Holland ArkansasATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Holland, Arkansas.
1. Historic Washington State Park
STEP BACK IN TIME
Historic Washington State Park offers visitors a glimpse into 19th-century Arkansas with preserved buildings and living history demonstrations. Visitors can explore more than 30 historic structures dating back to the town's heyday as a stopover on the Southwest Trail. The park features guided tours, blacksmith demonstrations, and seasonal events that bring Arkansas's Civil War era history to life.
2. Jacksonport State Park
RIVER PORT HISTORY
Jacksonport State Park preserves the history of a once-thriving 1800s port town on the White River that played a significant role during the Civil War. The park features a restored 1872 courthouse that now serves as a museum with exhibits detailing the area's rich river and Civil War history. Visitors can enjoy camping, fishing, and boating while learning about this important historical site.
3. Pea Ridge National Military Park
CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD
Pea Ridge National Military Park preserves the site of one of the most pivotal Civil War battles west of the Mississippi River. The park offers a seven-mile self-guided tour road with interpretive stops highlighting key battle locations and a visitor center with exhibits and artifacts. Visitors can explore hiking trails, see reconstructed battlefield features, and attend living history demonstrations throughout the year.
4. Poison Springs Battleground State Park
RED RIVER CAMPAIGN SITE
Poison Springs Battleground State Park commemorates the site of a significant Civil War battle that was part of the Union Army's Red River Campaign. The park features outdoor interpretive exhibits that explain how Confederate troops successfully captured a Union supply train during the conflict. Visitors can enjoy picnicking facilities while exploring this important piece of Arkansas Civil War history.
5. Delta Cultural Center
MISSISSIPPI DELTA HERITAGE
The Delta Cultural Center showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Arkansas Delta region through engaging exhibits and programs. Visitors can explore displays on blues music, Civil War history, and the agricultural heritage that shaped this distinctive area. The center serves as the focal point for Helena's historical attractions and offers insights into the Battle of Helena that resulted in Union control of the Mississippi River.
6. Lakeport Plantation
ANTEBELLUM RIVER ESTATE
Lakeport Plantation houses Arkansas's only remaining antebellum plantation home on the Mississippi River, built in 1859 and now open year-round for visitors. The restored Greek Revival structure offers guided tours that explore the plantation's history, including its connections to slavery and later sharecropping practices. Exhibits throughout the property provide insights into 19th-century agricultural life along the Mississippi River.
7. Thorncrown Chapel
ARCHITECTURAL GLASS MASTERPIECE
Thorncrown Chapel is an architectural marvel featuring 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass nestled in the Ozark woods near Holland, Arkansas. Designed by renowned architect E. Fay Jones, the soaring wooden structure creates a breathtaking connection between indoor worship space and the surrounding natural beauty. The chapel has received numerous architectural awards and attracts visitors from around the world who come to experience its serene, light-filled interior.
8. Fordyce Bathhouse
HISTORIC HOT SPRINGS SPA
Fordyce Bathhouse serves as the visitor center for Hot Springs National Park and showcases the elegant spa culture that made the area famous. The meticulously restored 1915 bathhouse features original fixtures, stained glass, and marble, offering visitors a glimpse into the luxurious spa treatments of the early 20th century. Visitors can explore three floors of exhibits detailing the history of thermal bathing and the natural hot springs that continue to flow today.
9. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
WORLD-CLASS ART COLLECTION
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art houses a stunning collection of American masterpieces spanning five centuries, all set within a striking architectural complex designed by Moshe Safdie. The museum's buildings integrate harmoniously with the surrounding Ozark landscape, featuring spring-fed ponds and miles of sculpture-lined walking trails. Admission is free to this world-class institution, which also includes a Frank Lloyd Wright house moved to the property.
10. Crater of Diamonds State Park
DIG FOR REAL DIAMONDS
Crater of Diamonds State Park offers visitors the unique opportunity to search for real diamonds in the world's only diamond-bearing site open to the public. More than 33,000 diamonds have been found since the site became a state park in 1972, with finders keeping whatever treasures they discover. The park provides diamond hunting tools for rent, a water park for cooling off after digging, and camping facilities for extended stays.
11. Arkansas River Trail
SCENIC RIVERSIDE PATH
The Arkansas River Trail is a 15.6-mile loop connecting Little Rock and North Little Rock with scenic bridges and riverside paths suitable for walking, running, or cycling. The trail offers spectacular views of the Arkansas River and passes several attractions including the Clinton Presidential Center and the Big Dam Bridge. Visitors can enjoy wildlife viewing, riverside parks, and easy access to downtown dining and cultural venues along the route.
12. Bathhouse Row
HISTORIC SPA DISTRICT
Bathhouse Row features eight historic bathhouse buildings lining Central Avenue in Hot Springs National Park, representing the golden age of American spa culture. Today, visitors can experience modern spa treatments in some restored facilities, while others house museums, a brewery, and cultural centers. The grand promenade behind the bathhouses offers a pleasant walking path with thermal features and stunning architecture views.
13. Blanchard Springs Caverns
LIVING UNDERGROUND WONDER
Blanchard Springs Caverns is an extraordinary living cave system with magnificent formations still growing deep within the Ozark Mountains. Guided tours take visitors through illuminated chambers featuring dazzling stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and flowstones created over thousands of years. The surrounding recreation area offers hiking trails, waterfalls, and a mountain stream for fishing, swimming, and picnicking.
14. Museum of Native American History
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE
The Museum of Native American History houses an exceptional collection spanning 14,000 years of Native American history displayed in chronological order. Visitors can explore artifacts from Paleo-Indian tools to elaborate Mississippian pottery and view one of the finest collections of points and blades in the country. Audio tours enhance the experience as guests discover the rich indigenous heritage of the Americas through authentic artifacts and educational exhibits.
15. Petit Jean State Park
ARKANSAS'S FIRST STATE PARK
Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas's first state park, offers dramatic vistas from its mountain location overlooking the Arkansas River Valley. The park features the spectacular 95-foot Cedar Falls, rustic cabins built by the CCC in the 1930s, and miles of hiking trails through diverse landscapes. Visitors can enjoy camping, fishing, boating, and learning about the legendary tale of Petit Jean, the French girl who disguised herself as a boy to follow her lover to the New World.