Make your next family vacation easy. We’ve done some legwork to help you plan your trip to Northwest Arkansas. Find out where to eat and what to do in this Ozarks region. From waterfalls to the best mountain biking trails in the world, this is a nature lover's dream vacation.
Heads up: This page contains Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click and buy—we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read more about it here.
Here’s our itinerary for a family trip to Northwest Arkansas.
Whether you’re looking for an action-packed 3-day trip or you want to spread it out over a full week, you can tweak this itinerary to meet your family’s needs.
Day 1: Fayetteville
Our first pick for destinations is Fayetteville, Arkansas. It’s a fun town painted with murals and decorated with sculptures. Being a college town, there are plenty of things to do to get the whole family excited.
Where to Stay: Get the whole house to yourself in this adorable and affordable 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom Fayetteville vacation rental. With a fenced in yard for your dog and patio for hanging out together outside, there’s plenty of space for the whole family. It has a game room with ping pong table, air hockey table, arcade style basketball, and more. Plus, the owner even provides bicycles for your use during your stay. See pictures, rates, and availability.
Breakfast: Start your day bright and early with the most unique coffee in the world. Onyx Coffee Labs brings you some of the best brews at this Fayetteville Coffee House and it opens at 6:30 on weekdays or 7 on weekends. If you love coconut, you’ve got to try their FOMO. Grab a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast croissant and blueberry muffin top and get this adventure started!
Morning: Get moving and start your day exploring Fayetteville by checking out the Razorback Greenway at the Southwest edge of town. This amazing paved trail runs 40 miles through Northwest Arkansas, but it starts in Fayetteville with Mile 0 inside Kessler Mountain Park. See if you can find the trailhead! After that, get into nature with a rugged Waterfall Hike inside Devil’s Den State Park (a short drive about 30 minutes South of Fayetteville).
Lunch: For lunch, head back to Fayetteville and sit down for a meal at the famous Black Bear Diner and order some comfort food. The Chicken Fried Steak has excellent reviews and the interactive kids menu will keep everyone occupied with puzzles while you wait for your grub. For fun, count how many bears you can spot from your seat and admire some hand-carved wooden bears here, too.
Afternoon: Go back in time and spend the rest of your day at this retro arcade. Arkadia Retrocade opens after noon and stays open late on most days (til midnight on weekends). You can’t beat the price for this good old fashioned fun. It’s $5 to get in and all the games are free to play.
If gaming isn’t your thing, you could go on a Street Art Scavenger Hunt around town. Check out the interactive map that has over 100 pins of artsy things to find in Fayetteville!
Dinner: Wind down your day with a casual dinner at some of the best Food Trucks around. There are no less than three hotspots where you’ll find congregations of food trucks in Fayetteville. Drop by Dickson Street, College Ave, or S. Government Ave to find your favorite feast to-go.
Day 2: Bentonville
Next up, we’ve selected Bentonville, Arkansas for your second stop on your family vacation in the Ozarks. Bentonville is known as the Mountain Biking Capital of the World! You’ll find out why as soon as you arrive.
Where to Stay: Check-in to comfort with this cozy, pet-friendly, two-bedroom vacation rental in downtown Bentonville. This stay is conveniently located right by the Square where all the action happens and not far from the trails either! See location, photos & availability (sleeps 6). Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can always reserve a campsite at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve.
Breakfast: Sleep in and then get fancy with Crepes Paulette around 10am for a late breakfast. Crepes Paulette is a very unique spot to eat, you won’t want to miss this incredible experience! Whether you’re looking for sweet, savory, or a mix of the two, you’ve got dozens of options to try. Taste these popular crepes flavors: “la Strawberry Cheesecake,” “la Beast,” or “la S’more”. Your kids will love getting up close to the cooks to watch them make these special treats. It’s an experience your family will remember, for sure!
Morning: After breakfast (or before), head out on two wheels to the mountain biking trails. There’s a reason we’ve written an entire post on how to rent bikes in Bentonville. Just make sure you book your rentals a few weeks in advance because they book up fast. Here’s a trail downtown that you won’t want to miss: All American Mountain Biking Trail or spend the day at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. If you have little kids, spend a few hours at the Bentonville Bike Playground which is right next to a dog park.
Never tried mountain biking?
Here’s a Beginner’s Mountain Biking Guide for Families to get you started.
Lunch: Grab lunch on the go in downtown Bentonville. There is no shortage of places to eat in Bentonville. Satisfy everyone’s food preferences with Food Trucks at 8th Street Market or Osage Park Food Truck Court. Or, get some legendary BBQ at Wright’s Barbecue near Lawrence Plaza, which just happens to be next to Lawrence Plaza and the start of the All American Mountain Biking Trail.
Afternoon: Go on a scavenger hunt to discover the neatest parts of Bentonville. Find our custom-made Bentonville scavenger hunt here. Other places you’ll find while on your scavenger hunt where you may want to spend a couple hours include (pick one) an interactive art tour at Crystal Bridges, Scott Family Amazeum, and the Museum of Native American History.
Dinner: Make reservations and enjoy an evening of Upscale Dining in Bentonville at The Preacher’s Son. This restaurant is located inside a restored Gothic Revival church and it opens at 5pm nightly. If you want to go more casual, try out Tusk & Trotter for a Tusk Burger or a Truffle Shuffle. See more places to eat in Bentonville.
Day 3: Siloam Springs
The last Ozarks town on this Northwest Arkansas family vacation itinerary is Siloam Springs, Arkansas. This quaint little town sits just minutes from the Oklahoma border and is known for its water, which Native American cultures believe contains healing properties.
Where to Stay: End your vacation in this tranquil vacation rental and enjoy a personal waterfall right on the property. Check it out here. This cute little cottage sleeps a family of 5 and has a spacious outdoor deck with waterfront views. Bonus: there’s a hot tub and fire pit, too. It’s the perfect retreat for relaxing before returning back to the daily grind.
Breakfast: Start your day off in a fun environment that is sure to wake you up with some Doomsday Coffee. This place also does breakfast right, try their brisket egg breakfast sandwich or breakfast tacos. The food here will not disappoint!
Morning: After breakfast, take a stroll around downtown Siloam Springs for some boutique shopping. There are all sorts of boutiques, including Steampunk Alley. After shopping, make sure you make the 5 minute drive to see the beautiful waterfall at Natural Falls State Park. This park has the most accessible waterfall hike I’ve ever been on! It’s a short hike and you’ll take in sights of the beautiful waterfall from multiple viewpoints.
Lunch: The Park House Kitchen + Bar serves some of the best “bar & grill food” around. Fill your belly with an Ozark Mountain Salad or a Green Goddess Grilled Cheese. They also have a good selection of burgers and some comfort food options like chicken and waffles.
Afternoon: End your adventure in the Ozarks at Siloam Springs Kayak Park. At this neat swimming hole, you can wade, swim, fish, kayak, tube, picnic, or just hang out and watch kayakers try out their skills on the engineered rapids.
If you don’t want to get wet, try geocaching to see where it takes you and you might find something pretty neat. Of course, you can always just go back to the vacation rental to relax and enjoy the sounds of nature to finish off the perfect Ozarks family vacation.
Dinner: Who Doesn’t Love Pizza? La Torcia Brick Oven Pizza serves some pretty delicious thin crust pizza. There’s plenty of other options on the menu, too—like their loaded chicken bacon ranch quesadillas and Oreo Brownie Pizza for dessert. Bonus: they deliver.
We hope that you enjoyed this itinerary for a family vacation in Northwest Arkansas. It’s enough to keep you busy all week if you decide to stay a couple nights in each town and spread the activities out with more relaxation in between.
If you liked this itinerary, please let us know in the comments below, and let us know if you have any fun stops or experiences to add!