Little Rock/North Little Rock

No trip to Arkansas is complete without visiting the state's capital city and largest metropolis. One of the biggest draws to Little Rock is the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park situated on 30 acres near downtown Little Rock's River Market District. The River Market is home to the Farmer's Market every Tuesday and Saturday in the spring and summer months and offers shops, restaurants, music venues, museums and more. Summer also marks the return of Movies in the Park, a free outdoor film series at the Riverfest Amphitheater.

Riverfront Park is the site of the Central Arkansas Nature Center, a popular attraction for families and school groups interested in the work of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the exhibits on local plants and wildlife. New to Riverfront Park is La Petit Roche Plaza, which depicts the history of "la petit roche," the city's namesake, through interpretive panels. Riverfront Park also boasts a new sculpture garden with seven original pieces on display. Across the river in North Little Rock, tour the USS Razorback, a naval submarine that was present in Tokyo Bay at the signing of the peace treaty ending WWII. It now offers overnight stays for groups. Also at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum is Kid's Bridge, an interactive replica of a ship's bridge just for children. It contains controls from an ocean-going ship and a river tugboat. The helmsman's wheel spins, the four rudder controls move, as do the valve controls and both throttles. For sports fans, the north shore is home to Dickey-Stephens Park, the place to be for exciting baseball action in the spring and summer months when the Arkansas Travelers host AA Texas League opponents.

Hot Springs

A vacation delight, Hot Springs offers a great mix of outdoor fun and downtown excitement. Located in the Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs is ideal for hiking, mountain biking and wildlife watching. Lakes Hamilton, Catherine and Ouachita are popular for anglers and water sports enthusiasts. Magic Springs and Crystal Falls, the state's only theme and water park, is another great place to cool off during the dog days of summer.

Downtown Hot Springs boasts choice lodging within walking distance to spas, shops and restaurants. Here you'll find a thriving arts community with galleries, museums, live entertainment venues, and music and film festivals. Most galleries stay open late for Gallery Walk on the first Friday of every month. Make time for a spa day on Bathhouse Row. Two spas are in operation on Hot Springs National Park's most historic strip. New to Bathhouse Row is the Museum of Contemporary Art. The 14,000-square-foot space situated in the Ozark Bathhouse is an excellent addition to the local arts scene and displays work from all over the world. The recent expansion of Oaklawn Racing and Gaming added hundreds of electronic games of skill, as well as a new poker room. The live thoroughbred racing season is over, but the fun continues with Simulcast and Instant Racing. Enjoy hours of entertainment, plus great food and drinks, at the Lagniappe Buffet and Pop's Lounge.

The National Park Aquarium, Gangster Museum of America, Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs Duck Tours, Josephine Tussaud Wax Museum and Belle of Hot Springs round out the city's most popular attractions. You can also treat the kids to miniature golf, go-karts, and one music and two magic shows.

Arkansas Ozarks

Admire breathtaking scenery around every turn on a scenic drive through the Ozark Mountains. While getting there is half the fun, there's much to discover upon your arrival. Located near Rogers, the Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area Visitor Center features an interactive exhibit gallery, wildlife viewing area, murals and a gift shop. The Muse Gallery and Coffee House at Terra Studios near Fayetteville is home to the original Bluebird of Happiness. View works by regional artists while enjoying bread and pastries from Ozark Natural Breads Bakery. Gamaliel is where you'll find Raimondo Family Wines with a tasting room at Blue Lady Resort. The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View preserves folk traditions, including blacksmithing, pottery-making and other pioneer skills and crafts.

Year after year, the Ozarks draw adventurers from far and wide. Natural treasures include the Buffalo National River, Beaver Lake, Ozark National Forest, Blanchard Springs Caverns, Bull Shoals Lake, Greers Ferry Lake and much more. In these parts, boating, fishing, canoeing, camping, hiking, biking and horseback riding abound. The cities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Harrison and Springdale make great home bases for shopping, dining and family friendly festivals. Eureka Springs is known for its historic hotels, soothing spas, quaint boutiques, unique architecture and elegant restaurants. Attractions include The New Great Passion Play, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Pine Mountain Theater.

Arkansas Delta

Deeply rooted in history and culture, this farming region beckons you to stop over at historic homes, museums, Civil War sites and charming small towns with mom-and-pop shops and family style cooking. Southland Park Gaming and Racing is a poplar attraction in West Memphis for its greyhound racing, Simulcast and electronic games of skill, including video poker and blackjack. The Delta Cultural Center in Helena-West Helena offers a unique perspective on the area's rich blues history. Lee and St. Francis counties, known as The Gladlands, are renowned for some of the finest fishing and hunting in the region.

The River Valley and Fort Smith

Arkansas's River Valley is best experienced from atop one of the region's tri-peaks – Mount Nebo, Mount Magazine and Petit Jean Mountain. Each is home to a state park with hiking, camping and lodging. The region is also home to Arkansas Wine Country with vineyards in Altus and Paris. The Fort Smith National Historic Site features the original 1817 fort on the Arkansas River, the restored courtroom of famed "Hangin' Judge" Isaac C. Parker and the frontier jail known as "Hell on the Border." Fort Chaffee, the 72,000-acre former military base, is also located in Fort Smith, as well as the Chaffee Museum District. In Van Buren, experience the golden age of travel aboard an excursion train ride on the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad.