Find Adventure and Fun in The Natural State


(StatePoint) Love hiking in the great outdoors? Enjoy authentic, local cuisine? Get a thrill hurtling down mountain biking trails? Whatever sort of adventure you’re craving, Arkansas, also known as “The Natural State,” is a great destination to consider.

“With wide-open landscapes, an abundance of natural resources, and friendly hospitality, an Arkansas trip is unlike any other,” says Shealyn Sowers, chief of communications, Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

As Sowers points out, Arkansas is known as The Natural State for a reason. Hiking, floating, fishing, hunting and cycling are just a few of the many outdoor activity options available, along with golf, ATVing and even hang gliding. You can even take a backcountry aviation adventure and literally camp next door to your plane.

Arkansas is home to some of the best mountain biking trails on the planet, not to mention the first national river (Buffalo National River) and the first unit in the National Park System (Hot Springs National Park).

If your choice of adventure is more urban than outdoors, check out Bentonville, which is home to one of the finest American art museums in the nation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The capital city of Little Rock offers art and museums, along with unique dining and cultural experiences. New this year, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts recently reopened in Little Rock following an almost four-year renovation and reimagining. The museum’s art collection spans the 1300s to present day, with 14,000 works.

What else does Arkansas offer?

You can dig for diamonds and keep what you find at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro.

Tour one of only two purse museums in the world at ESSE Purse Museum in Little Rock.

And enjoy James Beard Award-winning cuisine at Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna and Lassis Inn in Little Rock.

Arkansas also celebrates its native sons Johnny Cash and Bill Clinton, and you can visit sites that recognize their contributions to American culture and history. In Dyess, tour the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home and in Little Rock, explore the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.

You’ll also find plenty of inexpensive family activities, including in Arkansas State Parks, which are completely free to enter. This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the founding of Arkansas State Parks, and you can find activities and events commemorating the occasion throughout the year. Pick up your free passport at an Arkansas State Park visitor center and begin recording your travels. All 52 state parks are free to enter and offer diverse experiences. Whether you're a history buff, love to hike, paddle, bike, wildlife watch, fish, kick back and relax, or all of the above, there is a state park for you.

For more trip ideas and inspiration, visit www.arkansas.com.

“There’s no doubt you’ll find plenty to do in The Natural State,” says Sowers. “We can’t wait to see you!”

PHOTO SOURCE: Courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Tourism


More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Outdoors Information:

Related Articles

Backyard Camping Trip
Are your kids begging you to take them camping, but you just can't find the time to take them on a camping trip? Or would you like to introduce your kids to the fun of camping for the first time, but aren't sure if they will enjoy it, or might get scared? Either way, camping out in your backyard will be a fun way to spend the evening and night with your kids.Get the kids involved in setting up camp in your backyard.
What You Need to Know About - Camping Vacations
Camping is a delightful and adventurous way to spend your vacations. Camping basically means living in tents that are pitched on specific grounds.
Boondocking America
Boondocking is fun! Boondockers go anywhere they want, at any time they want and at any speed they want! If you are a member of Loners on Wheels (LoW) or any other single RV'ing group you will want to boondock at least some of the time.Boondocking provides an almost perfect way to see America for little housing costs.
Botswana Safari Top Five National Parks and Game Reserves
A Botswana safari is an excellent trip to undertake because the setting is as unique as you will find anywhere in Africa, the game viewing is exceptional and the accommodation is top notch.By using travel journals submitted at the African Safari Journals website, my personal experience of over twenty years, forums, magazines and the general consensus in the travel industry this is the list of the five best national parks and game reserves to go on a Botswana safari in.
Book a Golf Package in Myrtle Beach for Golfing Fun and Great Times in the Sun
Thousands of golfers flock to the Carolinas each spring and fall to enjoy some of the greatest golf courses in the country, and booking a golf package in Myrtle Beach is one of the best ways to experience what the area has to offer to devoted fans of the sport.Purchasing a golf package in Myrtle Beach not only provides visitors with great opportunities for golfing but can also make available the finest in first-class accommodations, great meals, and a chance to hear some of the area's best entertainment.
Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska
I stood at the observation point on the balcony at the Visitor Center overlooking the great Mendenhall Glacier at Juneau, Alaska. Before me was a beautiful scene.
RV Vacations: Ten Tips
Perhaps you have wondered about taking an RV vacation. It seems like fun and you'd like to try it, but you aren't sure if it's for you.
Student Travel - Backpacking In Europe
For the fortunate few, life isn't complete without a backpacking trip through Europe. This right of passage is believed to further the maturation process of college students, according to sociologists.
Calculate Food Quantities for Camping and Outdoor Recreation
As the warmer weather approaches, we look forward to anotherseason of camping and enjoying the fun, relaxation, and beautythat the outdoor environment has to offer. I am anxious to get out on weekends to some of my favorite campsites around Kentuckyand Indiana.
Tips for Mountain Bikers in Spain
As any keen mountain biker will know, there are some important rules to follow and bike handling skills to master before subjecting yourself and your bike to the thrills and spills of off-road riding. Although most of us ride within our capabilities most of the time, riding on different trails in hot weather conditions can present a new set of challenges requiring some new biking skills and knowledge.
The Benefits of One Day Hiking Trips
Do you like to take one day hiking trips? Do you want to takehiking trips on trails near your home? One day hiking tripshave a number of advantages. They are great for therecreational hiker.
Take a Hiking Pole on Your Next Hike
It is the downhill ski racing competition of the winterOlympics. You watch a ski racer zoom down the slope manoeuvringthrough the ski gates.
Be Sure to Buy the Best Discount Camping Gear Before Going on that Family Adventure
When you're on the Internet looking for discount camping gear, it's good to read an online camping equipment review. There are so many camping outdoor gear products on the market today that the challenge is choosing between them.
The Price of Gas Really Doesnt Matter!
"The good news is that there is no reason to cower in the corner of your RV trying to avoid the gasoline bogeyman," asserts Carol White, author of Live Your Road Trip Dream - Travel for a year for the cost of staying home. "While none of us are thrilled about the new reality of gas prices, this is not a reason to cancel your travel plans, particularly if you are planning that dream trip of a lifetime.
River Rafting in California
River rafting is a major attraction in California. The most popular California river rafting destination is the mighty American River.
The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok - the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya
The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old Chinese building within a community on the Chao Phraya River where time seems to have stood still for the last 200 years.The site originally had two shrines built in the reign of King Taksin (1767 - 1782) by his Chinese supporters.
Camping Stove Performance: Ease of Use & What to Avoid
Important information about camping stoves..
A Hiking Guide to Easter Island
Ask me which Pacific island has the most to offer hikers and I'll probably answer Easter Island. Here on an island 11 km wide and 23 km long you'll find nearly a thousand ancient Polynesian statues strewn along a powerfully beautiful coastline or littering the slopes of an extinct volcano.
Stay Out of That Old Mine!
It seems like the most adventurous thing in the world. That dark opening in the hillside beckons, tantalizes, excites.
Whale Watching - The Biggest Show on Earth
Whale watching is a spellbinding, entertaining, and thought-provoking adventure trip. It's a show with the largest mammals on earth as the star performers.