My extended family has been camping at Heber Springs, Arkansas for a week every year for almost 40 years. Some of my first memories were actually here and I love going to the lake in this little town in the Ozark mountains. As we have started to go, it has been so amazing for Devin and I to go and start developing our own traditions here. Even though we spend a week here every year, we still haven’t been able to fit in everything we want to do! The town is small, but there are plenty of things to do in Heber Springs, Arkansas and in the surrounding areas.
Things to do in Heber Springs, Arkansas
My family always goes to Heber Springs, Arkansas for trout fishing. The local dam (which is where we are for the photos above) divides a lake and a river which provides for any kind of water sport you can think of. Rainbow trout are grown at the hatchery (which can be visited) and released into the really cold water. Something really unique about the Little Red River is you have to listen for the horns as they raise and lower the water. We’ve always been really impressed with the local campsites and you actually have to reserve the campsite where we stay 6 months ahead of time (JFK campground). We love to go hiking and swimming while we are there!
Places to eat in Heber Springs, Arkansas
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Lake Town Pizza was by far OUR FAVORITE. This is a cute local restaurant that has the best pizza. We ended up eating there as a family three different times to try out their brisket pizza (and yes, it seriously has brisket on it). By the end of the week, we had tried 4+ pizzas with family and their cheesy bacon sticks. We are hoping this restaurant sticks around so that we can have a long term relationship.Unfortunately, this pizza shop closed! Wah wah. -
El Rey’s is a really delicious Mexican restaurant that we like to visit when we drive down. The decor is very traditional and bright and the food and service is awesome!
- Rustic Inn is definitely the place to go visit in town if you’d like a nice southern breakfast. It is definitely a local favorite 🙂 !
Day trips from Heber Springs, Arkansas
Over the years, my parents and I have done a lot of day trips from Heber Springs, Arkansas. This is something Devin and I want to incorporate more of when we travel in the future; I’m not a very good swimmer and my pasty white skin is highly sensitive to sunburning. These are my top three favorite places to visit!
- Blanchard Springs Caverns (1 hour away) is a living cave/hike that you can visit. It is the perfect place to visit on a really hot Arkansas day because the temperatures are perfect. However, tours are available year round. The formations in the cave are really unique!
- Hot Springs, Arkansas (2 hours away) is actually the town where my Mom grew up. Tourists come from all over the world to go to the Victorian bath houses and hot springs. For the size of the town, there are many attractions for tourists.
- Eureka Springs, Arkansas (3 hours away) is a very cute Victorian Village. The town is called a little Switzerland experience and the buildings are very beautifully and ornately decorated in the style- even the McDonald’s. Outside of the architecture, there are so many little shops and tourist sites to see which also makes it an interesting place to visit!