FAMILY VACATIONS IN ARKANSAS WITH CHILREN -WHAT TO DO IN ARKANSAS WITH KIDS
FUN THINGS TO DO ON VACATION WITH KIDS - ARKANSAS
Ideas for Family Summer Vacations in Arkansas - Arkansas is one of the most family-friendly states in terms of summer travel.
FUN & ENTERTAINMENT VACATIONS - CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Aerospace Education Center - This is the perfect museum for a child interested in becoming an astronaut or pilot. The museum displays replicas of historic airplanes and spacecraft. You can touch and learn about each one. The IMAX shows films about many subjects, not just aerospace. The theater has a six story high screen with a six-channel, 16,500 watt sound system.IMAX films shown in 300-seat theater. "Right Stuff" gift shop offers science-oriented toys and kits. Displayed airplanes include Wright Flyer and Sopwith Camel, the only one in the U.S. and one of only seven worldwide. Full-size replica of Apollo command module.
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Arkansas' Museum of Discovery (Science and History) - This museum makes science and technology fun for all ages. Children can conduct hands-on experiments in electricity, light and color, robotics, computer technology, human anatomy and Arkansas history. The exhibits include things like building circuits and machines, live insects, building a working robot and many other fun experiments.
Location: 500 President Clinton Ave. Suite 150. Little Rock, Arkansas
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Crater of Diamonds Park- Arkansas, The Natural State, is blessed with an abundance of geological wonders. The Crater of Diamonds State Park, the only diamond-producing site in the world open to the public, stands out as a unique geological "gem" for you to explore and enjoy. Here, you are invited to prospect in the park's diamond search area, a 37-acre plowed field that is the eroded surface of an ancient volcanic pipe that 95 million years ago, through heat and pressure, formed the diamonds and other semi-precious stones lucky visitors find here today.
Location: Murfreesboro, AR
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Horshoe Mountain Bison Ranch - A working bison ranch with a visitor center that features a video presentation about Bison. You may come to purchase meat and visit our 3,000 sq. ft. visitor center, snack bar & gift shop. The visitors center features continuous videos presenting information about Bison, the Plains Indians and their gift to us. The computer area features stations designed for use by adults and children. The visitors center is open May - October. Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Little Rock Zoo - the Zoo has grown to include more than 725 animals representing 200+ species, many on the endangered list. The Zoo itself, has become one of the state's greatest educational and conservation resources.
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Panther Valley Ranch - An authentic Western horse ranch over 100 years old In historic Hot Springs National Park nestled in the mountains of Arkansas. This setting is ideal to spend an hour, or a night or a week. Enjoy mountains, creeks, & woods on a beautiful horse or just kick back at the ranch. We offer relaxing lodging described as rustic elegance. Floor plans for 2 to 6 guests, couples or families.
Location: Hot Sprints, AR
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Quartz Crystal Mines - Attention all Rockhounds!!! Come and dig in actual working quartz crystal mines in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains. Meet other miners, learn more about crystals and improve your digging skills. And, who knows, maybe you'll find that crystal you always dreamed about!
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Riddle's Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary - Facility dedicated to the preservation of African and Asian elephants. Tours available during Open House, held the first Saturday of every month, 11 am-3 pm.
Location: Ark. 25 off U.S. 65 N. 501-589-3291.
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Scott Plantation Settlement - Various buildings from the surrounding area have been assembled here, depicting a typical Arkansas plantation; includes a hand-hewn cypress corncrib, an 1840s log cabin, a wash house, several tenant houses and a blacksmith shop. Small fee for tours offered every third Saturday 1:30-2:30 p.m. Toward the front of the settlement, there’s a Civil War Marker explaining the Battle of Ashley’s Mills, part of the campaign conducted by Union General Frederick Steele that led to the fall of Little Rock in 1863
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Wild River Country - Arkansas' largest water park since 1985. The Wild River Country water park has something for everyone, and a variety of exciting water rides.
Location: Wild River Country is conveniently located at 6820 Crystal Hill Road in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
FUN & ENTERTAINMENT VACATIONS - WESTERN ARKANSAS
Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo - Come see over 200 alligators from 12 inches to 12 feet long. Visit our petting zoo with deer, pygmy goats, llamas, ostrich and lambs. See the animals with a variety of monkeys, mountain lions, giant 150 lb. turtles, wild turkey and wild duck and geese.
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Belle of Hot Springs Riverboat - Your Belle of Hot Springs Riverboat ticket is your passport to beautiful Lake Hamilton. Sit back and relax aboard the Belle, a 400 passenger riverboat, and enjoy the captain's narration as he unfolds secrets of America's "Spa City." His entertaining tour includes million dollar mansions, natural islands, quaint resorts, panoramic views of the Ouachita Mountains, colorful anecdotes, humorous stories, and well researched historical information.
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Funtracker Family Amusement Parks - Thrills, excitement and fun abound at The largest and fastest go kart track In Hot Springs. FunTrackers Go Karts feature a pro-style track the entire family can enjoy. Also fun for the whole family are The Wet & Wild Bumper Boats, where you can bump and splash while challenging your friends and family to a duel with our new squirt-gun equipped boats. This is 1st class family fun for all ages. FunTrackers has a great new arcade and concession facility. Plus a beautiful 18 hole miniature golf course right next door at Safari Falls.
Location: Hot Springs, AR
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Magic Springs and Crystal Falls - Magic Springs offers the greatest entertainment package in the state of Arkansas, with dozens of exciting rides and attractions designed to appeal to every member of the family – enjoy the classic Arkansas Twister or zip through the woods on our runaway mine train, Big Bad John; experience a freefall on Dr. Dean’s Rocket Machine; or take the plunge on our Old #2 Logging Company log flume. With attractions like the world-class Crystal Cove wave pool, High Sierra Slide Tower, and Kodiak Canyon Adventure River, Crystal Falls Water Park is a cool and refreshing oasis for summertime fun. Come play with your family in the activity pools, ride the waves, speed down a water slide, or just drift along on the Lazy River, soaking up the carefree atmosphere at Arkansas’ greatest water park.
Location: From the North: From I-30, take U.S. 70 West. Magic Springs on right. From the South: From I-30, take U.S. 270 North to U.S. 70. Turn right. Magic Springs on left.
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Mid-America Science Museum - Science museum with over 100 hands-on exhibits focusing on energy, matter, life and perception; perfect for any age group; laser show available for additional charge.
Location: 500 Mid-America Blvd, U.S. 270 West. (501) 767-3461; Toll-Free: (800) 632-0583.
FUN & ENTERTAINMENT VACATIONS - NORTHERN ARKANSAS
Arkansas Air Museum - The historic aircraft in the Arkansas Air Museum are unusual among museum exhibits because most of them still fly. There are few "stuffed birds" in this collection. From world-famous racing planes of the 1920s and 1930s to an early airliner, the planes are maintained in flying condition.
Location: Located at Drake Field in Fayetteville, Ark
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Belle of the Ozarks - Belle of the Ozarks Beaver Lake excursion cruises. 501-253-6200 or 800-552-3803. E-mail: Viator@ipa.net.
Location: Starkey Park, off U.S. 62 W.
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Blanchard Springs Caverns - Some of the most spectacular caverns anywhere. Blanchard is a three-level system, but only two levels of the caverns are open for guided tours. The first tour, the Dripstone Trail, opened in 1973, completing ten years of planning and development of the caverns. Another four years of work concluded with the opening of the second tour, the Discovery Trail.
Location: Sylamore Ranger District, Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
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Call of the Wild Bed and Breakfast - New to Turpentine Creek is our Tree House, which we believe to be the most unique bed and breakfast in America. It sleeps two to four, and gives you a beautiful view of the refuge complex and those magnificent Big Cats. The Tree House is modeled on the concept of those in Africa that allow people to safely view exotic animals up close.
Location: Eureka Sprinks, AR
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Eureka Springs - Come discover why the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named Eureka Springs one of America's Distinctive Destinations for being one of the best-preserved and most unique communities in the United States. An authentic 19th century Victorian resort, tucked in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and encircled by two beautiful lakes and two scenic rivers, it is a magical place filled with old-world charm and European flavor.
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Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway - Step back in time to an earlier age of locomotive transportation and enjoy the Excursion Train or the Dining Car. See a 1940-era diesel locomotive in operation or view a stationary steam locomotive exhibits. Watch an authentic turntable operate to turn the engines around and discover how a locomotive can also be turned on our end-of-the-line "wye." Or dine in luxury as you ride the rails... Enjoy the elegant flavor of the 1920's aboard the Eurekan Dining Car. You dine on specially prepared cuisine as the clickety-clack takes you back.
Location: Highway 23 North - Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
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Greers Ferry Lake - At the foot of Round Mountain in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of north-central Arkansas stands Greers Ferry Dam. Behind that structure dedicated in 1963 by the late President John F. Kennedy, glistens one of the foremost recreational areas in the middle United States, Greers Ferry Lake. With over 30,000 acres of water surface, the lake serves as a playground for all kinds of water sports. Eighteen parks around the shoreline provide modern campgrounds, boat launches, swim areas and marinas.
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Mountain Village 1890 - An Authentically Restored Ozark Town at Bull Shoals, Arkansas. Mountain Village 1890, an historic re-creation of an Ozark settlement, is a living tribute to the pioneers who first settled this remote part of the country. These were hardy men and women who followed the trails into our mountains from the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. The village is a Bull Shoals, Arkansas, attraction that draws families, particularly those interested in local or living history, from across the United States.
Location: Bull Shoals, Arkansas
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Ozark Folk Center State Park - Mountain View is the home of the only park in America devoted to the preservation of Southern mountain folkways and music. The Ozark Folk Center State Park is a “living museum” of traditional pioneer skills, such as furniture making, quilting, blacksmithing, tintype photography, woodcarving and 15 other craft demonstrations. Concerts, performed in a 1,000-seat theater, feature songs and instruments from America’s past. The park also offers a restaurant, lodge, library, conference center, visitor center and gift shop. The town of Mountain View has a variety of music shows, shopping, restaurants, plus impromptu folk music gatherings on the downtown square and yearly festivals.
Location: Off Ark. 5-9-14, Mountain View
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Pea Ridge National Military Park -Pea Ridge National Military Park is a 4,300 acre Civil War Battlefield that preserves the site of the March 1862 battle that saved Missouri for the Union. On March 7 & 8, nearly 26,000 soldiers fought to determine whether Missouri would remain under Union control, and whether or not Federal armies could continue their offensive south through the Mississippi River Valley. For Kids - Be a park Junior Ranger. Stop by the park visitor center and pick up your junior ranger guide. In it you will find a scavenger hunt of the museum and the battlefield. Link clues and answers to the guide and earn your ranger badge.
Location: I-540 north to US 62 East and follow signs to the park.
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The Great Passion Play - Attended Outdoor Drama - The Great Passion Play! A spectacular experience brought to you by a cast of hundreds. You’ll be inspired as the story of the Man Who changed the world forever unfolds before your eyes. A popular family vacation and group destination is located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains just outside Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Also includes the seven-story-high Christ of the Ozarks statue; the Sacred Arts Center, with more than 1,000 exhibits; the Bible Museum; the New Holy Land, re-creations of Biblical sites include Moses' Tabernacle in the Wilderness; the Smith Memorial Chapel, a 10-foot section of the Berlin Wall, special monthly festivals and a nightly parade of banners, shops.
Location: 935 Passion Play Rd. 501-253-9625 or 800-882-7529.
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Discovery Place Children's Museum - The Discovery Children's Museum features science and history related exhibits geared for kindergarten-6th grade audiences. Permanent exhibits include a 12 foot sound wall, post office geography area, health exhibits, costume theater, sound experiments, a general store, old fashioned kitchen, biology laboratory, a new DENTAL EXHIBIT, and more!
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Location: Downtown Texarkana
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Top O' the Ozarks Tower - One of the most panoramic views of the lake and White River Valley from Bull Mountain may be enjoyed from this elevator-equipped tower. Ark. 178. 870-445-4302. E-mail: tower@southshore.com.
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Wild Wilderness Safari - Drive through to see about 200 species of animals; petting zoo.
VACATION WITH KIDS - ARKANSAS STATE PARKS
STATE PARKS WITH KIDS - CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Catherine State Park - Along the lakeshore are the park's 18 cabins that feature fully-equipped kitchens and wood-burning fireplaces The park's marina, open in summer only, sells bait and fuel. Rental boats are available throughout the year. The park features a launch ramp, standard pavilion, picnic sites, playgrounds, laundry and trails. Gifts, groceries, snacks and ice are available for sale daily at the visitor center that overlooks the swimming area and nature center (open in summer). Park interpreters offer guided hikes, boat tours and programs during summer, or by advance request in other seasons. Guided horseback trail rides are available during the summer months. Just up Catherine Park Road (Ark. 171) from Lake Catherine State Park, Diamondhead, a private resort community also located on Lake Catherine, offers a golf course, snack bar and Olympic-size swimming pool that park visitors are welcome to enjoy, too. Diamondhead's golf course is an 18-hole, par 72 championship course with pro shop, snack bar, cart rentals and a driving range.
Location: To reach Lake Catherine State Park, take Exit #97 off I-30 near Malvern and go 12 miles north on Ark. 171 to the park.
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Lake Dardanelle State Park - This park offers two areas on scenic Lake Dardanelle, a 34,300-acre reservoir on the Arkansas River. The Russellville (main park) and Dardanelle locations offer camping (83 sites: Russellville--Premium B with sewer, Preferred B and Standard B; Dardanelle--Standard B;), launch ramps, standard pavilions, picnic sites, restrooms and bathhouses with hot showers. A visitor center featuring interpretive exhibits and a major aquatic exhibit of four aquariums, marina (Dardanelle also), barrier-free fishing pier, trail, fishing tournament weigh-in pavilion and interpretive programs are available in the Russellville Area, plus kayak and bicycle rentals.
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Petit Jean State Park - The focal point of the park's impressive CCC/Rustic Style architecture is Mather Lodge, a grand 24-room hostelry on the bluff overlooking scenic Cedar Creek Canyon. A meal at the lodge restaurant guarantees a breathtaking view and a dramatic sunset each evening. Nearby are 33 fully-equipped cabins (21 with kitchens), many of which share the same bluff as the lodge. The canyon is the work of Cedar Creek, which cascades as a spectacular 95-foot waterfall. Upstream, a rock dam forms Lake Bailey, 170 acres for fishing and pedal boating. A boathouse offers a snack bar, boat rentals supplies during summer.
Location: For westbound travelers on I-40, take I-40 Exit #108 at Morrilton and travel nine miles south on Ark. 9, then go 12 miles west on Ark. 154 to the park. For eastbound travelers on I-40, take Exit #81 at Russellville and travel Ark. 7 south 10 miles to Centerville, then go 16 miles east on Ark. 154 to the park.
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Lake Oachita State Park - Surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest, Lake Ouachita is known for its scenic natural beauty and the clarity of its waters. Named one of the cleanest lakes in America, 40,000-acre Lake Ouachita is a water sports mecca for swimming, skiing, scuba diving, boating and fishing. Angling for bream, crappie, catfish, stripers and largemouth bass can be enjoyed in open waters, or quiet coves along the lake's 975 miles of shoreline.The state park features historic Three Sisters' Springs. The park's fully-equipped cabins include seven that overlook the lake and one that offers a woods view.
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Pinnacle Mountain State Park - Pinnacle Mountain is dedicated to preservation, recreation, and environmental education. Park interpreters and volunteers help visitors and students understand man's relationship to the environment in the 2,000-acre park that offers a rich diversity of natural habitat.Park facilities include picnic sites, a standard pavilion, launch ramps, and hiking trails. The park visitor center overlooking the Arkansas River includes exhibits, A/V programs, a meeting room, and gift shop. Within the park's environs is the Arkansas Arboretum, a 71-acre site exhibiting native flora representing Arkansas's six, major natural divisions. Below Pinnacle Mountain along the Little Maumelle River, the arboretum includes a .6-mile barrier-free, interpretive trail. Camping is not available at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. However, campsites are available at Maumelle Park, located just 3.8 miles east of Ark. 300 on Pinnacle Valley Road.
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Plantation Agriculture Museum - Museum exhibits and interpretive programs interpret the history of cotton agriculture in Arkansas from statehood in 1836 through World War II when agricultural practices quickly became mechanized. Visit the Dortch Gin Exhibit Building and learn how cotton was grown and ginned. Tour the museum that interprets rural life back during the Plantation Era.
Location: The museum is at the junction of U.S. 165 and Ark. 161 in Scott. Take Exit #7 off I-440 and go south on U.S. 165 five miles to the museum.
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Toltec Mounds State Park - Arkansas's tallest remaining, prehistoric Native American mounds are preserved at this National Historic Landmark site near Little Rock. The mounds and an earthen embankment are the remains of a large ceremonial and governmental complex that was inhabited here from A.D. 600 to 1050. Managed by Arkansas State Parks in conjunction with the Arkansas Archeological Survey, the Toltec site serves as both a state park and an archeological research station. The park visitor center features exhibits, an audiovisual theater, sales area and an educational pavilion that overlooks the mounds. The Toltec Research Station of the Arkansas Archeological Survey, a unit of the University of Arkansas system, and its laboratory are also housed in the visitor center. Self-guided tours are offered along both the 3/4-mile, barrier-free trail and 1.6-mile turf trail. Park interpreters lead guided tours and programs throughout the week by group reservation and at scheduled times on Saturdays.
Location: From Little Rock, take Exit #7 off I-440 and go 10 miles southeast on U.S. 165, then travel 1/4-mile south on Ark. 386.
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Wooly Hollow State Park - Nestled in the Ozark foothills, this state park is a serene getaway overlooking lovely Lake Bennett, 40-acres for fishing and swimming at the park's swimming beach area. The park offers canoes, pedal boats, fishing boats and motors for rent, and a launch ramp. [Anglers will need to bring bait and fishing supplies.] A snack bar and bathhouse with hot showers are located near the swim beach. Park facilities include 30 campsites (Premium D, Standard B and Standard D without hookups), a picnic area, standard pavilion, gift shop and hiking trail. Woolly Cabin, the log home of the area's first settlers, offers a historic perspective to this peaceful hollow.
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STATE PARKS WITH KIDS - EASTERN ARKANSAS
Arkansas Post - Stroll through this complex of five exhibit buildings where you can explore life as it was on Arkansas's southern Grand Prairie from the end of the Civil War to the present day. Museum documents and artifacts interpret this southern prairie heritage.
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Delta Heritage Trail State Park - The Delta Heritage Trail will offer some of Arkansas's best wildlife viewing when completed. Hikers will be able to enjoy the views from bridges spanning two scenic waterways, the Arkansas River and the White River.
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Hampson Museum State Park - Hampson Museum State Park in northeast Arkansas conserves and exhibits the archeological collections from the Nodena site, a 15-acre palisaded village that once thrived on a meander bend of the Mississippi River in what is today Mississippi County. Hampson Museum interprets the lifestyles of this farming-based civilization that lived there from 1400 to 1650 A.D. Artifacts and exhibits share the story of this early aboriginal population of farmers who cultivated crops and supplemented their food resources with hunting native game while developing its art, religion and political structure along with a thriving trading network.
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Jacksonport State Park - Steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port in the 1800s. During the Civil War, the town was occupied by both Confederate and Union forces because of its crucial locale. Jacksonport became county seat in 1854, and constuction of a stately, two-story brick courthouse began in 1869. The town began to decline in the 1880s when bypassed by the railroad. The county seat was moved in 1891 to nearby Newport, and Jacksonport's stores, wharves and saloons soon vanished.
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Louisiana Purchase State Park - This National Historic Landmark at the junction of Lee, Monroe and Phillips counties preserves the initial point from which all surveys of the property acquired through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 initiated. To see the granite monument that marks the site of the initial point, you'll walk along an elevated boardwalk above the headwater swamp in which the monument is located. The L’Anguille Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Marianna placed the marker at the initial point in 1926 following the discovery by two surveyors, in 1921, of the gum trees that were marked by the initial surveyors back in 1815. That discovery focused attention on the site located at the junction of Lee, Monroe and Phillips counties in a headwater swamp in the Little Cypress Creek watershed that had gone unheralded for more than a century. The Arkansas General Assembly passed legislation in 1961 designating the area an Arkansas state park.
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Parkin Archaelogical - Parkin Archeological State Park in eastern Arkansas at Parkin preserves and interprets the Parkin site on the St. Francis River where a 17-acre Mississippi Period Native America village was located from A.D. 1000 to 1550. A large platform mound on the river bank remains. The site is important for understanding the history and prehistory of northeast Arkansas. There were once many archeological sites similar to Parkin throughout this region, but they did not survive as eastern Arkansas was settled. The park interpretive staff offers audiovisual programs, site tours, workshops, and other educational programs, and special events and activities. When archeological excavations are underway, visitors on guided tours can observe them.
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STATE PARKS WITH KIDS - WESTERN ARKANSAS
Cossatot National State Park - This park-natural area stretches for 12 miles along the wild and scenic Cossatot River, Arkansas's premier whitewater experience renowned as the best whitewater float stream in mid-America. Located in southwest Arkansas south of Mena, the Cossatot forms Cossatot Falls, a rugged and rocky canyon that challenges the most experienced canoeists and kayakers with its Class IV and V rapids. When the water level is normal, the river's rapids are usually considered Class II-III whitewater. Outdoor enthusiasts can swim, fish and float through riffles and small rapids, from pool to pool, as they relax and enjoy the Cossatot.
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Daisy State Park - Lake Greeson, the Little Missouri River and Daisy State Park make a winning combination in the Ouachita foothills. Greeson, 7,000 acres of clear water and mountain scenery, delights water enthusiasts. Black and white bass, stripers, crappie, catfish and bluegill account for the lake's popularity with anglers. Park facilities include 103 campsites including Standard B, Premium D, Preferred B sites and Tent sites; picnic areas, a standard pavilion (screened) with restrooms, launch ramps, hiking trails, a playground, and a motorcycle/mountain bike/ATV trail. All terrain vehicle (ATV) enthusiasts can enjoy the challenging 31-mile Bear Creek Motorcycle Trail on Lake Greeson.
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Devil's Den State Park - Lee Creek Valley, a picturesque setting in northwest Arkansas's Ozarks Mountains--ancient sedimentary mountains renowned for their natural beauty and lush oak-hickory forest--was selected as a park site in the 1930s. The Civilian Conservation Corps used native materials to craft the park's CCC/Rustic Style,wood and stone structures that include an impressive native stone dam that spans Lee Creek in the heart of the park Hiking, backpacking and mountain bike trails lead to backcountry areas of Devil's Den State Park and the surrounding Ozark National Forest.Sixteen fully-equipped cabins featuring kitchens and fireplaces are nestled in the natural beauty of this park. The cabins are available throughout the year. Their wood-burning fireplaces are available for use from mid-September thru mid-May.
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Hobb's State Park and Conservation Area - Formerly known as Beaver Lake State Park, Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area (HSPCA) is in its initial development phase. Arkansas's largest state park in land area, Hobbs covers 11,764 acres along the southern shores of 28,370-acre Beaver Lake. Twenty-two of the park’s 60 miles of border stretch along the shores of Beaver Lake. This large tract of Ozark landscape consists of plateaus, ridges, valleys and streams featuring an upland forest of pine, oak and hickory. Many water features—disappearing streams, springs and seeps—have carved the many hollows in this fragile limestone landscape, as well as created cave-related features including numerous sinkholes. Currently available to the public are two hiking trails, an all-weather public firing range, regulated seasonal hunting, undeveloped access to Beaver Lake and interpretive programs. HSPCA is Arkansas's only state park where hunting is allowed.
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Museum of Natural Resorces Arkansas - the 1920s, nationwide attention focused on south Arkansas when the Smackover field was ranked first among the nation's oil fields. Walk the streets of a 1920s Arkansas boom town, or let the museum's state-of-the art exhibits take you farther back in geologic time as you journey inside the earth and into a core shaft that shows the formations in the oil field strata. Ride an elevator down through an undersea diorama to learn the origin of oil. And, take a chance drilling and see if you will become an oil tycoon.
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Old Washington Historic State Park - Historic Washington, Arkansas's premier 19th-century village, is conserved and interpreted by Arkansas State Parks in conjunction with the Pioneer Washington Restoration Foundation. Established in 1973, the state park interprets Washington from 1824-1889. The 1874 Courthouse serves as the park visitor center. Visitors can also see the 1836 Courthouse, Blacksmith Shop, Weapons Museum, several residences and other historic structures on self-guided tours. Buildings open for touring vary each day. Lunch featuring delicious, Southern country fare is served daily in the circa 1832 Williams' Tavern Restaurant. Group rental facilities at Old Washington include the 1914 Schoolhouse featuring meeting rooms, an auditorium, overnight accommodations (maximum capacity: 60 in bunk beds) and a catering kitchen, and the WPA Gymnasium with kitchen.
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Prarie Grove Battlefield State Park - Prairie Grove is recognized nationally as one of America's most intact Civil War battlefields. The park protects the battle site and interprets the Battle of Prairie Grove, where on December 7, 1862, the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi clashed with the Union Army of the Frontier resulting in about 2,700 casualties in a day of fierce fighting.
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Withrow Springs State Park - Cradled by the bluffs of the War Eagle River deep in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Withrow Springs State Park is a peaceful setting for relaxing camping and quiet river floats along this scenic mountain stream. Here in the natural beauty of the renowned Ozark Mountains, you can also hiking, swimming, tennis and fishing for catfish, bream, perch and bass. The park also offers picnic sites, pavilions, a snack bar, gift shop, baseball and softball field, and crossbow range. Rental canoes are available at the park, and park staff offer shuttle service. The park's campground now features 30 new campsites that opened on June 24. Nestled in shaded woods, the new camping area offers 30 Premium A campsites with water, electric (up to 50 amp service) and sewer hookups. Each new campsite can accommodate either an RV and/or tent. This camping area also features a new barrier-free bathhouse.
Location: The park is located five miles north of Huntsville on Ark. 23; or 20 miles south of Eureka Springs on Ark. 23.
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Millwood State Park - A series of boat lanes meander through timber, marshes and oxbow cutoffs, making Millwood Lake a "tree-filled" fishing haven. Famous for bass tournaments, this 29,260-acre lake abounds in largemouth, catfish and crappie. Spring and fall offer anglers great crappie fishing here, and catfish and bream fishing in summer. Bird watching is another popular activity here because of the lake's variety of year-round inhabitants, and wintering eagles.
STATE PARKS WITH KIDS - SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
Conway Cemetary State Park - When Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the 25th state on June 15, 1836, James Sevier Conway (1796-1855), a surveyor, planter, and prominent and influencial citizen of pioneer Arkansas, took office as Arkansas’s first governor. This 11-acre historic site dedicated to his memory preserves Governor Conway’s final resting place. The park's main feature is the one-half acre family plot of the Conway family's former homesite and cotton plantation called "Walnut Hill."
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Logoly State Park - At Arkansas's first environmental education state park, interpreters present workshops on ecological/environmental topics. The park's natural resources provide a living laboratory for students and visitors. Most of Logoly's 368 acres comprise a State Natural Area that includes unique plant species and mineral springs.Park facilities include six group tent sites (no hookups), a bathhouse with hot showers, standard pavilion (free to educational groups), picnic sites, playground, trails and a visitor center with exhibits and an indoor classroom.
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Moro Bay State Park - You'll find one of the most popular fishing and water sport areas in south central Arkansas where Moro Bay and Raymond Lake join the Ouachita River at Moro Bay State Park. Facilities at the park include 20 campsites (Standard A and Standard B), picnic sites, a store, marina with gas pump, standard pavilion (screened), playground, trail and the Moro Bay Ferry exhibit.
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Museum of Natural Resorces Arkansas - the 1920s, nationwide attention focused on south Arkansas when the Smackover field was ranked first among the nation's oil fields. Walk the streets of a 1920s Arkansas boom town, or let the museum's state-of-the art exhibits take you farther back in geologic time as you journey inside the earth and into a core shaft that shows the formations in the oil field strata. Ride an elevator down through an undersea diorama to learn the origin of oil. And, take a chance drilling and see if you will become an oil tycoon.
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South Arkansas Arboretum - Adjacent to the El Dorado High School, this 13-acre site exhibits plants indigenous to Arkansas’s West Gulf Coastal Plain region, and exotic species including flowering azaleas and camellias.
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White Oak Lake Park - Adjacent to Poison Spring State Forest, this park lies on the shore of White Oak Lake, 2,765 timber-filled acres for bass, crappie, catfish and bream fishing. Rich in wildlife, the park offers regular sightings of great blue heron, egret, osprey and green heron, and in winter, American bald eagles. Park facilities include 45 campsites (Preferred B, Standard B and Tent sites); a store with supplies, bait and gifts (open throughout the year); marina with boat rentals; launch ramp; barrier-free fishing pier; standard pavilion; picnic sites; trails and a playground. The visitor center includes exhibits, a CD interactive program and bicycle rentals.
STATE PARKS WITH KIDS - NORTHERN ARKANSAS
Bull Shoals White River State Park - In northcentral Arkansas amidst the natural beauty of the Ozark Mountains, Bull Shoals-White River State Park stretches along the riverside and lakeshore where the White River and Bull Shoals Lake join at the Bull Shoals dam forming one of the nation’s finest fishing and boating combinations. The park is a popular camping destination featuring 105 campsites along the river-10 Premium D (1 Premium B w/sewer), 75 Preferred B, 20 Tent sites with no hookups, two Rent-A-Camp sites and two Rent-An-RV units. Interpretive programs are offered in the park seasonally April through October. Park facilities include picnic areas, standard pavilions, playgrounds and trails. The park's trout dock offers boat, motor, kayak and canoe rentals; supplies; equipment and gifts.
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Hobb's State Park and Conservation Area - Formerly known as Beaver Lake State Park, Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area (HSPCA) is in its initial development phase. Arkansas's largest state park in land area, Hobbs covers 11,764 acres along the southern shores of 28,370-acre Beaver Lake. Twenty-two of the park’s 60 miles of border stretch along the shores of Beaver Lake. This large tract of Ozark landscape consists of plateaus, ridges, valleys and streams featuring an upland forest of pine, oak and hickory. Many water features—disappearing streams, springs and seeps—have carved the many hollows in this fragile limestone landscape, as well as created cave-related features including numerous sinkholes. Currently available to the public are two hiking trails, an all-weather public firing range, regulated seasonal hunting, undeveloped access to Beaver Lake and interpretive programs. HSPCA is Arkansas's only state park where hunting is allowed.
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Lake Charles State Park - Anglers and nature lovers will enjoy this park on the shore of Lake Charles, 645 acres of spring-fed waters in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The lake offers good catches of bass, crappie, bream and catfish. The park features 61 campsites including Premium A, Preferred B and Standard B sites). Within walking distance are picnic sites, hiking trails, a standard pavilion (screened with ceiling fans), launch ramp, swimming beach and playground. The visitor center's gift shop offers gift items, camping supplies and snacks. Park interpretive programs include party barge lake tours and guided kayak tours.
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Mammoth Sprint State Park - Mammoth Spring, Arkansas's largest spring and a National Natural Landmark, flows nine million gallons of water hourly. Forming a scenic 10-acre lake, it then flows south as the Spring River, a popular Ozark trout and float stream. Park facilities include an information center with exhibits on the area's rich history and natural resources, picnic sites, trail, ball field and children's playground
Location: Mammoth Spring State Park is located on U.S. 63 in Mammoth Spring.
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Powhatan Historic State Park - Tour the Powhatan Courthouse, Powhatan Jail, Ficklin-Imboden Log House, Telephone Exchange Building and the Powhatan Male and Female Academy, a unique two-room schoolhouse.
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Withrow Springs State Park - Cradled by the bluffs of the War Eagle River deep in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Withrow Springs State Park is a peaceful setting for relaxing camping and quiet river floats along this scenic mountain stream. Here in the natural beauty of the renowned Ozark Mountains, you can also hiking, swimming, tennis and fishing for catfish, bream, perch and bass. The park also offers picnic sites, pavilions, a snack bar, gift shop, baseball and softball field, and crossbow range. Rental canoes are available at the park, and park staff offer shuttle service.
MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL WITH KIDS - ARKANSAS
Arkansas Air Museum - The historic aircraft in the Arkansas Air Museum are unusual among museum exhibits because most of them still fly. There are few "stuffed birds" in this collection. From world-famous racing planes of the 1920s and 1930s to an early airliner, the planes are maintained in flying condition.
Location: Located at Drake Field in Fayetteville, Ark.,
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Arkansas Missouri Railroad - Offers you 'A Window Seat to History' with an opportunity to travel over high trestles with views for miles... through a quarter mile tunnel... all the way to the top of the scenic Boston Mountains.
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Arkansas' Museum of Discovery (Science and History) - This museum makes science and technology fun for all ages. Children can conduct hands-on experiments in electricity, light and color, robotics, computer technology, human anatomy and Arkansas history. The exhibits include things like building circuits and machines, live insects, building a working robot and many other fun experiments.
Location: 500 President Clinton Ave. Suite 150. Little Rock, Ar
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Arkansas Post - Stroll through this complex of five exhibit buildings where you can explore life as it was on Arkansas's southern Grand Prairie from the end of the Civil War to the present day. Museum documents and artifacts interpret this southern prairie heritage.
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Conway Cemetary State Park - When Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the 25th state on June 15, 1836, James Sevier Conway (1796-1855), a surveyor, planter, and prominent and influencial citizen of pioneer Arkansas, took office as Arkansas’s first governor. This 11-acre historic site dedicated to his memory preserves Governor Conway’s final resting place. The park's main feature is the one-half acre family plot of the Conway family's former homesite and cotton plantation called "Walnut Hill."
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Eureka Springs - Come discover why the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named Eureka Springs one of America's Distinctive Destinations for being one of the best-preserved and most unique communities in the United States. An authentic 19th century Victorian resort, tucked in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and encircled by two beautiful lakes and two scenic rivers, it is a magical place filled with old-world charm and European flavor.
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Greers Ferry Lake - At the foot of Round Mountain in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of north-central Arkansas stands Greers Ferry Dam. Behind that structure dedicated in 1963 by the late President John F. Kennedy, glistens one of the foremost recreational areas in the middle United States, Greers Ferry Lake. With over 30,000 acres of water surface, the lake serves as a playground for all kinds of water sports. Eighteen parks around the shoreline provide modern campgrounds, boat launches, swim areas and marinas.
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Hampson Museum State Park - Hampson Museum State Park in northeast Arkansas conserves and exhibits the archeological collections from the Nodena site, a 15-acre palisaded village that once thrived on a meander bend of the Mississippi River in what is today Mississippi County. Hampson Museum interprets the lifestyles of this farming-based civilization that lived there from 1400 to 1650 A.D. Artifacts and exhibits share the story of this early aboriginal population of farmers who cultivated crops and supplemented their food resources with hunting native game while developing its art, religion and political structure along with a thriving trading network.
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Jacksonport State Park - Steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port in the 1800s. During the Civil War, the town was occupied by both Confederate and Union forces because of its crucial locale. Jacksonport became county seat in 1854, and constuction of a stately, two-story brick courthouse began in 1869. The town began to decline in the 1880s when bypassed by the railroad. The county seat was moved in 1891 to nearby Newport, and Jacksonport's stores, wharves and saloons soon vanished.
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Plantation Agriculture Museum - Museum exhibits and interpretive programs interpret the history of cotton agriculture in Arkansas from statehood in 1836 through World War II when agricultural practices quickly became mechanized. Visit the Dortch Gin Exhibit Building and learn how cotton was grown and ginned. Tour the museum that interprets rural life back during the Plantation Era.
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Powhatan Historic State Park - Tour the Powhatan Courthouse, Powhatan Jail, Ficklin-Imboden Log House, Telephone Exchange Building and the Powhatan Male and Female Academy, a unique two-room schoolhouse.
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Prarie Grove Battlefield State Park - Prairie Grove is recognized nationally as one of America's most intact Civil War battlefields. The park protects the battle site and interprets the Battle of Prairie Grove, where on December 7, 1862, the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi clashed with the Union Army of the Frontier resulting in about 2,700 casualties in a day of fierce fighting.
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Toltec Mounds State Park - Arkansas's tallest remaining, prehistoric Native American mounds are preserved at this National Historic Landmark site near Little Rock. The mounds and an earthen embankment are the remains of a large ceremonial and governmental complex that was inhabited here from A.D. 600 to 1050. Managed by Arkansas State Parks in conjunction with the Arkansas Archeological Survey, the Toltec site serves as both a state park and an archeological research station. The park visitor center features exhibits, an audiovisual theater, sales area and an educational pavilion that overlooks the mounds. The Toltec Research Station of the Arkansas Archeological Survey, a unit of the University of Arkansas system, and its laboratory are also housed in the visitor center. Self-guided tours are offered along both the 3/4-mile, barrier-free trail and 1.6-mile turf trail. Park interpreters lead guided tours and programs throughout the week by group reservation and at scheduled times on Saturdays.
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Jacksonport State Park - Steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port in the 1800s. During the Civil War, the town was occupied by both Confederate and Union forces because of its crucial locale. Jacksonport became county seat in 1854, and constuction of a stately, two-story brick courthouse began in 1869. The town began to decline in the 1880s when bypassed by the railroad. The county seat was moved in 1891 to nearby Newport, and Jacksonport's stores, wharves and saloons soon vanished.
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Louisiana Purchase State Park - This National Historic Landmark at the junction of Lee, Monroe and Phillips counties preserves the initial point from which all surveys of the property acquired through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 initiated. To see the granite monument that marks the site of the initial point, you'll walk along an elevated boardwalk above the headwater swamp in which the monument is located. The L’Anguille Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Marianna placed the marker at the initial point in 1926 following the discovery by two surveyors, in 1921, of the gum trees that were marked by the initial surveyors back in 1815. That discovery focused attention on the site located at the junction of Lee, Monroe and Phillips counties in a headwater swamp in the Little Cypress Creek watershed that had gone unheralded for more than a century. The Arkansas General Assembly passed legislation in 1961 designating the area an Arkansas state park.
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Mid-America Science Museum - Science museum with over 100 hands-on exhibits focusing on energy, matter, life and perception; perfect for any age group; laser show available for additional charge.
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Mountain Village 1890 - An Authentically Restored Ozark Town at Bull Shoals, Arkansas. Mountain Village 1890, an historic re-creation of an Ozark settlement, is a living tribute to the pioneers who first settled this remote part of the country. These were hardy men and women who followed the trails into our mountains from the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. The village is a Bull Shoals, Arkansas, attraction that draws families, particularly those interested in local or living history, from across the United States.
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Museum of Natural Resorces Arkansas - the 1920s, nationwide attention focused on south Arkansas when the Smackover field was ranked first among the nation's oil fields. Walk the streets of a 1920s Arkansas boom town, or let the museum's state-of-the art exhibits take you farther back in geologic time as you journey inside the earth and into a core shaft that shows the formations in the oil field strata. Ride an elevator down through an undersea diorama to learn the origin of oil. And, take a chance drilling and see if you will become an oil tycoon.
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Old Washington Historic State Park - Historic Washington, Arkansas's premier 19th-century village, is conserved and interpreted by Arkansas State Parks in conjunction with the Pioneer Washington Restoration Foundation. Established in 1973, the state park interprets Washington from 1824-1889. The 1874 Courthouse serves as the park visitor center. Visitors can also see the 1836 Courthouse, Blacksmith Shop, Weapons Museum, several residences and other historic structures on self-guided tours. Buildings open for touring vary each day. Lunch featuring delicious, Southern country fare is served daily in the circa 1832 Williams' Tavern Restaurant. Group rental facilities at Old Washington include the 1914 Schoolhouse featuring meeting rooms, an auditorium, overnight accommodations (maximum capacity: 60 in bunk beds) and a catering kitchen, and the WPA Gymnasium with kitchen.
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Parkin Archaelogical - Parkin Archeological State Park in eastern Arkansas at Parkin preserves and interprets the Parkin site on the St. Francis River where a 17-acre Mississippi Period Native America village was located from A.D. 1000 to 1550. A large platform mound on the river bank remains. The site is important for understanding the history and prehistory of northeast Arkansas. There were once many archeological sites similar to Parkin throughout this region, but they did not survive as eastern Arkansas was settled. The park interpretive staff offers audiovisual programs, site tours, workshops, and other educational programs, and special events and activities. When archeological excavations are underway, visitors on guided tours can observe them.
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Pea Ridge National Military Park -Pea Ridge National Military Park is a 4,300 acre Civil War Battlefield that preserves the site of the March 1862 battle that saved Missouri for the Union. On March 7 & 8, nearly 26,000 soldiers fought to determine whether Missouri would remain under Union control, and whether or not Federal armies could continue their offensive south through the Mississippi River Valley. For Kids - Be a park Junior Ranger. Stop by the park visitor center and pick up your junior ranger guide. In it you will find a scavenger hunt of the museum and the battlefield. Link clues and answers to the guide and earn your ranger badge.
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Scott Plantation Settlement - Various buildings from the surrounding area have been assembled here, depicting a typical Arkansas plantation; includes a hand-hewn cypress corncrib, an 1840s log cabin, a wash house, several tenant houses and a blacksmith shop. Small fee for tours offered every third Saturday 1:30-2:30 p.m. Toward the front of the settlement, there’s a Civil War Marker explaining the Battle of Ashley’s Mills, part of the campaign conducted by Union General Frederick Steele that led to the fall of Little Rock in 1863
CUTE PLACES TO STOP OFF ON YOUR WAY TO A DESTINATION
Pickles Gap Village - In this quaint little village, you'll find a variety of gift, souvenir, music shop, antique and craft shops, a card shop, knife shop, kiddie land and the Gina's Jewel Restaurant and Pickle Barrel Fudge Factory featuring homemade fudge and pies. There's something for everyone at Pickles Gap Village, and Kiddie Land.
Location: U.S. 65, North of Conway. 501-329-9049.
