Midwestern Adventures: Southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas

I’ve continued to question where I ultimately want to “end up,” so to speak, and therefore decided when I wound up in Kansas City for 3 years of deeper training, to treat the opportunity as a prolonged Locum assignment – well at least from the standpoint of Travel. After all, if you looked at a map, it’s a great launch point to explore the Midwest! So began my plans for adventure and the first point of interest: Southwest Missouri to Northwest Arkansas.

I had only a few days to squish in a little adventure, and if you’ve followed any of my adventures, you know that I’m an intentional traveler and road tripper. My methods are pretty simple. I look at a map, plug in Point A and Point B, and figure out between the two spots if there’s anywhere worthwhile to stop at: Breweries, hikes, historical points, oddities, one-of-a-kind shindigs, the works. So, I ended up with this little trip.

Springfield, Missouri

I thought Springfield was nicer than I imagined it’d be. I would definitely go back to Springfield Brewing Company where I had the best prime rib dip ever, and of course you have to go line dancing… I went to Club Rodeo, not sure if it’s that one or Midnight Rodeo that’s more sketchy, but might as well give it a shot, right?! Mothers Brewing is also quite a classic and has some cool logo’d things. But, if nothing else Crystal Cave was awesome. P.S. the “World’s Largest Fork” is also here…

Branson, Missouri

First off, on the road from Springfield to Branson, did you know there’s a National Tiger Sanctuary?! I got there at an awkward/not economical time of the day, but you should check it out sometime and let me know how it goes. There’s also one of the cutest getaways you wouldn’t expect up in the mountains in the forest called Bear Creek Wine Company and Brewery that I’m definitely going back to someday… Who wants to come?! If NOTHING else, i think this trip was worth it to go to Big Cedar Lodge and eat at Osage! The tomahawk I had with a glass of whiskey looking at the sunset was one of the best things I’ve done. Also, there’s a great lookout point I’d recommend at the School of the Ozarks – apparently there’s a cool restaurant here too I missed.

Arkansas

Of course, the whole intention of this adventure was to see NW Arkansas. Basically, eat at The Preachers Son in a refurbished church in Bentonville, visit the Crystal Bridges Museum, and hike Devil’s Den and Tanyard Creek Nature Trail. Now, it was closed for renovation when i went BUT the one thing I would go back for, I guess, is The Walmart Museum; arguably one of the things that Bentonville is most known for.

Bentonville & Rogers, Arkansas