[matto]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

Van Buren is a neat town in NW AR - and very close to all the things you've mentioned.

Prairie Grove is a very small town, and very, very neat....within spitting distance of Fayetteville, easy access to I-40...it's sort of SE of F'ville. Siloam Springs is almost to Oklahoma - again, a very neat small town. Bull Shoals and Flippin are pretty close to MO - I also love Jasper, but you're really not near any dining or entertainment meccas! Another place I absolutely adore is Mountain View, NE of Clinton - we have a cabin there and I would move there in a heartbeat - as it is, it's our getaway, stress-free zone. Mtn. View has singing on the town square in good weather - local artists, and it's just FUN. I guess you could go to Branson if you needed entertainment (I'd just as soon pull my tongue out with my fingernails as go to Branson! Too much traffic!) There's Blanchard Caverns there...the Ozark Folk Center - but frankly, once you've seen those actual sightseeing attractions, you've seen 'em....but there's the Buffalo River if you're into floating in a canoe, and that is an activity I could do on a really regular basis!

Log cabins are very popular everywhere, and you will have no trouble finding you a secluded spot. There are so many lakes and rivers in the northern third of the state it would be hard to pick one - I think Beaver Lake up past Springdale and Fayetteville would be a favorite for me, but Bull Shoals runs a close second.

Any kids or anything to consider here?

Van Buren isn't really a "NW arkansas" town, but it's not far from. It's growing quickly, there is actually an article in the local news about the amount of growth both population and commercial it's seeing. Low crime, too.

[debidog824]

Well Sam - you certainly have given me plenty to look at....and I will ! We are heading out that way in Sept to check out Hot Springs - Little Rock and all the way out to Mena. We hope to get up to Heber Springs/Greers Ferry area as well. Mount Ida looks like a great place and certainly not too far from Little Rock. I like the idea of being within an hour or two of Little Rock...nice to be able to catch a plane and visit relatives etc.
I will do some looking into Conway and Perryville..they sound like great little areas as well. Thanks for all the tips...keep them coming!!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by debidog824

Well Sam - you certainly have given me plenty to look at....and I will ! We are heading out that way in Sept to check out Hot Springs - Little Rock and all the way out to Mena. We hope to get up to Heber Springs/Greers Ferry area as well. Mount Ida looks like a great place and certainly not too far from Little Rock. I like the idea of being within an hour or two of Little Rock...nice to be able to catch a plane and visit relatives etc.
I will do some looking into Conway and Perryville..they sound like great little areas as well. Thanks for all the tips...keep them coming!!

just a matter of opinion for what it is worth, I would look at Conway before Van Buren. Again, just a thought.

Nita

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by nmnita

just a matter of opinion for what it is worth, I would look at Conway before Van Buren. Again, just a thought.

Nita

Nita, did ya'll go to VB on your journey? I can't remember - maybe someone from VB could give some deeper insight, or a recent visitor from out of state. Lots of Conway folks on here to tell about their town, too...I always look at towns in Arkansas as a fun place to visit, but only because I'm going home at the end of the day - I'm sure everything looks completely different if you're considering setting up a residence there. Good point.

Debi - there are several colleges in Conway as well, which makes the population wax and wane with the changing of the seasons, but there are a number of larger employers there - Kimberly Clark and all the major chains, just about...obviously much closer to Little Rock and the really nice dining and entertainment.

Thanks, Nita!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

Nita, did ya'll go to VB on your journey? I can't remember - maybe someone from VB could give some deeper insight, or a recent visitor from out of state. Lots of Conway folks on here to tell about their town, too...I always look at towns in Arkansas as a fun place to visit, but only because I'm going home at the end of the day - I'm sure everything looks completely different if you're considering setting up a residence there. Good point.

Debi - there are several colleges in Conway as well, which makes the population wax and wane with the changing of the seasons, but there are a number of larger employers there - Kimberly Clark and all the major chains, just about...obviously much closer to Little Rock and the really nice dining and entertainment.

Thanks, Nita!

We did and we were not impressed. Although we didn't spend time in Conway (we only had so much time and so many places to check out) form what I have read and researched Conway is a very progressive area, some culture and would be a great place for lots of those relocating from other states. I don't know what it was about Van Buren, but it wasn't us.

Nita

[magrack]

Originally Posted by nmnita

just a matter of opinion for what it is worth, I would look at Conway before Van Buren. Again, just a thought.

Nita

I'd look at Greenbrier before either of them and it's not too far from Conway for major shopping needs. or potential employment.

[debidog824]

Conway does sound like a great place... I want to close to a place like that...for the shopping and dining...maybe take some college courses etc...but I do not want to live in the "thick" of it all!! Seems like a good place to check out though for the employment stuff. Again...thank you Sam

[matto]

Originally Posted by nmnita

We did and we were not impressed. Although we didn't spend time in Conway (we only had so much time and so many places to check out) form what I have read and researched Conway is a very progressive area, some culture and would be a great place for lots of those relocating from other states. I don't know what it was about Van Buren, but it wasn't us.

Nita

I'm not familiar with Conway, but do live in the Van Buren area. Unfortunately we're held back by the no alcohol, which deters some business, but it's a growing city and we're getting some nice things moving in. This week our theatre opens, not too many cities of our size can say they have a new theatre, or a theatre at all. Hopefully one day we'll become a wet county and see more restuarants and business move in. It's a safer alternative to Fort smith.

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by matto

I'm not familiar with Conway, but do live in the Van Buren area. Unfortunately we're held back by the no alcohol, which deters some business, but it's a growing city and we're getting some nice things moving in. This week our theatre opens, not too many cities of our size can say they have a new theatre, or a theatre at all. Hopefully one day we'll become a wet county and see more restuarants and business move in. It's a safer alternative to Fort smith.

Conway is dry as a bone, too.....the up side is that Morrilton isn't far and it's wet, and Little Rock/Maumelle isn't too far away but far enough away from the I-430/630 speedway that you feel a little removed - although I still think that 5:00 traffic westbound is just horrible - as is the EB traffic starting about 6:30 a.m....

Morrilton - a wide spot in the road that's wet - Conway, much larger - Russellville, much larger - both dry. Go figure.

[matto]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

Conway is dry as a bone, too.....the up side is that Morrilton isn't far and it's wet, and Little Rock/Maumelle isn't too far away but far enough away from the I-430/630 speedway that you feel a little removed - although I still think that 5:00 traffic westbound is just horrible - as is the EB traffic starting about 6:30 a.m....

Morrilton - a wide spot in the road that's wet - Conway, much larger - Russellville, much larger - both dry. Go figure.

Well, in that case fort smith is one mile away across the bridge and it's wet. I'm not real familiar with Conway, driven through before and it looks nice, but I'm not sure what would make it stand out and above van buren so much.