[LUGH]

Hi Folks.
On my way to the Bentonville/Rogers area next week to scout the area for a possible move. Where are the places I should visit to get a feel for both towns? I'm into the outdoors and coffee shops, not much into the bar scene. Worried that I might be a bit bored in Bentonville/Rogers (being single and early 40's), so living in Fayetteville and commuting is a consideration. Is the drive hectic at peak times?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[rackensack]

Originally Posted by LUGH

Hi Folks.
On my way to the Bentonville/Rogers area next week to scout the area for a possible move. Where are the places I should visit to get a feel for both towns? I'm into the outdoors and coffee shops, not much into the bar scene. Worried that I might be a bit bored in Bentonville/Rogers (being single and early 40's), so living in Fayetteville and commuting is a consideration. Is the drive hectic at peak times?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Locals may have a different take -- I went to high school in Fayetteville and my parents have been on the west side of Rogers (a mile or so from 540) for the last 22 years, but I've lived in the Atlanta area for two decades and only get to visit a couple of times a year. The traffic's "really bad" at times between Fayetteville and Bentonville by Arkansas standards, but barely merits mention by the standards of places with real traffic problems, like Atlanta, LA, DC, Dallas, etc. If you're used to "real" city traffic and commuting, it probably won't bother you at all to commute from Fayetteville.

Whether you'll be bored or not depends a whole lot on what you're used to -- if you're accustomed to small town life you'll probably think there's plenty to do, while if you're used to being in Manhattan and having those kinds of options, you may be bored senseless. There's all the outdoor activities you could ever want within easy reach of either Fayetteville or Bentonville/Rogers (well, except winter sports like skiing or snowmobiling, etc., or blue-water sailing), so there's no real difference there.

In order to get a sense of what each area is like, I'd say do as many of these things as you can -- go to the Rogers Historical Museum in downtown Rogers, as well as the WalMart museum in downtown Bentonville. Each of those will both give you some sense of what the history of the area's been like, as well as giving you a reason to see the downtown area of both towns. You should drive through the Scottsdale shopping center area right on the I-540 exit for US 71, as well as the Pinnacle Hills Mall area off I-540 just south/west or Rogers. Whether you like this sort of suburban retail development or not, you need to figure out whether you can live with it, because you're going to be getting more of it rather than less in Benton County.

As for Fayetteville, just spend some time along Dickson Street and the Square downtown. You may want to check out the new library, which has won awards since it opened a few years ago. Head up to the top of Mt Sequoyah. Drive back up US 71 from downtown out to Northwest Arkansas Mall.

Neither area is huge, and just spending some time in the areas mentioned will give you a reasonable feel for what they're like.

[bagelw]

While you're in Rogers go check out Iron Horse coffee in downtown while you're checking out the historical museum. You should also take a drive out hwy 12 to Beaver Lake and if you have time drive to Eureka Springs and walk around downtown there. You might also take a walk around Lake Atalanta just outside downtown Rogers. The Promenade is in west Rogers if you care about shopping.

Rackensack's suggestions in Fayetteville are good. Common Grounds is a coffee shop on Dickson to check out. Since you're into the outdoors, Devil's Den is about 30 minutes south of Fayetteville and Lake Wedington is about 15 minutes west of Fayetteville. You could take a scenic drive south on hwy 71 to artist point or if you enjoy a challenging drive that would make your passengers sick take hwy 23 to Ozark and back (AKA The Pigtrail). You might even consider just walking around the U of A campus.

I don't know Bentonville very well and never have a reason to go there. That will probably change when the new art museum opens.

[LUGH]

Thanks for the in-depth informative answers. I've already spent a few days in Fayetteville 2 months ago and it impressed me enough to check it out again 'in-session' to see if the traffic/lifestyle is chaotic with all the students around. I lived in Manhattan so traffic problems are relative. As far as boredom is considered, priorities are changing as I get older, so what was once deemed boring might be more appealing now.

[USAwanderer]

I'm non-single, and not in to the bar scene. Rogers being a dry town, would fill that need. And Beaver Lake is a big outdoor attraction. Fayetteville definitely has more to do, but more to do means more traffic and congestion.

As we drove up I-540 from Fort Smith to Rogers last night, over an hour after the Razorback game finished, traffic was unbelievable! Nothing but headlights for as far as you can see!! That continued from Fort-Smith up to F'ville. Crazy!

You may want to check out somewhere in between (Springdale, outskirts of Rogers near 412). Depending on where you will be working.

[bagelw]

Originally Posted by USAwanderer

I'm non-single, and not in to the bar scene. Rogers being a dry town, would fill that need. And Beaver Lake is a big outdoor attraction. Fayetteville definitely has more to do, but more to do means more traffic and congestion.

As we drove up I-540 from Fort Smith to Rogers last night, over an hour after the Razorback game finished, traffic was unbelievable! Nothing but headlights for as far as you can see!! That continued from Fort-Smith up to F'ville. Crazy!

You may want to check out somewhere in between (Springdale, outskirts of Rogers near 412). Depending on where you will be working.

Rogers and Bentonville traffic is just as bad as Fayetteville. It's actually worse in some areas. Try getting onto 540 off 102 after Wal-Mart HQ lets out. Game weekend traffic, especially an hour after a game lets out, is not a good example of what Fayetteville traffic is like all the time. If you had driven up 540 one hour before the game let out you'd hardly seen anyone on the road.

[GetmeoutofAR]

Bentonville/Rogers....hum probably Pea Ridge Battlefield, Pinnacle Hills Mall, War Eagle Mill, i'd reccomend taking a drive to Eureka Springs (amazing place)