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or decades, global retail store Walmart has resisted moving its 
headquarters into an urban area and away from Bentonville, 
Arkansas, which had a population of around only 21,000 ten years 

ago. There seem to be several reasons, not the least of which is the 
longstanding residency of the Waltons, the family who founded the 
company. But it is also understandable that company leaders might want 
to remain in Bentonville; the town is Americana picturesque with its city 
square, old courthouse, sidewalk cafes and shops. The global economic 
success of Walmart seems to have infused the town with festivals, 
museums and concert series (and might be responsible for the town’s 
population doubling in the past decade).

Because Bentonville is less than a four-hour drive from Lawrence and 

on the edge of some of the Midwest’s most beautiful Ozark scenery, it is 
an ideal choice for an extended summer weekend.

Here’s my guide to exploring the region, the city and, yes—bear with 

me—even the heritage of our nation’s most love-hated overgrown five and 
dime store. 

DAY ONE

Start from Lawrence in the morning to arrive before noon. Your 

first stop should be the Visitor’s Bureau (104 E. Central, on the square) 
for trail maps, special events, and personal guidance. After that, you can 
walk over to The Pressroom (right on the square) and try their bulgogi 
beef salad or Vietnamese peanut noodles for lunch. visitbentonville.com | 
eatatpressroom.com

From central downtown, drive or walk (it’s less than a half-mile) 

to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. This relatively new and 
innovative private museum is set on 120 acres of Ozark forest, with trails, 
sculptures and gardens. Spacious galleries, organized chronologically, 
feature famous and lesser-known artists. New to the museum is the 
addition of the Bachman-Wilson House, a Frank Lloyd Wright home 
relocated from New Jersey (where it was threatened by flooding). 
There are children’s areas and programs for creating art. The museum 
café serves an excellent lunch and dinner and will allow you to take a 
break, fortify and return to the halls to give the exhibits the time they 
deserve. Upcoming special exhibits include Border Cantos: Sight & 
Sound Explorations from the Mexican-American Border (February 18–
April 24) and Chihuly: In the Gallery and In the Forest (June 3–August 
14). Museum admission and guided tours are free though there is a 
ticket charge for special exhibits. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. 
crystalbridges.org

After Crystal Bridges, give your eyes a rest by heading over to 

Compton Gardens and Conference Center. Named after physician/
photographer/naturalist Neil Compton, these 6-plus acres of woodland 
gardens are free to the public and can be accessed directly from the Crystal 
Bridges Trail. peelcompton.org

For your first night out, treat yourself at one of the newest additions 

to the Bentonville scene: MOD, Modern Ozark Dining. For $39, you’ll 
get an appetizer, main, side and dessert that are stellar examples of “high 
south cuisine” featuring a menu of seasonal “bests” that changes weekly. 
Designed to be a social dining experience, MOD is traditional and 
sophisticated with a twist. mod.restaurant

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Photographs 
of Crystal 
Bridge interior 
(opposite) and 
trails (above) 
courtesy 
Crystal Bridges.