Arkansas is certainly one of the most popular southwest US vacation spots because of the beautiful Ozarks and Ouachita national forests, which offer great opportunities for outdoor activities like climbing, hiking and camping.
Having said this, if you’re wondering about cultural attractions in Arkansas, the state does boast many historical sites, towns and districts that you can tour such as Central Avenue in Hot Springs AR and Old Washington Historic State Park in Washington AR.
Little Rock
Little Rock is on my list of interesting places to visit in Arkansas because of the lovely Quapaw Quarter historic district and other cultural attractions.
On this district, you’ll find many Civil War buildings like the former US Arsenal Building and Pike-Fletcher-Terry antebellum House.
Other interesting places you don’t want to miss while in Little Rock AR are the Old State House, Arkansas Museum of Discovery and the War Memorial Park.
Arkansas Rock Carvings
Arkansas Native American rock art sites are high on my list of interesting places to visit in Arkansas because many of these carvings and paintings are done on exposed boulders, allowing to get a good glimpse of them.
There are over 20 Rock Art Sites in Arkansas, with Rockhouse Cave in Jean Petit State Park and Carrion Crow Mountain near Dover being two of the best places to see rock art in Arkansas.
Murfreesboro
I added the little town of Murfreesboro to my list of interesting places to visit in Arkansas because of Crater of Diamonds State Park. Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the few places I know of in the states where you can actually search for diamonds.
If you’re looking for a fun outing with the family, searching for diamonds and other precious metals at Crater of Diamonds State Park is a really cool thing to do, especially if you do find a diamond!
Fort Smith
Fort Smith is located right on the Oklahoma-Arkansas border and it is definitely one of the most interesting places to visit in Arkansas because of the amount of historic sites.
You can visit Fort Smith National Historic Site and tour the grounds and see 19th century supply wagons, cannons, hanging gallows and a supply warehouse.
If you’re a history buff, you’ll also enjoy the visit to the site’s museum which has many interesting exhibits that will give an idea of life back then..
Hot Springs National Park
A trip to Arkansas would not be complete without touring the famed downtown Bathhouse Row area.
The downtown Bathhouse Row area is another of the interesting places to visit in Arkansas because the actual downtown area is constructed around hot springs.
Another cool thing about the famed hot springs is that you’re allowed to collect spring water to take home, which I think makes a great souvenir present for someone back home!.
Ouachita National Forest
The Ozark National Forest and the Ouachita National Forest are, without a doubt, two of the most interesting places to visit in Arkansas, and worthy of a place on the list of top 10 natural wonders in the USA.
Ouachita and the Ozarks are certainly two of the best places to see fall foliage in Arkansas as they truly become alive with reds and oranges during the autumn season.
There is no better way to take in the beautiful fall colors than on a leaf-peeping tour or on a scenic drive.
If you take the Arkansas Scenic Byway 7 from Hot Springs, all the way to Harrison (or vice versa) you get to cross both Ouachita and Ozarks National Forest, and the scenic drive can be done in under 3 hours.
By the way, the fall color peak in Ouachita National Forest is between the last week of October and first week of November.
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