Heading down tomorrow (Friday 8/29) (Fayetteville, Rogers: apartments, how much, hotel)

[daterxies]

Finally heading on down to check things out after eagerly waiting for the past few months. If we like what we see and the feel we will come down for another week in the spring and make our final decision.

Its my wife and my 4 year old (Its gonna be a long drive for her.. luckily unlike when we were kids we have portable DVD players!)

We are going to be staying in Bentonville. We only have Saturday and Sunday to gather if the place interests us for sure.

Anyone for suggestions that will sell NWA as a place to live? Where should we check out thats kid friendly or even scenic drives / areas? Even though its early we want to kind of check out neighborhoods and all too to get the general feel of how things are and work down there

Is there any areas we should stay away / out of?

[bkern1989]

Originally Posted by daterxies

Finally heading on down to check things out after eagerly waiting for the past few months. If we like what we see and the feel we will come down for another week in the spring and make our final decision.

Its my wife and my 4 year old (Its gonna be a long drive for her.. luckily unlike when we were kids we have portable DVD players!)

We are going to be staying in Bentonville. We only have Saturday and Sunday to gather if the place interests us for sure.

Anyone for suggestions that will sell NWA as a place to live? Where should we check out thats kid friendly or even scenic drives / areas? Even though its early we want to kind of check out neighborhoods and all too to get the general feel of how things are and work down there

Well, for me...it was the hiking and many many waterfalls that sold me. But then again, that's one of the main things that brought me here before I even made my first trip. The first trip I made down here was supposed to be to check out neighborhoods and houses/apartments, but I instead spent the entire day hiking near Ponca. I think the art scene in Bentonville is enough to get anyone to be interested in the area. Since you're coming this weekend, I don't recommend any hiking as it's is simply too hot and too dry for that. Hardly any waterfalls actually flow in the Summer and it's prime time for bugs and snakes, though after a year and a half, I'm still yet to see my first snake here in Arkansas, which is a surprise considering how much hiking I do. As for Scenic drives, you'll enjoy that basically anywhere Southeast of Bentonville...all the way to I-40.

I'm not familiar with Fayetteville, but I haven't come across any neighborhoods in Rogers or Bentonville that would make me nervous walking down the street at night.

[nmnita]

almost all areas in and around Bentonville are safe, family friendly and welcoming. You can wander out to Beaver lake (of course it will be crowded as it is a 3 day holiday and the last big summer weekend) you can head for one of the wonderful and fun farmers markets, with the best being Bentonville on the square and Fayetteville on the square. There are a lot of places to go hiking and lots of little streams. You might want to just wander in and out of some family neighborhoods, but not knowing your housing budget it is hared to recommend which ones would work for you. The Washington county fair is ending tomorrow. I don't know if that is something you might want to check out. The hotel/motel you are staying in will probably have brochures with idea and for eating you will find the usual chains, plus some neat independent restaurants. I can think of a couple we really like. Again, this depends on your budget.

Now safe driving and we will pray for dry conditions for you. Nothing can damper a mini vacation like rain (no pun intended)

[gunslinger256]

if you're looking for a nice drive, you can drive out to hobbs state park along scenic rt 12
Events at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, Arkansas

or you can visit eureka springs and stop for candy/chocolate along the highway (can't remember the name, it's a bit pricey but the kids love it) and stop for gas at the "bus stop" for a truly gigantic "small" ice cream cone. Once you get to eureka springs, take a quick walk around the hilly neighborhood.

For kids stuff, they are building the amazeum which is a kid museum just across from the buckey ball outside of the crystal bridges museum drive. It's not open yet, but you can see where it is.

Finally, head over to bentonville town square to have some ice cream at the walmart museum and walk over towards 21c hotel where there's a water sprayer/fountain that kids love to run through. Go in the evening to see the lights.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by gunslinger256

if you're looking for a nice drive, you can drive out to hobbs state park along scenic rt 12
Events at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, Arkansas

or you can visit eureka springs and stop for candy/chocolate along the highway (can't remember the name, it's a bit pricey but the kids love it) and stop for gas at the "bus stop" for a truly gigantic "small" ice cream cone. Once you get to eureka springs, take a quick walk around the hilly neighborhood.

For kids stuff, they are building the amazeum which is a kid museum just across from the buckey ball outside of the crystal bridges museum drive. It's not open yet, but you can see where it is.

Finally, head over to bentonville town square to have some ice cream at the walmart museum and walk over towards 21c hotel where there's a water sprayer/fountain that kids love to run through. Go in the evening to see the lights.

I forgot about Eureka Springs, but I am guessing it will be bumper to bumper people this weekend because of the holiday. Bentonville square is a good idea and not only maybe ice cream, but lunch at the Station, they have super good food at reasonable prices. Of course we are giving all these ideas and the OP is probably on his way. Hopefully he will read these when he gets to Bentonville.

[gunslinger256]

Originally Posted by nmnita

not only maybe ice cream, but lunch at the Station

Agreed. Station has one of the best burgers in the area but their weekend hours are not great. I understand they use aquaponically grown lettuce for their burgers.

Flying fish is another great eatery in the square. Nice atmosphere.

[daterxies]

Thanks. Just got here about 30 mins ago. Honestly I was a little suprised how much traffic was backed up on 49 going towards Missouri around bella vista. Even off of SE Walton blvd the amount of traffic seems like quite a bit.. I thought traffic would be nowhere as bad as metro milwaukee but looks like the infrastructure here wasnt made for how much the area has grown. Maybe it is just bad timing with holiday weekend and hitting rush hour

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by gunslinger256

Agreed. Station has one of the best burgers in the area but their weekend hours are not great. I understand they use aquaponically grown lettuce for their burgers.

Flying fish is another great eatery in the square. Nice atmosphere.

I haven't been to flying Fish but have heard great things about it. Also we like Fred's for bar b cue but haven't been there in about a year.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by daterxies

Thanks. Just got here about 30 mins ago. Honestly I was a little suprised how much traffic was backed up on 49 going towards Missouri around bella vista. Even off of SE Walton blvd the amount of traffic seems like quite a bit.. I thought traffic would be nowhere as bad as metro milwaukee but looks like the infrastructure here wasnt made for how much the area has grown. Maybe it is just bad timing with holiday weekend and hitting rush hour

OK, let's start with a holiday weekend and work from there: Probably people were just getting out of or into town for the 3 day break. that is part of it, but as for the traffic on 49 or what most of us still call 71, from the MO line or actually about exit 98 until you get past Lowe's there are signals and yes, lots of traffic from about 7am til 8am and 4pm to about 5pm or so, depending on which direction you are traveling. The other 2 heavy traffic areas, specially during rush hour are: around exit 85 and 540, and exit 71 (412) a good part of the time, but it won't be anything like Milwaukee and when the Bella Vista bypass is complete, a good part of the BV backup will vanish. You can take a drive up to Bella Vista today, for instance, as long as it isn't raining and see, there is no traffic. Again, yes, exit 85, on both sides is some back up and yes, the area did outgrow the infrastructure, but it isn't as bad as it looked to you late yesterday. The big difference for us, at least, coming from some large metro areas is: the rush hour is just that, about an hour or two. Dallas, L.A. D.C. rush hour is from 6am to 10am and 3pm to 8pm. > e

[thegreenflute334]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I haven't been to flying Fish but have heard great things about it. Also we like Fred's for bar b cue but haven't been there in about a year.

There will be a bypass in the future. Arkansas is waiting on MO to see if they want the road widened from the end of AR to Missouri..

Eventually 49 will go all the way to Canada ( I think)