Unearth Arkansas, a hidden gem often missed by international visitors to the United States. Dubbed “The Natural State,” Arkansas dazzles with its breathtaking natural beauty, endearing villages, cities, and rich history.
Top Places to Visit in Arkansas
Nestled between the Midwest and the Deep South, Arkansas is bordered by picturesque states: Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The state’s landscape is graced by the Ozark and Ouachita mountain ranges in the northwest, while the fertile Mississippi Delta in the south and southeast boasts vast rice and cotton farms. Immerse yourself in our guide to the Top Places to Visit in Arkansas and explore this enchanting state.
Arkansas’ diverse topography, vast woods, and unspoiled wilderness areas offer numerous outdoor activities for locals and visitors alike. Some popular destinations include Mount Magazine State Park, with its stunning vistas, the Buffalo National River, and the Ozark National Forest.
As you travel through the state, take the time to explore the charming communities that dot the mountains, forests, and farmland. In addition to the more bustling cities of Little Rock and Fayetteville, tranquil resort towns like Hot Springs and Eureka Springs are worth a visit.
Hot Springs, once a popular destination for gamblers, bootleggers, and mobsters, is now renowned for its well-preserved Bathhouse Row and beautiful architecture. Eureka Springs is known for its therapeutic waters and Victorian-era homes lining its cobblestone streets.
Little Rock, the state capital, has a historic downtown area packed with museums, art galleries, restaurants, and pubs. Fayetteville, a college town located in the Pacific Northwest, has a vibrant arts community and exciting nightlife.
The Ozark and Ouachita mountain ranges give Arkansas its apt nickname, “The Natural State.” Covered in lush forests, the state is home to breathtaking landscapes and natural wonders, including rushing rivers that flow past steep cliffs and incredible state parks.
In addition to its amazing natural attractions and spectacular wilderness areas, Arkansas is also home to several charming little towns and communities. While Little Rock is the state’s political, cultural, and economic center, other must-see destinations include the historic towns of Eureka Springs and Hot Springs.
Top Places to Visit in Arkansas: Bentonville
A stunning sunset casts a warm glow over the city of Bentonville, Arkansas. Image source: shuttersv/Shutterstock.com
Bentonville, Arkansas, is a small town in the state’s northwest that became internationally famous as the home of Walmart. The city’s thriving economy has changed it from a quiet village to a lovely and somewhat cosmopolitan metropolis.
Aside from the city’s numerous uninspiring corporate headquarters and never-ending urban sprawl, its central district is teeming with locally owned shops, cafés, and restaurants. There are also a number of beautiful parks and fascinating museums in the area, with the cutting-edge Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art being the best of the lot.
Though it’s a calm and tranquil spot to spend the weekend, Bentonville receives a large number of business travellers throughout the week. The little town also serves as a convenient jumping-off point for excursions to nearby attractions like Eureka Springs and Branson, as well as the beautiful Buffalo River and Ozark Mountains.
9. Petit Jean State Park
A view of a stunning waterfall at Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas. Image source: Zack Frank/Shutterstock.com
Petit Jean State Park, located in northern Arkansas not far from Morrilton, is a beautiful place to see the state’s great wildness. The park is supposedly named after a young Frenchwoman who died tragically while exploring the area in the 18th century.
The legend has it that she posed as a male in order to join her beloved on the voyage, and she only revealed her actual gender upon reaching her last moments. Her burial, which is located on top of a gorgeous peak in the park’s centre, is surrounded by a beautiful landscape. From the peak, tourists may take in breathtaking vistas of the Arkansas River Valley and its spectacular caverns, canyons, and woods.
Cedar Falls, which cascades 29 metres over a rocky cliff, is one of the park’s most stunning features. Other activities in the area include hiking, fishing, and boating on Lake Bailey.
Top Places to Visit in Arkansas: Mount Magazine State Park
A panoramic view of Mount Magazine State Park, Arkansas. Image source: Zack Frank/Shutterstock.com
Mount Magazine, the state’s tallest peak, towers above the surrounding landscape of Magazine State Park. The mountain stands at an impressive 839 metres above its surroundings, which include woods, hills, and the breathtaking panorama of the Arkansas River Valley.
Numerous hiking routes and bike pathways wind their way up and around its slopes, while more extreme activities like rock climbing, rappelling, and even hang gliding may be found in the park’s loftier regions. Campsites and BBQ pits are available, and the visitor centre has informative and engaging displays on the park’s pristine landscape and animal preservation efforts.
Fishing and swimming are available in a variety of glistening lakes situated at various locations. Mount Magazine State Park is a popular tourist destination because of its abundance of attractions, beautiful surroundings, and breathtaking panoramas.
7. Crater of Diamonds State Park
the Ozark Diamond Mine at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Image source: Bonita R. Cheshier/Shutterstock.com
Southwest of the state lies the Crater of Diamonds State Park, the only location worldwide where diamonds may be mined legally. Tourists have been drawn to the region in search of diamonds ever since 1906, when John Huddlestone discovered two sparkling gems.
There have been an astounding 29,000 jewels found throughout the years by tourists, all of which have been kept by their grateful owners. The major draw is the opportunity to dig for rare gemstones, but there is also a Diamond Discovery Center that provides an interesting glimpse into the history of prospecting.
On the property, there is also a cafe, a shop, an aquatic playground, and some historic buildings to look around. On average, tourists find two diamonds each day, but in 1990, Shirley Strawn unearthed the Strawn-Wagner Diamond, the only flawless stone ever found.
Top Places to Visit in Arkansas: Fayetteville
A view of a historic building in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Image source: ksnyd_10/Shutterstock.com
In the heart of the Ozarks, you’ll find Fayetteville, the state’s third-largest city after Little Rock and Fort Smith. The city’s young vibe may be attributed to its status as the home of the University of Arkansas’s major campus, as well as the fact that there are many exciting new clubs, restaurants, and stores to explore.
The city’s high student population means it also boasts a vibrant arts and entertainment scene, complete with concerts, plays, and festivals. The historic downtown square has some gorgeous old buildings and beautifully groomed gardens, despite being overrun by crowds during college sports events.
Along with Dickson Street, it serves as the city’s epicentre, housing everything from government offices and shops to monuments and nightlife hotspots. If you want to get away from the city on game day, there are several great hiking trails and bike lanes in the region near Fayetteville.
5. Buffalo National River
A kayaker floats down the peaceful Buffalo River in Ponca, Arkansas. Image source: Damon Shaw/Shutterstock.com
The Buffalo River, the first river in the United States to be named a National River, flows enchantedly through the breathtaking Ozark Mountain scenery. It has been preserved since 1972, and its clear, free-flowing waters run through stunning terrain while being blissfully unspoilt, undammed, and unpolluted.
Stunning natural features, like thick woods, glistening waterfalls, towering cliffs, and otherworldly rock formations, line its picturesque banks. Over three hundred caverns may be found nearby. The Buffalo National River is a recreational paradise because of its stunning natural scenery and the diversity of habitats it protects.
Paddling a kayak or canoe down the river is the greatest way to get up close and personal with all the breathtaking scenery, while hiking and horseback riding along its banks are also enjoyable. There are also some fascinating historical monuments in the region, such as prehistoric bluff shelters and terrace settlement sites inhabited by Archaic Indians and old cabins built by the first European immigrants.
4. Eureka Springs
the charming town of Eureka Springs in Arkansas. Image source: Rachael Martin/Shutterstock.com
Visiting Eureka Springs is like taking a trip back in time because of all the beautifully restored Victorian-era cottages, manor homes, and mansions that dot the city. Located over the steep slopes of a valley deep in the Ozarks, this town’s tangle of twisting cobblestone alleys is a sight to see, and it has a number of impressive architectural displays.
Because of its abundance of cold-water springs, widely considered to have curative characteristics, the town immediately gained popularity after its founding in 1879. Even though its prime has passed, the whole city has been included in the National Register of Historic Places to ensure that its charmingly unique appearance and personality are preserved for future generations.
In addition to seeing the streets of the city, vacationers may also ride horses, hike, and ride bicycles through the beautiful woods and mountains that surround it. Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is one of the state’s most popular vacation spots due to its beautiful architecture and rich history.
Top Places to Visit in Arkansas: Ozark National Forest
A secret waterfall in the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. Image source: Damon Shaw/Shutterstock.com
The massive Ozark National Forest spans a large portion of Arkansas and is home to stunning natural beauty; it is sometimes lumped together with the much smaller St. Francis National Forest. The former includes the state’s tallest mountains, while the latter is among the smallest but most biologically rich woods in the United States.
Collectively, they provide about 630 km of paths for hikers to explore, in addition to nine swimming facilities, 23 campgrounds, and innumerable beautiful drives and picnic spaces. They are quite rugged and hilly, and they are home to beautiful old-growth woods that are crisscrossed by 600 kilometres of rushing streams and rivers.
The Ozark National Forest is an ideal site for outdoor activities like hiking and mountain biking because of its abundant natural beauty and lack of human development. In its stunning rivers, visitors may swim, fish, and take out boats. People from all walks of life love to camp in the woods so they may wake up surrounded by nature’s finest.
2. Hot Springs
The skyline of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Image source: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
Hot Springs, Arkansas is a beautiful resort town in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains that got its name from the curative properties of its springs. After its founding in 1832, the town surrounding its thermal springs flourished, and it became a famous spa destination in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Because of the thriving gambling and bootlegging industries, mobsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano would often spend their vacations (and perhaps conduct some business) in this area.
Hot Springs is well-known these days for its beautiful architecture, which includes examples of Art Deco, Neoclassical, and Mission-Revival design. As part of Hot Springs National Park, Bathhouse Row is preserved so that visitors may continue to enjoy its warm, inviting waters. In addition to the restored baths and several museums and displays devoted to its history and tradition, there is plenty of beautiful mountain scenery and the environment for tourists to enjoy in this town.
Top Places to Visit in Arkansas: Little Rock
The beautiful Capitol building of Little Rock, Arkansas. Image source: mnapoli/Shutterstock.com
Little Rock, the state capital and biggest city, may be found on the Arkansas River’s banks in the geographic centre of Arkansas. It is a key cultural, economic, and transportation centre for the area. It takes its name from a conspicuous rock feature that has served this purpose for centuries.
Its ancient downtown is both bustling and relaxing, with several intriguing activities like museums, theatres, and galleries. The city is also home to a number of beautiful parks, including Riverside Park, which displays the city’s namesake rocks.
Hiking, biking, and boating may be enjoyed in its beautiful surroundings, and there are many great cafés, restaurants, and pubs located throughout the area. Little Rock may not look or feel like a state capital, but its proximity to the Ouachita National Forest and the Ozark Mountains ensures that visitors will have enough to do for days.
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What is the prettiest place in Arkansas?
- The Ozark Mountains
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What is the number one vacation spot in Arkansas?
- Hot Springs
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What is a major tourist attraction Arkansas has?
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
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What is the most visited town in Arkansas?
- Little Rock
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