Date: July 1, 2023 | Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton | Photography: Rett Peek | Styling: Bailey Dougan |
13-plus ways to have your best Arkansas summer
You never outgrow the excitement of summer. Long past the days of time off from school and a week of camp to pack for, there’s magic in the season—and it’s everywhere in Arkansas. Whether you want to spend weekends exploring another corner of the state or find an unexpected event near your own hometown, we have you covered. Consider this your Arkansas summer bucket list.
1 Cool off in the Caves
While temps near triple digits aboveground, it’s often below 60°F in Blanchard Springs Caverns. Explore the stalagmites and stalactites on one of the park’s guided tours and learn about the remarkable site’s geologic history. blanchardsprings.org
2 Sing Along to the Chicks
The Texas trio formerly known as The Dixie Chicks visits Simmons bank Arena in North Little Rock on July 22. Known for a blend of bluegrass and crossover-worthy pop country, the Grammy Award-winning group’s most recent album, Gaslighter, came out in 2020. simmonsbankarena.com
3 Get Spooked at the Crescent Hotel
Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs has earned the reputation as “America’s most haunted hotel”—and you can buy tickets to see why. The site offers nightly ghost tours around the 1886 property, visiting rooms, hallways, places on the grounds, and even an on-site morgue where paranormal activity has been observed. crescent-hotel.com
4 Celebrate Women in the Arts
“Arkansas Women to Watch 2023: New Worlds” is a touring exhibit featuring Arkansas submissions to the National Museum of Women in the Art’s recurring “Women to Watch” series. Works by four Arkansas women—Heidi Carlsen-Rogers, Anaïs Dassé, Hannah McBroom, and Aimée Papazian—are currently on view at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff through August 12. asc701.org
5 Craft a Tiki Cocktail
Join the MoPros—a recurring series at Bentonville’s The Momentary for creative professionals—on July 12 for a session with a local mixologist and learn how to make the perfect tiki drink. Tickets are $35 and include one drink and supplies for the workshop. Additional drinks and snacks are available for purchase. themomentary.org
6 Teach your Kids to Hang Ten
Who says you can’t learn to surf in a land-locked state? Based on Lake Hamilton, Camp Woodstock is a water sport camp for children ages 6-16 where they’ll learn to surf behind a boat, wakeboard, paddleboard, and more. 501.762.7529
7 Sip on a ‘Wellness Latte’
The sun-drenched dining room at Flora Jean’s in Little Rock is the place to try plant-based fare this summer. In addition to vegetarian food offerings, the drink menu lists beet root lattes, mushroom chai, and chlorophyll water, so you can feel a little bit healthy while indulging. 501.891.6919
8 Watch a Movie at the Drive-In
Take a trip back in time when you pull into Kenda Drive-In theatre in Marshall. This outdoor movie theater screens films on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights, plus weekly “Throwback Thursdays.” Catch Smokey & The Bandit on July 27, and check their website for more upcoming features. kendadrivein.com
9 Say ‘Fore’ in the Delta
In Wilson, book a tee time at Tin House golf club, a links-style course designed by renowned architect Kye Goalby. Tin House celebrated its grand opening in May and is open only to members and guests of The Louis Hotel, the town’s new boutique hotel. wilsonarkansas.com
10 Taste Wines at Uncorked
This popular wine-tasting event supports programming at Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center as well as arts education and outreach in the area. Held this year on July 21, a $95 ticket includes tastes of hundreds of wines from around the world and small bites from local restaurants. waltonartscenter.org
11 Spend the Night in a Caboose
Looking for a unique place to stay in the state? Book a night at Livingston Junction Cabooses and rest your head in one of three retired train cars transformed into cozy vacation rentals just north of Eureka Springs. livingstonjunctioncabooses.com
12 Take Up a New Craft
In Mountain View, the Ozark Folk Center State Park is open April through October and offers opportunities to watch and learn from artisans of all sorts. Workshops in July include herbal tea blending, jewelry classes, pottery throwing, cheesemaking, letterpress, and stained glass. arkansasstateparks.com
13 Go Jump in the Lake
There’s nothing like a long, lazy day on the lake. Where better to get in some time on the water—whether boating, fishing, or simply relaxing on the shore—than Lake Ouachita? Book a stay at Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa, and don’t forget to visit their first-class Turtle Cove Spa during your stay. mountainharborresort.com
LOCAL FAVES
Cherished memories and summer plans from four Arkansans
“I grew up just south of West Fork where Winn Creek joins the White River. My favorite summer memory is playing in the water and exploring the surrounding woods. As a kid, I was immersed in nature all summer long, and I loved every minute of it.”
—Jason Jones, Fayetteville artist. See his latest mural in Fort Smith’s public art project, The Unexpected.
“I look forward to our Delta Voices event on July 13, taking an Art for Two class at the Windgate Art School, and road tripping to my favorite museums in Dallas and Kansas City. I also love to cook and, at the height of the season, to create menus and meals around tomatoes.”
—Victoria Ramirez, director of the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.
“My kids love jet skiing, so we’ll rent a couple for a few hours either on Greers Ferry Lake or Lake Ouachita. I’ll also end up at the Little Red River at some point to trout fish. If you have kids and they love to get dirty, visit Ron Coleman Mining near Jessieville. The quartz rocks are beautiful, and time will fly by digging for that ‘hidden gem.’”
—Todd Yakoubian, meteorologist at KATV channel 7 in Little Rock.
“I adore the city of Hot Springs! It has so much interesting history, and I love to visit Garvan Gardens as often as I can. This summer, I’m going on a mini stateside book tour in partnership with the Arkansas State Library. I’ll be in Fort Smith on June 8, Cabot on July 15, and Monticello on August 5 to promote my book series.”
—Ayana Gray, author of Beasts of Prey and Beasts of Ruin. The third installment of her trilogy, Beasts of War, comes out in 2024.
PICKLE PLEASERS
Must-haves for pickleball enthusiasts:
1 Hemstitched cocktail napkin (set of 4). Box Turtle, Little Rock, shopboxturtle.com
2 “Wavy Cheeks” pickleball paddle. Domestic Domestic, Little Rock, domesticdomestic.com
3 “Rally” polyester bag. Recess, onlinerecesspickleball.com
4 Pickleball trucker hat. Riffraff, Fayetteville, shopriffraff.com
5 Stainless steel pickleball tumbler. Bella Boutique, Little Rock, bellaboutiqueheights.com
SHADE SEEKERS
Stylish ways to stay cool in the sun:
1 Janessa Leoné “Felix”straw bucket hat. Beige, Little Rock, Beigelr.com
2 “Marina” palm hat. Blythe, Fayetteville, buyblythe.com
3 Blue “Pixel Gingham” baseball cap. Darcy Apparel, Fayetteville, darcyapparel.com
4 Stella McCartney “Flabella” sunglasses in Blonde Havana. Dilliard’s, statewide, dilliards.com
5 I-Sea “All Aboard” sunglasses in Pearl/Brown Polarized. E.Leigh’s Conway, Fayetteville, and Little Rock, shopeleighs.com
6 “Chelsea” round sunglassesin Black and White. Maude, Fayetteville, shopmaude.com
