Arkansas: Famous Faces and Scenic Places

Hot Springs

Start your tour in Hot Springs National Park on historic Bathhouse Row, and retrace the steps of 20th century crime bosses like Al Capone at the Gangster Museum of America, where exhibits highlight Hot Springs’ connection to infamous outlaws from across the country. Another fascinating exhibit is “The Boys of Spring,” which traces the beginnings of baseball spring training to Hot Springs, where legends such as Babe Ruth and Cy Young enjoyed the healing thermal spas. Today, Bathhouse Row still offers the same relaxing spa experience at Buckstaff Bathhouse, one of the eight bathhouses designated as a National Historic Landmark.

After visiting Bathhouse Row, a stop at Oaklawn will give guests the opportunity to enjoy horse racing, sports wagering, live music and a casino. Next, a dinner on nearby Lake Hamilton makes a perfect peaceful ending to an exciting day.

Central Arkansas

Arrive in the state capital of Little Rock and walk in the steps of a president at the William J. Clinton Library and Museum. View an exact replica of Bill Clinton’s Oval Office and Cabinet Room as well as photographs, videos, documents and an interactive timeline highlighting domestic and foreign policies as well as the Clintons’ lives in the White House. View another important historic landmark at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, listed on the official U.S. Civil Rights Trail as a significant site to see in the South. Today, it’s the only high school functioning within the boundaries of a national historic site. A museum on the site serves as a testament to the nine African American students who integrated the all-white school and tested the Civil Rights Act in 1957.

Across the river in North Little Rock you will find The Old Mill. This replica grist mill, set in a lushly gardened park, appeared in the opening credits of the 1939 film “Gone with the Wind” and remains one of the area’s most-visited attractions.

Finish the day with an Arkansas Travelers baseball game at Dickey-Stephens Park or a dinner show at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse.

Arkansas River Valley

Arkansas is the oldest and largest grape juice and wine producing state in the southern United States. Drawn to the region by the Benedictines of nearby Subiaco Abbey, a colony of German-Swiss immigrants settled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains and began growing grapes in the 1870s in the Altus area. Visit the wineries operating there today for a tour and tasting: Post Winery, Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, Mount Bethel Winery, Chateau Aux Arc and Dionysus Wine and Brew.

After experiencing the vineyards of the Arkansas River Valley, stay overnight on the highest mountain in Arkansas at The Lodge at Mount Magazine. From its setting on the mountain’s south bluff, the lodge offers breathtaking views of the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake in the distance. Enjoy Southern fare and a view at The Skycrest Restaurant, located within the lodge and named after the first hotel that graced the top of the 2,753-foot mountain.

Northwest Arkansas

Arrive in Bentonville. While in town be sure to check out Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection spans five centuries of American masterworks ranging from the Colonial era to the current day. 21c Museum Hotel adds another artful element to the Bentonville scene with over 12,000 square feet of gallery space that adjoins this 104-room boutique hotel and world-class restaurant, The Hive. Downtown Bentonville is among only eight cities to house one of these unique places to stay and play.

Be wowed by the 50,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits and tinkering space at Scott Family Amazeum children’s museum. Take a walk down memory lane at The Walmart Museum inside the original 5 &10 that opened in downtown Bentonville in the 1950s. Have a soda or a milkshake at the museum’s Spark Cafe. Take time to see and explore what life was like as far back as 14,000 years ago at the Museum of Native American History, showcasing one of the most comprehensive Native American artifact collections in the South.

Visit Terra Studios in Fayetteville to see the more than 50 regional artists of American arts and crafts that are represented at The Muse Gallery. Explore the unique Art Park with sculptures, murals, art installations, fountains, a labyrinth, picnic areas and walking paths.

In the nearby historic downtown of Rogers, which encompasses about eight square blocks, brick-paved streets lead to old-fashioned storefronts filled with unique furniture, antiques, jewelry and gifts, cafes and business offices. The Daisy Airgun Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of antique airguns, and the Rogers Historical Museum are also located here.

Keep your group entertained in the evening with performances at the Walton Arts Center and TheatreSquared in downtown Fayetteville. Every sort of production makes stops at these two live performance halls.

Getting Here

Centrally located in the mid-South, Arkansas is a beautiful, affordable destination for group tours. An easy drive from neighboring states like Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma, there are also two major airports – Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) in Bentonville. Once you arrive, you will find that Arkansas offers the right mix of big and small, urban and scenic, with hospitality you won’t find anywhere else.

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