The Best Things to Do in Arkansas, Region by Region

The best things to do in Arkansas on a first trip are digging for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park, walking Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park, hiking to a waterfall on the Buffalo National River and standing on Petit Jean Mountain. This guide gives you 13 picks spread across all six of Arkansas's official tourism regions: the Ozarks, the Ouachitas, River Valley, the Delta, the Timberlands and the Capital region. Each pick says what to do, how long to allow and one tip.

Here is the short version to send a friend: in Arkansas you can keep the diamond you dig up, drink spring water that fell as rain about 4,400 years ago, and watch a blues radio show that has been on the air since 1941 go out live at lunchtime.

How we chose

We picked places a first-time visitor can actually do, then confirmed every one on its own official site (the National Park Service, Arkansas State Parks, the US Forest Service or the venue itself) in November 2026. We capped Northwest Arkansas at one pick so the list covers the whole state, and we favored places with something you can only do in Arkansas. Hours and prices change, so check the official link before you go.

The Ozarks: what should you do in northern Arkansas?

In the Ozarks, float or hike the Buffalo National River, spend an afternoon at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville and go underground at Blanchard Springs Caverns.

1. Buffalo National River, near Ponca

Do: Hike the Lost Valley Trail near Ponca through a narrow canyon to Eden Falls, a 53-foot cascade, or paddle the river between its bluffs. Congress made the Buffalo National River the country's first national river in 1972, and the National Park Service charges no entry or day-use fee.

Allow: Half a day for Lost Valley; a full day for a float.

Tip: The National Park Service says the upper river is usually only floatable in spring and early summer, while the lower river can be paddled year-round. Call the Steel Creek Ranger Station before you plan a float. For a chance to see elk, the National Park Service suggests Boxley Valley near Ponca at dawn or dusk.

2. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville

Do: Walk the galleries and the wooded trails at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, then take a self-guided tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright house on the grounds. The museum says general admission is free; temporary exhibitions are ticketed, and tickets for the self-guided Wright house visit are free.

Allow: Three to four hours.

Tip: Crystal Bridges is typically closed on Tuesdays, and on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The trails stay open sunrise to sunset even when you skip the galleries.

3. Blanchard Springs Caverns, near Mountain View

Do: Take the Dripstone and Discovery Tour of Blanchard Springs Caverns in the Ozark National Forest, a living cave whose formations are still growing. It sits near Mountain View, the town known as the Folk Music Capital of the World.

Allow: Two hours, plus the drive.

Tip: The US Forest Service says tickets must be bought in advance on Recreation.gov, and the cave is typically closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you come between mid-April and mid-November, add the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View for live Ozark mountain music.

The Ouachitas: what is there to do around Hot Springs?

In the Ouachitas, soak in a historic bathhouse at Hot Springs National Park and dig for your own diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park.

4. Hot Springs National Park, Hot Springs

Do: Walk Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs and book a thermal bath. The National Park Service says soaking is allowed only at two bathhouses, the Buckstaff and the Quapaw, and that the Buckstaff, open since 1912, is the only one on the Row that has never fully closed. Entry to Hot Springs National Park is free.

Allow: A full day, or two if you add the mountain trails.

Tip: Bring a food-grade container that can take hot water. The park says you can drink the spring water from its fountains, and the National Park Service estimates that water fell as rain about 4,400 years before it surfaced. Book baths directly with each bathhouse.

5. Crater of Diamonds State Park, Murfreesboro

Do: Search the plowed field at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, the eroded surface of a volcanic crater, and keep any rock or mineral you find. The park says more than 37,000 diamonds have turned up since it opened in 1972, and the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam, found here, is the largest diamond ever unearthed in the US.

Allow: A full day. Murfreesboro is about two and a half hours from Little Rock.

Tip: Stop at the Diamond Discovery Center first to learn the park's recommended search techniques, and bring your finds to park staff, who identify rocks and minerals for free. Rent a shovel, screens and bucket at the Discovery Center, or bring your own tools (no ladders and no battery-operated or motor-driven ones). The search area typically opens at 8 a.m. daily and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

River Valley: where are the best views in Arkansas?

In River Valley, the views come from two flat-topped mountains: Petit Jean, and Mount Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas.

6. Petit Jean State Park, Morrilton

Do: Hike the Cedar Falls Trail at Petit Jean State Park to the 90-foot Cedar Falls, then eat at historic Mather Lodge, part of the log and stone park buildings the Civilian Conservation Corps began building in 1933. Petit Jean Mountain inspired the creation of Arkansas's first state park.

Allow: Half a day; the Cedar Falls Trail alone is 2 miles round trip and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Tip: The trail starts behind the Mather Lodge breezeway and drops into Cedar Creek Canyon, so you finish by climbing back out; save lunch for after. Thrill-seekers can book the park's guided via ferrata climb through its outfitter.

7. Mount Magazine State Park, near Paris

Do: Walk the Signal Hill Trail at Mount Magazine State Park to Arkansas's highest point, 2,753 feet, where a 400-square-foot stone map of the state is set into the summit. Then watch the valley from The Lodge at Mount Magazine.

Allow: Two to three hours, longer if you stay for sunset.

Tip: Arkansas State Parks lists Mount Magazine as one of only two parks in the system with hang gliding launch areas. Drive up on the Mount Magazine Scenic Byway for the switchbacks.

The Delta: what is the Arkansas Delta known for?

The Arkansas Delta is known for blues and farm history, and two stops tell that story best: the Delta Cultural Center in Helena and Johnny Cash's boyhood home in Dyess.

8. Delta Cultural Center, Helena

Do: Explore the Delta Cultural Center in Helena-West Helena, then watch King Biscuit Time broadcast live on KFFA from the Delta Sounds Gallery. The show first aired on November 21, 1941, and has gone out from the center since 2000. Admission is free.

Allow: Two hours.

Tip: Arrive by noon on a weekday: King Biscuit Time typically airs at 12:15 p.m. The museum is typically open Tuesday through Saturday, so aim for a Tuesday to Friday visit and call ahead to confirm.

9. Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess

Do: Tour the restored farmhouse where Johnny Cash grew up, part of a New Deal farm colony and now an Arkansas State University Heritage Site. Tours start at the Dyess Colony Visitors Center with a short film, continue through the historic Administration Building museum next door and end with a guided walk through the home.

Allow: About two hours.

Tip: Tours typically run on the hour, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are no restrooms at the house itself, so use the Visitors Center first.

The Timberlands: what is worth seeing in southern Arkansas?

In the Timberlands, step into the 1800s at Historic Washington State Park and see where a president spent his first four years in Hope.

10. Historic Washington State Park, Washington

Do: Walk the streets of Historic Washington State Park, which Arkansas State Parks calls the largest collection of 19th-century buildings in the state. Visit the Blacksmith Shop and the Weapons Museum: Arkansas State Parks says James Black, a local blacksmith in Washington, forged the legendary Bowie knife.

Allow: Half a day.

Tip: Paid guided tours typically run daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and a horse-drawn surrey ride, typically Tuesday through Saturday and weather permitting, covers the town in about 25 minutes. Lunch at Williams Tavern Restaurant, typically closed on Mondays.

11. President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site, Hope

Do: Take the free 25-minute ranger-led tour of the house in Hope where Bill Clinton, born William Jefferson Blythe III, spent his first four years being raised by his grandparents. The National Park Service runs the site and charges no entrance fee.

Allow: One hour.

Tip: Historic Washington State Park is a short drive away, so pair the two in one day. Tours typically leave every 30 minutes from 9 a.m., with the last at 4 p.m., but the schedule depends on staffing, so call the site before you go.

The Capital region: what should you do in Little Rock?

In the Capital region, visit Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site and climb Pinnacle Mountain for a view over the Arkansas River.

12. Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Little Rock

Do: See where nine Black students integrated a public high school in 1957 at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in Little Rock. The visitor center and ranger programs are free.

Allow: Two hours.

Tip: Central High is still a working high school, so you can't go inside on your own. Ranger programs typically run Tuesday through Saturday at 1 p.m. by reservation only, and the park suggests booking about two months ahead. The visitor center is typically open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

13. Pinnacle Mountain State Park, west of Little Rock

Do: Scramble up the West Summit Trail and down the East Summit Trail at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, then close the loop on the Base Trail. The park has more than 33 miles of trails.

Allow: About two hours for the 2.5-mile summit loop.

Tip: Both summit trails are rated strenuous and rocky, and the East Summit Trail crosses several boulder fields, so wear real shoes. Pinnacle Mountain State Park's picnic area and arboretum typically open at 6:30 a.m., and the visitor center at 8 a.m.

What should a first Arkansas trip checklist include?

Use this checklist to see all six Arkansas regions in about a week:

• Book ahead: a Blanchard Springs Caverns tour, a Hot Springs bath and a Central High ranger program.
• Pack a food-grade container for Hot Springs water and old clothes for diamond digging.
• Plan around closed days: Crystal Bridges on Tuesdays, Blanchard Springs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the Delta Cultural Center on Sundays and Mondays.
• Be in Helena by noon on a weekday for King Biscuit Time.
• Float the upper Buffalo in spring; hike it any time.
• Pair Hope with Historic Washington, and Petit Jean with Mount Magazine.
• Find more drives on our road trips page and more trails on our outdoors page.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the number one thing to do in Arkansas?

For a first trip, our pick is digging for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, where you keep any rock or mineral you find. Hot Springs National Park and the Buffalo National River are close behind.

What are the six regions of Arkansas?

Arkansas's official tourism site divides the state into six regions: the Ozarks, the Ouachitas, River Valley, the Delta, the Timberlands and the Capital region around Little Rock. Planning by region keeps drive times manageable.

Is Hot Springs National Park free?

Yes. The National Park Service says no entrance pass is needed for Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. Thermal baths at the Buckstaff and Quapaw bathhouses are paid and booked directly with each bathhouse.

Can you keep diamonds you find in Arkansas?

Yes. At Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, any rock or mineral you find is yours to keep. The park charges admission to the search area and rents digging tools.

When is the best time to float the Buffalo National River?

Spring and early summer are usually the only times the upper Buffalo National River is floatable, according to the National Park Service. The lower river can be paddled year-round, depending on water levels.

Can you go inside Little Rock Central High School?

Not on your own, because Little Rock Central High School is still an operating high school. The National Park Service runs free ranger programs by reservation, typically Tuesday through Saturday, and these stay outside the building.