Chimes sound throughout the day, with a rendition of the university’s alma mater each evening. These melodic tones float across campus and envelop the wide porches at The Inn at Carnall Hall. Built as a women’s dormitory in 1905, the light-filled rooms have transitioned into a stylish hotel. Together with its restaurant, Ella’s Table, the accommodation exudes welcoming Southern hospitality.

A walk across campus reveals the names of more than 200,000 graduates, each name imprinted in the sidewalks. Students study at the David W. Mullins Library, enjoy productions at the Faulkner Performing Arts Center, and socialize at the Arkansas Union and the outdoor Chi Omega Greek Theatre.

Fans go wild and loud on football weekends.

“On Razorback game day, you can smell it. It’s in the air. So much energy. So much fun,” Jill Rohrbach tells us over dinner. She is the author of “100 Things to Do in Fayetteville Before You Die.”

Red-shirted Razorback fans meet at the fearsome “Wild Band of Razorbacks” statue outside Donald W. Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium. They flood parking lots and the Hog Pen to tailgate and holler the “Woo Pig Sooie” cheer.

The celebration goes on all day, and the party along nearby Dickson Street rocks well into the night, regardless of whether the Hogs win or lose.

Beyond the campus

Townspeople’s love for the university interweaves with their affection for all things local.

At the downtown square, the Fayetteville Farmers Market sells handcrafted artisan goods and fresh produce. Locally owned clothing stores like Riffraff have a steady clientele. Shops selling Arkansas-made products line the square and its side streets. Bright, splashy murals, secondhand shops including a vinyl records store, art galleries and restaurants populate this walkable area.

A standout in the downtown dining district is Calle, serving Latin cuisine. Hugo’s, operating out of a basement since 1977, serves beer, burgers and sandwiches. Feed & Folly offers wraps, sandwiches and smoked meats, plus expansive views of the Boston Mountains from its rooftop. Nine local breweries provide enjoyable stops along the Fayetteville Ale Trail.

Eating local means getting a Tex-Mex meal with an Arkansas twist at Fayetteville Taco and Tamale Co. Patrons meet their friends for tasty housemade pappardelle at Bocca Italian Eatery and Pizzeria.

Breakfast is a big deal here. Made-from-scratch bakery goods and eye-opening coffee are the specialties at Little Bread Company, while flaky pastries and signature egg dishes highlight Prelude’s morning fare. Onyx Coffee Lab, a Northwest Arkansas specialty coffee company, has earned international accolades.

The entertainment area near campus features the Walton Arts Center, just around the corner from TheatreSquared, Arkansas’ largest professional theater company. The college crowd gravitates to George’s Majestic Lounge, a live music venue. Another venerated institution, Dickson Street Bookshop, has been operating for nearly 50 years. Shoppers get lost amid capriciously catalogued books and magazines cluttered in multiple rooms.

A quiet retreat, The Stonebreaker Hotel has 78 guest rooms overlooking the Markham Hill Nature Preserve. A restaurant serving local farm-sourced fare adjoins the inn’s native stone patios. The eco-resort is within walking distance to the campus and retail district.

Gardens, museums and more

“I’m always surprised with how many people specifically come here looking for this,” says Cesar Acosta, director of horticulture and operations. He points to a blue telephone in the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.

The wind phone is placed here for people who want to imagine speaking with a departed loved one. The unconnected device sits in a quiet spot in the garden’s eight cultivated acres. People find it restorative to carry on heartfelt, long-distance conversations.