16 Best Things to Do in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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. Certain attractions may be temporarily closed or require advance reservations. Some restaurants are currently offering pickup only. Hours/availability may have changed.

16 Best Things to Do in Fayetteville, Arkansas

• Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Photo: Courtesy of erika8213 - Fotolia.com
• Fayetteville Farmers' Market, Photo: Courtesy of Laura Stone - Fotolia.com
• Wilson Park, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Photo: Courtesy of Andrey Armyagov - Fotolia.com
• Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Fayetteville, AR, Photo: Courtesy of Swetlana Wall - Fotolia.com
• Fayetteville Ale Trail, Photo: Fayetteville Ale Trail
• Baum Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Photo: Courtesy of 33ft - Fotolia.com
• The Arkansas Air & Military Museum, Photo: Courtesy of Fayetteville Visitors Bureau
• Clinton House Museum, Fayetteville, AR, Photo: Courtesy of Fayetteville Visitors Bureau
• The Farmer's Table Cafe, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Photo: The Farmer's Table Cafe
• Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Photo: Courtesy of Fayetteville Visitors Bureau
• Hammontree's Grilled Cheese, Fayetteville, AR, Photo: Hammontree's Grilled Cheese
• Arsaga's Coffee Roasters, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Photo: Arsaga's Coffee Roasters
• Hugo's, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Photo: Hugo's
• TheatreSquared, Fayetteville, AR, Photo: TheatreSquared
• Doe's Eat Place, Fayetteville, AR, Photo: Courtesy of jaholcombe - Fotolia.com
• Lake Fayetteville, Photo: Courtesy of pershing - Fotolia.com
• Cover Photo: Courtesy of Natalia Bratslavsky - Fotolia.com

Attraction Spotlight: Arkansas Air Museum

Fayetteville’s Arkansas Air and Military Museum displays the history of aviation in Arkansas and American military conflict through exhibits of aircraft, artifacts and memorabilia. Many of the historic aircraft are still capable of flying. The wooden white hanger in which the airplanes are displayed is itself part of military history, having been the headquarters of a U.S. aviator training post during World War II. Permanent exhibits at the museum include a military vehicle exhibit.

The vehicle collection includes several ambulances dating back to World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, as well as a British Rolls Royce armored car and a Chevrolet truck from World War II. An exhibit called ‘Large or Small, we Lead them All’ traces the history of Walter Beech’s Travel Air Company, which began in 1925 with 900 square feet of rented space, and by 1929 was the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft. The museum hosts an exhibit dedicated to the life and history of Louise Thaden of Bentonville, Arkansas. Thaden was one of the most famous pioneers of flight in the golden age of aviation. A colleague of Amelia Earhart’s, she co-founded the Ninety-Nines, a women’s pilot organization which is still in existence today. Military aircraft on exhibit at the museum include A Bell UH-1H Huey helicopter. The Huey is the most well known helicopter of the Vietnam era and was used for everything from medical evacuations to gunship. The Bell AH-1S helicopter is a more modern version designed specifically for combat. The museum displays a Douglass A-4 Skyhawk on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Florida, and an H21C Shawnee from the Vietnam War. A Boeing-Sterman N2S-S is one of the older models in the fleet.

The PT-17 version on display at the museum is from 1940. The museum displays a wide variety of non-military aircraft. Among them is a 1954 two-seater originally belonging to Sam Walton of Walmart and Sam’s Club fame. The Travel Air Model R “Mystery Ship” from 1928, was named as such because it was built in secrecy. The aircraft was finally revealed at the 1929 Cleveland National Air Races, and was the first civilian racer to beat all the military entries. A Howard DGA-11 is one of just five remaining today. The DGA, which stood for Damn Good Airplane, was the fastest four-seat personal aircraft when it was built in the 1930’s. Other Howard aircraft at the museum include a DGA-6 Mister Mulligan and a DGA-18K. A rare, lightweight Curtiss-Wright CW-1 Junior from 1930, and a Learn Jet 23 from 1964 are also in the collection. A wide range of military engines are on display, from drone engines to rocket engines. The museum also displays a Rolls Royce Spry engine, used by the military in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Men and women from Arkansas who have ties to flight history, and military service are recognized throughout the museum with a collection of artifacts and memorabilia including uniforms, weapons, letters and photographs.

History: The Arkansas Air and Military Museum is located at Drake Field, a public use airport owned by the city of Fayetteville. Drake Field previously served as the commercial airport for Northwest Arkansas, and its first scheduled jet service was operated by the original Frontier Airlines in the 1970’s. The historic 1940’s wooden hanger in which the museum’s collection is housed was used as a flight training location during World War II, and is listed on the Arkansas Registry of Historic Places.

Ongoing Programs and Education: A Commemorative Air Force History Tour takes place over 4 days each September in partnership with the museum. The tour offers rides in historic military aircraft, displays additional aircraft and hosts a pin-up contest and 1940’s era Pin-Up girl fashion show. Many of the aircraft at the museum are still in service and guests can make reservations for flights. A Stinson S Junior from 1931 is just one of the planes that are available for flights. The aircraft from the golden age has been restored to its original specifications. An area at the back of the hanger is where volunteers do work to restore the aircraft and engines. The area is open for public viewing and offers several hands-on activity stations. Airport Days take place on the third Saturday of each month and offer visitors a pancake breakfast, and hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch.

4290 South School Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701, Phone: 479-521-4947

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Attraction Spotlight: Clinton House Museum

Located in Fayetteville, the Clinton House Museum preserves the first home shared by 42nd American President Bill Clinton and his wife, 2016 Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton. William Jefferson Clinton, née William Jefferson Blythe III, was born in Hope, Arkansas on August 19, 1946, the son of Virginia Dell Cassidy and William Jefferson Blythe Jr. He was raised for the first four years of his life by his maternal grandparents, James Eldridge Cassidy and Edith Grisham, before his mother remarried Roger Clinton Sr., whose surname Clinton adopted when he was fifteen years old.

History

After deciding to pursue a career in public service as a result of law study courses in high school, Clinton attended Georgetown University and the University of Oxford and eventually received a law degree from the Yale Law School. After tenures as Arkansas Attorney General and Arkansas Governor, Clinton was elected as the 42nd President of the United States in 1992.

Born in Chicago, Illinois on October 26, 1947, Hillary Diane Rodham was born to Hugh Ellsworth Rodham and Dorothy Emma Howell. Rodham’s early interest in aeronautical technology and space exploration fostered a commitment to public service, leading her to pursue a political science degree at Wellesley College, which resulted in a liberal shift of her political ideology. Rodham met Clinton in 1971, during her study at Yale Law School, from which she received a Juris Doctor degree in 1973. She continued pursuing legal work as Clinton’s political career expanded, eventually serving as First Lady of the United States from 1992 to 2001. At the end of her husband’s presidential term, Rodham Clinton transitioned into the political sphere, serving as a United States Senator from 2001 to 2009 before being appointed to the role of the 67th United States Secretary of State in 2009. In 2016, Rodham Clinton was chosen as the Democratic Party’s nominee for President, becoming the first female Presidential nominee of a major American political party in the country’s history.

Permanent Attractions and Exhibits

The Clinton House Museum, located at 930 West Clinton Drive in Fayetteville, was the first home jointly owned by the Clintons during their marriage. The Tudor Revival-style home was built in 1931 and originally owned by Fayetteville Daily Leader owner H. H. Taylor. Bill Clinton purchased the home in August of 1975 for a sum of $17,200, while both Clintons were employed as instructors at the University of Arkansas School of Law. Though the couple only lived in the house for a year and a half, as Bill was elected Arkansas Attorney General in 1976, the house is notable as the site of the pair’s wedding in October of 1975.

Today, the home operates as a living history museum, open to regular visitor tours. Tour participants may explore the 1,800-square-foot house and its grounds, which contain a number of exhibits and memorabilia displays related to the Clintons’ political and public service careers. Memorabilia from the couple’s various political campaigns is highlighted, including multimedia exhibits that present early and rare campaign advertisements, such as the advertisements for Bill’s 1976 Attorney General campaign. Transcripts of political speeches are available for viewing, along with a timeline of the couple’s life and service in the Fayetteville area. Interview material from close Clinton friends and family members gives a personal perspective on the pair’s impact on their local community and broader cultural impact. A replica of Hillary’s wedding dress is also on display in the living room, which was the site of their wedding.

The house’s grounds also contain the First Ladies Garden, which was added to the house site in 2010 to honor Hillary’s career achievements and legacy. The garden is designed to reflect the house’s English Tudor style, landscaped to mimic the feel of an “outdoor room” area. A wide variety of annuals, perennials, and wildflowers have been planted in the garden to reflect the favorite flowers of First Ladies throughout American history, giving the garden a unique and constantly-changing character.

In addition to standard visitor tours, group tours for small groups and organizations may be scheduled to accommodate up to 50 visitors at a time. The house and gardens may also be rented for weddings, fundraisers, business functions, and other private special events. The Clinton House Museum site functions as one stop along the popular “Billgrimage” historic site tour, which also includes the Clinton Birthplace Home site in Hope, Arkansas, the Hot Springs Visitor Center at Hill Wheatley Plaza, and the Bill Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. Visitors embarking on the Billgrimage receive a commemorative passport, which may be marked with a unique stamp offered by staff at each museum site.

930 W Clinton Dr, Fayetteville, AR 72701, Phone: 479-444-0066

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Attraction Spotlight: Inn at Carnall Hall in Fayetteville

The Inn at Carnall Hall is a boutique hotel that exudes a rich history and the elegant grace and charm of a bygone era. Set in a 1905 Colonial Revival building that once served as a women's dormitory on the University of Arkansas campus, the Inn is located in the heart of vibrant Fayetteville and is within walking distance of many of the town’s attractions and activities, including restaurants, bars, and the nightlife of Dickson Street.

The Inn at Carnall Hall offers simply furnished guest rooms with traditional wood furnishings, sitting areas with mini-fridges and sleeper sofa beds and modern amenities such as flat-screen televisions with cable channels and VCR players, coffee makers, and complimentary wireless Internet. The Inn also features a casual restaurant, café, and bar, which offer room service, and two modern meeting rooms for business gatherings.

Guest Accommodations

The Inn at Carnall Hall features 50 beautifully appointed and comfortably furnished guest rooms, each flooded with natural light through large windows and decorated with period pieces. All guest rooms have hardwood floors, ceiling fans, and breathtaking views of the Old Main lawn, along with a king or queen-size pillow-beds dressed in high-quality linens, down comforters, and hypoallergenic pillows. En-suite bathrooms boast shower/bath combinations, single vanities, sizeable lighted make-up mirrors, fresh towels, and Spa Therapy bathroom products, and sitting areas have work desks and chairs. Modern amenities include flat-screen televisions with cable channels and VCR players, coffee makers with complimentary coffee and tea, alarm clock radios, hairdryers, irons and ironing boards, and complimentary wireless Internet.

Dining

Complimentary coffee and light bites are offered in the morning, along with seasonal Southern cuisine for dinner at the award-winning Ella’s Restaurant. The charming eatery serves contemporary Southern cooking in a relaxed, laid-back setting and a delicious brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The Lambeth Lounge has large screen televisions, comfortable leather sofas and armchairs, and a full service bar that serves an extensive selection of artisan and craft beers, fine wines from around the world, and signature cocktails.

Amenities and Recreation

The Inn at Carnall Hall offers amenities such as complimentary coffee and light bites in the morning, free access to the fitness center at the University of Arkansas, and elegant venues for special celebrations and private events.

Weddings & Events

The Inn at Carnall Hall offers an unmatched setting for special celebrations and private events that exude gracious Southern hospitality. The Inn boasts elegant and unique event spaces, ranging from beautiful gardens, comfortable living areas and a relaxed restaurant that serves creative Southern cuisine paired with hand-selected wines. The Inn at Carnall Hall also offers exclusive services such as on-site catering and custom menus, and professional event and management teams to take care of every detail.

Local Attractions

The Fayetteville Farmers Market is a community market that has been running for over 40 years, providing the 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 bustles with local musicians, street performers, and community organizations. The Market is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, and on Sunday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

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 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, Veterans Memorial Park, and the Lake Fayetteville Softball Complex, and a 5.5-mile nature trail around the lake edge is ideal for walking, hiking and mountain biking.

Resting in the heart of the city, Wilson Park is Fayetteville's first and oldest park and 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 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 offers lovely views and leads to “The Castle,” sculpture with seven points and a footbridge designed and built by artist Frank Williams.

465 Arkansas Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701, Phone: 479-582-0400

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