One of the coolest things about Arkansas is its large number of small towns. Small towns have an enormous amount of heart, and it’s a shame we can’t give you a list with every one of those amazing places. In lieu of a comprehensive state directory, try this list of small towns and the things that make them cool. From unique festivals to beautiful scenery, historical sites to amazing downtown districts, you’ll find something to love about these 14 coolest small towns in Arkansas.

1. Elm Springs
Elm Springs, AR 72762, USA
City of Elm Springs, Arkansas Government/Facebook
Elm Springs is one of the best small towns to visit in Arkansas. It's located in both Benton and Washington counties, and they pride themselves on being "one of the oldest little cities in Northwest Arkansas." History and historic preservation reign supreme here. Each year, Elm Springs has its own Pioneer Days festival, complete with vendors, homestead and farming exhibits, and costumed pioneers. Elm Springs is your quintessential American small town.
2. Mountainburg
Mountainburg, AR 72946, USA
Facebook/City of Mountainburg
Mountainburg is nestled in the Ozarks, and it’s a town you don’t want to miss. With easy access from both I-49 and US 71, Mountainburg is right on the Boston Mountains Scenic Loop. Well, for one thing, it has dinosaurs in its city park! This Natural State town has something else going for it too: location. The Ozarks make Mountainburg an awe-inspiring place to visit, and the town is actually just a few minutes from both Lake Fort Smith State Park and the amazing overlooks at Artist Point. If you're into the outdoors, you'll love exploring Mountainburg, Arkansas.
3. Ponca
Ponca, AR 72742, USA
Flickr/jpellgen
Ponca is a nature lover's dream come true; it's the point of embarkation for many hikers, photographers, and naturalists. If you’ve ever floated down the Buffalo River, chances are you’ve heard of Ponca. The city of Ponca isn’t town though; actually it’s an unincorporated community. There are just over 100 people who live in this small town, but thousands visit each year. The Buffalo National River is obviously a big draw; but there are also the elk to consider. Not only can you find everything you need for your Buffalo River adventure, but the herd of Western Elk brought in to replace the extinct Eastern Elk make for some awesome experiences that are truly unique in Arkansas.
4. Calico Rock
Calico Rock, AR, USA
sheffieldb/Flickr
Calico Rock is a town cloaked in mystery and intrigue. It was an important river port in the early 1800s. The town got its name from the limestone bluff that faces the White River. Legend says it was because an early explorer thought the colors in the rock looked like the fabric used to make women’s dresses. Calico Rock is loaded with history, and it’s right on the shores of the White River. Probably the most unique feature of Calico Rock, though, is its ghost town. Calico Rock is the only town in America with a ghost town located within the city limits! Would you be brave enough to visit?
5. Tontitown
Tontitown, AR, USA
Flickr/Brian Littmann
Tontitown was settled by Italian immigrants, who brought a love of agriculture (and wine!) to this winsome little town. Tontitown is most famous for being a grape producing town, and its tie to its heritage is obvious through its efforts to preserve the memory of its founders. The Grape Festival in Tontitown is spectacular. Think county-fair-meets-craft-fair, throw in free nightly entertainment and awesome spaghetti, and you’ve almost got a good picture of the festival. Almost. But the town is more than just an annual festival; Tontitown really is a lovely place to visit in the Natural State.
6. Brinkley
Brinkley, AR 72021, USA
Wikimedia/Thomas R Machnitzki
Brinkley is a town with about three thousand occupants. Founded as a railroad town, Brinkley was and still remains an agricultural and transportation center in the delta. There’s also delta museum there. The ivory-billed woodpecker. Thought to be extinct for sixty years, one of the spots where the ivory-billed woodpecker was first rediscovered was right near Brinkley.
7. Lake Village
Lake Village, AR 71653, USA
Flickr/Jimmy Emmerson, DVM
Located in the lower delta, Lake Village is so named because it’s on Lake Chicot, which is the largest naturally occurring lake in Arkansas and the largest natural oxbow lake in North America. Lake Village is the "Home of Good Fishing," which makes sense because Lake Chicot is home to record-setting large-mouth bass. Check out the views you can get while fishing.

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8. Jasper
Jasper, AR 72641, USA
Flickr/Victoria Ozarks Crescent Mural
A town of less than 500, located in the Ozarks, Jasper is both scenic and totally adorable. Each year this town plays host to the Buffalo River Elk Festival, which celebrates the reintroduction of elk into the Ozarks. The Buffalo River begins there, too, and Jasper is tucked right into the glory of the Ozarks. In fact, to find the Arkansas Grand Canyon, you need to go to Jasper. And that's something you really don't want to miss out on!
9. Heber Springs
Heber Springs, AR 72543, USA
Flickr/Justin Baeder
Heber Springs has a thriving downtown area, lots of great lodging and dining options, and a population of less than 8,000 people. They also host a number of community events, including a lighted boat parade and an annual cardboard boat race. With proximity to both Greers Ferry Lake and the Little Red River, you’ll never run out of things to do in Heber Springs -- it's really one of the best day trips in Arkansas!
10. Paris
Paris, AR 72855, USA
Tonya Stinson/Flickr
Paris sits at the bottom of Mount Magazine, and its historic downtown features many antique stores. As a nod to their French namesake, the town features a 25-foot Eiffel tower set on a seven-foot water fountain base. With delicious restaurants, an adorable downtown area, and proximity to some truly breathtaking natural beauty, there’s no better time to visit Paris that in the fall. Paris, Arkansas, gives Paris, France, a run for its money when it comes to scenery, and New England leaves pale in comparison to what you’ll find on Mount Magazine.
11. Des Arc
Des Arc, AR 72040, USA
Wikimedia/Brandonrush
Des Arc, located on the banks of the lower White River, is one of the oldest port towns in the state. Its history is heavily tied to steamboats and railroads, and it’s one you don’t want to miss. The Lower White River Museum State Park preserves the history of the White River’s importance in Arkansas, and right next door is the Prairie County Log Cabin Museum, which displays examples of the life lived by early settlers. This is a town history buffs will love exploring!
12. Piggott
Piggott, AR 72454, USA
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Located on Crowley’s Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway, Piggott is a town worthy of stopping in on. It’s quaint, and it has some cultural importance, too. Ernest Hemingway wrote portions of A Farewell to Arms there. Arkansas State University maintains the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center, which is partly housed in a converted barn once used as Hemingway’s studio that has been updated to reflect the 1930s. For literary lovers, Piggott truly is one of the coolest small towns in Arkansas!
13. Bull Shoals
Bull Shoals, AR 72619, USA
Flickr/ cswroe
A town of under two thousand souls, Bull Shoals is primarily a retirement community and vacation spot. It was built by developers in the 1950s. What makes it cool: Bull Shoals is surrounded by Lake Bull Shoals on three sides, which is a pretty gorgeous way to be surrounded. Bull Shoals has also been an Arkansas Volunteer Community of the Year five times, which is really cool too.
14. Gentry
Gentry, AR 72734, USA
Flickr/Kevin Stewart
Tucked in Benton County, the northwest corner of Arkansas, Gentry is a small town with a friendly personality. It was originally called Orchard City because it was surrounded by fruit orchards. The land surrounding it is awesome, and the downtown is pretty adorable too.

What do you think: are these not the coolest small towns in Arkansas?! Did your town make this list? If not, nominate it for a chance to be featured on Only In Arkansas!

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coolest small towns in Arkansas

Sarah | August 31, 2021

What are some charming small towns in Arkansas?

Often times, the places most worth visiting are those we know the least about. That sentiment rings especially true here in Arkansas, where our small towns very well may outnumber the big cities. From Mountainburg, where you'll find dinosaurs in the city park, to Jasper, which hosts the annual Buffalo River Elk Festival, some of the biggest Arkansas happenings take place in our tiniest communities. Other small towns in Arkansas worth visiting include Elm Springs, Ponca, Calico Rock, and Brinkley. We love them all, however!

What's the best small town in Arkansas to visit?

We simply adore Eureka Springs -- it's the coolest town in Arkansas, in our humble opinion! This town is amazing all year-round, but during the fall is when it comes to life. Every year come fall, the town of Eureka Springs is transformed into a frightfully delightful Halloween fantasyland. Known as the state's quirkiest town, Eureka Springs sure lives up to its zany reputation each October. In addition to being decked to the nines, Eureka Springs hosts a slew of spooktacular events, from family-friendly soirees to an epic Zombie Crawl that's straight out of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video! Read more about this next-level Halloween town in Arkansas here!

What are some fun day trips in Arkansas?

Arkansas is full of opportunities for adventure, and we love nothing more than loading up the car and embarking on some epic day trips across the Natural State! We have all sorts of ideas to inspire and fuel your wanderlust, whether it's a day trip to one of our coolest small towns, a waterfall day trip across the state, a fall foliage sightseeing adventure, or a visit to one of our numerous superlative attractions. Check out those lists, and enjoy a fun day trip here in Arkansas!

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