Located north of Little Rock, Conway is an education, cultural and tech hub in the heart of Arkansas. It’s often referred to as the “City of Colleges” due to its numerous tertiary institutions and is unique in that the majority of its residents have jobs within the city limits and don’t commute for work.

Things to do

Begin your visit at Faulkner County Museum, which occupies a late-19th century jail that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places on the edge of Courthouse Square. After admiring its stuccoed exterior and three-storey square tower, step inside to browse the old photographs, artefacts and vintage homewares that bring the city’s history to life.

Art enthusiasts shouldn’t miss a visit to Baum Gallery, a small institution at the University of Central Arkansas that showcases student work and exhibitions by regional artists. If time allows, enjoy a stroll through the surrounding campus, with an architectural highlight being the Main Hall, a monumental red-brick building that dates back to 1919.

A short drive from downtown Conway is Beaverfork Lake Park, a popular recreational area on the shores of Beaverfork Lake. In addition to swimming and boating, there are covered picnic areas where you can barbecue, a children’s playground and fields for playing baseball, softball and volleyball. Keen anglers can try their luck at reeling in bass and bluegill in the lake, together with catfish and crappie.

Getting there

Conway is a 40-minute drive from Little Rock and around the same distance from Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, which has flights to destinations across the United States. Long-distance buses connect to Conway’s Greyhound station while cars are the main means of getting around the city. The downtown area of Conway is pedestrian-friendly.