Arkansas is a state on the western side of theSouthern United States. It calls itself "the Natural State".
The northern part of the state is mountainous and forested, with the northwestern corner being home to the scenicOzark Mountains and the economically booming Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers-Bentonville area. The western-central area is home to theOuachita Mountains, while the southern and south-eastern part of the state is part of theMississippi Delta, with rice and cotton fields and flat, sweeping vistas.Little Rock, the capital, lies near the center of the state.
| Central The center of the state includes the state capitalLittle Rock andConway |
| Delta The eastern section of the state along theMississippi River Delta includesJonesboro andWest Memphis |
| Ozarks The northwest and north central areas of the state that includesFayetteville,Bentonville and the historic town ofEureka Springs. Also home to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. |
| Ouachitas West central part of the state that is home to the Ouachita mountains (including the state's highest peak, Mt. Magazine) and Ouachita National Forest |
| River Valley The area in northwest Arkansas along the Arkansas river and includesFort Smith andRussellville |
| Timberlands The southern section of the state and includesEl Dorado,Magnolia,Pine Bluff,Hope, andTexarkana (a city that is in both Arkansas andTexas) |
Arkansas' official nickname is "The Natural State", and that tells you a lot. It has greatstate parks throughout the state, with wilderness comprising broadleaf forests. The northwest boasts the Ozark Mountains while the south and east of the state has flatter land and shows more of its agricultural heritage. The Mississippi River forms the eastern border of the state and gives a great blues music heritage, great country music elsewhere (Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell were Arkansans) and folk and bluegrass everywhere. There are wonderful state parks with camping facilities and some with cabins. The Buffalo River has majestic scenery and easy canoe float trips (but go in late spring to be sure there is enough water). The summer ishot and humid with average heat indices ranging between73 °F (23 °C) at night and100 °F (38 °C) during the day, but heat indices can climb as high as110 °F (43 °C) and not go below80 °F (27 °C) at night on some particularly hot days. Spring and autumn are wetter but mostly from intermittent heavy rain showers. Winter brings a little snow, but this time of year can still be humid. Spring is tornado season.
The spelling and pronunciation of "Arkansas" (it is always ar-kan-saw or ark-an-saw,not ar-kansas) reflect the state's heritage. The name is a French pronunciation of a Siouxan word meaning "land of downriver people" and was prescribed by law in 1881. It is still illegal to mispronounce the name (the law contains a clause stating that "the pronunciation with the accent on the second syllable with the sound of 'a' in 'man' and the sounding of the terminal 's' is an innovation to be discouraged"), so be careful!
Natives and residents of Arkansas are called Arkansans, though the older "Arkansawyers" is also still used.
English is the prevalent language in virtually the entire state - although Spanish has become much more apparent in Northwestern Arkansas. Many rural (and quite a few urban) Arkansans have distinctive southern accents and dialects, which is generally a source of pride. The Arkansas accent is more akin to an Oklahoma or Texas accent than the "Deep South" accent, though it has elements of both. Speakers of English as a second language may face difficulty with understanding some speakers with strong accents.
The state's accent is often a blend of General American and Southern accents. In the southern and eastern parts, a classic Arkansas accent is more noticeable, while in Little Rock and the northern region (especially the densely populated northwest corner), General American English is the dominant dialect.
Relatively few Arkansans are truly bilingual, and menus, signs, and other information is rarely presented in a language other than English; Spanish is by far the most common second language.
Little Rock National Airport (LIT IATA)serves central Arkansas, while Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA IATA) located nearBentonville serves the Northwest region of the state. Aside from private airports, other airports that may be more convenient can be found inFort Smith,Texarkana,Tulsa, Oklahoma, andMemphis, Tennessee.
Amtrak serves the state via its once-dailyTexas Eagle train that runs betweenChicago andSan Antonio, with through-cars to and fromLos Angeles three times a week. Cities served in the state includeLittle Rock,Texarkana and Walnut Ridge, just outsideJonesboro. Unfortunately, southbound trains arrive in the middle of the night while northbound ones arrives late evening.
Bus travel is somewhat limited in Arkansas, butGreyhound runs daily services toLittle Rock fromDallas andHouston,Oklahoma City andNashville viaMemphis. Additionally,Jefferson Lines runs daily buses from cities north of Arkansas, such asKansas City.
Car travel here, as in most of the United States, is quickest. Interstate 40 crosses the state from Fort Smith to Memphis, passing through Little Rock. Interstate 30 also goes south from Little Rock to Texarkana.
Information on transit can be foundhere.
Arkansas' food resembles that of its southern neighbors. Much truly authentic and worthwhile southern cuisine is made in private homes, cookouts, or church functions, rather than actual restaurants. One exception is barbecue, particularly pork barbecue, which is widespread, and available in restaurants, roadside stands, and even trucks. Another regional staple is fried catfish, often it is served with hushpuppies, cole slaw, and french fries or a baked potato. Catfish is especially prevalent in the lowland and Delta regions of the south and east.
Traditional African-American cooking, or "soul food" is generally very similar to the traditional cooking of white southerners in terms of ingredients or basic dishes. It tends to be spicier, and may make more extensive use of ingredients more affluent whites or blacks shun. Likewise, it is rarely presented in formal restaurants, but at cookouts and church gatherings.
One unusual highlight of the Delta region is "tamales." These are very distinct from Latin American tamales, even though they were originally introduced by Mexican farm workers in the early 20th century. In the northwestern part of the state, recent growth in Mexican immigration has brought more authentic Mexican cooking to the state.
There is plenty of cosmopolitan dining in the state.Little Rock,Eureka Springs,Fort Smith, Northwest Arkansas, all have excellent options in certain cuisines due to large immigrant/foreign populations.
Iced tea and lemonade are stereotypically southern beverages and are prevalent in the state along with bottled soft drinks. Both are generally served very sweet, though most restaurants will offer an unsweetened version.
Many Arkansas counties are "dry" and do not have retail alcohol sales. However bringing alcohol for private use into a dry county is legal for those over 21 years of age.
Crime is generally low in most of the state, the main exceptions being the larger cities. Even though many small-town Arkansans view Little Rock as a particularly dangerous and unsafe city, its violent crime rates are in line with other United States cities of similar size. Property crime is more prevalent.
Drunk driving can be a danger, especially in rural areas at night. Arkansas is divided between "wet" and "dry" counties, so many drinkers in the state must drive 10–30 miles away from home for a good time.
In terms of race relations, Arkansas has progressed in many respects since the 1950s. However, many small towns in the state, especially in the highlands, are mostly or entirely white, and people of color may attract stares or unwanted attention. People of Hispanic background may be assumed to be recent immigrants. Likewise, some areas of the Delta, and of the cities of Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Pine Bluff are almost entirely African-American, and even absent overt racial tensions, poverty is widespread in these areas, and wealthier visitors of any background need to be aware of economic and social tensions. However, some areas in larger towns and cities are decidedly integrated.
Severe thunderstorms and flash floods often occur during the spring and summer months. While generally mild, winter storms can also strike the state – especially in the northwest. Perhaps the most likely environmental danger is the intense summer heat, compounded by the humidity from June through September. Keep well hydrated, and avoid overexerting yourself.
Arkansas, though not a part of the country's "tornado alley," is frequently affected bytornadoes during the storms which occur throughout the spring and summer seasons. Weather conditions can change rapidly and it is important to stay informed during tornado season as to the current weather outlook while travelling across the state.
If you are planning on traveling to Arkansas during the spring or summer months, refer to theTornado safety page for important precautionary information.
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