ARKANSAS: THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY
BY CLAY
LARROY
Traveling can
be a great way to meet new people and experience other cultures. New friends
are waiting to meet you in places you have only dreamed of traveling. It can be
a wonderful way to see all that the world has to offer. Travel can be a hobby
and an adventure that will lead you to unexpected places. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
You may not know exactly where Arkansas is, but once you find it,
this state will wow you with its phenomenal scenery and hidden hot spots.
Not quite the Midwest, not quite the Deep South, Arkansas packs in
rollercoaster mountains, thick forests, extensive plains, snaking lakes and
meandering rivers. Outdoor adventurers can trek to remote cabins in the
tree-swathed Ozark Mountains or paddle the Buffalo River by canoe, hurtling
through white water and cooling off in natural swimming pools.
The mountain town of Eureka Springs is the stuff of postcards,
where photogenic Victorian homes cling to hillsides and a raft of stores, cafés
and art galleries line the streets to relieve you of your dollars.
For over a century, bathers have been taking rejuvenating dips in
the thermal springs at Buckstaff Bath House in Hot Springs National Park. Neighboring
Superior Bathhouse is more watering hole than waterhole; it's now a trendy
brewery and distillery.
Arkansas has its share of contemporary cultural institutions too.
The swanky Clinton Presidential Center overlooks the Arkansas River in Little
Rock and houses a library, museum and replica of the Oval Office. The Moshe
Safdie-designed Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville sits amid
50 hectares (120 acres) of leafy gardens, and comes with its own Frank Lloyd
Wright house (moved lock, stock and barrel from New Jersey).
Where
to stay in Arkansas
Hotels
Arkansas hotels cover
every possible budget, ranging from upmarket hotel chains such as Best Western
to independently run, good value options. Some of them are housed in historical
buildings.
For something different, try a houseboat holiday on Lake Ouachita, Norfolk Lake, or DeGray Lake.
For something different, try a houseboat holiday on Lake Ouachita, Norfolk Lake, or DeGray Lake.
Camping Caravanning
Arkansas is sprinkled with
mountains, lakes, rivers, forest and prairies, offering unrivalled scenic
beauty. Amid this, there are more than 200 publicly accessible campgrounds in
Arkansas spread throughout 1,700 state parks, national parks, forests plus
wildlife refuges. A camping holiday in Arkansas is a great way to enjoy the
state's natural assets and a range of outdoor activities such as hiking,
fishing and hunting.
Things
to see and do in Arkansas
Crater of Diamonds State
Park
Other state attractions
include the Crater of Diamonds State Park, where visitors can dig for diamonds (www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com), Fort Smith
National Historic Site and prehistoric American Indian mounds at Toltec Mounds
Archaeological State Park (www.arkansasstateparks.com/toltecmounds).
Eureka Springs
Head to Eureka Springs (www.eurekasprings.org),
which draws millions of tourists to its Great Passion Play outdoor drama. The
Christ of the Ozarks statue stands 1.8m (6ft) high and was completed in 1966.
The Victorian village of Eureka Springs was a spa resort in the late 1800s, and
today is an arts and cultural destination.
Get active
Go fishing in the White
River, canoeing on the Buffalo National River or take a trip to the Blanchard
Springs Caverns on the south border of the Ozark National Forest, which is also
home to Mount Magazine.
Hot Springs National Park
Soothe away your worries
at Hot Springs National Park (www.hotsprings.org),
where visitors can relax in a choice of bathhouses, cheer on thoroughbreds or
fish and swim at three great lakes.
Little Rock
Visit Little Rock (www.littlerock.com),
a thriving place filled with museums, art exhibitions and parks. Attractions
include the Decorative Arts Museum; River Market District; the Governor's
Mansion; Historic Arkansas Museum; Arkansas Arts Center; the Museum of
Discovery and the William J Clinton Presidential Centre.
Mountain folk
Enjoy the beautiful
scenery of the Ozark Mountains, which stretch from southern Missouri through
northern Arkansas. The village of Mountain View is a musical mecca, home to the
Ozark Folk Center and events such as the Arkansas Folk Festival in April and
the Arkansas State Old-Time Fiddle Championships in September.
Museum of
Regional History in Texarkana
Explore the Museum of
Regional History in Texarkana, which lies on the border with Texas. There is an
exhibition devoted to Scott Joplin (the African-American ragtime pianist and
composer), a famous former resident of the town.
REFERENCE SITES:
Arkansas is really, really nice. It's got the nature feel.
Kris Allen
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