Texarkana

P. J. Ahern Home is a beautifully preserved Classical Revival Style mansion dating back to 1905 that hosts an array of exhibits and cultural programs relating to the history of the city. Located in the heart of the Quality Hill Historic District in Downtown Texarkana, the P.J. Ahern Home was designed by the Burdsal Company in the Classical Revival style based on a floor plan designed by Mr. and Mrs. Ahern. The mansion features several rooms, including four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room and kitchen, a central hall, music room, and parlor, all of which are illuminated by original gas and electric combination chandeliers. The P.J. Ahern Home offer regular docent-led tours and is available for rent as a venue for small weddings, meetings, and events.

Address: P. J. Ahern Home, 403 Laurel St, Texarkana, AR 71854, Phone: 903-793-4831

The United States Post Office and Courthouse, also known as Texarkana U.S. Post Office and Federal Building and as Texarkana U.S. Post Office and Courthouse is a courthouse that straddles the border between Arkansas and Texas. Built between 1932 and 1933, the building acts as the courthouse for the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the United States Post Office and Courthouse has historical exhibits on the second floor that is open to the public

Address: State Live Avenue, Texarkana, AR 71854, Phone: 903-792-3794

Recommended Activities for Families

The Four States Auto Museum (formerly the Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum) is a museum in Texarkana, Arkansas dedicated to presenting and preserving the history of the automobile. Established in 2004 with a mission to ‘preserve, collect, exhibit, operate, and interpret a collection of antique automobiles,’ the museum is located on a site formerly used for automobile body and wagon construction. The Four States Auto Museum features a comprehensive collection of automobiles that include over 20 cars and motorbikes that are displayed on a rotating basis spanning 100 years of automotive history, along with a variety of automobilia. Highlights of the collection include a Nash Metropolitan, a Civil War vintage horse-drawn hearse, a Studebaker dragster, a Ford Model T, and Model A, and a 2015 Chevrolet Corvette. The museum also hosts various educational events and functions and maintains a collection of automotive-related books, periodicals, and newspapers.

Address: Four States Auto Museum , 217 Laurel St, Texarkana, AR 71854, Phone: 870-772-2886

Big Dam Waterpark is a seasonal water park and leisure center with a variety of thrilling water slides, swimming pools, wave pools, the last river and private cabanas. Attractions include the Ozark Cliff Hanger, the Texas Sky Fall, Neptune’s Revenge, Blue Beast, and the Green Monster, along with River Rapids, a wave pool, two children’s pools, Paradise Lagoon Pool and Spa, and a sand castle area for children. Private cabanas are available to rent, and the center has a lifeguard station and fully trained lifeguards on duty.

Address: 5501 Crossroads Pkwy, Texarkana, AR 71854, Phone: 870-772-2200

Attractions for Couples

The Texarkana Symphony Orchestra is a performing arts initiative conducted by Marc-André Bougie. Hosting performances in the historic Perot Theatre, the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra was established to present the transformative power of symphonic music to the community through live performance and education. The Orchestra’s season runs from September through May and performs a series of symphonic pops, classical masterworks, educational and family concerts for a variety of audiences. The Texarkana Symphony Orchestra has recently expanded to create the Texarkana Youth Symphony Orchestra, which is open to middle and high school students between the ages of 10 and 19.

Address: Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, 421 Hickory St, Texarkana, AR 71854, Phone: 870-773-3401

Located downtown Texarkana, the Hopkins Icehouse is a locally-owned and operated eatery that is housed in a historic building dating back to the early 1900s and serves creative, freshly prepared cuisine for lunch and dinner, seven days a week. In addition to the delicious homestyle cooking, the restaurant offers daily specials including old-fashioned burgers, hand-tossed pizzas, and fried fish plates, and Sunday brunch boasts mimosas, eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles, and traditional biscuits and gravy. The Hopkins Icehouse also offers catering services and hosts open mic nights on Friday nights and live bands on Saturday nights.

Address: Hopkins Icehouse , 301 E 3rd St, Texarkana, AR 71854, Phone: 870-774-3333