Northwest Arkansas is an unassuming yet fascinating destination every vacationer should consider. It’s one of the most outdoor-friendly regions in the country, with several hiking & biking trails, lush forests, and water bodies. Hence, what should you do if you’re finally ready to plan your trip here?
When planning your trip to Northwest Arkansas, you should check the Airbnbs first. Hotels aren’t as impressive as Airbnbs, as some have bike trails, ponds, and excellent mountain proximity. Also, check for events in the area and consider breaking the area into sections for an exciting experience.
Northwest Arkansas is an incredible destination to plan a trip to because there’s so much to do here. The rest of this article will show you more ways to plan your trip to NWA for an unforgettable time so you can make the most of your vacation. Keep reading to learn more.
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1. Check the Airbnbs
Whether you’re planning a relatively long or short trip here, the first thing I always recommend you do is to look at Airbnbs.
You’ll be very tempted to check out the hotels, which is typical and understandable, but you’ll miss a lot if you don’t check out the Airbnbs.
There are many unique and exciting ones around the area because they incorporate mountains, bike trails, and several other special elements in them.
Some have their own mountain biking paths on the actual property themselves. Others have ponds, and there’s a really cool one that’s almost like a jukebox.
Hence, it’d be a disadvantage to come down here and not experience some of the cool Airbnbs.
It’s okay to check out the hotels but definitely give the Airbnbs a try. It’s really worth it for the entire experience.
Got kids? Here is a list of things to do for kids in Fayetteville!
2. Check Events
There are so many events happening every single weekend in Northwest Arkansas, including:
- Music festivals
- Concerts
- Broadway plays
If you’re not constantly updated, you can miss out on most of them, so scan through these sites for thrilling upcoming ones:
There’s so much to do here. One weekend there can be a bike race; the next, you might be at the symphony; and the other, there might be a brand new concert at JJ’s Live – your favorite band might be there, or you might be playing Topgolf the following weekend.
Even Topgolf courses often host tournaments.
There are too many things to do in Northwest Arkansas, so check out the sites I’ve listed above to anticipate your favorite event.
Moreover, even if you’re coming down in the wintertime, there’s still a lot to do here because the winters are so mild that people still go outside for enjoyable activities.
You can check out my previous article here to learn more about how pleasant the four seasons are in NWA.
Also, I have a 3-day itinerary that can help you decide what activities to do if you’re overwhelmed by everything Northwest Arkansas has to offer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, a sports person, a sightseer, or want to spend quality time with your kids; I have something for you. Check out the link below to learn more:
https://www.allthingsnwa.com/3-day-itinerary-northwest-arkansas
3. Break the Area Into Sections
Essentially, divide your Northwest Arkansas visit into sections to get the most out of the region.
Having Northern and Southern sections’ itineraries when looking around makes driving and traveling much more effortless.
For instance, I would spend a good portion of my day between Bentonville and Bella Vista. Then, I would probably spend the other period around the two parts of Rogers:
- The downtown section (which you should also check out during your visit here).
- The other side with the Topgolf courses and amphitheaters (with 20,000 seating capacity for major bands that come to the area).
I could also break up Rogers with Bella Vista and Bentonville, or Rogers and Springdale.
Also, I would leave Fayetteville as its own section because there’s so much to do there. Additionally, Beaver Lake and everything surrounding it is another experience because of the fantastic trails and the Ozark National Forest with tons of outdoor activities.
Then there is Eureka Springs, with tourist attractions that could take a day to explore.
Therefore, breaking everything up into sections is intelligent because there’s so much to do. It’s challenging to balance going from Eureka Springs to Rogers, then to another location, and one more later.
Also, don’t forget that there’s Devil’s Den State Park, which is its own entity south of West Fork, down Highway 49. It is a great place to hike because there are so many trail systems.
There’s also an inground pool, making it family-friendly, so be sure to check it out on your trip and dedicate a day to it.
If you’re interested in hiking while on vacation here, check out my other article on the Best Places To Hike and Bike in Northwest Arkansas.
4. Drive Around & Get Lost
Last but not least, just drive around NWA and get lost! It’s the best way to explore any city, so switch off your GPS and just drive.
You never know what you’re going to find when you drive around randomly.
When I first got down here a long time ago, I did just that, and today, I really enjoy looking back at places with pleasant memories I first visited.
I see locations and think out loud: “Oh, I visited that place,” or “Oh, I did stop there; I totally forgot about that” because I didn’t know where I was in correlation to everywhere.
Hence, I highly recommend just driving around one day and planning on getting lost.
Now, I don’t recommend going to some random back roads to explore; I’m talking about the proper cities.
Getting lost in Fayetteville or Bentonville is a ton of fun. And you never know what will happen in Rogers, so I’d recommend spending a day with no strict intentions or plans.
Just drive around because you never know what gems you’ll find because some of them are hidden off the side roads and are easily missable.
There are so many incredible, different homes and parks in those hidden gems around the area, and they’re not always on the main drag, main strip. Google Maps also keeps you updated on those locations, but sometimes you need to go off the main drag.
So, definitely get lost on a day trip down here.