Places Welcoming You
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Kettle Campground Eureka Springs, Arkansas |
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Blowing Springs RV Park Bella Vista, Arkansas |
A planned summer resort community that traces its roots to 1917, bucolic Bella Vista nestles amidst lakes and lush fairways, offering myriad amenities for visitors and locals alike. The town has channeled its recreational showpieces into an active lifestyle for all seasons and gained national attention for its world-class biking trails.
With tennis courts, manicured golf courses, swimming pools, a disc golf course, and a gun range, recreational activities are the order of the day in Bella Vista. The small but rewarding Bella Vista Museum preserves an array of artifacts and documents that trace the region’s Native American history. For culture, head 20 minutes south to Bentonville and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, home to a world-class collection of American treasures in a striking building designed to emulate the Ozark landscape.
It was here that Sam Walton, along with his brother, Bud, began their retail conglomerate in 1945 with a variety store located in nearby Bentonville. Today this is the Walmart Museum and traces the origin and growth of Walmart Inc. Visit the Walton’s 5&10 for a souvenir and to get a sense of what early retail was like.
Bella Vista’s functional resort kernel gives way to gentle rolling hills, crystal-clear lakes and picturesque scenery that looks plucked from a child’s picture book. The town’s twin passions are golf and biking. Bella Vista’s five 18-hole courses and two nine-hole courses are hailed as some of the most scenic and in the central United States. Bella Vista Country Club offers terrific views and well-groomed fairways.
Douglas Wertman
The development of Bella Vista’s Back 40 Trails established the town as a magnet for adventure-seekers of all ages. Some 40 miles of single track, designed for mountain biking, traverses dirt, ravines, bridges and waterfalls. Most of the trails, including the signature Back 40 Loop (21.4 miles), are geared toward intermediate bikers, but the Mulligan Trail (just shy of 1 mile), is a great induction for beginners.
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
479-273-2841
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
501-682-7777