Spring in Bentonville is a time for new beginnings. As the ice melts away and flowers bloom into color, the beauty of the Natural State is put on display. The freshness of the landscape might even encourage you to discover something new in our city! 

 

With a wide range of arts, culinary, and outdoor experiences, Bentonville is your ideal spring destination. Here’s your guide to planning a great visit this season:

 

Things to Do

Where to Eat

Places to Stay

Plan Your Visit

 

 

🚧 Heads Up: Our city is in a phase of growth and transformation. During your visit, you'll encounter road construction, occasional detours, as well as fresh, new roads. The city of Bentonville does an excellent job at providing its citizens with up-to-date information on road closures and more on their website. 

 Here are a few tips to help you navigate to your destination:

Things to Do

Enjoy the Outdoors

Savor the warmer spring temperatures and enjoy the blooming flowers and trees from our miles of mountain biking trails or acres of parks. Here are just a few options:

 

  • Stroll our downtown square and enjoy the thousands of tulip blossoms courtesy of our city’s wonderful Parks Department. Tulips start blooming in late March and last about 2-4 weeks.

  • Enjoy the peaceful wetlands of Osage Park and Lake Bentonville, and while you’re there, check out The Quiver Archery Range where you can learn the sport of archery!

  • Spend a morning basking in the beauty of Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, strolling their main path to the Rise, or biking their 19 miles of trails. Bonus: Airship at Applegate is tucked along the trail, and makes for a great stop to refuel and refresh.

  • Have the perfect picnic soaking in the Bentonville sun alongside our wonderful cuisine. Check out our Picnic Guide to Bentonville for more!

Discover more options in our Park Roundup

Attend a Festival

Festival season in Bentonville is afoot! Check the following festivals we look forward to each spring, and plan your trip.

 

Momentous | March 9

Featuring over 10 internationally acclaimed artists and local stars from across the full spectrum of electronic music, Momentous is your chance to connect to what’s happening today in the global music scene.

Immerse yourself in EDM, dance, live instrument sets, rave experiences, Rin Peisert’s interactive performance series, Relative Intensity Noise, pop-up food and drink experiences by Rabbit Hole NWA, and more.

Get tickets and see the full lineup here.

 

FreshGrass | Bentonville | May 17–18

FreshGrass | Bentonville is a two-day, all-ages festival with the best of today’s bluegrass and progressive roots music filling multiple outdoor stages, courtyards, and galleries at the Momentary.

Knockout performances and world premieres will be accompanied by fun, family-friendly activities, great local food and drink, homegrown retail vendors, artist merchandise, and more.

Get tickets and see the full lineup here.


 

Bentonville Bike Fest | May 24–26

Every year, some of the world’s top cyclists and BMX riders gather at the Bentonville Bike Fest for an exciting weekend of bike competitions, workshops and clinics, rides, and more.

This free, family event is open to the public and includes food trucks, live music, and over 140 bike vendors.

Learn more here.

Explore Museums

Rainy, spring days call for leisurely museum strolls, and in Bentonville you have options! Immerse yourself in art, science, history, and more. Get acquainted with the range of our museums in our Museum Roundup. 

Here’s a short overview of what’s on this season:

 

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Exhibition

 

Exquisite Creatures | March 16, 2024 - July 29, 2024

Space Makers: Indigenous Expression and a New American Art | April 13, 2024 - September 30, 2024 

 

The Momentary

 

Kristine Potter: Dark Waters | May 19, 2024 – October 13, 2024

Awol Erizku: Mystic Parallax | May 19, 2024 – October 13, 2024

 

21C Museum Hotel 

Fragile Figures: Beings and Time | February 2024 - January 2024

Don’t forget to check out their rotating exhibitions and take a selfie with the famous green penguins! 

 

Amazeum

Featuring hands-on family activities and STEM fun, this is THE destination for families with kids from infants to teenagers! Check out interactive exhibitions like the 3M Tinkering Hub, the Market sponsored by Walmart, the Nature Valley Water Amazements, and more. Admission is free to members and children under two, and costs $11 for all others. Learn more.

Totality Visit Bentonville for the Eclipse

Eclipse Weekend | April 5–8

With Arkansas in the direct path of totality, Bentonville is the place to stay for your eclipse adventure. Make a weekend out of this once-in-a-lifetime event with eclipse-themed celebrations throughout our city!

Browse our events calendar for more!

Where to Eat

Explore our Bentonville Dining Guide, and check out these tips for making the most of the Bentonville culinary scene:

 
Dining on the Square

Whether you’re craving Italian, Ark-Mex, seafood, or a good ol’ burger, you’ll find something to satisfy any palate on the Bentonville Square. Stop in the original gastro-pub of Bentonville: Tusk and Trotter, enjoy a farm-fresh, gluten-free menu at Conifer, and so much more. Out for dinner? Check ahead to see if reservations are recommended.

Dining at the Market District

Cruise down NW A Street to 8th Street and you’ll find Bentonvile’s bike-tastic restaurants: Pedler’s Pub and The Hub. Then, keep going until you see the darling Crêpes Paulette. But that's not all! Hop over to 8th Street Market to explore delicious award-winning eateries, like Yeyo’s Mexican Street Food, Sweet Freedom Cheese, Co-Op Ramen, Roll & Fold, and several food trucks, including the classic Loafin’ Joe’s sandwich truck.

Dining on Walton Blvd.

Our main drag is nothing to sneeze at either! Delicious restaurants can be found the whole way down. Check out Meld, Crisp & Green, Flavors Indian Cuisine & Lounge, and Table at Hickory Inn.

Places to Stay

Home rentals and hotels alike abound around Bentonville. Trying to decide where to stay? Here are some tips:

  • If you’re looking to fly into town and then walk or bike, we recommend 21c Museum hotel or vacation rentals in the Downtown and Market area, as you see here. 
  • Driving in? Great! Take your pick of hotels throughout Bentonville, and simply park downtown, here’s a map of downtown parking options.  

See more places to stay here.

Plan Your Visit

If you need additional help planning your visit, check out our DIY mix-and-match itinerary builder!

Stay in the know about what’s happening in Bentonville by signing up for eNews updates here, and check out our blog This Weekend in Bentonville the week of your visit for a roundup of events happening when you’ll be in town.

 

 

We’re happy to help you with any additional information needed during your stay in Bentonville. Our Visitor’s Center is open 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, and 9 am to 3 pm on Saturdays. Stop by and see us at 406 SE 5th Street, Suite 6.