Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
What’s New
- PURSE HISTORY: The ESSE Purse Museum & Store in Little Rock shows the evolution of the 20th-century American woman not only through the bags she carried, but through their contents.
- BATHHOUSE BREWERY: At the Superior Bathhouse Brewery and Distillery in Hot Springs National Park, plans are underway to turn natural thermal water into craft beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.
- A RESTORATION FOR JOHNNY: The Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Mississippi County has undergone restoration and will reopen on August 15 in conjunction with the Johnny Cash Music Festival.
Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
Attractions
- Clinton Presidential Library & Center: The largest collection of presidential artifacts in U.S. history. Little Rock.
- Gangster Museum Of America: Artifacts related to the 20s, 30s and 40s. Hot Springs.
- Crater Of Diamonds State Park: The only diamond mine in the world where visitors can keep what they find. Murfreesboro.
- Crystal Bridges Museum Of American Art: Houses American art masterworks from the colonial era to modern day. Bentonville.
Events
- Arkansas Folk Festival (April), Mountain View.
- Annual Hope Watermelon Festival (August), Hope.
- Arkansas State Fair (October), Little Rock.
- King Biscuit Blues Festival (October), Helena.
Places
- Mountain View: The ‘Folk Music Capital of the World’ preserves pioneer ways at the Ozark Folk Center State Park.
- Eureka Springs: ‘America’s Victorian Village’ is designated as one of the Top 10 Travel Destinations in America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67: Encompassing Jackson, Lawrence and Randolph Counties. Pocahontas/Newport.
- Hot Springs National Park: Featuring 47 thermal springs and almost 50 kilometres of hiking trails.
Hidden Gems
- Arkansas Wine Country: Six wineries offer tours and tastings in Altus, Wiederkehr Village and Paris.
- President William Jefferson Clinton Home National Historic Site: Free tours of the restored home where Clinton spent much of his childhood. Hope.
- Historic Washington State Park: Interprets the 19th century town of Washington from 1824-1875. Washington.
Did You Know?
- State Motto: The People Rule
- State Flower: Apple Blossom
- State Bird: Mockingbird
Fast Facts
- Region: THE SOUTH
- America’s Byways: Crowley’s Ridge Parkway, Great River Road, Talimena Scenic Drive.
- Connecting Flights Via: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Memphis, Minneapolis, St Louis.
- Shopping: The Outlets at Little Rock; Pinnacle Hills Promenade Mall; the Promenade at Chenal; Paul Michael Company; Eureka Springs Downtown Historic District.
- Info: Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
(800) NATURAL; (800) 872-1259 (group travel assistance)
www.arkansas.com