Your Ozarks Adventure Starts in Bentonville: Nat Geo Best of the World 2027 Itinerary

National Geographic named the Southern Ozarks to its Best of the World 2027 list, calling out the region's bluffs, valleys and ridgelines as a haven for outdoor adventure and culture. Bentonville sits at the center of that story. The feature points art lovers to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and trail enthusiasts to the brand-new OZ Trails Bike Park, the new Gateway Park and the Compton, a hotel built for cyclists.

We took Nat Geo's picks and built them into a trip. Here's how to spend four days in Bentonville, with a day out into the wider Ozarks, like a Best of the World traveler.

Day 1: Check In and Gear Up

Fly into Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), a roughly 25-minute drive from downtown Bentonville. Before you leave the terminal, stop by the Crystal Bridges and Momentary satellite gallery for a preview of what's ahead.

Lunch: Wright's BBQ for a first taste of Arkansas barbecue or Crepes Paulette for vegetarian and vegan-friendly bites.

Check-in: The Compton, Nat Geo's pick for a home base. The hotel was designed with riders in mind: a dedicated cycling concierge, a bike valet that hands you a towel after your ride, and foam rollers in every room. Stop by the concierge desk to plan your rides for the week and reserve a bike if you didn't bring your own.

Afternoon: Ease in with a spin around downtown. Start at the Walmart Museum on the historic Square, then follow the paved trails to Lawrence Plaza and the downtown parks. Most of this itinerary is reachable by bike, so this is a good time to get comfortable on two wheels.

Dinner: Sestina, the Tuscan steakhouse inside the Compton. Book ahead, especially on weekends.

Day 2: Crystal Bridges, Bigger Than Ever

Coffee: Onyx Coffee Lab, the Northwest Arkansas roaster with a global following.

Morning: Ride or walk the trail to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The museum opened a 114,000-square-foot expansion in June 2026 that grew the building by 50%. In addition to reinstalling the entire permanent collection, the galleries include a Contemporary American Art Gallery, a second temporary exhibition gallery, a Creative Learning Hub with art-making studios, and a new north entrance. General admission is free.

Lunch: Quartz and Honey, the new cafe on the expansion's bridge gallery, with views over the ponds and woods. Eleven, the museum's original restaurant, is another good option.

Traveling with kids? The expansion added a plaza with a splash pad and a playground, plus five acres of new landscape, gardens and trails. Plan a break outside between galleries.

Afternoon: Explore the trails and outdoor sculpture on the museum's 130+ acre campus, then check what's on view in the temporary exhibition galleries. Major shows rotate and are ticketed.

Dinner: Preacher's Son, located in Bentonville’s oldest church. Finish with a nightcap at Celeste, the rooftop bar, or Undercroft, the speakeasy in the basement.

Day 3: Lift Laps and a New Park

Morning: Head to OZ Trails Bike Park at Highway 71 and Mercy Way on the Bentonville-Bella Vista line, Arkansas's first chairlift-served mountain bike park. A high-speed quad lift carries riders and their bikes to the top in about three minutes. From there, more than 20 miles of gravity trails drop roughly 300 feet back to the base, color-coded like ski runs from green to double black.

New to downhill? About 75% of the trails are built for beginner and intermediate riders. OZ Trails HQ at the base offers bike rentals, a bike school with pro-led instruction, a pump track, and a dirt jump zone.

Lunch: Ozzy's Ride and Dine at OZ Trails HQ, with a rooftop deck overlooking the lift. It comes from the team behind Bentonville’s standards: Oven and Tap, Superfine Ice Cream, and Townie Burgers & Bevvies

Afternoon: Head south to Gateway Park, Bentonville's newest green space. The roughly 100-acre park has 6 miles of beginner mountain bike trails, nearly 6 miles of paved greenways, and a 2/3-mile paved loop called the Cycle Ring. Skaters can try the skate park from the team that designed the 2024 Paris Olympics park. There's also a pump track, a playground, a Great Lawn, and a food truck plaza. Stop by Third Space Coffee, or say hello to adoptable pets at the Best Friends Pet Resource Center at the park's heart.

Dinner: Browse the food trucks at Gateway Park, or stop along 8th and Main for an easy refuel post-ride.

Bonus: Read our guide to Oz Bike Park!

Day 4: Bison, Bluffs and the Wider Ozarks

Morning:  Pick up coffee and drive about 60 miles northeast to Dogwood Canyon Nature Park in Lampe, Missouri. The 10,000-acre preserve straddles the state line, with limestone bluffs, waterfalls, trout streams and miles of hiking and biking trails.

Don't miss: The two-hour Wildlife Tram Tour, which crosses back into Arkansas to the pasture where bison, elk and longhorn cattle roam. Tours sell out, so reserve ahead; park admission is separate.

Lunch:  Canyon Grill inside the park.

Afternoon, pick one:

• Stay in the canyon to hike or bike the trails.

• Continue east to Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri, and take the golf cart tour at Top of the Rock, which winds past rock formations, through covered bridges and into caves. Big Cedar also makes an easy overnight if you want to stretch the trip.

Dinner:  Back in Bentonville, toast the trip on the downtown square, where dozens of restaurants sit within a few blocks.

Nat Geo's Picks: The Full List

Planning Notes

• Best season: Spring and fall bring mild riding weather, dogwood and redbud blooms in April and peak Ozark foliage in late October.
• Getting around: Downtown, Crystal Bridges, the Market District and 8th Street Gateway Park connect by paved trail. OZ Trails Bike Park is rideable from downtown for confident cyclists; otherwise, drive or rideshare. Dogwood Canyon and Big Cedar require a car.
• Bike rentals: The Compton's cycling concierge, OZ Trails HQ and shops near the square all rent bikes and e-bikes. Find the full list at visitbentonville.com/bike/resources.
• Check trail status: After heavy rain, check the Bentonville Trail Status page before you ride.
• Book ahead: Ryn, Sestina, and the Dogwood Canyon Wildlife Tram Tour all fill up. Reserve as far out as you can.

👉🏾 Read the full article on Nat Geo's website: The Best Places in the World to Travel to 2027