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Come share the good times in the Arkansas towns scattered throughout the seven counties of the Arkansas' South Region in the south central part of the state of Arkansas. Join the fun and excitement of our many colorful and unique festivals and events with themes from purple hull peas to tomatoes to
hogskin holidays to daffodils to railroads, armadillos, rodeos, music, magnolia blossoms and more.
Things to Do
There are many things to do in Arkansas, so enjoy your time while visiting the beautiful southern region of the Natural State. There are fun things to do for all ages as well as endless opportunities for southern cultural activities such as seeing the Arkansas historic sights, visiting the area's many parks and museums, as well as recreational activities, shopping and lots of great places to enjoy a meal.
Ashley County
Crossett, Hamburg, Fountain Hill - Timber Industry History
Felsenthal NWR has plenty of fishing holes for you to try |
Pine and hardwood forests cover the landscape. Deer hunters and fisherman treasure our part of the state. Two huge wildlife refuges are havens for birds and birdwatchers. Our cities are known for hospitality, timber industry and pioneer heritage. Ashley County, the youngest county in Arkansas, prides itself on being home to the largest industrial complex in the state.
Ashley County Attractions
Hamburg - Visit the Ashley County Museum, charming town square and Old Veterans Memorial. Enjoy the Armadillo Festival.
Crossett - See Crossland Zoo, one of only two licensed zoos in the state, and tour the Old Crossett Company House, a "shotgun" mill house built before 1910.
Fountain Hill - Pick up some nostalgia at the old general store built in the early 1900s, along with some great syrups and fresh vegetables. Celebrate Fountain Hill's pioneer heritage during Frontier Days.
Wilmot - One of the county's first settlements; home of Lake Enterprise.
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge Hiking Trails - The Sand Prairie woodland trail meanders through the refuge. One can choose the short one-mile trail or go the distance of the three-mile trail to enjoy the abundant wildlife. The Refuge Visitors Center is a great place to start.
Lake Georgia-Pacific - Great fishing; facilities include campsites with hookups.
Levi-Wilcoxin Demonstration Forest - Just west of Hamburg, enjoy local wildlife and vegetation in its natural state.
Specialty shops galore - Are everywhere in Ashley County.
RV Park on the Ouachita River.
Bradley County
Warren, Banks, Hermitage - Pink Tomato Capitol
Bradley County Courthouse at Warren |
Tomato lovers, this is a heavenly patch! The Bradley County Pink is the world's best-tasting tomato. Schedule your visit during the summer harvest - and the Pink Tomato Festival at Warren in June - and you're in for delicious good times. A trip to Bradley County also puts you in the thick of The Natural State's great out-of-doors: tall pines, bottomland hardwoods, cypress sloughs - we've got it all. And that means terrific fishing and hunting opportunities.
Bradley County Attractions
Kartways of Arkansas - Arkansas' only sanctioned sprint car track, located on 100 acres just west of Warren. 1/5-mile asphalt oval and 1/2-mile asphalt sprint courses. Both tracks fully lighted for night racing.
Warren - Tour homes and buildings listed on the National Register and the quaint historic square with antique shops and down-home dining. Come back in December for the glittering spectacle of our Christmas Lights and Tour of Homes.
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge - Huge tract covering part of the county is popular for bird watching, hunting and fishing.
Moro Bay State Park - One of the county's most popular spots for fishing and water sports. Includes campsites, picnic area, store, marina, pavilion, interpretive programs and the Moro Bay Ferry exhibit.
Saline and Ouachita Rivers - These two streams which form part of the county's borders also create a fisherman's paradise.
Bradley County Park - Forty-acre Warren park features a lake, picnic grounds and pavilions, basketball and tennis courts.
Bed and Breakfasts - Charming new lodgings at Warren offer gracious hospitality in the Southern style.
Calhoun County
Hampton, Thornton, Harrell, Locust Bayou, Woodberry - History, Fishing
Calhoun County Annual Rodeo |
Old South charm beckons to you from the rivers and lakes of Calhoun County and from our quaint main street squares and pristine outdoor settings. Come share the good times at our Hogskin Holidays celebration, meet our friendly people and learn about our colorful history.
Calhoun County Attractions
Champagnolle Creek - Cypress trees, wild holly, good fishing, bird watchers' paradise; nominated for the state's Natural and Scenic Rivers System.
Tri-County Lake - One of our best "fishing holes."
Hampton and Calhoun County - Boasting native sons Harry Thomason, TV producer of "Designing Women" and "Evening Shade" fame, and Charles B. Pierce of "Legend of Boggy Creek" fame. Visit the historic courthouse on the square featured in "Evening Shade."
Hogskin Holidays - April festival at Hampton celebrating Calhoun County heritage. Learn the story of how this name came to be. Hint: "hog rustling" was a problem in early days.
Calhoun County Park - Natural area including picnic facilities, softball complex and riding arena, home to annual Rodeo.
Woodberry Park - Natural area with pristine forest and plant life, natural springs, hiking trails and picnic pavilion.
Old Lock 8 - Located off Hwy. 167 South on the Ouachita River. Favorite of fishermen and hunters.
Calhoun County Annual Rodeo - Held at Hampton the second weekend in April, the rodeo has been a popular Calhoun County attraction for the past 12 years. Top ARA and IPRA competition is featured.
Dallas County
Fordyce, Sparkman, Manning - Antiques, Railroad History
Discover gentle rolling hills and tall pine forests. Antique fanciers come to find treasures in Fordyce and Manning. Celebrate our railroad heritage at the Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Festival and eat at Klappenbach Bakery
Some of the wonders of Klappenbach |
Dallas County Attractions
Ouachita and Saline Rivers - Popular fisheries for largemouth bass and panfish. A focal point for white-tailed deer hunting.
Tri-County Lake - Sport fishing for bass, crappie, catfish, bluegill and redear sunfish. First Game and fish Commission lake built in South Arkansas.
Wynne Phillips House Bed and Breakfast - Two-story home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the top 10 luxury affordable Bed and Breakfasts in the U.S., according to Country Inn magazine.
Downtown Fordyce - Mainstreet Antique Mall, Presbyterian Church featuring 36 stained glass windows and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and downtown murals.
Klappenbach Bakery - Fordyce landmark internationally known for its baked goods and deli sandwiches. The bakery does a large mail-order business. Voted Arkansas' Best Bakery, Arkansas Times magazine.
Charlotte Street Historic District - Nice collection of structures on the National Register, including Charles Thompson designs.
Festivals - Have fun at our Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Festival, fourth Saturday in April and Annual Fordyce Autumn Jamboree and Craft Show in late October.
Dallas County Museum - Fordyce; walk through Dallas County history in our time line exhibit, Dr. T.E. Rhine exhibit (runners-up for doctor of the year in 1950s) and "Bear" Bryant exhibit.
Fordyce Chamber of Commerce - For more information about business or fun in Fordyce, please contact the Fordyce Chamber of Commerce.
Columbia County
Magnolia, Emerson, Waldo - Logoly State Park, Murals, Farm and Marsh Tours
If Southern Charm, historic homes, magnolia blossoms and warm hospitality sound good - Columbia County is your next stop. Magnolia is your headquarters for unique shopping, dining and entertainment. From Southern Arkansas University to Logoly State Park to Lake Columbia fishing, there's something for everyone.
Blossom Festival (in paint) at Magnolia |
Columbia County Attractions
Lake Columbia - 3,000 acre reservoir is a big hit with anglers, boaters and skiers.
Logoly State Park - Interpreters show off this 345-acre "State Natural Area" filled with unique plant life.
City of Magnolia - Thriving downtown with many fine shops; Courthouse Square is right out of a Faulkner novel. Magnolia trees everywhere. 1900s courthouse listed on National Register. Main Street Magnolia features shopping "like it used to be."
Downtown Magnolia - See historically-themed murals painted on building walls, including "Movie Magic," signed by actor Charlton Heston and featuring his film roles as Moses in "The Ten Commandments" and as "Ben Hur."
Big Boy Toys - Southwestern art gallery, collectibles and unique gifts in Magnolia.
Tours - Southern Arkansas University offers a tour of its showcase agricultural school and the Ozmer House, an 1883 dogtrot-type structure. Albemarle Corporation's Artificial Marsh Tour shows you wildlife and over 80,000 plants.
Emerson - Enjoy their PurpleHull Pea Festival and the world-famous Rotary Tiller Races featured on ESPN.
Ouachita County
Camden, Stephens - Historic Structures, Civil War Battlegrounds
Tour a Civil War battleground where Confederate soldiers captured a Union supply train during the Union's Red River Campaign. Tour a beautiful Old South home at Camden which both sides used as headquarters during the conflict. Visit Stephens where oil was first discovered in Arkansas. Take a driving tour and see many historic structures. Stay in a bed-and-breakfast inn and sample Ouachita County charm.
The steaks are blooming at Camden's Daffodil Festival |
Ouachita County Attractions
Camden - Located on the banks of the Ouachita River, the city is steeped in history and there's plenty for lovers of antiques to enjoy. Visit the restored 1913 Missouri Pacific Depot featuring displays of Mo-Pac, Civil War, Grapette, Camark Pottery and transportation. Tour the McCollum-Chidester House Museum, open daily Wednesday thru Saturday 9:00 a.m.
til 4:00 p.m.
Poison Spring Battleground Historical Monument - Marks the area where Confederate soldiers captured a Union supply train in 1864 during the Union's Red River Campaign. Hiking trail and picnic sites. Re-enactment second weekend of March.
White Oak Lake State Park - Centerpiece is White Oak Lake, a favorite fishing spot. Abundant wildlife, trails and campsites.
Driving Tour of Homes - See the Art Deco county courthouse, Oakland (Confederate) Cemetery, McCollum-Chidester House built in 1847 and over 20 other homes listed on the National Register. Visit the Clifton-Greening Street Historic District.
BPW Barn Sale - An annual event since 1968, the sale has become one of South Arkansas' major arts and crafts festivals.
Camden Daffodil Festival - Millions of daffodils, arts and crafts, and private garden tours, 2nd weekend in March.
Annual Wild Turkey Calling Contest - Held in Camden, an event in conjunction with the Daffodil Festival and sanctioned by the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Union County
El Dorado, Junction City, Norphlet, Smackover - Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources, South Arkansas Arboretum
Visit the beautifully restored downtown districts of El Dorado and Smackover and their quaint shops. Learn the saga of the Arkansas oil boom. See the world's largest green tree reservoir and many more exciting things to see and do in Union County, the deer hunting capital of Arkansas.
Sample the fun in downtown
El Dorado |
Union County Attractions
Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources - State museum near Smackover tells the story of the 1920s oil boom in South Arkansas and the oil and brine industry past, present and future.
Norphlet Crater - 600 ft. in diameter and over 100 ft. deep, this was created in 1922 by a natural gas explosion by oil well drillers. North of El Dorado.
Historic El Dorado Square - Beautifully restored 1920s and '30s businesses, ornate county courthouse, restaurants, specialty shops and nine National Register structures, including John Newton House, ca. 1848.
El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex - First-class softball and baseball facilities, including two multi-faceted pavilions complete with picnic/playground areas and RV hookups. Only fully-handicap accessible complex of its kind in the state.
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge - Nearly half of its 65,000 acres are in Union County. Terrific resource for studying wildlife and nature, hunting and fishing.
Calion Lake and Ouachita River - Fishing and water sports.
South Arkansas Arboretum - Gorgeous urban setting features 17 acres of paved nature trails and beautifully arranged ponds and many species of flowers and trees, including a gazebo and restrooms.
Junction City - 100-year-old town on the Arkansas-Louisiana state line. Come stand on the corner where two states, one county, two parishes and three congressional districts all meet. Junction City celebrates ArkLa Fest the weekend after Labor Day, a festival of unity that combines "the best of both states."
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