Things to do in Fayetteville
Fayetteville and its surrounding areas are full of things to do and places to see. Whenever you decide to come visit your student, there will be plenty of options so keep you entertained. There is something here for everyone, no matter what your interests are. Something that is unique about Fayetteville is our extensive list of coffee shops. My personal favorite is Arsaga’s. They have many different locations, so you can easily get to another one if one is busy. They aren’t just known for their coffee but also their delicious crepes. The atmosphere is family friendly, and it is a perfect place to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee or a meal while deciding what to do next. Mama Carmen’s is another popular coffee and tea shop. This business was inspired by a lady in Guatemala named Mama Carmen. She provides food, shelter, and other resources to over 60 abandoned children. Mama Carmen was anonymously given a coffee farm to earn money to provide for these children, and someone from this business went and taught her to run the farm. Onyx Coffee Lab has a very interesting setup and environment. Something unique about Onyx is that they roast the beans in front of you, and they also have snack selections.
If you and your student are into hiking and being outside, Northwest Arkansas is a perfect place to do it! Fayetteville has many parks and trails: The trail system goes all throughout the city in populated areas. Fayetteville is a leader in establishing trails throughout its city limits. An extensive trails system is currently in use and expanding at the rate of two to three miles per year. Following the city’s Master Plan, a 100-mile interconnected system will someday run throughout the city. Covering more than 4,000 acres of land, Fayetteville has 70 parks with something for everyone. Our parks offer 40 miles of paved and natural trails, three lakes, 43 athletic fields/courts, a swimming pool, a BMX track and even a skate park. Whatever you want to do, it’s free of charge. If you are up for a drive, Devil’s Den is about 30 minutes away, and there are many trails that range from mild to hard. There are other places to hike such as Lost Valley in Ponca, AR and Hawksbill Crag, but both of these are about an hour and twenty minutes away, so if driving that far isn’t an option, there is a beautiful lookout point here in Fayetteville. No matter the season, Mount Sequoyah provides a beautiful view of the entire city, and it has hiking trails, too. The best part is that it’s only 5 minutes from campus!
Crystal Bridges is an art museum that is free to the public. It isn’t in Fayetteville, but it is in Bentonville which is only about a 20 minute drive from campus. The beautifully crafted museum is surrounded by hiking trails and also has a restaurant that specializes in modern American comfort food. Throughout the year, there are different displays that come for certain amounts of time. If you or your student are interested in art, this is a wonderful place to experience it.
These are just a few suggestions of what there is to do in Fayetteville. There are so many wonderful things to do and to see here. Your student will know of other things to do, but these are just a couple of ideas on where to start.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meet Malorie Catlett. Malorie is a sophomore Kinesiology major from Hot Springs, AR. She is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and enjoys volunteering at the animal shelters in Fayetteville. Her favorite restaurants in Fayetteville include: Hugo’s Hammontree’s, Wasabi, Andy’s, and Rick’s Bakery. She has always wanted to come to the University of Arkansas and loves Fall in Fayetteville.