Little Rock Skyline

The capital city of Arkansas, Little Rock is located in the center of the state. A convenient destination for travelers on Highway 30 and Highway 40, “La Petite Roche” is located on the Arkansas River. Called The Natural State, Arkansas’s largest business, commercial and cultural hub is greater Little Rock. Residents and travelers enjoy world-class performances at Verizon arena in North Little Rock. US Air Force and military families enjoy life in Jacksonville, Arkansas at Little Rock Air Force Base. Downtown Little Rock is a destination itself, with the Clinton Presidential Library, State Capital Building and the Old State House. A visit to the Little Rock area is full of fun events and interesting destinations.

This is the season for Little Rock visitors to take a holiday cruise down the Arkansas River. Make Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Eve special on board the Arkansas Queen. The Queen is berthed at the North Shore Maritime Center in North Little Rock, also home to the Arkansas Inland Museum and USS Razorback Submarine. Tour the entire North Little Rock Maritime Center for a full day of entertainment.

A visit to downtown Little Rock’s Heifer International Campus makes a wonderful place to visit during the holidays and the season of giving. Heifer Village, located across the street from the Clinton Presidential Library, addresses the possibility of a world free of hunger and poverty. Enjoy Heifer Village’s 100 foot mural “Dreaming Cows”, the Making a Difference Lab and Global Solutions Gallery. Heifer Village is located downtown near Adams Field off Interstate 30.

The Arkansas Arts Center, on 9th Street in Little Rock, is a cultural hub for the city. The current exhibitions at the Arkansas Arts Center Museum include Will Barnet’s “A Centennial Exhibition” and “Cast, Cut, Forged and Crushed” Selections in Metal, from the Horn Collection. Both exhibits close on January 15th, plan your visit now.

The Arkansas Arts Center’s Children’s Theatre is Arkansas’ only professional company. The 2011 – 2012 season includes performances of Cinderella and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. December brings performances of A Year with Frog and Toad the 2nd through the 18th, with Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood starting January 20th. A performance of the Arkansas Children’s Theatre is an ideal family event.

Jacksonville, Arkansas, north of Interstate 40 and Little Rock, is home to Little Rock Air Force Base and the Jacksonville Museum of Military History. LRAFB is home of C-130 Combat Airlift and a proud part of the Little Rock and North Little Rock community. Veterans and military family members enjoy the Museum of Military History’s galleries, Museum Store and research Library.

Don’t miss current performances at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock. Beautifully set, overlooking the Arkansas River, make the holidays special with a show at the arena. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra Winter Tour 2011 makes a stop in North Little Rock on December 9th, with Cirque du Soleil presenting Dralion at Verizon Arena December 14th and 15. Don’t miss your favorite entertainment at North Little Rock's Verizon Arena.

Hernando deSoto Bridge

It’s time for a road trip through eastern Arkansas’s Delta region, motoring down the Great River Road. In a car or on an Arkansas motorcycle ride, pass the lands carved and enriched by the mighty Mississippi River. A national scenic byway, Arkansas’s Great River Road traverses 362 miles of the Delta from Blytheville in the northeast, through Marion and West Memphis, to McGehee on south to the Arkansas Louisiana state line. Adventure through Crowley’s Ridge State Park and the St Francis National Forest, enjoying prime Arkansas fishing at Lake Frierson and Lake Poinsett. Enjoy the amazing natural sites and resources of the Arkansas Delta region.

North of West Memphis about 60 miles, Mississippi County, Arkansas’s largest city, Blytheville welcomes travelers to the northeast of the state. A growing commercial hub, Blytheville is home to Nucor – Yamato Steel Company plants and Arkansas International Airport in Blytheville is home to the headquarters of Aviation Repair Technologies. Also a community committed to education, Blythville’s Arkansas Northeastern College offers Mississippi County students the Great River Promise – making ANC scholarships available to all county high school students.

Join the Blytheville community in October for the 31^st Annual United Way of Greater Blytheville Chili Cook-Off. Saturday October 15^th, Main Street Blytheville fills with a full block of kid’s activities, arts and crafts tents and delicious chili. Grab a chili tasting cup and determine for yourself who wins the 2011 Chili Cook-off Championship. December is another great time to visit Blytheville. Enjoy the 2011 Lights of the Delta, December 1^st through the 27^th. Lights of the Delta features over 6 million lights covering the 40 acres of the former Ecker Air Force Base. With over 40 displays in motions this is a must see family drive for the holidays.

West Memphis, on the west bank of the Mississippi River sits along Interstate 40 with the DeSoto Bridge connecting West Memphis to Memphis. Located along the former Butterfield Overland Mail Route to Fort Smith and the Trail of Tears, West Memphis is now part of the Arkansas Heritage Trail System. Southland Park Gaming and Racing in West Memphis offers lots of entertainment in one spot. Drawing crowds for dog racing and Reel games, this is the place to be if you’re feeling lucky. Visit in October for the inaugural 2011 Mid-South Great Steak Cook-off. An ideal family event on the grounds of West Memphis’s Southland Park, join the fun October 15^th featuring rides, a car show and mouth-watering steaks all capped off with a concert by the Gin Blossoms.

Ten minutes north of West Memphis, the community of Marion is a convenient location for those looking for a Arkansas hotel outside the hustle and bustle of metro Memphis. A growing hub of the northeast Arkansas Delta region, Marion puts visitors close to the history, heritage and fun of nearby attractions.

Haw Creek Falls
Ozark National Forest

River Deep, Mountain High – Northern Arkansas and the Ozarks. Gifted with rich natural resources, from Buffalo National River and Big Piney Creek, to Beaver Lake, north Arkansas is made for outdoor recreation. The Ozark Mountains and surrounding region are the epitome of the Arkansas nickname – the Natural State. Outdoor treasures nestled in the Ozarks range from Devil’s Den State Park in Lee Creek Valley in the northwest, to Powhatan Historic State Park overlooking the Black River in the northeast of the state. Urban centers like Fayetteville, home of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and Bentonville, world headquarters of Walmart are thriving modern cities – Northern Arkansas has it all and is ready for your visit.

The popular tourist destination Eureka Springs is a gem of northwest Arkansas. With an entire downtown on the National Register of Historic Places, Eureka Springs takes visitors into Victorian days-gone-by. Modern marvels like the Christ of the Ozarks and Thorncrown Chapel show Eureka Springs on-going commitment to outstanding architecture and history making attractions. Celebrate life in the Ozarks at the 64th Annual Original Ozark Folk Festival in Eureka Springs. Events are held beginning November 2nd with the Ozark Queen contest, with events running through Saturday. Festivities include the Barefoot Ball, Singer Songwriter Contest and Art show at Pine Mountain Village. Saturday concerts are held at Basin Park Bandshell, before and after the Folk Festival Parade.

Little known, Eureka Springs is home to the 12th most haunted place in the world – the 125 year old Crescent Hotel. No worries, Best Western hotels have two locations in Eureka Springs. Both locations are guaranteed to be phantom free, unless you stay over Halloween.

The Great Passion Play is performed near Eureka Springs in an outdoor amphitheater built into the hillside of the Ozark Mountains. One of the region’s most popular attractions, the Great Passion Play recounts the last days of Jesus Christ’s life. Performances run through October, playing evenings starting at 7:30 PM. The iconic Eureka Springs Christ of the Ozarks statue is located on the grounds of the Great Passion Play complex.

No need to visit Bentonville to go to Walmart, however a visit to the newly renovated and expanded Walmart Visitor Center, on North Main in Bentonville, is a must. Visitors see the original Walton’s 5&10 dime store and an exhibit gallery featuring photos and video of founder Sam Walton’s life. The Spark Café at the visitor’s center is a great stop to relax with a fresh cup of coffee.

New in fall 2011 comes the opening of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Mark 11-11-11 for the opening of the museum, which sits amidst 120 acres of forest and gardens, connected to downtown Bentonville with a series of pedestrian and multi-use trails. A magnificent architectural masterpiece housing American masterworks from the Colonial era to today, Crystal Bridges is a must for Bentonville visitors.

Downtown Little Rock, AR

Add some natural charm to your visit to the Natural State and visit Central and Southern Arkansas. Communities outside the state capital of Little Rock, from North Little Rock and Benton to Pine Bluff and Hot Springs offer small town hospitality with convenient access to the big city. Visit Benton’s historic Courthouse for events like the Annual Old Fashioned Day, or North Little Rock’s Dickey-Stephens Park for the Annual Family Fun Fest. Relax at America’s first resort, Hot Springs, and enjoy the rich heritage and world-class spas. Sportsmen, grab your fishing poles for a trip to Pine Bluff – the “Bass Capital of the World”

Further south along Interstate 30 Arkansas Travelers pass Arkadelphia, a convenient stop over point, with easy access to Hot Springs and Crater of Diamonds State Park. An education focused community; Arkadelphia is home to Henderson State University, home of the 2010 Gulf South Conference co-champion Reddie football team. Ouachita Baptist University also makes Arkadelphia home.

Hope, less than 50 miles south of Arkadelphia, is the birthplace of US President Bill Clinton, now honored at the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site. Travel past Hope 25 miles to Texarkana on the Texas state line where the claim is you get the best of both Arkansas and Texas.

Benton, just 30 miles southwest of Little Rock is literally the heart of Arkansas, sitting at the state’s geographical center. The county seat of Saline County, Benton hosts the 2011 Saline County Fair September 6th through 10th. Join the Benton community for the evening parade kicking off events and head straight for mid-way carnival rides, street dance and exhibits at the Saline County Fairgrounds. Animal lovers, be sure to catch the Saline County Kennel Club Dog Show at the Fairgrounds October 29th and 30th.

About an hour west of Little Rock, travelers flock to Hot Springs, America’s first resort – Hot Springs National Park was the first federally protected area in the country. Nestled in the Diamond Lakes Region of the Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs offers year round outdoor activity and adventure. Play a relaxing round of golf at Lakeview Golf Club on Lake Catherine, Magic Hills is great for a quick 9-hole game, or Belvedere Golf Club, one of the 10 courses in Arkansas. Cast your line at Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton or DeGray Lake for Hot Springs striped bass, walleye or bream.

Of course a soak in the historic and world-famous hot mineral waters of Hot Springs is a must. Check out Fordyce Bathhouse at Hot Springs National Park. Now a museum and visitors center, visitors see the former splendor of the best bathhouse in Hot Springs. Pick a private bathing area or thermal pool at the Quapaw Baths on Bathhouse Row, or enjoy a traditional individual tub experience at Buckstaff Bath House, also on Bathhouse Row and the only remaining bath house within the boundaries of Hot Springs National Park.