Thanks for your interest in Arkansas! If you’ve not yet visited The Natural State, please accept this as my invitation to personally inspect our fine piece of real estate. And if you haven’t been to Arkansas in a while, come back and see for yourself how we’ve grown and prospered.

Good things are happening on every horizon. Spring 2014 brought the opening of Johnny Cash’s Boyhood Home in Dyess. The recently completed Mississippi River State Park in Marianna gives us 52 state parks to enjoy. We are also home to Bentonville’s Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art – the newest grand addition to the art world – and Little Rock’s Esse Purse Museum – the only one of its kind in America. Downtown Little Rock has just welcomed the opening of the new Ron Robinson Theater in the River Market District, and by night you can enjoy the Entergy River Lights in the Rock. Bicyclists love the phenomenal 45-mile long Lake Ouachita Vista Trail – or LOViT – in western Arkansas and the new Razorback Greenway that runs from Fayetteville to Bella Vista. You can uncork an adventure along the Arkansas Wine Trail or grab some suds at Superior Bathhouse and Brewery in Hot Springs – the only place in the world where beer is brewed directly from thermal springs. Hit the links at one of the 12 elite courses along The Natural State Golf Trail while you’re here, and of course be sure to pick up more information when you get here at one of our welcome centers – like the new facilities just opened at Helena-West Helena and West Memphis.

Arkansas is more than a traveler’s paradise – it’s a great place to live. Little Rock is at the top of Kiplinger’s list of 10 Great Places to Live in 2013. It’s also noted among Forbes’ 25 Best Places to Retire and one of 17 American cities named to Outside Magazine’s Best Towns. Also in 2013, the Council for Community and Economic Research cites Fayetteville as one of the Top 10 Cheapest Cities to Live in America – and Livability says it’s one of the top 10 college towns of the year. Other accolades garnered last year include True West naming Fort Smith its Top True Western Town and Eureka Springs being recognized as America’s Top Small Town ArtPlaces. And CNN Travel notes El Dorado as one of America’s Best Small Town Comebacks.

Whether it’s for a weekend or a lifetime, come to Arkansas – we’d love to call you neighbor.

Sincerely,

Richard W. Davies

Executive Director
Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism