Northwest Arkansas Travel Guide
Things to Do in Northwest Arkansas: A 2026 Guide to the Best of NWA
From world-class art and mountain-bike trails to Ozark lakes, historic downtowns and small-town gems, Northwest Arkansas keeps growing. Here’s what to see and do across Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, Bella Vista and beyond.
Updated for 2026Once a quiet corner of the Ozarks, Northwest Arkansas (NWA) has become one of the most talked-about regions in the country for the outdoors, the arts and small-town charm. Whether you live here, you’re moving to the area, or you’re visiting for a weekend, there’s far more to explore than most people expect. Below is a city-by-city look at things to do across NWA in 2026 — recently updated to reflect new openings, expansions and a few beloved spots that have moved.
Bentonville
Home of Walmart, Crystal Bridges and a nationally known trail scene — Bentonville is the natural first stop in NWA.
Explore the expanded Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Crystal Bridges is the anchor of Bentonville’s arts scene, uniting American art, striking Safdie-designed architecture and Ozark woodland along five-plus miles of trails. In June 2026 the museum opened a 114,000-square-foot expansion that grew the building by roughly 50 percent, adding new contemporary galleries, a second temporary-exhibition space, studios and an elevated café overlooking a family splashpad. General admission to the permanent collection remains free, and the surrounding trails and outdoor sculpture are open year-round.
Catch music, food and art at The Momentary
A short drive from Crystal Bridges in downtown Bentonville, The Momentary is a contemporary venue for the music, food and visual art of today. Set in a former Kraft cheese plant at 507 SE E Street, it hosts rotating exhibitions, festivals and live performances, plus a rooftop bar with views over the city.
Tour the newly reopened Walmart Museum
After a two-year renovation, the Walmart Museum reopened in March 2025 in its original home on the Bentonville square, inside the historic 1888 Terry Block building. The redesigned museum roughly doubled in size and added a second floor, interactive digital exhibits and a hologram theater where an interactive recreation of founder Sam Walton answers visitors’ questions. The beloved Spark Café and its signature soda-fountain treats returned alongside it.
Ride the OZ Trails at Coler and Slaughter Pen
<>Bentonville’s reputation as a cycling destination is well earned. Just west of downtown, the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve offers more than 17 miles of flow, cross-country, rock and flyover trails for everyone from first-timers to experts, while the connected Slaughter Pen trail system threads through the heart of town. Both link into the broader OZ Trails network and the paved Razorback Greenway, so you can ride from a trailhead straight to a coffee shop or brewery.
Bring the kids to the Scott Family Amazeum
Across the road from Crystal Bridges, the Scott Family Amazeum is a hands-on children’s museum built for climbing, building and tinkering. Highlights include an indoor-outdoor canopy climber, a water-play area and the Hershey’s Lab, making it an easy rainy-day or family-day pick.
Stay or gallery-hop at the 21c Museum Hotel
The 21c Museum Hotel doubles as a boutique hotel and a free contemporary-art museum, with rotating exhibitions open to the public daily and a well-regarded on-site restaurant. Even if you’re not staying overnight, it’s worth a wander through the galleries.
Relax at Compton Gardens or the A Street Promenade
For a slower afternoon, Compton Gardens offers shaded native-plant paths connecting downtown to the Crystal Bridges trails, honoring conservationist Dr. Neil Compton. Nearby, the pedestrian-only A Street Promenade links the downtown square, Compton Gardens and the Greenway with garden nooks, café seating and food trucks.
Unwind at Bike Rack Brewing Co.
After a day on the trails, Bike Rack Brewing Co. is a relaxed spot to refuel, with a rotating lineup of house beers, seasonal pours, patio seating and frequent live music. It’s a fitting cap to a very Bentonville kind of day.
Rogers
Historic downtown, Beaver Lake access and a mix of museums, shopping and Ozark scenery.
Visit the Daisy Airgun Museum
In historic downtown Rogers, the Daisy Airgun Museum walks visitors through the story of an iconic American brand — from its origins as the Plymouth Iron Windmill Company to the BB gun made famous by A Christmas Story. It’s an intimate, nostalgia-filled stop, and the giant Daisy airgun mounted to the building makes it easy to spot.
Step back in time at War Eagle Mill & War Eagle Cavern
About seven miles east of Rogers, the water-powered War Eagle Mill still grinds grain along the War Eagle River and hosts the renowned War Eagle Craft Fair each fall. Nearby, War Eagle Cavern lets you walk straight into a mountain on the shores of Beaver Lake on a guided tour — a fun option for families and first-time cavers.
Bike The Railyard and stroll Lake Atalanta
Downtown’s revitalized Railyard district includes a natural-surface bike park with eight jump lines from beginner to expert, feeding into paved paths that wind out to peaceful Lake Atalanta. Even if you’re not riding, the loop around the lake is a scenic walk or picnic spot.
Learn local history at the Rogers Historical Museum
Housed in a restored art-deco former car dealership, the Rogers Historical Museum lays out how a small railroad town grew into a NWA hub, with hands-on exhibits, full-scale recreations and a walkable downtown just outside the door.
Shop Pinnacle Hills & get outdoors at Hobbs and Beaver Lake
For shopping and dining, the Pinnacle Hills Promenade is Rogers’ retail center. For the outdoors, the 12,000-plus-acre Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area offers hiking, biking and a well-regarded visitor center, while Beaver Lake provides boating, fishing and swimming across dozens of coves and marinas.
Springdale
Ozark heritage, minor-league baseball, a scenic railroad and a rodeo tradition.
Catch a Northwest Arkansas Naturals game at Arvest Ballpark
Arvest Ballpark is home to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. It’s an easy, affordable family night out — think fireworks evenings, a kids’ play area and a train that circles the concourse throughout the game.
Explore the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History
The Shiloh Museum tells the story of the everyday people who shaped the Ozarks, from Native American history through settlement, the Civil War, agriculture and industry. Outside, a preserved 1860s homestead with original outbuildings gives a real sense of frontier life. Admission is free.
Ride the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad
Board a restored passenger car and roll through the scenic Boston Mountains on the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad, which departs from downtown Springdale. Excursions offer some of the best foliage views in the region, especially in fall.
Play at The Jones Center and catch the Rodeo of the Ozarks
The Jones Center is a free-to-access community campus with an ice rink, pools, a fitness center and event space — a reliable indoor option in any season. Each summer, nearby Parsons Stadium hosts the long-running Rodeo of the Ozarks, along with bull riding and other arena events.
Wander downtown Springdale and Emma Avenue
Downtown Springdale has quietly become a destination of its own, with local galleries, restaurants and coffee spots clustered along Emma Avenue, plus green space at Luther George Park and public art throughout the district.
Fayetteville
A lively college town anchored by the University of Arkansas, Dickson Street and a beloved downtown square.
Experience Dickson Street
<>Running from the U of A campus into downtown, Dickson Street is the heartbeat of Fayetteville — an eclectic mix of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and live-music venues. George’s Majestic Lounge, dating to 1927, is among the longest-running music venues in Arkansas.
Shop the Fayetteville Square & Farmers Market
The historic downtown square is the focal point of local life, with tended seasonal gardens, festivals and one of Arkansas’ longest-running farmers markets. It’s a great morning stop for local produce, baked goods, flowers and handmade crafts.
Stroll the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
<On the north side of Fayetteville near Lake Fayetteville, the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks features a dozen themed gardens and Arkansas’ only butterfly house, with four seasons of native flora across its landscaped grounds.
Cheer on the Razorbacks
Game day is a rite of passage in Fayetteville. Join the crowd at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for football and “Woo Pig Sooie,” or take in a baseball game at Baum-Walker Stadium, one of the country’s premier college ballparks.
Ride the Razorback Greenway and take in the arts
The paved Razorback Regional Greenway runs roughly 37 miles from Fayetteville to Bella Vista, linking downtowns, parks and trailheads across NWA. For culture, the Walton Arts Center and TheatreSquared bring Broadway tours and professional theater to the district, and a drive up Mount Sequoyah rewards you with a panoramic view of the city.
Bella Vista
Lakes, golf and a nationally recognized natural-surface trail network in the wooded hills north of Bentonville.
Ride Arkansas’s first lift-served OZ Trails Bike Park
The region’s newest headliner opened to the public on June 12, 2026: the OZ Trails Bike Park, Arkansas’s first chairlift-served mountain bike park. Located where Bentonville meets Bella Vista along Highway 71, it’s built by Runway Group and features more than 20 miles of professionally designed gravity trails, color-coded from beginner greens to double-black-diamond lines — with roughly three-quarters aimed at everyday riders. A high-speed quad chairlift, the first of its kind in the state, carries riders and bikes to the top so you can lift up, ride down and repeat all day. The free-to-enter OZ Trails HQ plaza adds bike rentals, a retail shop, a bike school with professional instruction, a pump track, a dirt-jump zone, large-scale art and a restaurant, making it a community gathering spot as much as a ride. The park is generally open Thursday through Monday, and a signed waiver is required to ride — check current hours and details before you go.
Ride the Back 40 and Little Sugar trails
Bella Vista offers more than 100 miles of singletrack within the city, including the Back 40, Little Sugar and Blowing Springs systems. The trails wind through deep woods past waterfalls, bluffs and creeks, and connect into the wider OZ Trails and Razorback Greenway network.
Walk to a waterfall on the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail
Below the Lake Windsor dam, the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail is a family-friendly loop that passes a picturesque waterfall — one of the easiest scenic payoffs in NWA and a favorite for a short outing.
Get out on the lakes
Bella Vista’s seven lakes offer fishing, kayaking, boating and swimming in designated areas. Loch Lomond is the largest, with a full-service marina, while Lake Windsor is popular for skiing. The Lake Bella Vista trailhead also ties into the Greenway with a playground for families.
Visit the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel
Designed in the style made famous by Arkansas architect E. Fay Jones, the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel is a soaring steel-and-glass structure tucked among towering pines. It’s a peaceful stop and a popular spot for weddings and quiet reflection.
Centerton
One of NWA’s fastest-growing communities, with parks, golf and a beloved music venue in a new home.
See a show at the Meteor Guitar Gallery’s new home
A longtime downtown Bentonville favorite, the Meteor Guitar Gallery closed its original location in late 2025 and reopened in Centerton at The Ravington (293 N Main). The community-focused venue combines live music, events and a gathering space, giving the Meteor a fresh start just a few miles west.
Enjoy Centerton’s parks and golf
Centerton has invested heavily in green space, with a growing network of city parks, sports complexes and walking paths, plus golf at the Big Sugar course. It’s an easy, low-key add-on to a Bentonville or Bella Vista day.
Cave Springs
A small community with an outsized natural feature and quick access to Osage Park.
Discover the springs and nearby wetlands
Cave Springs takes its name from the cave and spring at its center, part of a sensitive watershed that’s home to rare aquatic species. While the cave itself is protected, the surrounding area offers a quiet small-town feel, and nearby Osage Park in Bentonville adds wetlands boardwalks, pickleball and pump-track riding just minutes away.
Pea Ridge
Home to the only national military park in Arkansas.
Tour Pea Ridge National Military Park
Pea Ridge National Military Park preserves the site of an 1862 Civil War battle that helped secure Missouri for the Union. A seven-mile self-guided auto tour, hiking trails and a visitor center make it a rewarding stop for history buffs and anyone who enjoys a scenic drive through preserved Ozark landscape.
Gravette
Western Benton County’s small-town history and quiet Ozark scenery.
Explore Gravette’s local history
The Gravette Historical Museum preserves the story of this small western Benton County town through local artifacts and exhibits. It’s a quick, friendly stop that pairs well with a relaxed drive through the quieter, rural side of NWA.
Enjoy the parks and nearby state parks
Gravette’s city parks offer easygoing green space for a picnic or a stretch of the legs, and the town makes a convenient jumping-off point for the region’s western attractions — including Natural Falls State Park and the historic downtown and kayak park in nearby Siloam Springs.
Siloam Springs
An award-winning historic downtown on the Oklahoma line, built around Sager Creek.
Wander the historic downtown and Sager Creek
Siloam Springs is known for its beautifully preserved downtown, where restored early-1900s storefronts line Sager Creek. Stroll the shops and cafés, catch the seasonal farmers market, or paddle the Siloam Springs Kayak Park — a whitewater course right in the middle of town.
Get outdoors nearby
Just outside town, Natural Falls State Park (across the Oklahoma line) features a 77-foot waterfall and easy trails, making Siloam Springs a good base for a westside NWA day trip.
Protecting the community we love
Northwest Arkansas isn’t just where we work — it’s home. As a locally owned, independent agency with more than 25 years of Arkansas experience, Cribb Insurance Group sees protecting our neighbors as part of protecting the community that makes NWA special. From the mountain bikes and gravity gear headed to the new OZ Trails Bike Park, to boats and UTVs, to the homes and vehicles that get you to the trailhead, many of the things that make life here fun can be covered on the right policy. Arkansas requires minimum 25/50/25 auto liability, and roughly one in six drivers on the road is uninsured — so uninsured-motorist and the right personal coverages matter here. Whether you’re new to the area or just want a second look at your coverage, our local team can help you compare options across 40+ carriers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in Northwest Arkansas?
Popular NWA activities span the whole region: the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, The Momentary and the Walmart Museum in Bentonville; the OZ Trails and Razorback Greenway mountain-bike and paved-trail networks; Beaver Lake and Hobbs State Park near Rogers; Dickson Street and the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville; Northwest Arkansas Naturals baseball in Springdale; the Back 40 trails and lakes in Bella Vista; and history at Pea Ridge National Military Park.
Is Crystal Bridges Museum free to visit?
Yes. General admission to the Crystal Bridges permanent collection is free, and the surrounding trails and outdoor sculpture are open year-round. Some special temporary exhibitions may charge a separate ticket. The museum’s 114,000-square-foot expansion opened to the public in June 2026.
Where are the best mountain bike trails in NWA?
Northwest Arkansas is nationally known for cycling. Standout systems include Coler Mountain Bike Preserve and Slaughter Pen in Bentonville, the Railyard Bike Park in Rogers, the Back 40 and Little Sugar trails in Bella Vista, and Fitzgerald Mountain in Springdale — most connected by the paved Razorback Greenway. In June 2026, Bella Vista also added the OZ Trails Bike Park, Arkansas’s first chairlift-served gravity park, with more than 20 miles of lift-accessed downhill trails.
Do I need special insurance for my bike, boat, or UTV in Arkansas?
It depends on the item and how you use it. Homeowners policies may offer limited coverage for bikes and some equipment, while boats, personal watercraft and ATVs/UTVs typically need their own policies for full protection. A licensed agent can help you match coverage to how you actually ride, paddle or drive. Cribb Insurance Group works with 40+ carriers across NWA and can review your options.
Which NWA cities does Cribb Insurance Group serve?
Cribb Insurance Group is based in Bentonville and serves all of Northwest Arkansas, including Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, Bella Vista, Centerton, Cave Springs, Pea Ridge, Gravette, Siloam Springs and the surrounding communities.
Local roots, real protection for NWA
Whether you’re exploring Northwest Arkansas for the first time or you’ve called it home for years, Cribb Insurance Group is proud to be part of protecting the community we all love. Our local team compares coverage across 40+ carriers for your home, auto, boat, UTV and more — so you can focus on enjoying everything NWA has to offer.
Cribb Insurance Group Inc
1601 SW Regional Airport Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72713
(479) 286-1066 |
service@cribbinsurance.com
This article is provided for general informational and travel-guide purposes only and does not constitute insurance, legal or financial advice. Attraction details, hours, admission and availability change frequently — please confirm directly with each venue before visiting. Insurance coverage is subject to policy terms, conditions, limits and exclusions, and availability varies by carrier and individual eligibility. Cribb Insurance Group Inc represents 40+ carriers; not all products are available to all applicants. Photos are the property of their respective owners and are used with permission or under license; please replace any placeholder images with properly licensed or permissioned photos and confirm each credit line before publishing.