FIVE GREAT SUMMER ROAD TRIPS FROM NW ARKANSAS

Five Road Trip Destinations Near NWA

The days are getting longer, the kiddies are soon to be out of school, and the temperature is rising. Put it all together, and it means summer is almost here. The hot months are always prime time for road-tripping with the family, especially (shameless plug) in that great new Yukon, Enclave, or Sierra you just bought from McLarty Daniel Buick GMC in BENTONVILLE!

Luckily for us here in Northwest Arkansas, there are plenty of great destinations within one-full-tank driving distance, with plenty to see and do, eat and browse. If you’re in need of a new family truck to take you on that big summer vacation or just a Saturday jaunt, stop in today at McLarty Daniel Buick GMC. We’ve got new and used cars in every price range to fit both your needs and your budget. Shop our big selection online, or come see us for a test drive today! In the meantime, though, read on for a few of our favorite day trips from Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Big Cedar Lodge

Travel time from Fayetteville: approx. 1 hour and 35 minutes

Built in 1921 as a fishing and hunting retreat by entrepreneur Jude Simmons, Big Cedar Lodge was modeled on the grand Victorian hunting lodges of the Adirondacks. Simmons built his vast log cabin on 300 rugged acres ten miles south of the then-sleepy Ozark town of Branson, MO. Perched on a mountaintop with commanding views of Table Rock Lake, Big Cedar was purchased in 1987 by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris along with another mansion nearby (the Tudor-style lodge of Frisco Railroad tycoon Harry Worman.)

Both houses were restored to their former grandeur and the Big Cedar Lodge was born. Today, the complex offers 260 luxury rooms with rustic-themed furnishings, plus cottages, private cabins, gourmet restaurants, and a world-class on-site golf course. Visitors can also cruise on Table Rock Lake aboard a 65-foot yacht known as Lady Liberty.

Blanchard Springs Caverns

Travel time from Fayetteville: Approx. 3 hours

One way to stay cool this summer is to head underground. A great place to do that is Blanchard Springs Caverns in Stone County, approximately two miles off Highway 14 near Mountain View. A brisk 58 degrees year-round, Blanchard Springs is considered a “living cave,” which means the formations are still growing thanks to water percolating down through the rocks from above. The cave complex is run by the U.S. Forest Service and features multiple trails through various parts of the caverns.

These trails include the Dripstone Trail, which features beautiful colored lighting plus concrete walkways and handrails that make it wheelchair accessible and stroller-friendly. There’s also the Discovery Trail, a more strenuous 1.2-mile trail that includes over 700 steps, and the Wild Cave Tour, which requires visitors to stoop, crawl and squeeze through natural openings to access parts of the cave normally off-limits to general visitors. As long as you’re not claustrophobic, it’s a recipe for summertime fun!

Mount Magazine State Park

Travel time from Fayetteville: Approx. 2 hours

Another way to catch a cool breeze in the summertime is to get up high enough that you leave the heat far below. In Arkansas, the highest place you can go without access to an airplane or helicopter is Mount Magazine, which is the state’s highest peak at 2,753 feet. The centerpiece of one of Arkansas’s best state parks, Mount Magazine features wildlife, hiking trails, horseback riding, ATV trail riding with an available guide service, rock climbing, and plentiful spots for a relaxing picnic.

If you’re looking to get away from it all for an overnight stay, check out the beautiful 66,000-square-foot Lodge at Mount Magazine. The lodge features luxury rooms, the gourmet Skycrest Restaurant, an indoor swimming pool, and commanding views of the valley far below and Blue Mountain Lake in the distance. A stay at Mount Magazine can be one of the best weekend trips in Arkansas!

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Travel time from Fayetteville: Approx. 2 hours

Though it was once a dusty cowtown on the lonesome prairie, Tulsa has stepped into the 21st Century in a big way! This city now features one of the best collections of things to eat, see and do in the region. One big stop for families is the 85-acre Tulsa Zoo, which features over 150 species of animals from all over the world in open, modern habitats. For art lovers, Tulsa is also a mecca, with museums like the Philbrook Museum of Art, the Gilcrease Museum, The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, and the Woody Guthrie Center (named after the Oklahoma native and folk singer.) For weird roadside attraction points, there’s also “The Center of the Universe,” a spot that mysteriously amplifies anything said there and echoes it back much louder to the speaker.

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Travel time from Fayetteville: Approx. 1 hour

Only a hop, skip and jump from Northwest Arkansas is Fort Smith. Formerly a rough-and-tumble town, Fort Smith these days is a great destination for a day trip. Established in 1962, the Fort Smith National Historic Site is a collection of historic buildings restored to appear as they did during the heyday of westward expansion. In those days, “Hanging Judge” Issac Parker and a handful of U.S. Marshals brave enough to venture into the lawless Oklahoma Territory in search of fugitives were the only things standing between order and anarchy in the region. The site includes a reconstruction of the gallows used by Parker, Parker’s courtroom, and the 19th-century forts that gave Fort Smith its name.

While in Fort Smith, also be sure to check out the life-size statue of U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves on horseback. One of several African-American U.S. Marshals who worked to bring justice to the Oklahoma Territory, Reeves haunted the nightmares of the lawless, sometimes dragging back hardened murderers by the half-dozen. Today, scholars say stories of his daring adventures may have been the real-life inspiration for TV’s The Lone Ranger.

We hope you enjoyed this list of Arkansas road trips! If you’re looking for summer fun and adventure, there are plenty of places within driving distance of Northwest Arkansas where you can find both. To get there, you need a reliable, comfortable, affordable vehicle, and we’ve got those row after row at McLarty Daniel Buick GMC in BENTONVILLE. If you’re looking to buy a new GMC or Buick in Fayetteville, Rogers, Fort Smith, Bella Vista, Berryville or right here in McLarty Daniel Buick GMC, stop in today and see how easy it can be to drive home in the perfect new ride. Whatever you do, get out there this summer and enjoy the beauty of this place we all call home!

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