Home for the Holidays - What to Do, What To See

First posted on 11-25-2007

For those Arkansans expecting friends or relatives for the holidays, The Arkansas State Welcome Centers can help you plan a local outing or overnight trip. Day trip itineraries prepared by the Welcome Centers provide free, great ideas for hosts and visitors so you can relax and enjoy being together without the burden of planning entertainment.

Each year Arkansas welcomes many visitors that stay as guests in private homes and may be unaware of opportunities to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season in the surrounding region. Welcome Center staff can provide the latest information about local attractions and sightseeing. Patty Martin of Thayer, MO, remembers “the first time I came in the Welcome Center at Mammoth Spring I was just looking for feed for the ducks. Now whenever I have guests I always take them to Mammoth Spring because it is such a beautiful place.” Have a hobby or special interest? A favorite cuisine you’d like to sample? The most up-to-date travel advice about your community and informational brochures are available at your local Welcome Center.

Throughout the year several hundred thousand visitors are assisted with travel questions by the State’s 14 Welcome Centers. Some visitors return to the same Center each year to check the latest information on new attractions, dining and events. Billie Brown of Vicksburg, MS, owns a log cabin in Jasper and always stops at the Welcome Center in Lake Village on her way to Jasper. “The staff are so nice, I get updated on the newest things to do, and the restrooms are always clean,” says Brown. Selected centers also provide Internet access, a hot cup of coffee and a comfortable rocking chair in front of the fireplace.

Even residents that will not be entertaining will want to explore the resources available to them through the Welcome Centers. This is a great time to re-discover the uniqueness of your own home town and state by seeing those places you always meant to visit but never did. Pick up a free Arkansas highway map and receive personalized assistance with your travel questions from a trained travel consultant.

No time to plan? No problem. Visit your nearest Welcome Center for an itinerary and you can spend the day exploring and enjoying all that Arkansas has to offer.

A complete listing of locations and contact information for each of the State’s Welcome Centers is available on the official Web site at Arkansas.com. Hours of operation for the Arkansas Welcome Centers are 8 A. M. to 5 P.M. seven days a week. Two centers—Helena and Red River—close at 4 P.M. daily.

The welcome centers are open 360 days a year; closed days are Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and New Years Day, Christmas Day, and a half-day on Christmas Eve (open 8-12 and closed 12-5).