Has Northwest Arkansas fatigue set in yet? What was once a well-kept secret is now on everyone’s list of places to live. Corporate money and a steady stream of new residents has led to a rapid increase of new amenities and services, most of which were unimaginable just a decade ago. And increasingly, people are packing up their cars and paying Northwest Arkansas a visit to see what all the hype is about.   

Much has been written about places like Crystal Bridges and the Walton Arts Center. People are aware that James Beard-nominated chefs live and work along the Interstate 49 corridor. It’s a well-known fact that mountain bikers come from all over to explore some of the best-groomed trails in the country. University of Arkansas Razorback athletics are a major draw for sports fans, and minor league baseball provides an opportunity to see the professionals play. College students, corporate-types, immigrants, blue-collar workers — just about everyone can find something of interest in Northwest Arkansas. Yes, with growth comes challenges; many natives have been priced out of the local housing market. But there’s no denying the vibrancy that exists in Northwest Arkansas.

In fact, there’s so much to do that new visitors may have a hard time putting an itinerary together. Here, we’ve put together a list to give visitors a good sense of what makes the area special.

Brian Chilson

Dickson Street Bookshop
325 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville 

Smack in the middle of the city’s rowdy entertainment district, the shop’s labyrinth of rooms, ramps and hallways burst with books. It’s easy to lose yourself in the sprawl and spend an afternoon browsing old titles. You may not find what you’re looking for, but you’ll leave happy with something in hand. Founded in 1978 by the late Don Choffel and Charles O’Donnell, Dickson Street Bookshop represents a well-worn yellowed paper approach in a world dominated by online booksellers.   

Block Street Records 
17 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville 

This hip local record store is perhaps one of the last bastions of the “Keep Fayetteville Funky” mentality that some locals fear is slipping away with each new multimillion-dollar development. It’s also one of the last places in Northwest Arkansas where you can go “digging in the crates.” Inside the small record store, crates are filled with albums that span genres, and employees are usually spinning something you haven’t heard before. Vinyl isn’t cheap these days, but there seems to be a steady appetite for it in Fayetteville. 

The Guisinger
1 E. Mountain St., Fayetteville

A lot of people in Fayetteville are excited about the new cocktail bar that opened in April on the downtown square. The Guisinger is the latest concept from the guys behind Feed & Folly and City Park, a couple of established local hotspots. The place has a grownup feel, providing a much-needed alternative to the college drinking scene that Fayetteville is mostly known for. And with veteran bartender Trey Fincher behind the bar, patrons can definitely expect a quality cocktail. You can get a Redbull and vodka elsewhere.  

Charly’s Taqueria
1830 S. Pleasant St., Springdale

The booming immigrant population in Northwest Arkansas has led to an abundance of authentic taquerias in the area. You can find them nearly everywhere, but one of the best is Charly’s Taqueria. It’s the kind of hole-in-the-wall place that you might miss because it’s tucked into an aging strip mall with hardly any signage. Once you find it, you’ll encounter some of the most delicious Mexican food that nobody is talking about. The menu isn’t surprising — they have tacos, burritos and tortas — but the execution is top-notch. The carne asada burrito could be used to negotiate world peace. The crowd at Charly’s is blue-collar and mostly Hispanic, but everyone feels welcome, even the corporate types that wander in from the big chicken company HQ down the road.

Stephanie Smittle

The Odd Soul
126 W. Emma Ave., Springdale

If the late Anthony Bourdain picked somewhere to day drink in the area, he’d probably choose this spot — a no-frills place with full bar service and a pizza oven. Regulars come and go throughout the day, escaping the frantic pace of life outside. The bartenders are funny but not overbearing. And with 22 taps, The Odd Soul is one of the better beer bars in Northwest Arkansas. But, of course, Bourdain would have probably settled for a Budweiser and a shot of something brown. Listen to The Odd Soul owner Jeffro Brown’s entertaining interview on the District 3 Podcast to hear a lifelong resident speak about his background, the story behind the bar and the growth he has witnessed in his hometown.

Stephanie Smittle

Onyx Coffee Lab
101 E. Walnut St., Rogers

Onyx isn’t exactly flying under the radar.  But no matter how much you’ve read about the award-winning roaster, its headquarters in Rogers is worth a visit. Onyx has been setting the standard in coffee roasting and preparation for several years, and with each new project, it expands the brand’s aesthetic. Walking around the flagship location, you imagine every tile was meticulously chosen, every chair purposely placed. Hail Fellow Well Met — Onyx’s cafe in Johnson — embodies this approach, as should its chocolate production facility in Springdale, currently under development. Visit Onyx for the coffee, sure, but stay for the feng shui. 

Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area
20201 E. Arkansas Highway 12, Rogers

Mountain biking has taken off in Northwest Arkansas, and there are many well-groomed trails in the region to ride. Some of the best singletrack can be found just east of Rogers at this 12,000-acre park, which features several loops that vary in length and difficulty. Little Clifty Loop is the best of the bunch, with nearly 9 miles of challenging trail that can crush weekend warriors. The trails at Hobbs aren’t paved with Walton money, making them a bit harder to navigate than those found closer to town. You will also need to navigate horse bombs in your path; the trails at Hobbs State Park are open to horseback riders, too. Take plenty of water with you because once you’re on the trail there’s no looking back. Many a rider has been seen walking his bike out of the woods due to exhaustion. 

Monte Ne Inn
13843 E. Arkansas Highway 94, Rogers

There are a lot of great places to eat in Northwest Arkansas, but one of the most memorable culinary experiences you can have is found at Monte Ne Inn. Named after the historic resort community of the early 20th century — now covered by Beaver Lake — the restaurant serves all-you-can-eat fried chicken, bean soup and mashed potatoes in a traditional family style. Pass the biscuits to your left and take the green beans from your neighbor to the right. And leave your snootiness at the door; this isn’t white-table-cloth-Walton Avenue. Monte Ne Inn is a throwback restaurant that gives a glimpse of Northwest Arkansas before the money poured in.  

courtesy of the Momentary

Momentary
507 S.E. E St., Bentonville

The Walmart Amp gets most of the limelight, but the Momentary is a contender for the best music venue in the region. The small-ish amphitheater gives everyone on the lawn great sightlines to the onstage performers. Wu-Tang Clan’s visit this past October was one of the most memorable shows in the area in a long time. A steady rain fell on the crowd while the legendary rappers brought the MF’n ruckus. Upcoming shows include Lake Street Dive and Gary Clark Jr., and while tickets are a bit pricey — as are the drinks — it’s a small price to pay to see top-bill artists in a semi-intimate setting. 

Bentonville Brewing Co. 
901 S.W. 14th St., Bentonville

Breweries are a big deal in Northwest Arkansas. Nearly half of the state’s 60-plus beermakers are found in this corner of the state. One of the most impressive area taprooms belongs to Bentonville Brewing Co. Founded in 2015, the brewery moved to its current location in 2020. The structure is a hulking presence along the street, housing a 20-barrel brewhouse and several large stainless steel fermentation tanks. The outdoor seating area to the rear of the brewery is the place to be during warm weather. People from all walks of life congregate there for pints of Homewrecker IPA and Natural State Porter. 

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said two Cotton Plant city employees are in the Woodruff County Jail after an investigation by his office.

Griffin said members of his office’s Public Integrity Unit worked with officers of the Augusta Police Department and Woodruff County Sheriff’s deputies to investigate the two employees. As a result of the investigation, 47-year-old Katrina Criswell and 29-year-old Lakeyia Alexander are facing charges of theft of property, a class D felony, and are currently held in the jail, he said.

A release from Griffin’s office said Criswell and Alexander worked for the city’s mayor’s office. In February 2023, while the mayor was out on medical leave, the pair falsified time sheets to show them working more than their allotted 20 hours per week, investigators said.

Officials said that because of the added hours, more than $5,000 in unauthorized wages was paid.

“Those who work in local government hold a special public trust, as they are closest to the people,” Griffin said in a statement. “Both of the accused falsified their time sheets to claim more hours than they were authorized to work, thus increasing their salary without the knowledge and approval of the Mayor of Cotton Plant or the City Council.”

Griffin added that stealing from a city that employs you is an affront to the hardworking taxpayers.

Police officers handcuffed Bentonville attorney Jen Standerfer on Friday and escorted her out of the Hot Springs Convention Center after she collected two signatures for citizen-initiated ballot measures, she said.

Standerfer is a founding member of the nonpartisan Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT), which received Attorney General Tim Griffin’s approval in January to seek support from registered voters in hopes of putting two government transparency measures on the November ballot.

The incident marks at least the second time in the last month that supporters of potential ballot measures faced police opposition while collecting signatures in a public space ahead of a July 5 deadline.

Publication of abortion amendment canvasser list is intimidation, ballot question committee says

In May, Little Rock police told supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a limited right to abortion that they could be arrested for obstructing traffic. The canvassers told reporters they were not blocking traffic but instead sought the attention of drivers while standing on a public sidewalk.

The Arkansas Bar Association held its annual conference from Wednesday to Friday in Hot Springs. Standerfer said in an interview that she attended the conference as a member of the association and to complete her required continuing education as an attorney. She said brought petitions for both measures in case anyone wanted to sign them.

One proposed measure would alter the state Freedom of Information Act to codify a definition of a “public meeting,” broaden the legal definitions of a “governing body” and “communication” among members of government bodies, create stiffer civil penalties for violating the FOIA and protect citizens’ right to appeal FOIA decisions, among other things.

The other proposed measure would amend the state Constitution to create the right to government transparency, defined as “the government’s obligation to share information with citizens.”

Proposed acts require 72,563 signatures by July 5 in order to appear on the November ballot, while proposed amendments require 90,704 signatures.

Standerfer said Hot Springs police first asked her to stop soliciting signatures Thursday evening when she brought a wagon full of petition documents with a sign on it into the convention center. She complied with the request not to bring the wagon and sign back Friday morning, she said.

The convention center has a policy against solicitation of any kind, said Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, which runs the convention center.

“We have an obligation to the people who rent our space that they can use it without being bothered,” Arrison said.

He added that the content of the petitions had “nothing to do with” the opposition to Standerfer collecting signatures.

Standerfer said she did not ask anyone for signatures or share information about the proposed ballot measures unless someone approached her and asked about them directly.

“It didn’t feel contentious to me. This wasn’t me going up to people and saying ‘Hey, can I talk to you about the FOIA?’” she said. “Literally, it is the most minimally intrusive kind of speech… Anytime someone approaches me about it, I will engage with them.”

After two people signed petitions on Friday, police approached Standerfer and said both the convention center and the bar association did not want her soliciting signatures. Officers threatened her with jail time, handcuffed her and escorted her from the building, but then removed the handcuffs and said she had been trespassing but would not be charged or sent to jail, she said.

Arrison said he was not present Friday and did not see Standerfer collect signatures or interact with police, but “she must have done something that made them think she was soliciting signatures again.”

The Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission owns the convention center and is responsible for spending the city’s 3% tax on prepared food and lodging to promote the city. The commission authorized nearly $4.5 million in capital improvements for the center last year, according to the Hot Springs Sentinel-Record.

Standerfer said she was not trespassing at the convention center, contrary to what police told her, because it was paid for with taxpayer dollars.

Transparency advocates hear public input on proposal to enshrine FOIA in Arkansas Constitution

She also said it was unusual for the Arkansas Bar Association to take issue with her being willing to collect signatures because its conferences consistently have a “political undertone.” Attorneys frequently run for office, and Standerfer herself once ran as a Democrat for a seat in the state House of Representatives.

“I have never been at a bar meeting where you did not have a candidate wearing a sticker, or hand you a sticker, hand you a palm card or ask you for support in an election,” she said.

She added that the Bar Association told her it took no position on the government transparency ballot measures, but the Hot Springs police told her the organization wanted her to leave because she was collecting signatures.

“I would hope that government bodies that serve the people would do the people the service of telling them, ‘Hey, we’ve got a policy against that,’ before calling the police and having them removed from the building,” Standerfer said. “It’s sad to me that we’ve lost this sense of community… because people are so incensed by the idea of politics.”

The Arkansas Bar Association and the Hot Springs Police Department did not return requests for comment as of Friday evening.

The Advocate has sent FOIA records requests to the police department, asking for Standerfer’s arrest report, if there is one, and the body camera footage from the officers that escorted her from the convention center.