Top Things to do in Arkansas
Top Hotels in Arkansas
- 1. Best Western Winners Circle
- 2. Best Western Inn Of The Ozarks
- 3. Graduate Fayetteville
- 4. Capital Hotel
- 5. 1905 Basin Park Hotel
- 6. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Little Rock - Bryant
- 7. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Hot Springs
- 8. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Bentonville South - Rogers, AR
- 9. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham West Memphis
- 10. The Waters Hot Springs, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
What to do and see in Arkansas, United States: The Best Mines
Living up to its billing as “The Natural State”, the state is a nature wonderland with three national forests, nearly 9,000 miles of pristine streams and rivers, awe-inspiring settings in the Ozark and Quachita mountains and sparkling lakes.
The menu of vacation experiences is an exciting one. For great golf, spas, horse racing and the Hot Springs National Park, Hot Springs is the place to go. Outdoor enthusiasts love the Ozark Mountains where activities like canoeing, rafting, kayaking, fishing, hiking and rock climbing are popular. The mountain village of Eureka Springs, with its streets lined with Victorian homes, is brimming with boutiques, antique shops and art galleries. Wine enthusiasts love the Arkansas Wine Country, encompassing the towns of Paris, Ozark and Altus, where German style wines are produced. From its ancient mountains to the Delta flatlands leveled by the Mississippi River, the state has a diverse topography with numerous scenic drives. Try the Pig Trail, Ozark Highlands and Sylamore scenic byways in the Ozark National Forest designated by the U.S. Forest Service. Golfers love the state because greens fees are extremely affordable for great courses. A few excellent public access courses are Sage Meadows in Jonesboro, Stonebridge Meadows in Fayetteville and the Mountain Ranch Course in Fairfield Bay.
Restaurants in Arkansas
1. Board Camp Crystal Mine
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 99 reviews
Hello Friends! Open 2-27-21 to 10-30-21! We are NOT closed due to corona virus! We offer Fresh Air, Sunshine, & Crystal Energy! You MUST MAKE A RESERVATION! Book at: boardcampcrystalmine.com Dig your own CRYSTALS in a REAL quartz mine! Enjoy your day with Nature in the Ouachita (pronounced 'wash-it-taw') Mountains! • NO tailings • KEEP what you FIND! • Crystals are EVERYWHERE! • Mine in woods - SHADY in summer! • EASY access for limited mobility! • Dog-friendly! • Family-friendly! • KIDS UNDER AGE 16 DIG FREE! AND at Night: Experience the "UnXplained" Tours! What is the Strange Phenomena at Board Camp Crystal Mine? Is it ET? Crystal Energy? Supernatural? Paranormal? Fringe Science? • BCCM was featured on Josh Gates’ Expedition Unknown! • Come and see for yourself! • Friday or Saturday. Our website has ALL you need to know! PLEASE visit and read! If you do call, PLEASE leave a message! Thank you so much!
Reviewed By IndigoSpiritHawk
This was an all around amazing and memorable experience! This place was the highlight of our entire trip to Arkansas! My 8 year old son loved it and is still talking about it. The crystal mine was great! We filled up almost an entire 5 gallon bucket with large beautiful clusters within about 2 hours. I don't know how anyone could possibly not get anything here. You get to dig right in the veins. The quality of some of the specimens was some of the best we've gotten. I've been to several mines and this one is the best, both in terms of quality and service. The owners are genuinely kind, beautiful people. Their not just in in for the money. They are truly shepherds of the land. They also care about their customers and will go above and beyond to make your experience a good one. However, as awesome as the mining experience was, the paranormal tour was even more amazing! We were truly in awe. The land has a mystique about it. This place is truly sacred. I have never experienced anything like it. I can not recommend this place enough! We will definitely be back.
2. Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 361 reviews
A great place for the family, where everyone is welcome and guaranteed to find crystals! Open 8:00-4:30 / Tuesday-Saturday Crystal Forest Mine Digs: 2 hour digs $18/person Trips leave daily at 9:30, 11:30, 1:30 Arrive 15 minutes early to sign up + have a safety meeting. Tailings Area: All day digging. $10.50/Adults $6.60/Kids (under 10) + Seniors (62+) Arrive by 2:00 pm for entrance. Gemstone Sluice: $4.50 Sluice Fee, then priced by the pail! 5 Pails to choose from ranging in price at $5-$15/pail. Diamond Experience: $29/bag Guaranteed to find 1/2 carat or more in total weight per bag = approx. 1-3 diamonds per bag.
Reviewed By Des022916 - Mamou, United States
Lance was a fantastic guide as be gave us tips and added humor to an enjoyable two hours at the crystal mine. Our adventure here was the best part of our vacation, and our granddaughter was especially excited with her megalodon tooth purchased in the gift shop!
3. Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 68 reviews
We are open 7 days and week and/or by appt. Give us a call to make sure we are going to be there. Then you can come play in the dirt.... You stay all day for one low price, keep all that you find and children under nine are free with paying adults.
Reviewed By I9930UGdanar
Last year 2019, I was with a friend of mine who is also a rock gatherer. We traveled from KC MO. It was a rainy day, when we called to see if we needed an appointment and Becky said we could come now. We were greeted by Becky and she explained how to find the Quart and what to look for. We started off a little slow, but after we found a few and knew what the crystals looked like we found a lot. It started to rain and Becky said we could continue. We collected over 100 lbs. of great crystals. Becky was so kind and friendly. I would be heading there now if they were open. Dana Reed
4. Rush Historic District
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By 912RobinS - Walled Lake, United States
This isn't for everyone but I love stuff like this. There are 5 full structures remaining and then some parts of the mills on the walking tour about a quarter mile further down the road. Some good informational signs on the tour. Hard to imagine it was once such a large city,
5. Crater of Diamonds State Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,490 reviews
The only diamond mine in North America open to the public.
Reviewed By KyleSisson - Moundridge, United States
The Crater of Diamonds State Park is an exciting place full of rich history and, of course, finding lots of rough diamonds. The State Park is listed as the eighth largest reserve of diamonds in the world according to their website, and this park sets itself apart from anywhere else by allowing visitors to keep any diamonds that they find. Some lucky visitors have even found diamonds worth thousands of dollars. This post will give you tips about the search area that are based on my firsthand experiences. It will allow you to develop a game plan of possible places to dig, as well as what indicators to look for before taking a trip to the famous Arkansas diamond mine. So, let’s begin by identifying what type of indicator rocks that are mixed in with ordinary organic soil on the mine field. Minerals, such as Quartz crystals, calcite, magnetite, spinel, garnet, chromite, and diopside will be the main rocks you will want to look for while prospecting for diamonds. These rocks were created in a similar process during the heating and cooling process of the rock cycle. Search Area Conditions The park staff plows the search area every now and again to make it easier to dig around in but searching in areas that have more effects of mineral displacement due to mother nature’s natural causes can increase your chances of achieving a diamond discovery day! The best time to take a trip to the Arkansas diamond fields is after a heavy rainstorm, but keep in mind that you will get muddy during your visit so always wear the appropriate clothes and shoes while out in the search area. If you choose to dig deep in search for diamonds, I recommend finding a good location by probing for underground gravel deposits first and work that area systematically. The book “How to Find Diamonds” has a great section on locating underground deposits using this method. The Natural Geology of the Crater of Diamonds According to local geological surveys, the center of the Kimberlite pipe located at the state park is halfway between the foot wash station located at the entrance of the search area and the north pavilion wash station. From that location, imagine what a cup of milk looks like when bubbles are created on top of the cup by using a straw and some air. It has different domes extruding from it and has creases where the bubbles formed together. This same concept can be applied to the search area because when the magma cooled off billions of years ago it was left in the shape of the cup with bubbles on top of it
6. Coleman Miller Mountain Mine
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 27 reviews
Reviewed By twfancy
Best place in the area to dig and find double terminated Crystals and small clusters. Not a place for big Points but you could get lucky! As in all mines, better after a big rain! Bill will help if you are inexperienced. Bring bug spray. Flies bite!
