Unless you’ve been to Bentonville, it’s hard to put into perspective the experience of visiting Arkansas’s fastest-growing metro area. Located in the foothills of the Ozarks and bustling with business and entrepreneurship, this once sleepy little town with a population of no more than 30, today still feels like a modern-day version of the movie Pleasantville, with its white picket fences and pristine neighborhoods surrounding the heart of Bentonville’s community – its historical Downtown Square.
In the 1880s the square served as a watering place for livestock. In 1901, Bentonville shipped one-half million bushels of apples from its bounty of apple trees, which according to the U.S. Census Bureau at that time accounted for the largest number of bearing apple trees of any county in the United States. Eventually the city of Bentonville expanded around its Downtown Square and today more than 45,000 call this community in Northwest Arkansas home.
The largest retailer in the world had a little something to do with that too.
In 1950, Sam Walton opened Walton’s 5 and 10 store on the square, which now houses the official Walmart Visitors Center in Bentonville. It’s a must-see when you visit, as are the Walmart Museum attached to the 5 and 10 store and the Spark Café next door. You’ll find Sam Walton’s office the way he occupied it during his life and the iconic 1979 Ford F-150 Custom pickup truck that he drove, inside the museum. There are also tons of historical images and videos highlighting the incredible life of Walmart’s founder and that of his family. If you happen to be there during Walmart’s Shareholders Meeting week, like we were, the entire city of Bentonville is pretty much Walmart City.
Thousands of the company’s employees from around the world gather in Bentonville for the week to witness first-hand announcements from its leadership, to vote on company policies and amendments, and to socialize with one another at the slew of business and entertainment events that take place in Bentonville. This was our second time attending during Shareholders.
Even though we have been there primarily for business, each time we have visited we have gotten more attached to the city itself. We were actually surprised to discover how diverse and urban Bentonville is despite its relatively small 31.67-mile area. Our favorite restaurant so far is Yeyo’s Mexican Grill on 8th Street. The tacos there are so good and very authentic, as are the rest of the items on the menu. This place was a food truck the first time we visited and has expanded into its new storefront location amongst a hodgepodge of other trendy and up and coming business establishments that attract a young and eclectic crowd of Bentonvillians.
Come to think of it, a lot of Bentonville residents appear to be pretty young. The artisan coffee shops, bars and restaurants around the city reflect that. Since the downtown Bentonville area is pretty small it is quite conducive to travel by bicycle instead of vehicle. Walmart actually provides bicycles for its employees to ride to and from its headquarters near downtown.
There are also lots of options for patrons of the arts. The 21C Museum a few blocks from the Downtown Square houses a varying collection of contemporary art that is always interesting to explore. We spent our last day in Bentonville at the 21C Museum before heading over for a quick lunch at The Hive. It’s a fun spot for brunch on a casual weekend morning or afternoon – and their selection of cocktails is very refreshing.
If I had to pin-point just one place to see when you’re in Bentonville, however, I would have to say it is the Crystal Brides Museum of American Art. This museum sits on a 120-acre park complex that connects to downtown Bentonville and features a variety of natural trails. You can take an art trail or a crystal spring trail, even an orchard trail or a tulip tree trail – and those are just a few of the options available. The museum itself is built as a complex of connecting buildings that offer floor to ceiling vistas of the natural setting around the museum through glass windows, including bridges that overlook natural waterways in between exhibition spaces. A few of the collections extend into the outdoors and invite visitors to interact with them outside.
Entry to the museum is always free.
On this visit we biked from downtown to the Crystal Bridges Museum. Thankfully it was a downward ride and didn’t require as much physical exertion as an upward ride in the middle of the summer would have. Nonetheless, we opted to Uber back once we were ready to leave. The trail itself was gorgeous. Once I got going, the natural shade and the speed of the bicycle created a refreshing breeze that awakened the rest of my senses to the beauty surrounding me. I can only imagine these trails are that much more colorful and impressive during the fall.
The exhibitions inside the museum are just as impactful. A collection from Georgia O’Keefe and the exhibition We the People were on display during our visit.
Crystal Bridges also houses a restaurant and café that make it possible to spend more than a few hours appreciating the thought-provoking works of art housed within the museum at any given time. I always leave this museum with a new appreciation for the art and artists showcased, y eso that I’m not usually a huge patron of the arts. You can’t help but to feel like you’re in the midst of great American art and artists when you’re at Crystal Bridges.
We’ve driven ourselves around each time we have visited Bentonville instead of riding along in shuttles with the rest of our party, which made people jokingly start to call us Bentonvillians. What we didn’t let on is how much we started to like the idea of actually taking on that title, even if only on a part time basis for now. Bentonville is just the right mix of small town and big city that we like.
Who knows, maybe one day we might also call the city that surrounds the historical Downtown Square, home. Stranger things have happened.
There’s a Best Western Castlerock Inn & Suites in Bentonville that will make your visit as a rewards member that much more convenient, especially if you’re in the area for business. I have been a Best Western rewards member for years and try my best to find a Best Western hotel near where I am traveling. With the large number of Best Western hotels around the globe, there’s almost always one nearby offering the convenient amenities I have come to expect as a frequent traveler.