Preliminary plan AR & OK
 

I'm in the early stage of planning a trip to Oklahoma & Arkansas (probably concentrating on Petite Jean State Park). Some background - my husband and I have visited 48 states, so far, missing these two. We had a camper for many years; drove cross-country several times, including to Alaska. I did not start out with the intention to include all 50 states, but now that we are so close, I want to complete it. We no longer have the camper. Recently we are doing fly/drive trips.

For this trip we will have approximately a week. I am considering flying into OKC from the east coast, touring OKC, driving to Petite Jean State Park, and flying out of Little Rock. Will have to consider rental car drop-off fees between these states. This could be reversed. We like to concentrate on state/national parks and scenic by-ways, whenever possible.

Any suggestions regarding time of year? Thinking about this October, although Fall colors would not be a priority, as we live close to Vermont. Weather conditions would be more important to us (avoiding OK high tornado season or rainy season in AK).

I'm sure I have not yet thought out all the important questions to ask, but am hoping to get a start here. Thank you.

AK is Alaska; Arkansas is AR.

Arkansas (AR) noted.

Hope that didn't come across as snarky. I just thought maybe the title wouldn't "speak" to Arkansas folks who would have helpful advice for you.

Here are some interesting places we visited last year when we drove through Arkansas:

Turpentine Creek Refuge Center in Eureka Springs http://www.turpentinecreek.org/

Miss Laura's Social Club in Fort Smith
http://www.fortsmith.org/visitors/welcome-center.aspx

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
http://www.nps.gov/chsc/index.htm

All Aboard Restaurant and Grill in Little Rock
http://www.all-aboardrestaurant.com/

lindatypo,

I am trying to find a way to edit it. Have sent a request to to forum help.
Thank you.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...uro-canyon.cfm

I listed a lot of hikes on this post.


I live in Oklahoma(45 years), right on the Arkansas line. Close to Fort Smith.
Frankly, there isn't all that much in Oklahoma to do/see.
There is a ton in AR though.

Fall Foliage is best around the last week of October. I think HWY 7 is probably the best for that. My very favorite spot in AR would be the Upper Buffalo River. This is truly an undiscovered gem. I would suggest staying with www.buffaloriver.com. Clinton has stayed in one of their cabins a couple of times. That said, I like this area best in March or April because the waterfalls are at their best. They may or may not be going in Oct. So far this year has been very wet, so odds are in your favor.
Petit Jean is a very nice State Park. I also like Mount Nebo. Mount Magazine has the best facilities, but the mountain itself is just ok.

Crystal Bridges Museum in NW AR is very good. Clinton Library is worth doing. If you happen to come in April, then come on the weekend when the Arkansas Derby is running at Oaklawn in Hot Springs. You can expect 2 or 3 of the horses that run well to compete in the Kentucky Derby the next month.

As far as Oklahoma. In OKC--see the Bombing Memorial. I would suggest eating at Cattlemens Steakhouse(get lambfires aka mountain oysters). A less expensive place that is very good is Big Truck Taco(no longer in a truck). You can youtube both as they have been on the food network.

Having been to 40 of our national National Parks. Hot Springs would easily rank dead last on my list.

The Talimena Drive from Oklahoma into Arkansas is a good drive. This is also a state park which is located on the Arkansas side of the drive. I would not suggest eating at that State Park Restaurant-it's beyond gross. The restaurant at Petit Jean is decent though.

Best dining options in Fort Smith are Taliano's and Taipei(order from the back of their menu-Vietnamese).

One other off the radar place--Spiro Mounds. You would need to call in advance to make sure of their operating hours. Very interesting place. This is about 30 minutes out of your way from I-40.

I would choose Tulsa over OKC myself. And it's closer to Arkansas.

spirobulldog, Thank you very much. This is exactly the type of info I was looking for. I will check out all your suggestions.

Doug Stallings, Any suggestions for Tulsa?

Travelottie
You're original post could have been written by me and I'm looking for the same info, especially concerning weather.

Is there a time of year less prone to wicked storms aka tornadoes?

Looks like a very pretty area with lots to explore.

You might want to see if the mods will change your title. I too thought you were headed to Alaska and Oklahoma.

I live in Hot Springs and agree with the post by spirobulldog. You might consider flying into Fayetteville (Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport) and renting a car there. The dropoff costs at Little Rock would be much cheaper.

I know you want to check Oklahoma off your list, so you could drive about 1 hr 20 minutes into Oklahoma to visit Tahlequah, the headquarters of the Cherokee Nation. http://www.travelok.com/tahlequah

While in Fayetteville, don't miss Crystal Bridges Art Museum, founded by Alice Walton of Walmart fortune. It truly is a world class museum. Then drive over to Eureka Springs, stopping at Pea Ridge National Military Park to see a Civil War battleground. Stay in one of the delightful Victorian B&Bs in Eureka Springs. We like Arsenic and Old Lace--it's actually a new house built to look Victorian, but with up to date amenities.

Then drive to Petit Jean State Park, taking Scenic Highway 7 down from Harrison down to Russellville. From there it's an easy trip to Little Rock.

In Little Rock, go to the President Clinton Museum and the Little Rock Central High School Civil Rights Museum.

If you watch P. Allen Smith on PBS, you might want to visit Moss Mountain Farm. http://www.pallensmith.com/garden-home-retreat/visit You get a tour of the farm (everyone's fantasy farm) and lunch.

If you have an extra half day in Little Rock, drive to Hot Springs just to see the old bathhouses on Central Avenue. That actually is HS National Park. Watch the video and tour the museum. If you are here in racing season (Jan 9-April 11), go see the horse races at Oaklawn, even if you're not a gambler. It's fun just to see the horses.

Tornadoes can happen any time of the year. They are most frequent March-June. I actually have a storm shelter in my house. The media blows this up more than you can imagine. You really don't have that big of a deal to worry about. They warn you far in advance now. I would be more worried about snow/ice Dec thru Feb actually.

happytourist, Just looked up Tahlequah. i like that idea combined with route 10, but will have to decide if i prefer that to Tulsa or OKC, or if I should add time to the trip.

Another question: Is driving northern section of AR Rt.7 (Harrison to Russellville) feasible as a day trip?

Next the difficult part of dividing up the days - how long to allow for each stop...

We have done lots of this trip, though a long time ago.

We liked Petit Jean a lot, a lot, and like Queen Wilhelmina State Park maybe even more. Sorry to hear that the food has declined. It is the one near the beginning of the Tallimena drive.

Someone I am related to is artsy and has lived in Eureka Springs over the years. She left because the cruising motorcycle clubs ruined the town with their loud exhausts at all hours. Not violent, just noisy.

Oklahoma City has an excellent art museum/ complex, and the National Wildlife Refugee near Lawton is spectacular -- buffalo, elk, deer, prairie dog towns, fantastic views from the tops of the "mountains" off into the plains. Lawton itself has an interesting military museum at Ft Sill,which is a big presence in this area.

The responses have been very helpful. I have to spend some time narrowing down the options.

Ackislander, So Queen Wilhelminia St Park is the one spirobulldog referred to at the beginning of Tallmena Drive? will check it out.

Anyone have thoughts on Tahlequah & Rt 10 vs Talimena Drive?
Any suggestions for a scenic, circular, route Little Rock/ OKC /Little Rock to include Talimena Drive, Petite Jean, Upper Buffalo River, and northern Hwy 7?

Thank you all

"Ackislander, So Queen Wilhelminia St Park is the one spirobulldog referred to at the beginning of Tallmena Drive? will check it out."

I think it must be, but maybe he will clarify. We lived in Mississippi at the time and made it a point never to use the Interstate when we crossed AR to visit my in laws in OKC, so we have been on lots of back roads.

Yes, that is Queen Wilhelmina SP. Talimena Drive is a spectacular drive along a mountain ridge when you can see fall color, but otherwise it's just a pretty drive that doesn't really go anywhere. We've been disappointed in QW food also. http://www.talimenascenicdrive.com/

The distance between Harrison and Russellville is about 85 miles but plan at least 1.5 hours as it is a curving mountain road. The beauty of the drive is definitely worth the extra time. It's a designated federal scenic drive.

As for a loop from LR to OKC and back to LR, you could:
1. Fly into Little Rock (Bill and Hilary Clinton Airport)
2. Petit Jean State Park (65 miles)
3. Oklahoma City (300 miles)
4. Fayetteville, AR (240 miles)
5. Eureka Springs, AR (45 miles)
6. Harrison, AR (125 miles)
7. Russellville, AR (85 miles)
8. Little Rock (75 miles)

You need to decide if it's worth the extra miles to drive to OKC. You might be better off just going to Tulsa. OKC does have an interesting Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Someone above mentioned Lawton. Fort Sill has a museum on Army history (including Geronimo who was jailed there) but it's certainly not worth driving way out of your way to see (I used to live near there). Lawton is in the Wichita Mountains, a very small group of mountains that known for its herds of buffalo and longhorn cattle.

Arkansas has the Ozarks in the north (Eureka Springs, Harrison) and the Ouachita Mountains in the southwest (Hot Springs, Mena). BTW, it's pronounced Wah-Shi-Tah (a French version of Wichita).

Also a very moving and interesting site is the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, dedicated to the 1995 bombing of the federal building. We were passing through and didn't have time for the museum, but it was worth a stop to see the free memorial area, which is surrounded by the some of the remaining walls of the Murrow Building. www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org

I can't say that I'm particularly drawn to tragedy tourism, so I can't really recommend the Oklahoma City National Memorial, but the Cowboy Hall of Fame is interesting, and the Cattlemen's Steakhouse is still great. Still, I'd opt for Tulsa.

It really depends on what interests you. Tulsa has two excellent art museums (the Gilcrease Museum and the Philbrook Museum, the latter in a historic mansion and both with lovely gardens), and it has a nice zoo and parks, as well as an interesting air and space museum. It's also close to Bartlesville, which has a Frank Lloyd Wright building that can be toured, Woolaroc (the former Frank Phillips ranch, now a museum and nature preserve), and two good down-home places to eat (Murphy's for hamburgers and Dink's for barbecue).

And as I said, Tulsa is much better located for a trip to Arkansas. You could, for example, fly into Little Rock and fly out of Tulsa. And Tahlequah, which was mentioned earlier, is between Tulsa and Arkansas and much more accessible from there than from OKC.

Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.

My husband agrees with Doug that Tulsa fits into an Arkansas itinerary better than OKC.

I have changed the plan, eliminating OKC & Talimena Drive in favor of Crystal Bridges and Tulsa. In that case, are there any interesting stops between Crystal Bridges and Tulsa, OK?

I am now considering this route: Little Rock, Petite Jean, Buffalo River area, northern Hwy 7, Crystal Bridges, Tulsa, OK, returning to Little Rock. Any recommendations for accommodations & restaurants along this route would be appreciated.

The other option is open jaw flight Tulsa/Little Rock, depending on drop-off car rental fees.

There may be high drop off fees, but I generally find that there are more and better flights to Tulsa, so you might want to start there. It's a big business market with more regular flights from both DFW and ORD. But it depends on where you're flying from.

I like your latest plan the best. Frankly, Talimena is just ok. Crystal Bridges is good. They have a good cafe right in the middle that is different. Menu only has a few items.
James At The Mill is a good spot(I haven't eaten there recently)--Upscale

I like Andolini's Pizza in Tulsa. Right nearby is Kilkenny's Irish, which is equally good.
Kupcakz has awesome cupcakes

Little Rock--Dam Goode Pie for Pizza or Whole Hog for BBQ. Flying Fish is also a consideration
Gigi's Cupcakes-this is a chain, but is good. They probably have to much icing, but I like them.

Jasper, AR--Blue Mountain Bakery and Deli,

I don't think you will want more than one meal at Petit Jean Lodge. I would suggest buying a cooler and stocking up a bit for both Buffalo River and Petit Jean.

Oh, Elk are likely to be present at the Boxley Valley area of the Buffalo River(they are in rut at the time you plan on being there and can sometimes be really active at this time--you are going at prime elk watching period. I would suggest spending more time at Buffalo River area than Petit Jean. The best waterfall at Petit Jean is Cedar Falls. You can do that hike in 2-3 hours.
Best hikes for fall colors in Buffalo River area would be Big Bluff/Goat Trail or Hawkbill Crag(aka Whitaker Point). BB/GT would take you 4 hours or so for the hike. Hawksbill is probably 1-2 hours and fairly easy.
Buffaloriver.com store(Buffalo Outdoor Center) has great Deli Sandwiches-very weird set up and service. The towns in this area are super small and in the middle of nowhere.

Near Sallisaw Oklahoma (about 5 minutes out of your way from I-40 is Wildhorse Mountain BBQ--unique and a must stop--different type of bbq-you'll either love it or hate it--beans are excellent).

The Amish Cheese House in Choteau OK might be worth a stop for a sandwich. Fairly large amount of Amish live here.

With all the excellent help here, I finalized most of my trip! Roundtrip Little Rock this September.

spirobulldog - I have printed out your posts.

Little Rock: Hampton Inn River Market
Petit Jean: (no rooms available) may have to do day trip.
Buffalo River area via Hwy 7: 2 nights Azalea Falls.
Fayetteville: Chancellor Hotel
Crystal Bridges: Museum Hotel

Tulsa is still tentative. Considering someplace closer to AR to make return to airport easier.

Thank you again,
Lottie

Enjoy Arkansas...too bad you miss Missouri this time.

Anyway, I second happytourst mention of two sites in LR, the Clinton Presidential Library and the Little Rock Central High School Museum which is a little hard to find. Also Hot Springs Nat'l Pk is a possiblity. Eureka Springs is quirky but interesting. And Arkansas state parks are nice...we used to camp in some coming down from Springfield, MO.

Not mentioned so far in the far SW corner of Missouri is the George Washington Carver birthplace (a National Park) at Diamond, MO. Nor Precious Moments headquarters at Carthage, MO.

I would certainly second Gilcrease and Philbrook Museums in Tulsa and Cowboy Museum in OKC if you get that far west.

Did you call Petit Jean? I find the website unreliable.

I live in Tulsa and can make many recommendations if you need them. I would definitly visit Philbrook museum! There are tons of great restaurants and entertainment. Let me know if you have any questions, I see I'm kind of late to this thread!

If you are going into NW Arkansas and then into NE Oklahoma a side trip into Miami, OK may interest you. An original portion of Route 66 still exists between Miami and Afton. It is called the Ribbon Road and is only one lane wide. You can see a picture of how the smooth portion looks in my profile picture. The road is rough, but you will be driving a rental so who cares. ;-)
Just north of Miami is Commerce. It was the boyhood home of Mickey Mantle. The house is much the way it was when he was growing up. The old tin barn that served as a backstop for batting practice with his dad and granddad is still standing.
The Coleman Theater and the last Ku-Ku Hamburger Drive-in are in Miami.
From Afton head to Vinita and stop at another Route 66 landmark, Clanton's Cafe. A member of the Clanton family has owned and operated the cafe since 1927. They are known for their Chicken Fried Steak. If you really want to try local food order the Calf Fries. http://www.clantonscafe.com/
All of these are just a short hop off the I-44 Turnpike. We were driving on Route 66 which runs close to I-44. Without stops the trip from Miami to Tulsa takes a little over an hour using the turnpike.
One more thing: When in Oklahoma be sure to pronounce Miami as My-am-uh not as My Am Ee. My-am-ee is in Florida. ;-)