This Underrated Southern State With Forests And Mountains Is One Of America's 'Best Places To Go' In 2026

If your travel style leans towards hikes yet to be overrun and small-town discoveries, there's one state you'll want to have on your radar for 2026: Arkansas. In fact, it ranked as one of "The Best Places to Go in the U.S. in 2026" by Condé Nast Traveler and was the only entire state among a mix of regions and cities on the list. Contoured by the Ozark Mountains and multiple national forests, Arkansas has had some projects in the works that cash in on its beautiful landscapes and outdoor opportunities for visitors. Among the things you can look forward to for Arkansas travel in 2026 are a cave system that has been nominated as a state park and the opening of a new bike park serviced by a chairlift — developments that hint at just how much of the state remains underexplored.

The Condé Nast editors picked destinations that specifically have new experiences, special events, and expansions in 2026. In addition to its ranking, we researched local events and openings shared in press releases and news outlets to see what's happening in the state. The two main distinctions pulled for Arkansas are its new mountain biking opportunities and expanded hiking trail network.

Arkansas is firmly cementing itself as a top-tier outdoors destination. At the beginning of the year, the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation announced that outdoor recreation is a priority for the government, especially in regard to drawing in visitors. It's in the process of materializing the Natural State Initiative, designed to enhance outdoor access across state parks. It's a good time to see what Arkansas has been up to before the hidden trails become well-trodden.

Mountain bikers rejoice: A major opening coming in Arkansas in 2026 is OZ Trails Bike Park, set to open during Bentonville's Bike Fest on June 12. The park won't be directly in Bentonville, but rather part of its northern neighbor, Bella Vista, a charming outdoor paradise in Arkansas' Ozark Mountains. The trails will be spread across mountainous landscapes, ranging in difficulty level from beginner-friendly to expert. The trails send bikes off with the force of gravity as they descend the peaks, one of which will have a chairlift to take bikers to the top. In a sneak peek of the park shared on YouTube, you can see trails with tons of terrain features like ramps and jumps set up as they wind through the forest-shaded slope.

In another part of the state, the forthcoming development isn't on top of mountains but is, conversely, underground. The Blanchard Springs Caverns are already a well-loved natural attraction and are far from new, given that the caves here formed millions of years ago. But in December 2025, the Governor of Arkansas announced that the cave system was in the process of becoming a state park. The attraction offers a glowing cave journey with spring-fed pools and woodland trails, and as a state park, it will get extra protection and create "new opportunities for tourism, jobs, and year-round adventure," as the Governor said. There's no date for when it will officially be a state park, but the Blanchard Springs Caverns are open to visitors as of May 2026.

Though its Natural State Initiative is putting outdoors at the forefront for Arkansas in 2026, there are some other culture-focused happenings across the state as well. If you're looking to stick to a city with some exciting projects coming up, you might want to plan a stay in Bentonville, the underrated city at the foothills of the Ozarks. Not only is it a 10-minute drive from the OZ Trail Bike Park, but it's also getting a major museum expansion. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art said in a press release that it's completing a 114,000-square-foot expansion of its gallery space, set to open in June 2026. The addition will feature American artwork spanning five centuries, including a significant Indigenous art collection. The museum's event space, The Momentary, also announced that it's expanding music programming in 2026.

There will be plenty of homegrown events and festivals happening in other parts of the state, too. In October, Eureka Springs, the unique, funky city bursting with creativity, is hosting the Hillberry Music Festival. The festival gathers bluegrass and funk musicians across five nights, and it's been named as one of the state's best festivals by The Best of Northwest Arkansas for the past three years. For something a bit more offbeat, you could check out the Cave City Watermelon Festival, happening in Cave City in July. Among its melon-centric festivities will be a revelrous watermelon feast, a seed-spitting contest, and a parade.