The time has come to face the facts: the pace of modern life is far too quick. Everything moves at the speed of social media and that ubiquitous 24-hour news cycle. Most of us are plugged into that too quick pace at work, at home, anywhere our tiny phones can bombard us with information moving faster than the speed of light. In Arkansas, at least, there are places where the pace is still slow, where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced life and glory in the peace of beautiful rural spaces. Below you’ll find 13 places that prove life in Arkansas is still slow, despite the fast pace plaguing the rest of the world.
- Shady River Getaway
Facebook/Shady River Getaway, Arkansas
Facebook/Shady River Getaway, Arkansas Shady River Getaway is located in Randolph County along the little known Eleven Point River. The Eleven Point River has not been overly developed, so it remains pristine and Shady River Getaway is the perfect place to slow down and unwind.
- Wilson
Facebook/Town of Wilson, Arkansas You know a town is a peaceful place when its top rated attraction is a cafe. The Wilson Cafe really does deserve its awesome reputation, and it’s made even more appealing by calling the sleepy little Delta town of Wilson home. It’s a friendly small town, and one you definitely need to visit.
- White Rock Mountain
Flickr/Matthew Peoples
Flickr/Mike Norton If you want to escape to somewhere where you can feel like you really are way off the beaten path, you need to check out White Rock Mountain. It’s the perfect place to slow your roll and absorb the Natural State in its natural state.
- Mammoth Spring
Wikimedia/Drowzy
Wikimedia/Brandonrush
Flickr/Dave Thomas The town of Mammoth Spring has a population of under a thousand, so you know it’s not all about hustle and bustle. The largest spring in Arkansas is located there, and Mammoth Spring State Park is the perfect place to stroll while you marvel at all the wonders rural Arkansas has to offer.
- The seemingly endless farmland of the Delta.
Flickr/lucianvenutian
Flickr/pfly Seriously, does anything feel more pleasantly rural than farmland? You’ll find tons of farmland in the Delta. Acres upon acres of plants growing at their own pace, and you can drive right through that awesome bottomland. It’s a great reminder of why the pace is slow in rural areas. Plants only grow so fast, after all.
- Boxley Valley
Flickr/AR Nature Gal
Flickr/Oakley Originals If you’re looking at “idyllic rural areas” in some dictionary about awesome places, you’re sure to find a gorgeous photo of Boxley Valley next to the entry. Boxley Valley is located near so many natural wonders, and as you drive through it on your way to one of those wonders, you’ll be pretty sure the folks lucky enough to live in Boxley Valley know how to savor life.
- Paris
Facebook/Paris Arkansas Area Chamber of Commerce
Flickr/Tonya Stinson Paris is located near Mount Magazine, but we’re not going to talk about Mount Magazine today. The town of Paris is fond of holding events in their lovely downtown, and you’re not going to find a more charming downhome kind of town anywhere, even if it is named after one of the largest cities in the world.
- Lake Fort Smith
Tripadvisor/Aneisha L.
Tripadvisor/Overdoesit What says peaceful more than a lovely lake and the water lapping at the shoreline? Lake Fort Smith is a gorgeous lake set in the Boston Mountain portion of the Ozarks, and you just can’t beat the views, the lovely little cabins where you can stay, and the peace of the water all around.
- Lake Village
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM
Flickr/cmh2315fl Speaking of lakes, Lake Chicot is the largest oxbow lake in North America and the town of Lake Village is set on the banks of that lake. Lake Village is the “Home of Good Fishing” and you better believe the home of good fishing understands how to unwind on the water.
- Kings River
Flickr/AR Nature Gal Kings River has been proclaimed the most underrated natural wonder in Arkansas, and it’s definitely an example of what a lovely time you can have out in the woods. It’s totally gorgeous, and a great place in rural Arkansas where you can let the troubles of your busy life float away on the currents.
- Calico Rock
Wikimedia/Valis55
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson Calico Rock is an adorable little city, and it has a ghost of a reminder of how things used to be. Calico Rock is the only town in the U.S. with a ghost town entirely within its city limits. So if you’re looking for a way to remember rural life can be as slow as the old hills, take a walk around East Calico Rock to step back in time.
- Oark General Store
Wikimedia/Valis55 What can be a more quaint reminder of a simpler time than a general store out in the middle of the woods? What if that general store has been around and in the same building since 1890? Okay, what if it has been transformed into a café that people drive from all over to enjoy? Bonus: They’ve got just about the best burger you’ve ever eaten.
- Powhatan
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson Powhatan, Arkansas can mean two places: a tiny community with a population of fifty and a historic state park with lots of old timey buildings you can explore. This rural community is everything you could want: it’s tiny, charming, and full of cool history.
For teeny tiny towns you’ll miss if you blink, click here. You’re also going to love these places where you can get away from it all. If you’re looking for a little serenity, you’ll want to see these pictures.
Facebook/Shady River Getaway, Arkansas
Shady River Getaway is located in Randolph County along the little known Eleven Point River. The Eleven Point River has not been overly developed, so it remains pristine and Shady River Getaway is the perfect place to slow down and unwind.
Facebook/Town of Wilson, Arkansas
You know a town is a peaceful place when its top rated attraction is a cafe. The Wilson Cafe really does deserve its awesome reputation, and it’s made even more appealing by calling the sleepy little Delta town of Wilson home. It’s a friendly small town, and one you definitely need to visit.
Flickr/Matthew Peoples
Flickr/Mike Norton
If you want to escape to somewhere where you can feel like you really are way off the beaten path, you need to check out White Rock Mountain. It’s the perfect place to slow your roll and absorb the Natural State in its natural state.
Wikimedia/Drowzy
Wikimedia/Brandonrush
Flickr/Dave Thomas
The town of Mammoth Spring has a population of under a thousand, so you know it’s not all about hustle and bustle. The largest spring in Arkansas is located there, and Mammoth Spring State Park is the perfect place to stroll while you marvel at all the wonders rural Arkansas has to offer.
Flickr/lucianvenutian
Flickr/pfly
Seriously, does anything feel more pleasantly rural than farmland? You’ll find tons of farmland in the Delta. Acres upon acres of plants growing at their own pace, and you can drive right through that awesome bottomland. It’s a great reminder of why the pace is slow in rural areas. Plants only grow so fast, after all.
Flickr/AR Nature Gal
Flickr/Oakley Originals
If you’re looking at “idyllic rural areas” in some dictionary about awesome places, you’re sure to find a gorgeous photo of Boxley Valley next to the entry. Boxley Valley is located near so many natural wonders, and as you drive through it on your way to one of those wonders, you’ll be pretty sure the folks lucky enough to live in Boxley Valley know how to savor life.
Facebook/Paris Arkansas Area Chamber of Commerce
Flickr/Tonya Stinson
Paris is located near Mount Magazine, but we’re not going to talk about Mount Magazine today. The town of Paris is fond of holding events in their lovely downtown, and you’re not going to find a more charming downhome kind of town anywhere, even if it is named after one of the largest cities in the world.
Tripadvisor/Aneisha L.
Tripadvisor/Overdoesit
What says peaceful more than a lovely lake and the water lapping at the shoreline? Lake Fort Smith is a gorgeous lake set in the Boston Mountain portion of the Ozarks, and you just can’t beat the views, the lovely little cabins where you can stay, and the peace of the water all around.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM
Flickr/cmh2315fl
Speaking of lakes, Lake Chicot is the largest oxbow lake in North America and the town of Lake Village is set on the banks of that lake. Lake Village is the “Home of Good Fishing” and you better believe the home of good fishing understands how to unwind on the water.
Kings River has been proclaimed the most underrated natural wonder in Arkansas, and it’s definitely an example of what a lovely time you can have out in the woods. It’s totally gorgeous, and a great place in rural Arkansas where you can let the troubles of your busy life float away on the currents.
Wikimedia/Valis55
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson
Calico Rock is an adorable little city, and it has a ghost of a reminder of how things used to be. Calico Rock is the only town in the U.S. with a ghost town entirely within its city limits. So if you’re looking for a way to remember rural life can be as slow as the old hills, take a walk around East Calico Rock to step back in time.
What can be a more quaint reminder of a simpler time than a general store out in the middle of the woods? What if that general store has been around and in the same building since 1890? Okay, what if it has been transformed into a café that people drive from all over to enjoy? Bonus: They’ve got just about the best burger you’ve ever eaten.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson
Powhatan, Arkansas can mean two places: a tiny community with a population of fifty and a historic state park with lots of old timey buildings you can explore. This rural community is everything you could want: it’s tiny, charming, and full of cool history.
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