BENTONVILLE , ARKANSAS
Striking art , exhilarating bike trails and elevated Southern cuisine make this city the ideal weekend getaway , says Ellie Seymour
DAY 1 images : Drager Creative Courtesy of Visit Bentonville ; KATE AUSTIN PHOTOGRAPHY ; getty ; alamy ; Chroma Photography
Situated in northwest Arkansas , Bentonville is a haven for fans of mountain biking , lying on the fringes of the Ozarks and home to trails ranging from simple , beginner routes to more challenging , forested paths . The city is largely flat , compact and easily explored on two wheels , thanks to a series of shared-use trails running through and around it . They form part of the 36-mile Razorback Regional Greenway , which connects several parts of northwest Arkansas .
Start the first day with a trip to one of Bentonville ’ s many bike rental shops , like YT Mill or Specialized Bentonville , before cycling to LOUISE cafe on Thaden Field , home to Bentonville Municipal Airport . Both spots are named after Bentonville -born aviatrix , Louise Thaden , a major figure in the world of aviation during the 1920s . Here , playfully named dinerstyle dishes like ‘ takeoff ’ tacos filled with scrambled eggs , bacon and cheese fill a tempting all-day menu .
After breakfast , consider taking a 30-minute chartered plane ride with Fly Oz for a bird ’ s-eye view over the city and the surrounding Ozark Forest landscape . Back on the ground , it ’ s an easy cycle to Osage Park , an urban greenspace home to a prairie garden and 12-acre wetland ecosystem , for an atmospheric stroll along the boardwalk that runs through it . From here , make a stop at the Museum of Native American History , followed by a trip to the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden — a historic family home .
When it ’ s lunchtime , it ’ s worth biking across town to Yeyo ’ s , a James Beardnominated local favourite serving up excellent Mexican dishes — think fresh guacamole , tortillas and street tacos heaped with shredded beef barbacoa . Follow this with a trip to the offbeat Walmart Museum Heritage Lab — the superstore chain was founded here in 1962 by businessman Sam Walton . The museum , which opened in the early 1990s , takes visitors through the store ’ s history and includes fun exhibits such as past customers ’ most ridiculous reasons for returning items .
Wrap up your first day with a wander around the historic downtown square before dinner at The Preacher ’ s Son , a Gothic church-cum-restaurant serving rustic American food like shrimp and grits and New York strip steak . Grab a nightcap in the basement bar , Undercroft , before taking in some live music at The Momentary — a contemporary art and performance space in a converted Kraft cheese plant . It ’ s also one of the venues used to host screenings during the annual Bentonville Film Festival , which takes place each June . spring 2025 • 17