On a map, Arkansas has a slightly tapered shape. It’s a lopsided trapezoidal figure turned on its head. A chipped teacup. But maybe the best way to define it is as a vortex. That’s what people around here say: When you think you’re leaving this state, the line you’re following isn’t straight at all but is more like a gently bowing curve leading you right back to where you started. Native son and author Charles McColl Portis described it in terms of “escape velocity.”
But the truth is simpler: Arkansas is a really tough place to leave. Northwest Arkansas, particularly Fayetteville, is a whole other matter, gravitationally speaking. As I-49 bearing north crests yet another hill that’s stippled with maple, black gum, and pawpaw trees, the Ozark mountain town appears like a big reveal—a magician showing he had your card all along.
Spend time here, and you’re suddenly part of it, swept up in its orbit. You may wander, but you’ll always come back. “She just thought she was going to the land of milk and honey,” says Cindy Arsaga of her daughter’s attempt to move out West to California with her family. We are enjoying a late lunch at Arsaga’s Mill District, which is the latest in a decades-long string of eponymous restaurants and coffee shops that she’s run in Fayetteville with her husband, Cary. “It took them 10 months,” Arsaga continues with a knowing smile. “They came back.”
Recently, that intensely physical pull has gotten exponentially stronger, buoyed in no small part by eight consecutive years in the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s list of “Best Places to Live in the U.S.” Even from the spot where Arsaga and I sit, a glance through both north- and south-facing windows reveals signs of new development nosing upward across South Fayetteville. But that’s not to say that the city’s growth has displaced its charm. You just have to do a little more looking for it.
Where To Eat And Drink
Robbie Caponetto
Can’t-Miss Classics
Arsaga’s Mill District is a great choice for breakfast, especially on the patio. Since the 1970s, Hugo’s has been a beloved meeting place. Order a burger, and then get the Grasshopper Crepes (filled with mint ice cream) for dessert.
Food Truck Favorites
Although Fayetteville has no shortage of well-established brick-and-mortar spots, there’s a new generation of chefs taking the mobile approach. Try Bottle Rocket Subs, Rabbit Hole, or Swag Banh Mi.
Robbie Caponetto
Legendary Cocktails
Come for the retro vibes and stay for the drinks at Maxine’s Tap Room. Standbys like the Bees Knees are musts, but hot cocktails like the Spanish Coffee are especially fine on cooler days.
Local Brews
Tucked in the hills just south of downtown is Crisis Brewing Company. There’s nothing crisis worthy about beers like Existential Double India Pale Ale or Major Milk Stout. A rotary phone rings down to nearby Penguin Ed’s for barbecue if you’re hungry. The brewery also hosts a Sunday Supper series that regularly features different local chefs.
Where To Enjoy Nature
A Scenic State Park
Devil’s Den State Park is the best introduction to Northwest Arkansas’ stellar outdoor offerings. Book a 1930s-era cabin, and hike Yellow Rock Trail.
Robbie Caponetto
Biker’s Paradise
The 40-mile pedestrian-and bike-friendly Razorback Greenway rambles from the southern edge of the city clear up to Bella Vista. Need some wheels? You can rent a ride from Phat Tire Bike Shop or at the Lake Fayetteville Marina.
Where To Go For Books & Music
Robbie Caponetto
Must-See Bookstore
A trip to the labyrinthine Dickson St. Bookshop can spiral into hours picking among literary treasures and ogling the rows of first editions and signed copies that rise high on shelves behind the counter.
Concert Hot Spot
Opened as a cafe in 1927 and now the state’s oldest music venue, George’s Majestic Lounge has been host to everyone from a budding artist by the name of Lucinda Williams to Old Crow Medicine Show.
Go Record Hunting
Robbie Caponetto
Digging through the stacks at Gar Hole Records’ newly opened location on Poplar Street yields songs on vinyl, CD, and sometimes even cassette tape from some of Arkansas’ finest homegrown artists like Dylan Earl and Bonnie Montgomery. Block Street Records is another great option.
Where To Stay
Check In To A Historic Inn
The Inn at Carnall Hall started as a women’s dorm in 1905 on the campus of the U of A and is now a boutique hotel on the National Register of Historic Places. Enjoy a Southern-style brunch at the in-house restaurant Ella’s Table.
Robbie Caponetto
Stay In The Heart Of Downtown
Just one block from the Historic Square, the Graduate Fayetteville hotel is about as centrally located as they come. Rooms are decorated with playful nods to the University of Arkansas.
