Artist Morton Brown's mural "Aurora Rising"—Conway's first community mural—is one of many public art works visitors will find in this arts-minded city.

Conway

One-way travel: 40 minutes, 30 miles*

For a unique community festival like no other, check out Conway and the one and only Toad Suck Daze. The largest free festival in the state, Toad Suck features national entertainment, arts and crafts, a carnival, petting zoo, 5K/10K, golf tournament and world championship Toad Races.

Miss the festival? There’s still plenty to do in Conway. Great eats include Tacos 4 Life, Taziki’s and Wunderhaus. Stop by one of Conway’s cute coffee shops like Zetêo Coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up.

Other Conway musts include the Arkansas Shakespeare Theater, the Lantern Theatre and movies under the stars on the downtown square during April-October. The city is also known for its historic downtown. The shopping, dining and attractions alone are worth the short trip up I-40.

Hot Springs Village

One-way travel: 1 hour, 21 minutes, 64 miles*

Just an hour from the heart of Little Rock lies Hot Springs Village, a planned community surrounded by national forest boasting some of the most breathtaking vistas in central Arkansas. The Village offers a wide range of recreation and entertainment opportunities. Whether it’s music under the stars at Waypoint, a Chefs’ Table farm-to-table dinner at Grove Park or kayaking on Lake Balboa, there’s something for everyone.

Golf reigns supreme in Hot Springs Village with nine courses. For dinner, try Granada Grill located at Granada Golf Course.

There’s also 13 clay tennis courts, 11 lakes, two full-service marinas and more than 30 miles of nature trails. For a full list of community events: ExploretheVillage.com.

Bentonville

One-way travel: 3 hours, 18 minutes, 214 miles*

Nestled near the Missouri state line, Bentonville provides small-town charm and big-city attractions, as well as a few historic landmarks you won’t find anywhere else. From the down-home charm of the Walmart Museum to the cosmopolitan air of the renowned Crystal Bridges Museum, there’s something for all tastes. Families will want to check out the Amazeum, an interactive learning museum featuring 50,000 square feet of discovery through hands-on activities.

Fitness buffs can get the blood pumping anytime along 40 miles of bike trails. The trails afford easy access to the city’s downtown activity center that includes two excellent microbreweries, Bentonville Brewing Company and Bike Rack Brewing, both of which are part of the Fayetteville Ale Trail.

*One-way travel time is estimated using Google.com/maps, leaving Little Rock from the River Market Pavillion in downtown to the Hot Springs Village Visitor’s Center, Sam Walton’s 5 & 10 in downtown Bentonville and Blue Sail Coffee in downtown Conway.