bentonville |
|||
|
DAY 2
Start the next day with a novel bike ride to the sixth-floor rooftop of The Ledger building , which you can reach by cycling up the wide ramps that wrap around it . Once there , take the opportunity to spot some of the murals the city ’ s known for , like Lakes and Rivers by Stefan Sagmeister , which you ’ ll find on the side of a nearby parking garage . It features two silver smallmouth bass that glimmer in the wind , a nod to Arkansas ’ abundance of wildlife . The installation forms part of the NW Oz Art trail of ‘ museum quality art in surprising places ’, which visitors can find dotted around northwest Arkansas .
Cycle back down and head to Bentonville ’ s new 21c Museum Hotel , with its 104 boutique rooms , art museum , cultural centre and bright , airy restaurant called The Hive . It ’ s a great option for all those favourite breakfast dishes like big stacks of buttermilk pancakes ,
|
freshly-baked pastries , plates of eggs and sides of hash browns . Afterward , outside on the front drive , take some time to admire the shiny Fleetwood Cadillac limo covered in nickels , dimes and pennies . The car was built in 1962 when the first Walton ’ s 5-10 ( five and dime ) opened — hence the design .
Back on the Razorback Greenway , make your way to the region ’ s crown jewel : the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art , set in a series of shell-like buildings designed by architect Moshe Safdie . It ’ s only three miles from downtown Bentonville , and allow yourself time to check out all the public art scattered around it — like the giant eroded copper paper airplane , another NW Oz Art trail stop called Launch Intention by Griffin Loop . Crystal Bridges opened in 2011 with the personal collection of Alice Walton — daughter of the Walmart founder . It ’ s currently in the midst of a major expansion project due to be completed in 2026 . Today , it presents a snapshot of American art through the ages ,
|
From left : Mural at 8th Street Market ; reading room at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Previous pages , clockwise from top left : Crystal Bridges exterior ; Bentonville Bike Fest ; sunflower against the sky ; display inside The Walmart Museum ; the Bentonville water tower in downtown ; vintage merchandise at The Walmart Museum ; The Bubble by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth , Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art ; mural at 8th Street Market ; a Wagyu sando at Junto Sushi |
images : Drager Creative Courtesy of Visit Bentonville |
18 • pos t c a rds |