Where This Awesome Arkansas Weekend Road Trip Will Take You Is Unforgettable
By J.B. VanDyke|Published March 27, 2016
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J.B. VanDyke
Author
J.B. Weisenfels has lived in rural Arkansas for three decades. She is a writer, a mom, and a graduate student. She is also an avid collector of tacky fish whatnots, slightly chipped teapots, and other old things. In her spare time she enjoys driving to the nearest creek to sit a while. If you were to visit her, she'd try to feed you cornbread.
Looking for a way to experience a bit of Arkansas? Want to climb in your car after work on Friday and drive around a bit? We’ve designed a road trip just for you. We’ve excluded Arkansas’s fabulous resort towns because we believe they deserve entire weekends to themselves. This journey will take you through the Boston Mountains, down to Arkansas wine country, back up the mountains to experience a bit of solitude, and you’ll end your weekend exploring a world class museum. The total drive time is about three and a half hours.
1. On Friday night, stay at the Inn at the Mill. The Inn at the Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places, features themed rooms and specialty suites. It is located at 3906 Johnson Mill Blvd. in Springdale.
2. On Saturday morning, stroll Dickson Street and check out the numerous shops. Find a cozy coffee shop to eat breakfast. May we recommend Little Bread Company? It’s just a few blocks off Dickson at 116 N. Block Street in Fayetteville.
We especially recommend the internationally famous Dickson Street Bookshop, noted for its extensive stacks and its ability to cater to every reading taste. You can find it at 325 West Dickson Street.
3. After you’ve explored Dickson, drive to Altus, where you’ll find Arkansas wine country. It’s located on I-40, at exit 41. It should take you about an hour and a half to get there if you avoid heavy traffic. Eat a late lunch at Weinkeller’s, which is located at the Weiderkehr Winery, at 3324 Swiss Family Dr, Wiederkehr Village.
4. Drive toward Lake Fort Smith State Park, where you can stay in a cabin. Stop off at a Grocery Store in Alma (Exit 12 from I-40) to get what you’ll want for breakfast, since where you’re staying won’t have food, but try to be well on your way on Old 71 before sunset. You’re taking the scenic route. The cabins are located at 15458 Sheperd Springs Rd in Mountainburg. It may seem a bit out of your way, but the path takes you through the scenic route of the Boston Mountains, and they look like this:
5. On Sunday morning, exit your cabin and look around you. Lake Fort Smith is a great place to hike, or, if you’re too tired, to simply sit and enjoy the water. You may not find reliable WIFI, but you just may find peace.
6. For lunch, try the original location of the locally famous AQ Chicken, at 1207 N Thompson St in Springdale.
7. End your journey at Crystal Bridges, located at 600 Museum Way in Bentonville. Guys, this one has free admission. Spend the day exploring the vast, world-class, Walton-owned and maintained collection of art. Both the architecture and the grounds are glorious. And the collection housed there? You may be surprised what you find.
