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!

Crater of Diamonds State Park is a fun and unique place to visit. You can actually dig for real…read morediamonds and keep what you find. The experience is exciting and different from most parks. The staff is helpful and the area is easy to explore. A great stop for something memorable and hands on.

Queen Wilhelmina State Park is located on Rich Mountain, Arkansas' second highest peak. We stayed…read morenearby in an Air BnB and came up to hike one day and another time to watch the sunset. Both activities did not disappoint. There are 41 campsites along with picnic areas and 4 hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulty levels. The trails are: Lover's Leap Trail, Reservoir Trail, Spring Trail and the Quachita National Hiking Trail (National Recreation Trail). There is an old train engine to look at. I wonder how in the heck did they get that up there? There is a playground and small train tracks that appears to be for fun kiddie train rides in the summer months. Several lookout areas in the park. The Lover's Leap lookout area near the lodge has two viewing scopes (bring two quarters to use). Be careful, the one on the right has a stain near the eyepiece and you can't see out of it. Of course I only had two quarters and unfortunately put it into that viewer. This area is so beautiful with scenic views anywhere you look.

Wonderful place to spend a few days. We have stayed at the lodge and in our travel trailer here…read more Arkansas keeps their state parks is great shape and this goes for the lodge as well. The lodge rooms are large, clean and appear new. The restaurant has good consistent food and service.

Friends trail Great trail! Easy path to follow, roots and…read morerocks make it unstable for any stroller or wheels. Clean area, the river is beautiful! The path also leads up to a cliff area. Must stop and walk when town. Our 2 year old followed us everywhere on the trail.

What a great time at Beavers Bend State park. It's a beautiful time of year with small crowds. The…read morearea is very accessible from Hochatown. If you are in the area it's worth it to check it out!

We were a little nervous that the cost wasn't going to be worth the experience , but it was worth…read moreevery penny. They did a great job handling kids who had never ridden before . This would be a great option for any family that is not experienced with riding but looking for a great first time out. The ppl working with the horses were great. If you see Dan (my horse) give him a pat for me!

We love to take our youngest daughter here when she comes to Hochatown. She enjoys riding the…read moretrain and the staff are very sensitive to those with special needs. They also have a really fun experience around Halloween called "Train of Terror." It is a blast and the kiddos love it.

This is an amazing playground and park that has been retooled and refurbished. All of the play…read moreequipment is brand new and paved. Pathways have been added to get park goers from point to point without the need to trudge through muddy wet ground when it is rainy season. The playground surfaces are all weatherproof, which is a fantastic addition to the playground. This park has plenty of space for picnic and pavilions for parties. It has a train that operates seasonally through the park that features a tunnel and other exciting activities. There is a large city pool also included in the park that has a brand new structure, including a very nice competitive swim area stands, diving area, etc, along with changing rooms, showers, concessions, etc. There is also a putt putt course located within the park. Additionally, the park includes a tennis center and tennis lessons as well as organized tennis events and a tennis league.

Looks like several areas of the park are being renovated. Which is a good thing for the community…read more After checking out of our AirBnb were thought it would be a great idea to take our dog for a walk, There is a nice concrete sidewalk around the park and being early in the morning we did not come across very many walkers. Every city/community needs to have a park so everyone can use. This is a good example!

The state park itself is beautiful. The trails and lake are great. We stayed at the lodge for a…read moreweek. The staff are all friendly and welcoming. The restaurant and staff there were very good. Where it fell short for us was mostly the room. The room was very small, crowded, musty and in extreme need of updating. The bathtub has rust stains, the tile is old and grout is filthy. The carpet in the room is also filthy. There were spiders in the corners of the room. The air system was so loud! The door to the room had gaps so spacious that light from the hall poured in all night and everyone walking by sounded as if they were in the room with us. The chair in the room was stained. You get the point. The elevator safety certification in both elevators expired in 2024. Doesn't instill great confidence. My husband had never been here and I was so excited to share a place I had stayed at several times in my childhood. Unfortunately the experience was a bit of a letdown. There were no activities at all. The outdoor paved walking trail behind the lodge had maybe two of the lights working and the lanterns were filthy. I remember that path being lit so well at night that the frogs would be on the path catching insects that were drawn to the lights. There wasn't a frog to be seen or heard. With some TLC and renovations & perhaps an activities director, this could be a beautiful place to stay again.

Peaceful and relaxing nature. It has multiple entrances to visit from. Picnic areas available with…read moregrill stations.

Although the Cossatot is better known for white water boating, levels were too low and my company…read moretoo young to do so safely on our visit. Instead, we hiked - first along the river itself, making use of skills that felt more like light mountaineering to scale and descend the massive rocks jutting up out of the earth; then along a more traditional mountain path. The rocks were fun, and we wanted more of them, but alas, the path eventually forces you into the water if you want to continue, and we weren't equipped for that. Instead, we hit a mountain trail that, while fun, clearly doesn't see much traffic (the path was pretty overgrown in some places). All in all, it was a great experience that I would recommend to anyone with an appreciation for the beauty of the outdoors. Just one word of warning: the maps they provide at the visitor center are almost totally useless, so fooling with them is probably a waste of time. Fortunately, trails and camping areas are all clearly marked with signage, so you should be able to find your way around fairly easily.

Part of the Beavers Bend State Resort Park. Beautiful view of the lake, clear water, kayak and…read morecanoe rental. I visited the park for the day and stayed at the Cypress campground. Campground spots had one leveled tent spot.