Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of my favorite places to visit. We've traveled from Florida…read moretwice just to come here, and even made a third stop on our way home from our vacation out west - and we've still never found a diamond. Yet I would come back again and again. There's something incredibly therapeutic about the thrill of the hunt and the possibility that the next scoop of dirt could contain something amazing. It's not really about what you find - it's about the experience, the hope, and the adventure. The people here are also some of the kindest you'll meet. Everyone is searching for their own treasure, but they're genuinely excited when someone else makes a discovery. It creates a welcoming atmosphere where people get along, share stories, and celebrate each other's successes. If this place were closer to home, I'd probably spend at least one day every weekend here - maybe all of them. It's a fabulous escape and a special place that keeps calling me back, whether I find a diamond or not.

This was one of the highlights of our Arkansas trip while visiting family from our Florida home…read morebase. For anyone unfamiliar, this is the only diamond mine in the world open to the public where you can actually keep what you find. Some surprisingly large diamonds have been discovered here over the years, so there's always that tiny bit of hope that keeps you searching. What surprised me most was the layout. For some reason I expected caves or mining tunnels, but it's actually a huge open field where visitors search, dig, sift, and surface hunt. We paid $45 total admission for 3 people and thankfully already had equipment provided by our rental house (checkout Punkin's place in Murfreesboro, Arkansas on Airbnb) because you can absolutely spend extra renting tools onsite if needed. We started with wet sifting before moving into dry and surface searching. There were a few muddy sections from recent rain, but overall the conditions were great during our May visit. Slightly overcast skies with an occasional drizzle made the weather perfect for being outside. I honestly can't imagine doing this in the middle of a blazing hot summer afternoon. I had read reviews from people saying they left exhausted, but we approached it a little differently due to some back and shoulder limitations. We worked smart, paced ourselves, and still had a fantastic time. We didn't find diamonds that day, but we did leave with some beautiful rocks and a really fun experience. We would absolutely do this again!

Our family of four had a great time out on the trail. We didn't know what to expect and I was…read moreconcerned our teenage children may not have fun. They had a great time and we spent 3 hours, including a few stops to fish, on the trail.

We had a beautiful day to float the Caddo, with two kayaks and two canoes in our party yesterday…read more One canoe had novice paddlers for the 3+ hour float back to the vehicles. Our bus and some of the equipment (paddles, canoe) were a bit banged up or well used. It was a lot of fun, more class 1 or maybe class 2 than expected by the novices. But fun fun fun. We plan to do it again!

I wanted to be sure to come back and write a review as I couldn't find many newer reviews prior to…read moregoing. I'll start out by saying that the owners were great!!! We originally booked a camp side with electric and water for 2 days and would float on our last full day. We decided to extend our campsite and change our float to the next day AND swap to kayaks Instead of tubes. When we went to the office to make the changes and they were more than happy to help us as if it were no big deal! I also watched the owner down by the river everyday we were there just greeting people and chatting and helping in any way possible. I'm pretty sure I saw him pulling someone's car that had broke down. Just a testament to how helpful they are. The Campsite- my wife and I got site L for 3 days. The owner had just finished mowing the grass as we pulled up and it was very clean and level. I had read one old review that said the electric pole was a hundred feet away or something so I showed up with 5 extension cords. lol to my surprise, the electric pole was right at the side and 10 feet away from our tent! But I was ready. The water spigot was also right behind that so it was all very close. There was a nice fire ring and a camp style grill and the picnic table was in great shape. No one was in the site to our right but there were some folks in the site to our left but there was just enough space that it was no bother. The bathrooms were just a short walk up the hill. There was one men's and one women's restroom that stayed clean the whole time we were there and there were two showers, each in its own individual room. All 4 doors had pin pad knobs so they stayed locked and you needed a code to get in, they didn't give us any issues. The showers were push knobs so you have to hold them to keep water flowing but the temps were good. A little warm for my tastes but my wife loved it. The River- we decided on the kayaks instead of the tubes as we have tubes the river a few times and wanted to check out a little more. Since we were camping at the shuttle site, we just had to jump on a van once we were ready and they took us on a ten minute ride to the river. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave us some good tips. We ultimately floated for about 4 hrs to get back. The river was around 5.3 river level gauge so we did have a few spots where I had to get out but my wife slid right over. Guess I should lose a few pounds hahaha. It's definitely an easy paddle and kid friendly. There were a few spots with some faster moving water but nothing to be alarmed about. All in all it was a great experience. I will say, if you are looking for a quiet, in the woods campsite, this isn't it. It is close to the road so you hear every truck going down the road and those boys in Central Arkansas love their glasspack mufflers! lol but if you are looking for somewhere to camp after floating the river, this place is perfect! You don't have to drive to a shuttle area and then when you get done, you are back at camp. Caddy River Camping & Canoe, you guys are doing a great job!!

This is a great option if you are wanting an affordable canoe or kayak. We found the staff to be…read morepolite and helpful. Tip: take cash and try to go during a week day. Also, call ahead or watch website to see how fast the river is flowing.

The river is clear and customer service is excellent. Easy enough to do with kids but fun for…read moreadults too! We kayaked and it took us about 3 1/2-4 hours with 2 stops.

We stayed here this past weekend (September 29-October 2, 2023)…read more Wow! What a great place to stay! If you love nature you are gonna love this place! We didn't get to canoe because the Caddo was too low! But we drove to Mt. Ida, did a little exploring then went back to our cabin! The cabin was clean and was just right for 2 people! So peaceful and so close to nature! Can't wait to go back!

My wife and I stayed in the LOVE CABIN August 6-7, 2021. It's not a cabin of the log type but more…read moreof a small house. But if you look at the website you wont be surprised, LOL! They have 4 different themed cabins, 2 for pets and 2 for no pets. They are spaced far enough apart to give you your own room and not be elbow to elbow with your neighbors. There is also a large double-wide trailer that's called THE LODGE for larger groups. It has a large yard and is farther from the other cabins. There's a small creek that runs in front of the cabins. It was bubbling and all and if you come during the cooler months it'd be great to sleep with the windows up to fall asleep to. They come with satellite tv, pots, pans, dishes etc and sheets and towels. Unfortunately because of the covid we had to bring our own sheets & towels but that's no biggy. They also provide limited toiletries (soap, hand soap, dish soap, etc). There's chairs for the porch, a grill and fire ring and a picnic table to use. The cabin was nicely furnished and decorated with the LOVE theme. We had a queen size bed. It was way too hard for me but my wife slept fine. Not sure about anybody else but we had ZERO cell service there. There are also lots of dead zones in that area (at least for our carrier). It was VERY PEACEFUL AND QUIET!!!!!! Nobody running up and down halls or slamming doors off their hinges. We were told their were some atv trails close by but we didn't do that this time. There's many different options fairly close by and I would highly recommend the scenic loop that runs from Mena on into Oklahoma. I think it's about 55 miles long. If you're looking for a nice, quiet place to stay I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND AT LIVING WATER CABINS!!!!

So there is only one review thus far and I don't believe they give the credit this place deserves…read more It is breathtaking. The motel sits right off the lake with a beautiful scenery. There is a park, basketball & volleyball court. Mind you when we went a majority of these activities were under water but that didn't stop us from loving this place. The room is perfect. We had four in our group and we were comfortable. The kitchen was well stocked with the utensils needed with a full stove and refrigerator. Made it nice to save money by cooking meals rather than buying them. Each day we had clean towels which was nice. The only downfall was the comfort of the beds. I need an ultra soft bed and these were ultra firm. But nothing to knock a star down on the review. They do have WiFi and it worked perfectly. Any time I called Betty, she answered and met our needs. The location was great because we were near the Crater of Diamonds, Hot Springs and Wegner Crystal Mine. All within 20 mins to an hours drive from each. Plus it was very affordable!!! $57 each night, now that's a deal. Must check this place out, it's a beauty.

We had our family reunion there over Mother's Day Weekend. The rooms are great. The staff was…read moreawesome and very accommodating. Betty was great on coming no matter what time we called her. We will be back. Thank you!!!

This is a perfect vacation spot for when you want to get away without being too isolated. Security…read morecameras and lighting outside helped us feel safe. Our cabin was clean, comfortable, easy to warm up and cool down, and easy to access with the last four digits of our phone number - so no stress of keeping up with a key. We had a small fridge, microwave, a coffee pot, one burner, plates, pots, pans, glasses, coffee mugs and utensils to make cooking easy. There's also a fire pit and park style grill outside. One of the outlets had USB if you forget your cube to charge your phone. You may lose cell service, but the cabin has an excellent WIFI signal. The property is Veteran-owned and the groundskeeper (also a Veteran) checked in on us. Nearby is Crater of Diamonds State Park and Hot Springs is an hour north - there is lots to do and see in the area, especially if you love the outdoors. It was so peaceful and quiet - we have absolutely nothing negative to say. It genuinely felt like a home away from home and we can't wait to go back.

My wife and I stayed at one of the flats at PVS prob a year or two ago. The room was comfortable…read more The grounds were spectacular. We went for many walks, sat in the swings, and swam in the creek. We explored nearby sights like Albert Pike. We also checked out the cemetery and it was really surreal to see all of the OLD (1800s) tombstones (or sometimes just small rocks.) The name says it all: it is very peaceful.

Here at Peace Valley this weekend for a decompression weekend with friends and the a. U Mt. Ida…read moreQuartz, Crafts, and Quilts festival and thought I'd share some pictures of the property I took this morning. If you're desiring a getaway, book Peace Valley on AirBnB - tell Susan I sent you! You can thank me later!