Arkansas is finally getting warmer weather, which means spring is just around the corner! With more sunshine on its way, there will be more opportunities for you to enjoy northwest Arkansas! Here are a few things you can do on your own or with your friends.
1. Go on a hike!
The Natural State has a lot to offer, especially its numerous hiking trails. You can hike around Lake Fayetteville, Devil’s Den State Park or Lake Atalanta in Rogers. For more information about trails and directions you can visit nwatrails.org.
2. Visit a museum!
Each museum is unique and offers different events for people to attend. Crystal Bridges offers various art workshops and hosts art forums for community discussions. The Momentary is Bentonville’s newest addition and offers an industrial and hands-on experience with art. The Walmart Museum in Downtown Bentonville is a fun location to pop in to have ice cream and to learn about Sam Walton’s dream and success!
3. Walk a dog!
Dogs are fun and energetic, and what better way to spend your day than to walk a furry friend who needs some love? Most animal shelters allow volunteers to go in and spend time with the animals. The Humane Society in Rogers offers a dog-walking training session the first Saturday of every month, after which you’re allowed to walk as many dogs as you please. You can call local shelters to ask about the various ways you can serve them.
4. Enjoy the outdoors!
Being outside can be lots of fun with your friends! You can go out camping, have a picnic or ride bikes around downtown areas or through a park. Some parks have sand volleyball courts, basketball courts or soccer fields for the public to use. Being active is a great way to stay in shape and to show off your skills! A quick “parks in NWA” Google search will help you find locations and directions!
5. Have coffee…outside!
As college students, we tend to drink a lot of coffee and enjoy the cozy atmosphere of our favorite coffee shops. But, what better way to get your vitamin D than to sit outside with your mug instead? Coffee shops like Pour John’s and Onyx provide plenty of outdoor seating. Even 7 Brew has provided outdoor seating for people to use.
6. 112 Drive-In
By the end of March, the drive-in movie theatre will be open! This is a great way to watch a movie with your friends or take a special someone on a date! The theater changes its movie options every two weeks, so check the website—112driveintheatre.com—to see what will be showing!
7. The Walmart AMP
Going to a concert can be fun, especially when it’s in the open air! The Walmart AMP went through some renovations recently and will now offer more seating and space! To view their upcoming concerts and purchase tickets, you can visit their website at waltonartscenter.org/amp.
8. Food trucks
Going out to eat with friends is always a good time, and NWA has several food trucks you can visit! Eating at a food truck is a great way to try something new while helping support a local business. You can find food truck locations in downtown Siloam Springs or you can visit the food trucks located near Lake Fayetteville.
9. Visit a lake or river
If you are wanting to cool down during a warm spring day, taking a trip to a lake or a river is a great way to do that. You can go swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing (with a license) or just enjoy the cool breeze.
10. Other fun things to do
There’s more to do in northwest Arkansas than you think! The area is always expanding and new things are always popping up. There will be a new Top Golf location in Rogers opening soon, there are several locations to go mini-golfing and you can drive go-karts with your friends at Locomotion in Springdale! Have fun!
Photo courtesy of Simon Migaj