Arkansas
Back to the South
Arkansas
Arkansas is known as The Natural State for good reason. With its stunning Ozark Mountain vistas and abundance of clear running streams and lakes, the state provides visitors a wealth of great outdoor activities to experience. But Arkansas offers a whole lot more, with cities like Little Rock, Hot Springs and Bentonville visitors can immerse themselves into an authentically southern yet cosmopolitan vibe, while a visit to the eclectic, one-of-a-kind Ozark town of Eureka Springs will stay with you for a lifetime.
The Delta region is where the blues were born and Johnny Cash’s musical journey began and this tradition is alive and well in the towns and cities where it began, particularly Helena and the state capital of Little Rock. Indeed, it was from Little Rock where Bill Clinton, another Arkansas son, also launched his political career and path to the White House as the country’s 42nd President. Visitors can visit and tours sites commemorating the lives and legacies of both Clinton, in Little Rock, and Cash in the small delta town of Dyess.
Further south you will find the fascinating town of Hot Springs, home to the smallest and oldest of the parks in the National Park System and created to protect the 47 naturally flowing thermal springs on the southwestern slope of Hot Springs Mountain. The centrepiece of the city and heart of the National Park is Bathhouse Row a beautiful cluster of early 20th-century spa buildings set alongside a wide and tree-canopied sidewalk. Hot Springs is also renowned as the historical holiday destination for organised crime bosses, including Al Capone who came to gamble and escape the long arm of the law.
Throw in Crater of Diamonds State Park, where you can dig for real diamonds and keep what you find, and Arkansas truly is a unique treasure to discover.
Suggested Itineraries
21c Museum Hotel, BentonvilleLuxuryFrom £263 per room per night
Artwork is clearly part of this hotel's DNA —it's displayed throughout—and while rooms follow a modern aesthetic, they retain a cozy vibe. The on-site restaurant, The Hive, plays on its location by offering familiar flavours pimento cheese and fried chicken with a twist. Rooms feature Malin+Goetz bath amenities and in-room Nespresso machines. Winner of the Conde Nast Readers' Choice Awards 4 times.
