15 Best Things to Do in Fayetteville, AR

Fayetteville, AR is the third largest city in the state and home to the University of Arkansas. Watch a game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium or Baum Stadium, stroll through the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, visit the Arkansas Air & Military Museum, shop at the farmers' market or go on a Fayetteville Ale Trail tour. Here are the best things to do in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Photo: Natalia Bratslavsky/Fotolia

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium is a football stadium and a home field of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and one of the top Fayetteville attractions. Opened in 1938, the stadium was known as University Stadium, Bailey Stadium, and Razorback Stadium until 2001, when it was renamed to honor American philanthropist Donald W. Reynolds.

The original capacity of the Razorback Stadium was increased in 2001 from 50,019 to 72,000. With temporary bleachers atop the south end, it can accommodate up to 80,000 fans. Record attendance was 76,808 in September 2010, Arkansas vs. Alabama. The enormous 30 by 107 foot LED display called PigScreen was installed in 2000, and it was upgraded in 2012 to 38 by 167 feet.

350 N Razorback Road, Corner of Maple and Razorback, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 800-982-4647 Photo: erika8213/Fotolia

The Fayetteville Farmers' Market is a community market that has been running for over 40 years, providing the local residents with fresh produce, local goods, and handcrafted items. Located in the Historic Downtown Fayetteville Square during the week and the Jefferson Center Playground on South College Avenue on Sundays, the market offers an excellent selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, herbs and plants, charcuterie, dairy products, and baked goods, as well as curated crafts, fine art, and jewelry.

Known as the “Crown Jewel of Fayetteville,” the Saturday market features up to 70 vendors set up around the magnificent historic square gardens, and it bustles with local musicians, street performers, and community organizations. If you are wondering what to do in Fayetteville, Arkansas today, the Market is open on Tuesday, Thursday, on Saturday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, and on Sunday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Historic Downtown Fayetteville Square, 101 W. Mountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-236-2910 Photo: Laura Stone/Fotolia

Resting in the heart of the city, Wilson Park is Fayetteville's first and oldest park, and it offers a beautiful urban space for locals to enjoy. Established in 1906 and spanning 22.75 acres, the park features a range of amenities, including a swimming pool, tennis courts, a softball field, and a basketball court. A playground, swings, and castle area are ideal for children, while green lawns and picnic areas are perfect for relaxing with the family.

A short walking trail winds through the park offering lovely views and leads to The Castle, a sculpture with seven points and a footbridge designed and built by artist Frank Williams.

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The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks is home to an impressive collection of twelve themed gardens and a modern butterfly house. The gardens were established in 1994 with the aim of providing a beautiful location for recreation and relaxation. The garden also aspires to offer an educational resource for children and adults alike and inspire people to take an interest in the natural ecosystem of the Ozarks.

A variety of educational programs, workshops, and classes on horticulture and conservation are offered to children of all ages, as well as hands-on nature and science learning experiences, such as Earth Day, Butterfly Days, and Firefly Fling.

4703 N. Crossover Road, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-750-2620 Photo: Swetlana Wall/Fotolia

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Take a self-guided Fayetteville Ale Trail tour to experience the thriving craft brewery culture of the city. The Ale Trail currently includes eight breweries: Bike Rack Brewing Co., Apple Blossom Brewing Co., Core Brewing and Distilling Co., Columbus House Brewery, Fossil Cove Brewing Co., Saddlebock Brewery, Ozark Beer Company, and West Mountain Brewing Co.

There are two guided tours as well: Hogshead Tours, a three-hour tour of three breweries in a VW van, and a Pinnacle Car Services tour, which guests take in their comfortable limo. You will have fun talking to the master brewers, learning about what makes each beer different, and tasting them along the way.

21 South Block Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-521-5776 Photo: Fayetteville Ale Trail

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Baum Stadium, located at George Cole Field, is the home field of the Arkansas Razorbacks, a baseball team of the NCAA Division I, Southeastern Conference. Owned by the University of Arkansas, Baum Stadium was officially opened in 1996. It can accommodate more than 10,000 spectators.

Baum Stadium is one of the best college baseball stadiums in the country. In 1998, it was named by Baseball America the country's number one college baseball facility. Since its opening, the stadium has undergone several major improvements. In 2003, 2,600 seats were added, the pitching and hitting cages were enclosed, coaches’ offices as well as eight luxury boxes were added, and a new scoreboard was built in right field.

1255 S Razorback Road, Corner of Razorback and 15th Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 800-982-4647 Photo: 33ft/Fotolia

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The Arkansas Air & Military Museum showcases the colorful history of aviation in Arkansas and American military through an impressive collection of aviation memorabilia, artifacts, and historical items related to aviation.

The museum has both static and mobile exhibits and displays, many of which are still in operation. Stroll through the vast wooden hangar that was once a World War II aviator training post and explore the magnificent displays of airplanes that include Vietnam-era Army helicopters, a Stinson S Junior, and a Douglass A-4 Skyhawk. Read more

4290 South School Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-521-4947 Photo: Fayetteville Visitors Bureau

The Clinton House Museum was the first home of William Jefferson Clinton and Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, and it is the place where they were married. Today, it is open as a museum to the public. Visitors can explore the museum, which displays the lives of the 42nd President of the United States and the 67th Secretary of State before they headed to the White House.

Located on Clinton Drive, the museum features a variety of photographs, political campaign videos, early political speeches, and other documents that take visitors back in time and provide an insight into their lives.

930 West Clinton Drive, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-444-0066 Photo: Fayetteville Visitors Bureau

The Farmer's Table Cafe is a casual eatery that serves organic, homemade breakfast and lunch from Tuesday to Sunday. Owned by Rob and Adrienne Shaunfield, The Farmer's Table Cafe supports local farmers and producers by using fresh, locally sourced produce to create delicious, organic dishes for their menu of breakfast and lunch items.

Menus feature griddle pancakes, omelets, granola, and free-range eggs for breakfast, and sandwiches, burgers, soups, and salads, as well as a range of beverages for lunch.

1079 S. School Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-966-4125 Photo: The Farmer's Table Cafe

The Walton Arts Center is a performing arts center based in two locations in Arkansas that showcases world-renowned performing artists to the local communities through a range of art experiences and shows. Established in 1992, the Center features a full season of dance, music, and theatrical performances, Broadway shows, spring and summer performing arts-based camps, a popular jazz series, and a host of community-based events and educational outreach programs for both adults and children.

The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas has also joined the center to add classical music to the program. The Fayetteville campus consists of the Starr Theater, McBride Studi, Baum Walker Hall, and the Joy Pratt Markham Gallery, all located on Dickson Street, as well as the Nadine Baum Studios located on West Spring Street.

Nadine Baum Studios: 505 W. Spring St, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-443-5600 Photo: Fayetteville Visitors Bureau

Hammontree’s Grilled Cheese naturally makes grilled cheese sandwiches, and they are the Ferraris of grilled cheese sandwiches. This fun, cheerful, spacious and whimsically decorated diner is very popular for a very good reason. Try to imagine what an imaginative cook can do with 26 kinds of cheese, eight kinds of meat, six veggies, and seven spreads and sauces.

Don’t forget the fabulous breads from the local Ozark Natural Family Bakery and sausages from James at the Mill Sausages. You’ll enjoy reading through the fun sandwich names while trying to decide what to order. Maybe you’ll go with Cheebacca, which has white cheddar, house cheese, pulled pork, bacon, grilled onions, and cilantro garlic sauce loaded on fresh sourdough bread. The portions are huge, sides are delicious, and soups are freshly made every day.

326 N West Ave #8, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-521-1669 Photo: Hammontree's Grilled Cheese

Lake Fayetteville is a beautiful lake on the northern edge of the city surrounded by 640 acres of well-maintained parklands that offer a host of recreational activities, including boating, fishing, hiking, cycling, volleyball, and picnicking. The 194-acre lake is home to bass and panfish, making for excellent fishing, and it features a modern boat ramp and dock, several fishing piers, and open pavilions for relaxing.

The lake is also home to the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, the Veterans Memorial Park, and the Lake Fayetteville Softball Complex. Lake Fayetteville features a 5.5-mile nature trail around the lake edge that is ideal for walking, hiking, and mountain biking. Photo: pershing/Fotolia

Just a bit off the Historic Fayetteville Square lies a casual little basement eatery where, for the last 40 years, locals have been going for their burgers and home-made fries and a variety of other comfort foods we all crave from time to time. The place looks very much like a family dining room.

It is cozy and well used, and all the more comfortable for that. The food tastes as though it has been cooking the whole, just as it is at home. Dishes are full of fresh veggies and meats from the local butcher.

Locals love that about Hugo’s – if you like something on their menu, you will be sure to find it on the menu the next time you come. Try their delicious grasshopper crepes. They have a nice selection of beer to complete your dining experience.

25 1/2 North Block Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-521-7585 Photo: Hugo's

TheatreSquared is a professional theater company based in Fayetteville that produces more than 200 local and nationally acclaimed productions throughout the year. Entertaining audiences from an intimate 175-seat theater at Walton Arts Center’s Nadine Baum Studios, the company was recognized as “one of the nation’s ten most promising emerging theaters” by the American Theatre Wing.

In addition to producing and performing theater shows, the theater also offers educational programs to students and teachers, as well as access to arts-based learning tools. The Theater is also home to a number of professional playwrights who develop scripts for the popular Arkansas New Play Festival held in Fayetteville and Little Rock each year.

505 W Spring St, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-443-5600

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Established in 1941 by Dominick "Doe" Signa and his wife Mamie, Doe's Eat Place is an acclaimed Arkansas institution. Still housed in the original building, Doe’s has maintained the authenticity and atmosphere of the 1940's grocery and restaurant, and it has a menu of delicious comfort food and drinks. The menu features hot tamales and homemade chili, rib eye, porterhouse, sirloin, and filet mignon steaks, fried shrimp, garlic bread, and fresh salads.

Sticking to the home-style feel, dining tables are scattered haphazardly throughout the space, with some even in the kitchen, surrounded by stoves, counters, and big iron skillets. Doe’s Eat Place is vibrant and noisy and ever so welcoming.

316 W. Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phone: 479-443-DOES

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