~ Top 10 Tourist Destinations in Arkansas, USA ~

[MysteRy]

Top 10 Tourist Destinations in Arkansas, USA

From caves to hot springs, the pioneers to the Clintons, Arkansas is a state full of wonders. With six borders, the central southern state has less than three million human inhabitants – with much of the land being designated parks. This is a great state for the great outdoors. Our top 10 gives you some ideas of where to head first to take in the best of Arkansas:


1. Hot Springs National Park
 


There is nothing better than relaxing in pure, thermal baths. It is therapeutic and incredibly calming. Known as the American Spa, this national park amidst the mountains has arguably the best range of bath houses in North America and has been welcoming people keen to test the healing waters for over 200 years. Here in the pine forests you can find a retreat and a balm for the senses, camping, hiking and more. Over 43 springs are naturally warmed here, and have been diverted into a whole series of public baths, known as Bathhouse Row. The urban area of Hot Springs has hidden delights. Make sure you visit Fordyce Bathhouse, a beautiful spa created from marble and stained glass that operated in the early twentieth century. It is now open for tours.

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2. Arkansas State Capitol, Little Rock



The Clintons made Little Rock famous. Here are the capitol is the seat of government, a grand building built of local limestone at the end of the nineteenth century. As an exhibition of power and wealth, it is second to none. The enormous brass doors, over ten foot tall, were bought from Tiffany's. The dome is line with 24 carat gold. There are free tours on weekdays between 9.00am and 4.00pm and walk-in visitors will be accommodated on the next available tour.

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3. Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo, Hot Springs
 


Near the national park and bathhouses is a fun experience for the entire family: a privately owned, small and friendly zoo that is home to over 150 alligators. Year round, the attraction is open and has been since 1902. Alligators are indigenous to Arkansas and you can get very up close and personal with them: with opportunities several times a week to see them being fed and even touch them. As well as the 'gators, there are racoons, lemurs, deer, monkeys, llamas and loggerhead turtles with hands-on experiences with all.

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4. Blanchard Springs Caverns
 


This limestone cave system in the protected national forest of the Ozarks  offers three unique trails through the stunning subterranean scenery. Just 2 miles from Highway 14 near the town of Mountain View,  this series of caves is still  being formed, so on your guided tour you can see stalactites growing before your eyes, developing and changing since they were first formed some 350 million years ago. The caves are awe inspiring, some 'rooms' being as big as three football fields!  The biggest flowstone in the world is here, as well as underground rivers and stunning rock formations. The Dripstone Trail, open year round, takes about an hour and  will lead you through the top of the  caverns on a series of child-friendly boardwalks. The Discovery Trail takes you deeper into the system, runs in the summer only and does involve 700 stairs so may not be suitable for all. For those seeking more adventure, the Wild Cave tour is a half-day exploration through the undeveloped middle level, with some scrambling, low ceilings and a real sense that you are breaking new ground. Explore the surrounding forest too, where you can camp, fish and swim. There are waterfalls, cycling trails and much more.

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5. Bathhouse Row, Hot Springs
 


This national historical landmark is a collection of eight bathhouses on one street, some seated directly over the geothermal hot springs. In the late 1800s and early twentieth century, these spa centres were very popular for their believed medicinal properties … without the overwhelming stench of sulphur which can prevail in other centres! The baths fell out of fashion in the fifties and sixties when medical advances scoffed at their true healing powers. Though it must be said, native Americans have been using the natural springs since prehistory. One, the Buckstaff Baths, remains in use today but most are now tourist attractions for their ornate architecture and opulence. Visit the grandest – the Fordyce, but also the Ozark, Lamar, Maurice, Hale,  Quapaw and Superior.

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6. Christ of the Ozarks
 


At the summit of Magnetic Mountain near the town of Eureka Springs is an iconic, minimalist statue of Christ, standing over twenty metres high. Though some locals may refer to it as “our milk carton with arms”, reflecting some of the art critics' views, this 1960s statue is a major draw and photo opportunity and for many people is a work of real beauty. It was created by Emmet Sullivan, who was one of the sculptors of Mount Rushmore and also nearby Dinosaur World. It is Arkansas' version of Rio's Christ the Redeemer, and well worth a visit. Find it off Highway 23 to the northeast of Eureka Springs, just below the Missouri border in the north of the state.

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7. Big Dam Bridge, Little Rock
 


The biggest pedestrian bridge in the US is here in Little Rock, the heart of Pulaski county. It's never been used by cars, instead provides wonderful views of the dam on the Arkansas River for walkers and cyclists. Some ninety feet above the water, the BRB arcs upwards and is a work of engineering brilliance, at over 1280 metres in length and just fourteen metres wide. People come here to jog, to cycle and just to take in the view from the eight observation points. The bridge connects some fifteen miles of riverside trails and joins up 70,000 acres of park lands in North Little Rock and the city itself.

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8. Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge
 


When you like to see your cats on the big side, and like even more to see them protected, head for Turpentine Creek. In 500 acres, close to the Christ of the Ozarks and Eureka Springs is a centre for around forty rescued big cats. They include Bengal tigers, lions, Asian tigers, cougars, bobcats and several non felines including the entertaining grizzly bear called Bam Bam, the self-proclaimed king of the joint – a monkey - and a welcoming parrot! The wildlife refuge is run on a not-for-profit basis. It is open every day except for Christmas Day and the entrance fees are very reasonable. There is also guest accommodation in five different themed lodges here.

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9. Petit Jean State Park
 


Almost 3500 acres of mountain and woodland constitutes the first state park in Arkansas. In the very middle of the state, this is a beautiful place for walking, fishing and camping with a story behind it as romantic as the landscape. Legend has it that one of the early pioneers was reluctant to subject his fiancee to the rigours of the new world. Having none of it, she adopted a convincing disguise and was taken on as his cabin boy, whom the crew named Petit Jean – little John. It turns out her husband to be was right to be fearful for her safety however, as she caught consumption on the voyage. She finally confessed her identity and asked to be buried atop the nearest mountain. This she was, and thus the mountain and later the park took her name. There are over twenty different walking trails, from easy to strenuous, connecting the major sights of the park. These include the Cedar Creek Canyon and its overlook, the hardwood forests, Petit Jean's grave, Rock House Cave with its 500 year old rock art, Bear Cave, Seven Hollows and the 95 foot high, spectacular Cedar Falls. Seven Hollows has some of the most stunning rock formations including arches and natural bridges. There is also a prehistoric cliff dwelling high in the bluffs. The park is open all year and has good dining, sports and accommodation options.

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10. Buffalo National River



The first river in the USA to be awarded national status, the Buffalo is some 150 miles long. From its source high in the Ozarks it crosses some of the most beautiful, wild land in the country before it joins the White River near Salem Plateau. It traverses Arkansas entirely. From the raging rapids high in the hills with waterfalls and sink holes, cliffs and canyons and on down, its a very popular place for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, walking and camping with many National Park Service campgrounds en route. This is one of the few rivers in the States not to be dammed, and is home to Arkansas' only herd of elk remaining in the wild. Gaze up at the steep, many coloured sandstone cliffs as you drift past in your canoe, or get some thrills on the higher white waters. The main visitors centre is accessed from Tyler Bend, just over ten miles to the north of Marshall on Highway 65.