I was pleasantly surprised by my visit here! They have several escape rooms to choose from that…read morespan a variety of skill levels. I wasn't sure what to expect since they seemed to be the only escape room in the area, but the room we did was solidly constructed with good puzzles. It was on the pricier side, but if you can stomach that, you'll have a great time. We were so close to beating it on time! It took us an extra 5 seconds from the hour timer. Overall, a great place to check out if your group has an interest in solving puzzles!

We enjoyed the escape room so much wr went back. We didn't have high exceptions because we have…read morebeen to several escape rooms in several different cities. While it wasn't fancy, it was fun and we enjoyed our time. We needed minimal help but it was still challenging.

This was one of the highlights of our Arkansas trip while visiting family from our Florida home…read morebase. For anyone unfamiliar, this is the only diamond mine in the world open to the public where you can actually keep what you find. Some surprisingly large diamonds have been discovered here over the years, so there's always that tiny bit of hope that keeps you searching. What surprised me most was the layout. For some reason I expected caves or mining tunnels, but it's actually a huge open field where visitors search, dig, sift, and surface hunt. We paid $45 total admission for 3 people and thankfully already had equipment provided by our rental house (checkout Punkin's place in Murfreesboro, Arkansas on Airbnb) because you can absolutely spend extra renting tools onsite if needed. We started with wet sifting before moving into dry and surface searching. There were a few muddy sections from recent rain, but overall the conditions were great during our May visit. Slightly overcast skies with an occasional drizzle made the weather perfect for being outside. I honestly can't imagine doing this in the middle of a blazing hot summer afternoon. I had read reviews from people saying they left exhausted, but we approached it a little differently due to some back and shoulder limitations. We worked smart, paced ourselves, and still had a fantastic time. We didn't find diamonds that day, but we did leave with some beautiful rocks and a really fun experience. We would absolutely do this again!

Crater of Diamonds State Park is a fun and unique place to visit. You can actually dig for real…read morediamonds and keep what you find. The experience is exciting and different from most parks. The staff is helpful and the area is easy to explore. A great stop for something memorable and hands on.

I had a very pleasant experience at this inn. I got caught up in a bad storm while camping and…read moreneeded a place to stay for the night. Darren answered my call late at night and was able to get me a room. This place has incredible history. It's very charming. But, Darren was a big part of what made me enjoy my stay. I was alone, scared, and tired after being caught in that storm. Darren made me feel at home in this inn. He even made me some incredible blueberry muffins in the morning to send me off. Thank you so much for your generosity.

Historical B&B with plenty of Charm! We were lucky enough…read moreto book our stay at this B&B as the resort we were initially going to book was completely sold out. This historical B&B is nested in the small town of Mena, Arkansas. As we drove upon the property, I already knew that we were going to have a comfortable stay as the driveway itself is elegant. The exterior of the home brings back all the character and charm of the 1900's. The innkeepers were one the friendliest hosts I have met. Both Darren and Jill went above and beyond to ensure that we had the most pleasant stay. A plus on this, is that Jill herself is a baker and had different types of cookies and muffins ready for us daily. Highlights were the blueberry muffins (berries locally picked) and the Louisianna Tea cookies (original family recipe). They even had plenty of drinks stocked for us throughout the stay. Darren himself is a concierge and was so knowledgeable of the home's history and the surrounding areas. The house itself was comfortable and one of a kind. We were given the top floor of the home which felt like a suite. The house has been kept to its original state. Everything from the windows to the doors, and ceilings are authentic. As we walked into the first room upstairs, we could not help but notice the coziness of the decor. The room itself has two twin beds and is connected to the primary bedroom and bathroom. The space was huge and felt welcoming. The beds themselves were so comfortable that we ended up sleeping in daily getting caught up on some much-needed zzz's. I was a little worried about thin walls, but you could not even hear a pin drop! On our last day, we sat out in their back porch sitting area to view the beautiful sassafras trees. These trees are the oldest trees in the area and were absolutely beautiful. As the sun went down, we started to see the mesmerizing fireflies making the our experience majical!. This brought back so many memories since do not have these back in Vegas. This was just a priceless moment for us! This by far was one of our best stays while out traveling. If we are in the area again, we will book another stay but if not, we will stop by for the treats! Thanks to Darren and Jill for the wonderful experience!

On our visit to Hot Springs, we were told to check out Garvan Woodland Gardens. It was definitely a…read moregreat decision to come by and have a nice long stroll through the various gardens, forests, streams, and just nature. Its not too hard to find and there's plenty of parking out front. Leaving the parking lot is a little confusing though (signs would be helpful...). But its well worth the trip out! There were a variety of slices of nature and we spent a few hours here and still did not get to see it all. There's a whole nature preserve that's part of it and apparently great in the dawn/dusk to spot and hear various birds. We did see quite a bit of wildlife and fun plants around so even if we missed the preserve it was fun to see everything else. I think this is a great spot to reconnect with nature for a bit. There were well marked paths so it wasn't too strenuous and there were some more kid friendly areas as well for them to explore and run around.

Options for autumn when Canada was "closed" (1 of 2)…read more - - - - - Covid may seemingly be a thing of the past, but, for some, it will never be forgotten because it affected them or their loved ones in far more serious ways. It changed how we interacted, shopped, circulated, and even limited our options as to where we could travel. For a while, Canada was closed and it always comes to the top of my list when it comes to fall colors. That said, other options became New England, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the Ozarks. Garvan Woodland Gardens is located just outside of Hot Springs, Arkansas, thus in the general Ozarks area. Hot Springs itself was already on the map as place of touristic import. Along a major avenue there is "Bathhouse Row," a string of private spas in ornate mansion-sized facilities that rose to fame during the 20th Century. Its most famous visitor may have been Al Capone. I came to learn that Capone died a natural death. One might have thought otherwise. I vaguely knew about these gardens - the Garvan Woodland Gardens. However, if in town and you ask questions about things to do, their existence, and their details, become front and center. It's an easy drive from the small city of Hot Springs. The gardens began as a private garden that then flourished when they were donated and "privatized," or realistically operated by the University of Arkansas. As such, there is an admission fee. As can be expected, the gardens are segmented and themed. The most notable might be the Japanese Garden and the manicured plantings that go with that. There are also other themed areas, including some areas which are a little natural, or scruffier, if you prefer that word. There are other areas such as a toy railroad sort of old town, walkways abutting the lake, and odd contraptions that serve as stairs, bridges, and tree houses. Then, there are some areas with art installations of sort that look sort of granola. I didn't have time to read every placard explaining the logic, if any, of some of these things. There is also a non-denominational chapel on the grounds and it closely resembles the state's Thorncrown Chapel designed by the University of Arkansas's famed alum E. Fay Jones. I had already seen that chapel in Eureka Springs, but, if you can't make it to its remote corner of the state (actually just south of and somewhat close to Branson, Missouri), this one will almost enable you to check Thorncrown Chapel off your list. Seasonal blooms will affect what you see. Note that, if seeking fall color in the state, it will come later than other parts of America owing to the more southerly latitude. In the fall, it won't be as "flowery." The forested lands in which Garvan Wooodlands Gardens sits appear to be studded in Southern pine, and reminded me of the vegetation surrounding the Atlanta area. The employees on hand were very helpful. Note that, in this state, your bucket list ,at the very minimum, would be about 3 state parks, 2 more rugged natural areas, the historic areas of Little Rock, Eureka Springs, and Hot Springs, which would include these gardens. The beauty of everything you see may exceed your expectations. Just about everyone is giving Garvan Woodlands Gardens 5 stars. For its context and area, it should fetch 5 stars. However, compared to other places with a similar admission fee, I felt it was closer to 4 stars. It is nonetheless impressive and recommended and you should also consider the month in which you plan to visit. However, it could also be that the few hippie-dippy things there made for an eye roll. They always do.