When I boarded a plane to Bentonville, I was going into the trip pretty much blind. I hadn’t even consulted Google Images, much less a guidebook.
But Bentonville surprised me.
I had heard it was a nice place to visit, but I didn’t know much more than that it was the home of Walmart. Truthfully, I didn’t know if that would make the town seem too corporate or artificial — like a city in an amusement park.
Even though I was optimistic about the trip, I was surprised by how much my family and I loved visiting Bentonville. The people could not have been nicer and we were never without something fun to do.
Here’s why I think Texans — especially families — should absolutely make the trip up to Northwest Arkansas.
It’s so close
As the parent of a two-year-old, it takes a lot to make any amount of travel worth it, but getting to Bentonville was easy. It’s a direct flight from Dallas or Houston, or a doable drive for most of the state. Then, once you’re in Bentonville, most of the places you want to visit are within walking distance or a short drive — my kid never even had time to say “Are we there yet?”
There’s a thriving restaurant scene
Bentonville is home to “High South” cuisine. There’s two restaurants that are up for James Beard Awards this year: Mexican restaurant Yeyo’s El Alma and gluten-free restaurant Conifer. And there’s something for those who want a taste of home: Flying Fish, an East Texas-style fish joint on Bentonville Square, has several locations in Texas; The Meteor, a bike shop/coffee shop/pizzeria has a location in Austin; plus Brother’s Meethouse has great barbecue.
Everything is family-friendly
This city has clearly thought about what will make life easier for families. Even the fancy art museum had an activity area for kids! There’s lots of open areas to run around in, playgrounds with cool equipment I hadn’t even seen before, and of course the Amazeum, an incredible children’s museum with exhibits for all ages.
Beautiful art is everywhere
Looking beyond the Amazeum and the world-class (and free!) art museum Crystal Bridges, there’s art all around Bentonville in the form of murals, interactive installations, and interesting architecture. For example, when we were exploring The Ledger, a bike-friendly building near the city center, we were greeted by mosaics of insects and a beautiful animated fish installation on a parking garage next door.
Outer (and inner?) peace
When we went to sleep at night in our Airbnb, there was total silence — and we were staying a 15 minute walk from downtown. There was no rush hour traffic, no construction noise, no sirens in the distance — just peace and quiet. Having natural areas like the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve so close by helped me drift even further into that relaxed vacation mindset.
I truly enjoyed my first trip to Arkansas — I found Texas-friendly hospitality and a ton of interesting activities for my family. There’s still so much in that area I want to explore: other natural areas, more restaurants, and even nearby Fayetteville. I can’t wait to go back!
