Look, closing the blinds and turning the thermostat to a glacial 68 degrees might sound comforting now, but what happens when you’ve burned through all the new episodes of “The Bear” and “Black Mirror”? Besides, we did the whole reclusive Miss Havisham routine for three years already. It’s time to get out there, Arkansas travelers. And in the event your wellspring of vacation ideas has run dry — or that your wallet threatens coup d’etat when you type the word “airfare to Reykjavik” into your search engine — we’ve got you covered.
Griffin Coop suggests you consider a jaunt to the monastery guest house at Subiaco in the verdant Arkansas River Valley to hear the morning prayer bells at dawn, or follow the footsteps of Mary Hennigan’s hiking boots and bask in the cool spray of the waterfall at Big Creek Cave Falls, followed up with an Ozark Pounder in downtown Jasper’s most delightful diner. Be one of the first to explore The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas’s 459-acre Blue Mountain Natural Area, the plans for which Lindsey Millar details. Bookworms, hie thee hither to Hemingway’s old digs in quaint Piggott (Clay County) at the behest of Austin Bailey, where saucy tales of family dysfunction, infidelity and lesbian escapades await you. Get your digital detox on in Eureka Springs, where Stephanie Smittle finds that 420-friendly bed-and-breakfasts beckon, the fried chicken at Myrtie Mae’s charms and a giant chess board has sprung up in The Crescent Hotel’s enchanting courtyard. Or, make the most of museums in Arkansas; in the pages that follow, you’ll find a list of 10 unsung museums, Daniel Grear’s rundown of upcoming programming at the state’s major museums and a history-fueled Little Rock staycation plan from Ashley Clayborn.
New trails just outside of Little Rock herald the connection of the Maumelle Pinnacles
By Lindsey Millar
Monks, sasquatches and nice views in the Arkansas River Valley
By Griffin Coop
Eureka Springs is for lovers (and stoners)
By Stephanie Smittle
Papa does Piggott: Ernest Hemingway is OK, but have you heard about the Pfeiffers?
By Austin Bailey
Do go chasing waterfalls: Big Creek Cave Falls is a hidden gem
By Mary Hennigan
State of the arts: Why you should make a visit to Arkansas’s major museums
By Daniel Grear
Brothels, balls and bridges: Ten unsung Arkansas museums
By Mary Hennigan
Getting some Little Rock history into your summer staycation
By Ashley Clayborn
