While a trip to NW Arkansas has been on our bucket list for a few years, we were actually lucky enough to be hosted by the Arkansas Board of Tourism! We were given a suggested itinerary, but the experience I’m sharing is genuine. We absolutely loved it! Thanks for having us, Arkansas!

I’ll be the first to admit: when we first started planning our family trip to NW Arkansas, I pictured us riding sunup to sundown along the dreamy trails in Bentonville. Even though I know the OZ trail system in Bentonville has oodles of kid/family friendly trails, I also know my kids love exploring in OTHER ways, too. And honestly, there is SO MUCH to do in NW Arkansas- I’m glad they help us keep a broader perspective when it comes to adventure and play. We only visited NW Arkansas for 5 days- next time we’d like to stay for at least a week! The Natural State offers an overwhelming number of opportunities for exploration and play- here are a few adventures that I’d recommend for families!

Exploring Downtown Bentonville

The Bentonville airport is incredibly easy to navigate. Upon arrival, we were able to locate our bags, rental car, and be on the road with our 3 kids in less than an hour. We’ve NEVER had such a seamless and easy travel experience. Because travel is so easy, you're able to enjoy a day of play and exploration after landing. I’d recommend walking around downtown Bentonville, visiting a bike shop (or 2!), and enjoying the beautiful, artistic, and welcoming town. We got some great recommendations from the bike shop about trails to ride and areas to explore. So much of the beauty of Bentonville is accessed from downtown by paved paths or trails- walking is great, but wheels help you cover more ground.

It’s amazing to me how much is within walking distance in Bentonville. We loved finding beautiful trails, adorable shops/restaurants, and INCREDIBLE museums. Our AirBnB was only a short walk from the legendary Momentary; an extension of Crystal Bridges (more below), incredible free museum and performing art center. Next year we want to plan our trip around a concert here! The Momentary rotates its galleries, and has beautiful exhibits and sculptures.

OZ Trail System

I’m gonna cut to the chase: The legendary OZ trail system was what put Bentonville on our radar, and what has earned Bentonville the title as “Mountain Biking Capital of the World”. With over 300 miles of trails- there are truly rides for EVERY ability. It can feel a little overwhelming to know where to start- I’d definitely recommend doing a little research and picking an area to explore before heading out (or stopping by a bike shop). Mom and Dad got a proper ride one day, but we spent the rest of our trip exploring THESE BEGINNER FRIENDLY TRAILS as a family.

One of the most amazing parts of these trails, to me, is how they intersect with urban life, art, and of course the natural beauty of the area. The whole system is so perfectly designed and executed. The beginner trails are delightfully easy and fun- and have beautiful and playful art features along the ride (swings, sculptures, etc).

Hobbs State Park

This is worth the short drive from Bentonville- we loved exploring the trails along Beaver lake so much that we came here twice during our trip! While there are certainly many beautiful LONGER hikes/rides, we also found some shorter hikes that even our two year old could enjoy. We LOVE how lush and green everything is in Arkansas- a few times during our hike, we stood still and just *listened* to all the sounds from birds and insects. My kids would tell you that the COOLEST part of our hike was seeing thousands of tadpoles swimming in Beaver Lake.

One of the highlights from our trip was getting a babysitter, and going for a date to ride the Karst trail. This 8 mile intermediate level trail was everything that NW Arkansas is known for: well maintained, well designed, and FUN/FAST riding through a lush forest. But the best part of this trail? Riding along the shoreline of Beaver Lake. We saw armadillos and deer, and heard coyotes howling after the sun went down. The water in Beaver Lake is shockingly blue and clear- Calcium carbonate deposits from the surrounding limestone cause the water to be the most brilliant turquoise- it’s quite stunning!

War Eagle Cavern

Our kids were SO excited to visit the caverns… but I totally underestimated how cool this would be. You’ll find this family owned operation nestled along the shores of Beaver Lake. I wasn’t sure what to expect for a 55 minute long tour, but the kids AND we were equally enthralled the entire time. We were fascinated by the history of the area that our guide shared, and the science nerd in me was delighted in learning about the geology and formation of the cavern. This was PERFECT to do on a rainy day

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

We heard from person after person in town that we HAD to visit Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. I kinda figured we’d pop in for an hour or two… but we spent the ENTIRE DAY exploring. First off: I was absolutely blown away that this museum is FREE. Just walking around and enjoying the architecture of the building is a visual treat! We loved exploring the collection inside the museum… but they had the Exquisite Creatures exhibit while we were there. MIND BLOWN. After spending so many days in awe of the natural beauty of Arkansas, spending a day seeing these beautiful creatures up close, artfully displayed, was so moving. Our children loved this as much as we did. After exploring the indoor galleries, and the outdoor play spaces, we walked on the Art Trail- a paved path and trail system with sculptures and bridges. We heard mountain bikers on adjacent trails, and saw deer and lizards next to the river. The highlight for me was turning a corner and finding a solo cellist in a mini outdoor amphitheater playing pieces from Andrew Bird and Bach’s unaccompanied suites. Utopia!

It’s also worth planning a trip to the Scott Family Amazeum! Our kids absolutely loved this science/creativity/play museum. We visited the Hershey’s lab, and did a chocolate tasting- learning about the process of harvesting cocoa and making chocolate. It was so fun! On our next trip, we’d love to visit the local climbing gym if there is a particularly rainy/hot day.

Rogers Railyard Bike Park

I’m saving my son’s FAVORITE part for last: The Railyard Bike Park in Rogers- America’s largest paved bike park! Not gonna lie: we were super intimidated when we arrived. I was SO PROUD of Huck for trying the bike park for his first time. One of the best parts about this park is that there are lines from first timers, to beginners, to intermediate, to advanced. Getting started feels accessible. We had to leave earlier than my son wanted (our toddler was in dire need of a his nap), but we could’ve easily spent a day here. In fact, the facility has lights, a viewing tower, and bathrooms/ running water.

Across the way is the Railyard playground, adjacent to downtown Rogers. While we waited for our meals in Rogers, the kids and I popped outside to the playground. It’s EPIC, and includes The entire park at the Railyard is incredible: the creative playground has tunnels with foot holes to climb inside and out, a splash pad, and a rubber tire gantry crane integrated into the design. SO COOL!

How long should my trip be? Where should we stay?

Bentonville and Rogers is experiencing a boost in growth- there is no shortage of adorable boutique hotels, Hip Camps, and AirBnBs. We wanted to really get swallowed up by the Bentonville lifestyle, and rented a GORGEOUS AirBnB. This was an ideal way for our family to be in walking distance to everywhere we wanted to be, cook the majority of our meals at the house, store our bikes, and have spaces for afternoon nap times. We also loved having a fire pit to make s’mores as a family!

Our trip was 5 days, which is typically plenty long for a stateside trip with the kids; But we felt like we needed 2 more days at least! Especially because there were SO MANY other places within 1-2 hours of driving that, we wanted to explore! And so many other trails we wanted to ride! I knew we would *enjoy* our trip to NW Arkansas, but I didn’t anticipate how deeply we would fall in love. We’ll be coming back next year!

Camping

Luxury Desert Adventure (with a side of Ranch Life)

We’re used to “dirt bagging” it in Moab. We actually drive right by the Sorrel River Ranch every time on our way out of town (sleep deprived and shower deprived), and have been FANTASIZING about booking a trip for our family. “But! Would staying here change everything we love about a trip to Moab?” Turns out: Only in the best ways possible! Let me tell you what we loved about staying at the Sorrel River Ranch.