This Memorial Day, an estimated 45 million Americans are expected to travel, according to a report from AAA.
And recently, Northwest Arkansas has been gaining momentum as its own travel destination, specifically Bentonville. The city has popped up on a number of travel lists this summer from publications like the New York Times and Travel and Leisure. So why is Bentonville, a population of 65,000, so popular?
"Bentonville is one of those places that's kind of having a moment right now. And everybody doesn't want to go to the same common Washington, D.C., New York, Orlando type of destination. You know, people might want something new, something fresh, something different."
Terika L. Haynes is a travel advisor and founder of Dynamite Travel based out of Atlanta.
And she contributed Bentonville as a destination for the Washington Post recent list of top summer travel sites. Haynes says there are a lot of reasons why the Northwest Arkansas town is becoming a more popular destination, with the main draw being access to outdoor recreation.
"People really want to embrace the outdoors right now," Haynes says.
"And so when you think about everything that Bentonville has to offer, one of the things that stood out to me was just all of the options for outdoor activities. Right. One thing that I didn't know is that it's actually the mountain bike capital of the world."
"So anyone that loves to bike, loves to cycle like this is a great option for them."
She also pointed to the popularity of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is preparing to open its new expanded galleries this summer, as well as new and award winning dining options. Bentonville is home to multiple James Beard Award nominated chefs.
Haynes says another important factor in the moment is economic. With rising costs, she says more people are opting to travel closer to home. And Bentonville, situated in the middle of the country, is easy to access.
"The airport nearby has does have direct flights in there from places all throughout the U.S. I think it was nearly like 30 direct flight options. But I think this year is somewhat special because people are concentrated on wanting to stay closer to home and stay within the United States," she says.
According to Visit Bentonville, tourism generated tax collection surpassed $4.2 million in 2025.
