahoma.

Mount Ida

Mount Ida, crowned the Quartz Capital of the World, sits beside the Ouachita National Forest, minutes from Lake Ouachita. Visitors dig for their own quartz crystals in the mountain soil and ride or hike the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail and Womble Trail.

Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro is the home of Crater of Diamonds State Park, where visitors dig for natural diamonds in their original volcanic source. Lake Greeson and Daisy State Park are close for fishing and paddling. It is about 2.5 hours from Little Rock.

River Valley

Flat-topped mountains above the Arkansas River, and wineries

Altus

Altus lies among rolling vineyards in the Arkansas River Valley, with tasting rooms at Post Winery, Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and Mount Bethel Winery. Its town square has a park with memorials to the area's coal mining past, and the Heritage House Museum tells the story of the early settlers.

Fort Smith

Fort Smith pairs its frontier past with a creative streak, from the Bass Reeves statue and the Fort Smith National Historic Site to The Unexpected murals on historic buildings. The Old Fort Days Rodeo is a tradition that dates back nearly a century.

Russellville

Russellville is a River Valley city with 23 parks, including the Bona Dea Trails and Sanctuary with more than five miles of paths through wetlands. Lake Dardanelle State Park draws anglers and campers, and Mount Nebo, Mount Magazine and Petit Jean state parks are within a short drive.

Van Buren

Van Buren is a heritage town whose restored Victorian Main Street is served by the free Historic Main Street Trolley. Arts On Main and live performances at the King Opera House keep the downtown busy, and Lee Creek and the Arkansas River are close for hiking and fishing.

The Delta

Blues, barbecue and duck country along the Mississippi

Helena-West Helena

Helena-West Helena, specifically Historic Helena, was incorporated in 1833, three years before Arkansas became a state. It sits at the southern tip of Crowley's Ridge on the Mississippi River, and two National Scenic Byways, the Crowley's Ridge Parkway and the Great River Road, run through town.

Jonesboro

Jonesboro is a college town anchored by Arkansas State University, with Red Wolves athletics, the Bradbury Art Museum and the A-State Museum. A walkable main street sets the tone downtown, and Craighead Forest Park has miles of hiking and biking trails.

Stuttgart

Stuttgart, proudly called the Duck and Rice Capital of the World, sits on the Arkansas Grand Prairie among rice fields and winter waterfowl. The Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie explains how farming shaped the community, and the World's Championship Duck Calling Contest fills Thanksgiving week.

The Timberlands

Pine forests, oil-boom history and presidential roots

El Dorado

El Dorado's story is written in oil: a 1920s discovery turned the quiet county seat into a boomtown. Historic storefronts and the Union County Courthouse frame its square, Oil Heritage Park tells the boomtown story, and the Murphy Arts District is a regional hub for dining and live music.

Hope

Hope is a small Hempstead County town about 120 miles from Little Rock. It is the birthplace of former US President Bill Clinton and showcases some of the world's largest watermelons, celebrated at a festival every August. The restored railroad depot serves as the visitor center and museum.

Texarkana

Texarkana's Municipal Auditorium was once a stop for Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash along Rock 'n' Roll Highway 67. Downtown has the 1894 Gallery and murals of Scott Joplin and Corinne Griffith, and families head to the Four States Auto Museum and Big Dam Waterpark.

Capital

Little Rock, lakes and a bridge built for walkers and cyclists

Conway

Conway is a college town shaped by the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College and Central Baptist College, with festivals like Toad Suck Daze and the Conway Art Walk. Its Commercial Historic District is a walkable mix of preserved architecture, boutiques and coffee shops, and Lake Conway draws anglers year-round.

Little Rock

Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas, with shops, restaurants and museums in the River Market District along the river. The Arkansas River Trail gives walkers and cyclists a quick way from downtown into the outdoors.