We’re amazed at how much there is to do on an Arkansas family holiday, and how much of the outdoor adventure is free. Start with 52 free to enter state parks and go from there.
Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas
It’s easy to see why they call Arkansas ‘The Natural State’, just look around.
You can be at the base of Pinnacle Mountain from the state capital, Little Rock, in about 30 minutes. No fewer than 52 state parks are at home here, along with spectacular Hot Springs National Park and the Ozark National Forest. Also, if you want to get out on the water, there are over 2,000 lakes as well as 100s of waterfalls and more than 90,000 miles of rivers and streams.
Yes, the number are impressive, but it’s what Arkansas gets up to in its parks, forests, mountains, lakes and rivers that will really take your breath away.
Osage Park, Bentonville, Arkansas family holiday
Just look at what you can get up to on an Arkansas family holiday
You can try anything here from mountain biking and hiking to kayaking, canoeing, white water rafting, rock climbing, swimming, even lazing on beaches is a possibility: being landlocked is a mere detail to Arkansas.
But the best is yet to come, because everyone gets to enjoy the outdoors here, which is especially good news for families with kids.
Too young isn’t an obstacle to adventure, you’ll find buggy-friendly trails all over the place and mini-road-trips made for little passengers. Older kids will be in heaven because this outdoorsy state starts the fun early and believes in getting children out and about, learning new skills and challenging themselves as soon as possible.
As for tough to please teens, Arkansas says bring them on. There isn’t a screen yet invented that’s more distracting than the likes of kayaking past Big Bluff on the Buffalo National River or stargazing in Mount Magazine State Park; tearing down backcountry trails – Arkansas has five EPIC rides recognised by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) – or hiking to the jaw dropping Alum Cove Natural Bridge.
Bald eagle, Lake Ouachita State Park, Arkansas
Plan to have a wild old time spotting the local wildlife
Arkansas provides a natural habitat for all sorts of wildlife too and protects at least 20 species on the endangered list, including the Ozark big-eared bat, which sounds very cute, but chances of a sighting are rare.
Happily, there’s a very good chance of spotting herds of elk on the Buffalo National River. Trumpeter swans overwinter in Heber Springs, and Lake Ouachita State Park – home to the largest lake in Arkansas – is a wildlife wonderland where you can spy beavers, deer, osprey, racoons and even bald eagles, if you’re keen-eyed and patient.
Snorkelling, Norfork Lake, Arkansas family holiday
Landlocked it might be, but you can still find beaches on an Arkansas family holiday
Those beaches we mentioned earlier can be found along Norfork Lake in the Ozark Mountain Region, and are just one very small reason to visit this area. It’s also the place to take an atmospheric tour of Bulls Shoal Caverns, some of the world’s oldest caves.
Or, if you want to go underwater, Norfork Lake is famously clear for snorkelling. In fact, passionate snorkellers recommend quite a few lakes in Arkansas because they’re rock-lined and visibility is excellent.
Bentonville, Arkansas
Hit the trails in the Mountain Biking Capital of the World™
As well as its IMBA EPIC Rides, the OZ Trails in Bentonville earn the city the title, Mountain Biking Capital of the World™. Most of the 550 miles of trails are in the Ozark Mountain foothills, which sounds daunting, yet several trails are recommended for kids as young as two. On top of that, the Bentonville Bicycle Playground features a pumptrack, obstacles and a soft-surface track.
That said, if you’ve got a shredder in the family, there are extensive downhills in Pinnacle Mountain State Park, and the Slaughter Pen in Bentonville is an incredible urban MTB experience.
Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas
Take your pick of state parks on an Arkansas family holiday
Swap two wheels for four, and a road trip is one of the best ways to explore Arkansas and get to know a few of the State Parks at the same time. All parks are free and many of them feature family cabins or yurts or campgrounds with pre-pitched tents, so they’re ideal for expanding on your outdoor theme.
Withrow Springs State Park puts you deep in the Ozark Mountains, though also within easy reach of Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville, so it’s an adventure with good restaurants, museums and hotels nearby. This is a fun park for kayaking with kids on War Eagle Creek, and you’re only 30-minutes drive from Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area: Arkansas’ largest state park.
Comfortable family cabins and guided hikes with park interpreters make Lake Fort Smith State Park a good choice for families. It’s on the western edge of the mighty Ozark National Forest, and don’t miss the visitor centre with its replica pioneer log cabin and covered wagon.
Crater of Diamonds State Park, Arkansas
Dig for diamonds and keep what you find, only in Arkansas
Daisy State Park is a road trip dream, as several other parks are within easy driving distance, including Crater of Diamonds State Park where you really can dig for diamonds, and it’s finders keepers! Apart from a prime location, hiking in Daisy Creek also gets you up close to wildlife and birds. Plus, if you want to kick back and give the road a rest, the park has a campground and rents family yurts.
Just an hour south of Little Rock, Cane Creek State Park is another kayaking hotspot with the chance to paddle through waterlily pads in summer: as lovely as it sounds. Cycling and hiking are big here too and again there’s a high chance of wildlife, so look out for deer and wild turkey.
Buffalo National River, Arkansas family holiday
Reach for the stars on Buffalo National River
With all this unspoiled nature and wide open space it was almost inevitable that Arkansas would attract the attention of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), and in 2019 Buffalo National River was named an International Dark-Sky Park.
During the summer you can join ranger-led stargazing programmes at Buffalo Point and Tyler Bend. Alternatively, you can rent family cabins year-round at Buffalo Point, and gaze in your own time.
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville
Don’t miss the ‘new capital of cool’ in Bentonville
How easy it is to mix outdoor and urban adventures is another reason families like Arkansas so much. In 2023, the Wall Street Journal called Bentonville ‘a new capital of cool’ which is definitely a claim you should put to the test with kids. Make your first stop the amazing Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Don’t miss the Scott Family Amazeum with younger children, though you might find it hard to get them to leave its 50,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits and play space.
Set at the foot of the Ozark Mountains in northern Arkansas, Bentonville is known for southern hospitality and as the best place to try authentic high-south cooking. Its location also makes it a perfect base for days out in the surrounding countryside: Hobbs State Park-Conversation Area is just 30 minutes drive from the city for 54 miles of hiking trails, horse riding and mountain biking, as well as an excellent visitor centre which delves deep into the park’s natural history.
Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Arkansas family holiday
Then head to Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas
The state capital, Little Rock, is right in the heart of Arkansas on the banks of the Arkansas River and just 20 minutes from magnificent Pinnacle Mountain State Park, which is also a Trail of Tears National Historic Site. Although you’ll find plenty of history without leaving the city.
Visit Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site where kids can learn about the Little Rock Nine and the part they played in the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. The Historic Arkansas Museum is another must-do, not least of because it incorporates the oldest building in Little Rock.
Find out more about family holidays in Arkansas and start planning one here