Postcards Spring 2025 CA | Page 21

bentonville
image : alamy
Above : A hiker standing on
the famous Hawksbill Crag
including a section on how the frontier shaped the national identity , featuring evocative landscape scenes .
After browsing the galleries , enjoy lunch at signature restaurant , Eleven , set in an impressive , high-ceilinged building overlooking the museum ’ s ponds . Here , a simple menu of burgers , sandwiches and signature plates like pork and grits caters to all tastes . Then , a trip to the Bachman- Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright on the Crystal Bridges grounds is a must for architecture fans . Built between 1953-56 in New Jersey , it was relocated to Crystal Bridges in 2015 , where it was restored . Only the downstairs is open to visitors , and this can be explored either with a guide or during a self-guided tour .
At the end of the day , follow the greenway back to downtown Bentonville for a fancy dinner at Bar Cleeta in the historic square . It ’ s owned by Bentonville-born chef Trae Basore , who trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York . On the menu , expect punchy cocktails and beautiful small plates like charred broccoli rabe and Wagyu brisket . End the evening back at Crystal
Bridges roughly 45 minutes before sunset to experience James Turrell ’ s Skyspace : The Way of Color — an hour-long light experience in the artist-designed structure .
DAY 3
A final day of outdoor adventure calls for breakfast in the form of coffee and bagels from popular local hotspot Ozark Mountain Bagel Co . in downtown Bentonville . Fueled up , it ’ s time for a ride around the peaceful Coler Mountain Bike Preserve , a mile west of downtown Bentonville and home to several trails to suit riders of all abilities . Die-hard mountain bike fans should explore Slaughter Pen — over 70 interconnected trails throughout Bentonville that tie to more than 400 miles of trails in north-west Arkansas , like the Back 40 and Little Sugar loops in nearby Bella Vista .
After a morning ride , book a private hike with 37 North Expeditions and head into the wilds of the Ozarks . One such spot is Hawksbill Crag , a nice there-and-back walk to a rock overhang in the Ozark – St . Francis National Forest where you ’ ll enjoy
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