Arkansas · best-of list
9 Top Things to Do in Arkansas
All 9 things to do our route editors picked in Arkansas, across 2 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect sights and experiences, with Eureka Springs contributing the most (5).
Our curated picks
9 things to do in Arkansas, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Eureka Springs 5 picks
Basin Spring Park
Eureka Springs · On our Ozarks Hidden Gems route
Small park at the center of the historic district where the town began.
Tip: Start a walking loop of Spring and Main streets here.
Photo: FENG GAO · Google
Crescent Hotel
Eureka Springs · On our Ozarks Hidden Gems route
1886 hilltop hotel with views and nightly ghost tours.
Tip: Book the evening ghost tour; the rooftop bar has views.
Photo: Alan Islas · CC BY-SA 4.0
Eureka Springs Historical Museum
Eureka Springs · On our Ozarks Hidden Gems route
Town history from Victorian spa days in an 1889 stone building.
Tip: Allow 45 minutes; small entry fee.
Photo: Julie Heeren · Google
Thorncrown Chapel
Eureka Springs · On our Ozarks Hidden Gems route
Fay Jones's glass-and-timber chapel set in the forest.
Tip: Open daily in season; go early to have it quiet.
Photo: Clinton Steeds · CC BY 2.0
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge
Eureka Springs · On our Ozarks Hidden Gems route
Sanctuary for rescued big cats with guided tours.
Tip: Take the guided tour; feeding times are lively.
Photo: Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge LLC. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Helena-West Helena 4 picks
Delta Cultural Center
Helena-West Helena · On our Arkansas Delta Blues & Bites route
State museum of Delta music and life, also home to the long-running King Biscuit Time broadcast.
Tip: King Biscuit Time airs weekdays at 12:15pm from the visitor center.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Fort Curtis
Helena-West Helena · On our Arkansas Delta Blues & Bites route
Reconstructed Union earthwork fort from the 1863 Battle of Helena.
Photo: Robin Lockerby · Google
Freedom Park
Helena-West Helena · On our Arkansas Delta Blues & Bites route
Outdoor site interpreting the Civil War camp where formerly enslaved people sought freedom.
Photo: Bob Clark · Google
Pillow-Thompson House
Helena-West Helena · On our Arkansas Delta Blues & Bites route
1896 Queen Anne home showing Helena's cotton-era prosperity; tours by arrangement.
Photo: Joe Spake · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Arkansas?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 9 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Arkansas has the most things to do on this list?
Eureka Springs has the most (5 of 9), followed by Helena-West Helena (4).
Are any of these free?
5 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Basin Spring Park, Delta Cultural Center, Thorncrown Chapel, Fort Curtis and Freedom Park. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Arkansas
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Eureka Springs 5 on this list
- Helena-West Helena 4 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.