Getaway: An Art Lover’s Escape in Bentonville, Arkansas

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas / Photograph by Jon Arnold Images Ltd/Alamay

This Ozark gem — and the birthplace of Walmart — is America’s most unexpected weekend getaway.

Day One

Interior of the Eddy / Photograph by Chroma

Bentonville, Arkansas, is one of the best-kept secrets in American travel — one that, given the world-class art and direct flights from Philly, is getting harder to keep. After checking in to the Compton (rooms from $350) — a new hotel designed to pay homage to the surrounding Ozark mountains — head to the on-site Cycling Concierge, powered by local outfitter 37 North Expeditions, to plot the day’s ride. With access to the 400 miles of trails that fan out through the northwestern portion of the state, Bentonville is known as the “mountain biking capital of the world.” Don’t miss the 40-mile paved Razorback Greenway: It threads through Compton Gardens, with public art along the way. Take a spin up Ledger, the world’s first bikeable building, where switchback ramps spiral six stories to rooftop views of downtown. Your reward? Mango ice cream from India import Dumont Creamery. Back at the hotel, decompress at the Eddy, the swish second-floor lounge, then indulge in handmade radiatori at Sestina, the Compton’s Italian steakhouse.

Day Two

Onyx Coffee Lab / Photograph by Chon Kit Leong/Alamay

Start at Onyx Coffee Lab, where the Salt Mocha with espresso, chocolate, and black salt is best enjoyed on the sidewalk patio. While the day away at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, opened by Walmart heiress Alice Walton in 2011 to international acclaim and expanding with a new wing next month. Wander the galleries, and seek out the Frank Lloyd Wright Bachman-Wilson House on the grounds — it’s free to visit, but you’ll have to book a slot. Break for lunch at Eleven, the museum’s glass-enclosed cafe, and stay for sunset inside James Turrell’s Skyspace: The Way of Color, where you can watch the heavens change shades through the oculus.

The rack of lamb at Ryn / Photograph by Scotti Moody Media

Make plans for dinner at Conifer — James Beard–nominated chef Matthew Cooper’s gluten-free gem — or splurge at Ryn, which offers a nightly tasting menu in a restored farmhouse on the chef’s working farm. End your evening on a sweet note at ButterScotch Bakery and Bar — dessert downstairs, or a dessert-themed cocktail upstairs.

Day Three

Bentonville City Square, with the Walmart Museum / Photograph by Dion Vanboekel

Spend the morning on the historic square, browsing art galleries and the Walmart Museum — built on the site of Sam Walton’s original 1950 five-and-dime. It’s worth a visit just for the Dolly Parton exhibit, celebrating her collaborations with the company, and the Hologram Theater, where the founder himself shares his scrappy story. For lunch, try 8th Street Market, a hub of restaurants and shops. (Get the street tacos at Yeyo’s.) Steps away, the Momentary is a former Kraft cheese factory turned free contemporary art space. Finish at the sixth-floor Tower Bar, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a glimpse of the city. Reserve a table at the Preacher’s Son for dinner inside an 1898 Gothic Revival church, and later, slip through the hidden door to Undercroft, the speakeasy below. Cap things off at Loveless Cocktail Club, a retro listening lounge where DJs spin full vinyl records — think Philly’s 48 Record Bar. No requests taken.

Shop Talk

Markham & Fitz Chocolate / Photograph by Millie Randolph

Fill your suitcase with finds from the city’s coolest boutiques.

Field Supply
Open the first Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of each month, this vintage shop sells clothing, art, and homewares curated by daughter-mother duo Emily Petrick and Lizzie Duncan.

Markham & Fitz Chocolate
The smell of chocolate hits before you walk through the door. Sample flavors like Southern Pecan and grab a few to bring home.

Two Friends Books
Co-owned by Monica Diodati and Rachel Stuckey-Slaton (get it, two Friends?), this indie bookstore and cafe was built for lingering, with new and used books plus coffee, sandwiches, and natural wine.

Hillfolk
Part shop and part studio, Bentonville’s maker stop has modern takes on fiber crafts, yarns, tools, and workshops.

Marrs on Main
From Fixer to Fabulous stars Dave and Jenny Marrs, this airy shop is filled with handmade pottery, leather goods, artwork, and home decor, along with one-of-a-kind furniture and antiques.

Published as “Escaping to Bentonville” in the May 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.