Blown Away in Bentonville

By Shelley Rotner
Senior Writer

Who knew that Bentonville, Arkansas was a hidden gem, the best-kept secret—a small city set in gorgeous nature in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains?

I went to Bentonville for a work project unrelated to my travel passion. Initially, I had no idea what to expect or what I was about to experience. I left with deep regrets wishing I had spent more time there.

Right off the plane exiting the airport were large wall maps and information about the hundreds of miles of biking trails. Bentonville is the designated mountain biking capital of the world! Who knew?

Sam Walton put Bentonville on the map in 1962 when he launched the first Walmart in the adjacent town of Rogers.

Now, Bentonville is the home headquarters of the largest retailer in the world. Some say Sam “grew” the town. It’s the fastest-growing city in the country.

Bentonville: Capital of Cool?

Despite this, the city has retained its small-town feel with an artsy flair, with charming boutiques, bike shops, farm-to-table restaurants, food trucks, and murals that radiate off a town square collectively making Bentonville a vibrant and friendly place. The Wall Street Journal called Bentonville “the Capital of Cool.”

My first stop was Onyx Cafe: (one of three unique branches) to refresh and recharge after an early rise and two flights. Hip is too mild a word to describe this grand café housed in a restored and historical factory building that serves artisanal coffees and teas and goodies to go with them.

I was worried I couldn’t get my daily matcha tea with oat milk. They had that, and it was offered with a Bergamot mist on top. High-hanging plants cascaded down the walls.

There were comfortable leather couches for lounging and sipping.  Light streamed in illuminating fantastic murals. The scene felt more like a movie set, somewhat surreal.

150 Outdoor Sculptures

Bentonville has more than 150 outdoor sculptures. On the side of the road entering the town was a 30-foot towering sculpture of dayglow orange bicycles next to the bike trail.

The base incorporated an air pump form for bikers in need.  Now I was on the lookout for more to come. I soon learned that art was in the air!

It also turns out that Sam Walton’s grandsons have a passion for mountain biking.

They renovated a historic hotel and transformed it into a bike shop called Phat Tire.

For those who don’t know, they’re “fat” tires on mountain bikes to handle off-road biking.

The store is filled with state-of-the-art bikes and biking apparatus. Tom and Steuart Walton are responsible for contributing 13 million dollars to developing hundreds of miles of trails still in the works stretching as far as Missouri.

They’ve helped turn Northwest Arkansas into a “riding Mecca.” They’ve helped promote access and a connection to nature by building trails and creating bicycle programs in the local schools. Bicyclists of all ages can be seen riding around town.

Murals decorate the streets and café walls radiating off the town square.  Giant fish shimmered in the wind transforming the side of a large parking garage into an outdoor art installation.

A plaque at the base acknowledges the artist and offers information about the diminishing numbers of the local river fish due to the climate crisis. Large flowers and butterflies add to a relaxed vibe and adorn the sides of buildings reminding us of beautiful nature. Bentonville is a place where art and science emerge.  Art is everywhere!

Food is our Soul

Lunch followed shortly after at what I learned was the famous Yeyo’s food truck now also a restaurant with a storefront due to its popular following. I was not disappointed with this Mexican street fare.

Friendly chefs dished out homemade soft tacos with cheese, avocados, and salsa Verde with big smiles. When I asked if they were the owners they replied: “No but we cook with love. The food is our soul.”

I had a lot of ground to cover in a short time, so dessert followed at the Spark Café ice cream truck where vanilla ice cream is blue and yellow!

This was concocted because of Sam Walton’s love for ice cream and blue and yellow are the colors of Walmart. Directly across the street is the Walmart Museum.

It was closed and under construction for renovations when I was there. It showcases artifacts from when it first opened in 1990 exhibiting Walmart’s heritage.

The other major claim to fame that put Bentonville on the map is the Crystal Bridges Museum created 13 years ago by Walton’s daughter Alice Walton, designed by the famous Israeliarchitect Moshe Safdie. The museum is set on 120 acres with winding trails and outdoor sculptures set on 120 acres.

Crystal Bridges is Always Free

There’s no admission charge—it’s always free. The collection spans five centuries of American art housed in an undulating curving quad that frames two spring-fed ponds. Chihuly’s glass spheres float outside and others line the trails. Its renowned collection of American art (over 3600 pieces) includes works by John Singer Sargent, Warhol, Rockwell, and even Maxwell Parrish’s famous The Lantern Bearers.

When I visited there was a room lit of Yayoi Kusama’s dots. In addition, there was a most remarkable special exhibit: Exquisite CREATURES by Christopher Marley. Birds, shells, bugs, butterflies, beetles, turtles, geckos, and snakes were ethically preserved and presented in geometric arrangements.

There’s also the Frank Lloyd Wright Bachman-Wilson house that was transported from a flood zone in New Jersey and reassembled as part of the museum complex.

Even More Art

And then, there was even more art! I stayed at the 21 Museum Hotel- not your usual hotel, founded by contemporary art collectors and preservationists- Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson.

Their mission is to help revitalize downtown areas by supporting the arts and offering travelers a twist on their travel experience.

The hotel features 21st-century art with 12,000 sq. ft of exhibition space. Fragile Figures: Beings and Times was exhibited during my stay. Green sculpted penguins greet you by the elevator and one greeted me in my room.

The hotel is a couple of blocks off the town center and a couple of minutes to a trail leading to the Crystal Bridges Museum. The reservation manager welcomed me and eventually walked me out to a giant heart sculpture at the beginning of one of the walking trails to the museum.

The restaurant and bar at the 21 Museum Hotel – the HIVE-has an entire wall installation of a beehive with large three-dimensional bees and once again a tribute and shout out to climate change by acknowledging the importance and fragility of the bee.

The menu is sourced from local farms with twists reflecting local culinary flavors.to Arkansas. Cocktails also nodded to the south with creative flairs. The Forest Fenn caught my eye. It’s gin, genepy, Douglas fir brandy, green apple, sugar snap pea gomme, lime and absinthe served in a glass that’s set in a wooden box. Every guest was sent back to their room with a shot of Kentucky bourbon as a nightcap. Lexington, Kentucky was the first hotel in this small, unique art hotel chain.

While there are many wonderful restaurants with award-winning chefs to choose from for dinner, due to many tourists and locals too, it’s not so easy getting into restaurants, even a seat at the bar.  I had a peek into The Preacher’s Son— a renovated church sanctuary with enormous stained-glass windows fabricated in Germany in a unique technical style. It was visually impressive and artful.

Le Petit Bistro

I chose to have dinner one night at Le Petit Bistro’s rustic farmhouse dating back to 1934 set on eight acres on the edge of town. The restaurant was a relaxed interpretation of Mediterranean and French-inspired food with a southern touch and hospitality.

Bentonville is a very friendly place for sure! Yes, Mam!  I soon learned that “mam” is a Southern expression of respect, not necessarily age.

Not Easy to Reach

If you’re thinking of going to Bentonville, there aren’t very many direct flights to northern Arkansas. The airport is Fayetteville, not Little Rock, and it isn’t exactly on the way to anywhere.

Now comes my guilt as a photojournalist. Do I preserve a precious place or help generate interest for more travelers to visit? But truth be told, Bentonville is a destination worth traveling to.

Afternote: A week after my visit, the area had a tornado touch down, sadly, causing extreme damage.