Articles from Arkansas travel writers http://www.arkansas.com/blog/   Jill M. Rohrbachjillsjourneys@gmail.comHooray, it’s Friday. The weekend has arrived. Now, what to do? If you’re in northwest Arkansas or headed that way, make plans for a dinner date with your significant other at Autumn Breeze Restaurant... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/79.aspx   Jill Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com Labor Day weekend is a great time to visit an Arkansas State Park and take part in the interpretive programming offered. While topics vary from park to park, many programs include... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/78.aspx Kimberly J. WilliamsDeltaTraveler@gmail.com   The power of the Mississippi River is never more apparent than when the waters of the mighty river leave its banks. The result can be devastating, as witnessed during the April 1927... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/77.aspx Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com    If you're a music enthusiast, The Hot Springs Blues Festival will be the place to be August 29-30. The festival is set to feature some of the best local, regional and national talent for blues fans... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/76.aspx Kerry KrausNaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com   The minute you enter the gates at the end of a dusty road which winds through acres of farmland, you immediately shut the door on the hustle and bustle of today’s world and enter... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/75.aspx    Jill M. Rohrbachjillsjourneys@gmail.com With a calliope circus wagon cranking out tunes in the background, The Park at West End in historic downtown Ft. Smith is whimsy at its best. Take a date there for some light romance or take the kids... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/74.aspx       Kimberly J. WilliamsDeltaTraveler@gmail.com There’s a new reason to visit historic downtown Batesville. Beginning Aug. 8, Main Street Batesville and the Batesville Area Arts Council will host the first 2nd Friday Downtown... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/73.aspx Zoie CliftTravelarkansas@gmail.com Some interesting news came across my desk that I wanted to share. Characters created by Arkansas writer Charlaine Harris will soon make the transition to the screen in a new vampire series set to air on HBO. ... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/72.aspx Kerry Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com                                                                                                                     Photo... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/71.aspx   Jill M. Rohrbachjillsjourneys@gmail.comIf you’re in or near Springdale and hungry for some good home cookin’, Neal’s Café is THE place. In fact, it’s an institution where people not only gather to eat but also to talk... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/70.aspx   Kimberly J. Williams, travel writerDeltaTraveler@gmail.com Horseshoe Lake, a scenic oxbow lake located east of Hughes along the Great River Road, is ready to celebrate! Since late April, the lake has been back at its full level for the first time... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/69.aspx Kerry KrausNaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com   Anyone who does any amount of traveling at all knows who Michael and Jane Stern are.  They created the crème de la crème of dining guides years ago and named it... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/68.aspx Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com The Pink Tomato Festival (which runs through this Sat.) in Warren is one of the oldest running festivals (it started in 1956)  in the state. It’s a celebration of... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/67.aspx Kerry KrausNaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com   This one falls into the category of “just when you think you’ve seen everything….”   We’ve all seen buildings made of stone, brick, lumber, steel and... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/66.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com     Depending on how old you are, you may or have may not heard of Louis Jordan. Born on July 8, 1908, in Brinkley, Jordan became... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/65.aspx   Jill M. Rohrbachjillsjourneys@gmail.comThe place to spend all or part of your long Memorial Day weekend is the new Lake Fort Smith State Park, which just reopened on Wednesday in northwest Arkansas. The park features all new facilities – 30... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/64.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.com The long-awaited completion of the conversion of the Junction Railroad Bridge into a pedestrian and bicycle bridge is upon us. The bridge will link riverfront parks on both sides of the Arkansas River. The completion... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/63.aspx  Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com A new trail is quietly piecing together in Hope. The trail is located along an abandoned Louisiana/Arkansas railroad right of way going from Hope to Springhill, Louisiana. The railroad is in the midst of... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/62.aspx Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com Superlift ORV Park is known as one of the premier wheeling spots in the state. A subculture of  4x4, ATV and motorcycle enthusiasts regularly filter in and out of park, which sits just outside Hot... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/61.aspx   Jill M. Rohrbachjillsjourneys@gmail.comI realize that wielding knives and cutting through 2x4’s, then ping pong balls, rope, water bottles and other stuff seems more like a guy sort of thing than the event for me to go to on Mother’s Day.... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/60.aspx   Jill M. Rohrbachjillsjourneys@gmail.comSeeing where artists create their work is exciting to me. I like getting a sense of how they organize, the tools they use, the environment they choose to work in. It makes their art more appealing to me. Usually... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/59.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com If I had my druthers for Mother’s Day, I would spend the weekend at Buzzard Roost Inn in Mountain Home. I have wanted to visit there since I began receiving the Inn’s emails about restaurant specials. The email is... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/57.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com Having come from Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and headed on to the Bible Museum at The Great Passion Play, we weren’t in a hurry, but were on a schedule. Yet we couldn’t help lingering at the tasting room of Keel’s... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/55.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com I love animals! When I see any animal, I immediately want to pet it. This is a habit that has not always served me well. I’ve learned, after a few close calls, to always ask the owner IF I can pet the animal. I... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/54.aspx Kerry Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com Conway’s humongous spring/summer shindig – Toad Suck Daze -- is coming up May 2-4. That’s when over 150,000 head to the central Arkansas town for three days of exciting family fun. And there will be plenty... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/53.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach mailto:jillsjourneys@gmail.com Record rainfall in the state makes this a perfect time to hike to a waterfall. I don’t mean to make light of the flooding and troubles the massive amounts of rain are causing for some people. And I caution... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/52.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com For those of you who have read my blog, you’ve probably figured out that the Arkansas Delta holds a very special place in my heart. I was born and raised here and I’m thrilled to now represent this very special... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/51.aspx Kerry Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com   You never know who you’ll run in to in downtown North Little Rock. The revitalization of this area, which is ongoing, is bringing more and more people here to sample the nightlife, entertainment and dining... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/50.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.comThe World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be the “cleanest” one in history this year. Mike Rowe, creator and host of the Discovery Channel show “Dirty Jobs,” is coming to Hot Springs to serve as celebrity grand... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/49.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com The University of Arkansas will host the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships for the ninth consecutive season on March 14-15 at the Randal Tyson Track Center on the UA campus in Fayetteville. Now, I don’t know... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/48.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com The Swiss Family Bistro is a refreshing place to stop when you’re on the road. Located right on I-40 at Exit 41, it is owned and operated by Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and Vineyards. You can enjoy delicious Swiss specialties... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/47.aspx Remembering John H. Johnson Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com For most people, the name John H. Johnson is not necessarily a recognizable name. But I’m willing to bet that almost everyone has heard of the magazines he created. I’m also willing... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/46.aspx Kerry Kraus Natural State Blogger@gmail.com In some respects we are a nation of voyeurs. We love to see how the other half lives, especially if that other half is wealthy. The Conway Symphony Designer House provides a terrific opportunity to see what a house... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/44.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.comMany hiking and backpacking enthusiasts may already know about OuachitaMaps.com but for those who don’t, here’s a quick introduction. The site is a great stop if one is looking for weatherproof hiking maps of  Arkansas... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/45.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com The Clinton House Museum in Fayetteville will be celebrating Presidents' Day on February 16 and 18 with half price admission. On February 16, the museum will also be serving visitors with former President Bill Clinton’s... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/43.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.com I got an email in my inbox this week about the news that Country music star Tracy Byrd will represent Hot Springs this year as its first ever celebrity spokesman.Byrd travels thousands of miles across America each year,... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/41.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com February is upon us and that means it’s time to show your special someone how much they mean to you. Valentine’s Day can sometimes cause stress when you have no idea what to give your significant other. This year,... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/42.aspx Kerry Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com                                                                                      ... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/40.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach mailto:jillsjourneys@gmail.com What was the first car that you wanted to own so bad you thought your heart would burst? Do you still remember its color, make or model? Did you see it on a showroom floor, on television or in a print advertisement... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/39.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com There’s an old adage that tells us “nothing is free.” Well that’s certainly not true in The Natural State, where you can spend an afternoon or a weekend enjoying free museums, state parks and enjoying the splendor... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/38.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.com The Ouachita National Forest will turn the big 1.0.0 tomorrow. (December 18th ). The south’s oldest and largest National Forest is somewhat of a big gun as far as forests go. There is plenty of room to celebrate as the... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/37.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach mailto:jillsjourneys@gmail.com Whimsical, enchanting, fun – that’s Terra Studios, located 14 miles east of Fayetteville. Terra Studios is home of the original Bluebird of Happiness and you can watch them being made in the showroom. The demonstrations... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/36.aspx Kerry Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com I’m a native Arkansan and have traveled the state fairly extensively. I know all about Crowley’s Ridge being the only “uplift” in the otherwise flat Arkansas Delta. I’ve driven through eastern Arkansas enough to... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/35.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.comFor the first time, Southern Living magazine has chosen Hot Springs as the location for the 2007 Idea House. The house, which was featured in the August issue of the magazine, is located at 155 Dellmere Drive in Red Oak Ridge.  ... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/34.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com Sitting on a beach this spring soaking up the sun, I wondered why I choose to live where I live instead of by warm, relaxing sand like I was experiencing in the Bahamas. Then I saw my homeland: The peace I feel as... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/33.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com Fall is here! The temperatures are cooler and the leaves have started taking on their autumn wardrobe. Over the next few weeks, Arkansas will become ablaze with fall color. So before holiday preparations start... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/32.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.com For those looking for a new attraction to head to, news of a new museum being built just got sent this way. The Gangster Museum of America will be Hot Springs’s newest attraction when it is tentatively set to open in January.... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/31.aspx A sharp-shootin’ cowgirl, some rockabilly legends, three well-known actors, a local television news icon, a prolific band leader and a pioneer in the state’s talent scout industry – Wow! What an evening! Dust off the black tie attire and mark your calendar... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/30.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com A sea of motorcycles swept over Fayetteville this weekend. The fastest growing motorcycle rally in the nation, Bikes, Blues & BBQ fills northwest Arkansas each year with thousands of motorcycles in every color... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/29.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.comLast Tuesday, Sept 25th marked the 50th anniversary of the integration of Little Rock Central High School. A commemoration ceremony was held on the front lawn of the school in honor of the anniversary, marking the first time... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/28.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com This past weekend, my hometown of Marianna held their annual fall festival, Autumn on the Square. In past years, you never knew what to expect from the weather. There are times, in my beloved Arkansas Delta, that... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/27.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.com Mt. Nebo is one of the state’s most popular hang gliding spots. I had a chance to visit the area a few days ago and ran into Dave Dunning, a local pilot who was patiently assembling his white glider in a shaded area at... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/26.aspx Kerry Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com There’s a special “understood” language that happens around our office this time of year. It goes something like this: “You goin’ Saturday?” “Yeah, You?” “Yeah.” “Spending the night?” “No, driving back.” "What do... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/25.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach mailto:jillsjourneys@gmail.com If you’re headed to Northwest Arkansas and need a place to stay, I highly recommend Simmons Suites in Bentonville. Sure it’s a nice place to spend the night because it’s new, and thus, spotless and clean. But... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/24.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com Although summer is in full swing in the Arkansas Delta, in the next few weeks you’ll begin to see fields of “snow.” The “snow” I’m referring to is beautiful white bolls of cotton. The agricultural counties of... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/23.aspx Zoie Clifttravelarkansas@gmail.comIf you’re a Jazz fan, grab a pen and ink in the dates Sept. 7-9 on your calendar. And then highlight them so you won’t forget. You won’t regret it. The 16th annual Hot Springs Jazz Festival is near so this is your first warning.... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/22.aspx Kerry A. Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com Even though I was born and raised in Little Rock I didn’t visit historic Little Rock Central High School until after my junior year in high school. At the time, the school I went to was in the Pulaski County... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/21.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com Sometimes words do no justice in describing an experience – like the awe inspired when you walk into the cathedral room, the oldest and prettiest part, of Blanchard Springs Caverns. When I took my family there earlier... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/20.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com The devastating tornadoes of February can’t keep Dumas down! The 28th Annual Ding Dong Days will be held July 25 – 29. Many of the trees were destroyed at Memorial Park, so the activities traditionally held at... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/19.aspx Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com A new wildlife preserve will soon be open in Arkansas. Slated to tentatively open sometime this month, the Moro Big Pine Wildlife Management Area will protect native loblolly-shortleaf pine forests, one of the least-protected... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/18.aspx Kerry A. Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com One of my all-time favorite day trips in Arkansas is going to the small south-central community of Keo. I have gone through the town all my life as my family made the familiar trek to England to visit relatives.... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/17.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com If you’re in the mood for live music this weekend, head to Helena-West Helena. The Delta Cultural Center will host the 2nd Annual Mother’s Best Music Fest on Saturday, June 16, beginning at 10 a.m. Admission to... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/16.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com Walking into the Daisy Airgun Museum earlier this year, I immediately began to smile when I saw the fishnet stocking-covered leg lamp that can only make a person think of one thing, the movie “A Christmas Story.” It’s... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/15.aspx Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com Geologists say that Arkansas and Brazil have the best quality quartz in the world. Though I’ve never been much of a rockhound, I was curious to see what drew people from around the world to the Mt. Ida area to go prospecting... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/14.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com  Grab your kids or your grandkids and head to the new Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center in Fort Smith for an afternoon of family fun. Actually, you don’t have to have kids with you to enjoy it... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/13.aspx Kimberly J. Williams deltatraveler@gmail.com Arkansas never ceases to amaze me. I’ve lived here my entire life and there are still things I’ve never experienced before. Some happen to be just outside my back door. I recently visited Southland Park in West... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/12.aspx Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com “History is a bridge connecting the past with the present and pointing the road to the future."- Allan Nevins Only a few mile outside of Hope lies an often overlooked travel stop—Historic Washington State Park. The park... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/11.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach jillsjourneys@gmail.com Sitting around a camp fire recently at a cabin on the White River below Bull Shoals Dam, one of my girlfriends remarked on how at her family gatherings during her youth they used to sit around the fire and listen... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/10.aspx Kerry Kraus NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com I love being on the water. There’s something so soothing and tranquil about being out on an Arkansas lake. You can get away from everyone and feel like you are the only person in the world – just you and the beautiful... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/9.aspx Jill M. Rohrbach mailto:jillsjourneys@gmail.com I got a bad case of whiplash at Halloween. No, not a car accident or anything like that. It came from whipping my head around 360 degrees every second as I walked through Raycliff Manor Haunted Attraction in... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/8.aspx Zoie Clift travelarkansas@gmail.com I am always on the lookout for new terrain to run. Luckily, a trail has recently popped on the radar that fits this criteria- the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail. Or- also affectionately known by the acronym- the LOVEiT trail.... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/6.aspx Arkansas Department of Parks & TourismKimberly J. Williamsdeltatraveler@gmail.com Last weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Twain. Okay, so it wasn’t really Mark Twain, but it could have been! If you had been there, you would have thought you were... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/7.aspx Jill M. Rohrbachjillsjourneys@gmail.com I HAVE to go back to StoneCreek Ranch and Resort near Mountain Home. Now understand, there are many reasons why I WANT to go back. I want to experience a country setting again and be reminded of my youth growing up... http://www.arkansas.com/blog/entry/5.aspx