Author: Ken McClary

The Buffalo National River was the first National River in the United States — 135 miles of free-flowing, spring-fed water winding beneath towering limestone bluffs. While it's not in Northwest Arkansas, the popular upper-river access points are an easy day trip or weekend from the region, making the Buffalo one…

John Brown University (JBU) is the heart of Siloam Springs' identity as a college town — a well-regarded private Christian university whose attractive hilltop campus is open for visitors to explore. Its crown jewel is the Cathedral of the Ozarks, one of the most iconic buildings in Northwest Arkansas and…

Lake Sequoyah is Fayetteville's quiet paddling-and-fishing lake — a scenic, no-wake reservoir on the southeast edge of town, ringed by wetlands and woods. With a boat ramp, kayak-friendly water, good bass and crappie fishing, and a couple of shoreline nature trails, it's a peaceful escape just minutes from downtown. About…

Mount Sequoyah Overlook is the best free view in Fayetteville. From a hilltop deck just east of the Downtown Square, you look straight across the city to the University of Arkansas — Old Main and Razorback Stadium included — with the Ozarks rolling out beyond. It's the town's favorite sunset…

Fayetteville's performing-arts scene punches well above its weight, anchored by two standouts near Dickson Street: the Walton Arts Center, Arkansas's largest performing-arts presenter, and TheatreSquared (T2), Northwest Arkansas's only year-round professional theater. Between them you'll find touring Broadway, big-name concerts, dance, and acclaimed live theater just steps from the restaurants…

The Fayetteville Farmers Market is a genuine Northwest Arkansas institution — one of the oldest and most beloved markets in the state, ringing the historic Downtown Square since 1973. On market mornings the square fills with dozens of local growers and makers, live music, and crowds of regulars — it's…

Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park preserves one of the most intact Civil War battlefields in the country — the site of the December 1862 Battle of Prairie Grove, just west of Fayetteville. With a free museum, historic buildings, and walking and driving tours across 1,000+ acres, it's a moving, well-kept…

Devil's Den State Park is one of Arkansas's most beloved outdoor destinations — a rugged, ravine-carved park in the Lee Creek Valley just south of Fayetteville, famous for its crevices, caves, waterfalls, and 1930s CCC-built stone architecture. With about 64 miles of trails, free day-use, and one of the best…

The J.B. & Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center is one of the best free family attractions in Springdale — a modern, 32,000-square-foot Arkansas Game & Fish Commission nature center packed with hands-on exhibits, set on 60-plus acres of trails, creek, and outdoor learning spaces. It's a fantastic (and…

The Arkansas & Missouri Railroad runs some of the most scenic train excursions in the state — and they depart right from downtown Springdale. Riding vintage-style passenger cars through the rugged Boston Mountains, over trestles and through the historic Winslow tunnel, the A&M is a genuine bucket-list experience, especially when…

Nestled in the wooded ravines of Bentonville, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is the crown jewel of Northwest Arkansas — a world-class, free museum that pairs five centuries of American masterpieces with stunning architecture and miles of nature trails. It's the region's must-see attraction. This guide covers everything…

Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area is the largest state park in Arkansas — more than 12,000 acres of Ozark forest on the south shore of Beaver Lake, just east of Rogers. With about 54 miles of multi-use trails, a striking LEED-certified visitor center, and miles of shoreline, it's one of the…

Beaver Lake is the crown jewel of Northwest Arkansas's outdoors — a sprawling, crystal-clear reservoir with nearly 500 miles of shoreline winding through the Ozark hills. Just east of Rogers, it's the region's playground for boating, swimming, world-class bass fishing, and even scuba diving, ringed by marinas, swim beaches, and…

War Eagle Cavern is a classic Ozark show cave on the shore of Beaver Lake, and one of Northwest Arkansas's most family-friendly underground adventures. Its guided walking tours are flat and easy — no stairs or tight squeezes — through a natural lakeside cave entrance, with gemstone panning, a woods…

Pea Ridge National Military Park is the only National Park Service site in Northwest Arkansas — and one of the most intact Civil War battlefields in the entire country. On these 4,300 acres northeast of Rogers, the March 1862 Battle of Pea Ridge secured Missouri for the Union. Today it's…