Posted on 08/29/2018 2:51:51 PM PDT by MplsSteve
The wife and I are planning a trip down to southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas in late September/early October. We're planning on hitting some national parks along the way - Fort Scott NHS, George Washington Carver NM, Wilson's Creek NB, etc.
It's gonna be a leisurely "We'll leave from Kansas City and start driving and see where we end up" kind of trip. There's no set itinerary other than we'll be down that way for about 5 days or so.
I've requested the usual travel guides - state of Arkansas, state of Missouri, Springfield Mo CVB, etc. But I'm looking for any inside or lesser known info such as places to stay (where I won't get bedbugs or robbed), places to eat (where my chances of getting sick are low to none) and other things to see.
As much as I'd like to, I'm not thinking we'll make it to Branson or too deep into the Ozarks. We'll probably go no further south than maybe Fayetteville. And no, I do no wanna see anything related to that scumbag Bill Clinton!
Like I said, I'm looking for anything - how safe are the communities, etc. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Once you cross the border into Arkansas you won’t need your shoes and there will not be any indoor plumbing.
Just south of Joplin and north of Neosho is Hatfield’s Meats. Best smoked meats for a thousand miles. Bring a big cooler. You can’t go wrong with anything, but I’m partial to the bacon, beef sticks, and the whole smoked chickens. Everything’s good, though.
Thorne Crown Chapel while modest in size is magnificent if not too crowded. Three others have recommended it. I took an architect friend of mine from Mexico there and he was overcome with emotion and had to sit down. It was morning light breaking through after a shower. Designed by Fay Jones whom the School of Architecture at Arkansas is named after. If you understand what it took to create it in its setting it is awesome.
Fred’s Hickory Inn in NW Arkansas is a good stop.
If you have little kids try Silver Dollar City.
For a trip back to the 1890s stay at the Cresent Inn in Eureka Springs. Old but interesting. I was there the night Nixon preformed the Saturday Night Massacre.
There is a fly fishing store between Lebanon and Bennett Springs that is famous and like Fibber McGee’s closet. I would pay to just bring a stool and sit in it. Reading’s Fly is the name. Weavers is also interesting.
If writing and history is your bag go to the home and museum where Laura Engels Wilder wrote her books in Mansfield, MO. My wife has been twice in the last eight years and would go every year if we had the time.
You just missed the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout which is a giant high speed boat race weekend. Amateurs and pros. Big and little.
Look up Big Cedar Lodge. It is owned by the guy that founded Bass Pro Shops. It is very unique. It is south of Branson.
Remember in your planning and what looks like a short distance may take more time on winding Ozark roads.
Super safe in NWA. Stay away from Mexican chicken fights and dog fights and you’ll be fine. Drunk driving from local college your biggest threat. Great food up there. If you get past Conway into Central Arkansas, have body armor and spare magazines.
My neighborhood! I use to go a lot, now I like to float the rivers east of there for smallmouth.
I'd suggest eating at Smith's, either in Collins, Mo or Bolivar.
GWC park in Diamond is really nice, very interesting. Came away with a ton of respect for him. The NRA gun museum in Bass Pro is pretty cool. Also neat is College of the Ozarks outside of Branson. The Keeter Center hotel is a great place to stay and the restaurant there is very good. On campus is the Ralph Foster Ozarks History museum, I went through it when my daughter was a student there, the Smithsonian of the Ozarks!
I’ll add one vote for Crystal Bridges Art Museum in Bentonville. It’s free but an admission fee is charged for traveling exhibits. Check their calendar and, if it is in your travel schedule, the “cultural” evenings with dinner may look pricey but it’s an outstanding experience. If you stop in Springfield, next to the Bass Pro Shop is Wonders of Wildlife which has a fantastic aquarium...it’s big, big, big and takes about three hours to see it all; freshwater and saltwater sea life plus alligators, sharks, endless varieties of fish.
We haven’t been there, but if you are so inclined, the Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City should be worthwhile.
Go 680 miles west on I-70 to Fairplay, CO. The scenery is a lot better. Be prepared for some wheezing at 11,000 feet, however.
LOCK AND LOAD, STAY OUT OF W. MEMPHIS, AR.
I’ve seen pictures of Bass Pro Shops HQ. It’s just insane. Easily a full day could be spent there.
Also, along a line from St Louis to Springfield are *thousands* of caves, including some pretty big ones.
I highly recommend Turpentine Creek, Eureka Springs, AR. They have dedicated their lives to rescuing and saving the big cats, who live in beautiful large enclosures. They have lodges for overnight stays, and you can hear the big cats at night. A delightful experience you will never forget.
https://www.turpentinecreek.org/
I second Big Cedar Lodge. Also check out Top of the Rock. Beautiful. Hot Springs, AR is pretty neat and route 7 going north out of Hot Springs through the Ouachita National forest is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve taken.
I’ve never been there, but the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, has been pointed out to me as a worthy place to visit for anyone going into north-west Arkansas. The museum was found by Sam Walton’s daughter, Alice Walton. It was founded in 2011, so it’s fairly new.
There is a Frank Lloyd-Wright Pavilion on the museum’s grounds and a restaurant called “Eleven.”
You can read more about it before making the effort (I wouldn’t want to steer the OP wrong on a place I’ve never visited) on Wikipedia and at their website. Search for: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.