Article by: karryon.com

Thought we were the only Oz in the world? Think again, in the northwest corner of Arkansas sits an eclectic group of towns amid the expansive Ozarks Mountain Range. Zoe Macfarlane checks out the other Oz.

Arkansas is like that timid school friend you one day see on TV playing a lead character. This landlocked state has been quiet, allowing nearby cities like Kansas and Memphis to draw attention, but now it’s ready for its limelight.

Drawing attention for its natural attractions and thriving suburbs-without-the-city communities, Northwest Arkansas needs to be added to your travel to-do list. It’s a surprisingly worthwhile region to add to a Southern USA road trip or tour, with the convenience of picking one Ozarks town as a base and exploring from there.

Bountiful Bentonville

You may not have heard of Bentonville, but you have heard of Walmart. It’s here that Walmart founder, Sam Walton, opened his first store in the picturesque Bentonville town square (now the Walmart Museum).

As one of the wealthiest regions in America, thanks in part to the Walton empire, this is affluence reflected not by ostentatious buildings and outlandish attractions, but with investments in projects that foster community engagement. Aside from the interactive kids Amazeum, the eight other attractions in Bentonville are free.

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