Arkansas is often called “The Natural State,” and for good reason as it’s home to more than 600,000 acres of lakes and 9,700 miles of rivers and streams. From the Ozark Mountains in the north to the Delta plains in the east, the state’s landscapes offer a wide range of backdrops for hiking, paddling, or simply taking in the view. Hot Springs National Park, located right in the middle of downtown Hot Springs, features historic bathhouses where visitors can soak in thermal waters that have bubbled up for thousands of years.

Culture thrives in small towns across the state. In Mountain View, music spills out onto porches and town squares as locals gather to play old-time folk songs on fiddles, banjos, and dulcimers. The Ozark Folk Center State Park keeps this musical tradition alive with performances and workshops. In Eureka Springs, Victorian architecture lines the hillsides, and art galleries fill nearly every block. The town’s passion for the arts shows up in unexpected ways, from its annual May Festival of the Arts to underground art installations hidden in caves.