Need a nice weekend getaway idea? Look no further than Bentonville, AR. I know, I know. Listen, every single person that I spoke to about Bentonville asked me why I was going there. There was a sense of bewilderment in the conversation. However, after seeing my photos and hearing what we did during our stay, I felt like everyone’s mind quickly changed. In a nutshell, it is a quaint town located in northern Arkansas that packs quite the punch when it comes to modern art and activities to partake in around town. Let me give you a bit of insight into where to eat, shop, go and stay during your future visit to Bentonville, AR.

Between the Crystal Bridges Museum of Contemporary Art, The Momentary and the contemporary art in the lobby of the 21c Museum Hotel, the arts are well represented. The Walmart Museum (which is currently under renovation until late 2024) should also be on your itinerary. It is an interesting look at the history of this retail giant, how it got its start in Bentonville and how it is constantly evolving to adjust to the changing times. While the museum is being renovated, you can visit the Walmart Museum Heritage Lab which showcases an abbreviated version of the digital and tactile archives of the history of Walmart. This temporary space is located at the Ledger, the world’s first walkable/bikeable building with an almost 3/4 of a mile track scaling up and around the facade of the building.

Be sure to come hungry so you can enjoy drinks at the Tower Bar at the Momentary, sushi at Aoi Sushi and a fun dinner at The Hive. Don’t worry, you can burn off what you ate with a bike ride through the miles and miles of paved and off-road trails that are blocks away from the 21c Museum Hotel.

Don’t take my word for it. Pay this town a visit and see for yourself what all the buzz is about.

21c Museum Hotels | Taco & Tamale Co. | Onyx Coffee Lab | Aoi Sushi | Superfine Sweet Shoppe | Bentonville Mercantile | Spoke Adventures | Ledger | The Walmart Museum Heritage Lab | Crystal Bridges Museum of Contemporary Art | The Momentary