We appreciate this not many people mention that and that is important to us. We raised to treat people like that you never know you could improve someone's day
Thank you for the kind words about Arkansas! We are so used to hearing the negative, it’s nice to hear some positive things said about our state. So pleased you all enjoyed your time here.
I've lived all over the state. Pretty with all the trees. Logging big time down by Mena and South. Fayetteville is ok but I remember when it was cool to live in Fayetteville. Not so much now. Springdale is nice and a must go and visit eureka springs. You will fall in absolute love with this town
As a Michigander that moved to California, i recently did another cross country trip and passed through Arkansas. My most favorite state in the south by far! 😄 So beautiful!
@@Rumpl4Skyn as a native and (basically) lifelong Arkansan- only lived outside Arkansas a little less than two years, and I’m 47 next month-I wholeheartedly agree! But it’s nice to hear people, especially from other, “bigger and better” states, say it. Thanks for taking the time to even check out what your little neighbor to the northeast is like in the first place. (Although in a way it’s fortunate that AR is a bit of a hidden gem; TOO many people would just ruin it.)
@@ashleydixon4613 Its funny you just said that because I literally just moved to Arkansas a week ago. I'm living in Bauxite! I'm so glad to be back in the South.
1 of my pre peeves. Born n raised in Arkansas, people come here, see how beautiful it is; move here, then bulldoze down all the trees to make a ranch. Really, it's the trees that make it beautiful.
@@shane5591Then trim. but to cut 100 of yards of trees just creates a hole in the middle of beautiful nature. Imagine someone shaving a random hole in ur scalp. Preserve nature
Lived in Arkansas my entire life. It is absolutely gorgeous here. If someone from Arkansas tells you to 'watch for deer' when you leave, it's our way of saying we love you.
Hello, would you say Arkansas is a must visit? I am looking into doing a Dallas to Arkansas trip (im from southern california, so Dallas would be a trip as well)
@@Jwalk2urheart absolutely not Arkansas has nothing to offer and smells bad, do dallas to Nashville, TN is one of the most beautiful southern states by far
@@BielichDai dang.. i would only be gone for 4 days. a 10 hour drive is too much for what i am looking for. What else would you recommend from Dallas? I've been to houston/austin
@@Jwalk2urheart Dallas is tricky because TX is huge and almost everything is a long drive away. I honestly would just travel within the state, check out the gulf coast, lots of smaller cities offer a lot in TX.. Austin, San Antonio, Houston are all good cities and lots of nature on the drive like the iconic Davey Croket national forrest
One thing to always appreciate about Mark Wolter is that he doesn’t just give you the basic tourist info of every city/state and country he visits. He gives you the inside scoop of what a local would give you! Dude, your channel is a goldmine!! Been a follower for over a year!
He needs to learn geography because he says in this video that Arkansas is a mid western state and it's not. Arkansas is a Southern State and The Deep South. Always has been always will be.
Great video! But as a native Arkansan, I have to point out that Hot Springs is NOT in the Ozarks. It's in the Ouachita Mountains, an ENTIRETY different mountain range.
Correct.... There are several mountain ranges in Arkansas, the Ozark mountains are only one of the ranges. unfortunately people tend to blend all the ranges together.
Hello, would you say Arkansas is a must visit? I am looking into doing a Dallas to Arkansas trip (im from southern california, so Dallas would be a trip as well)
@@Jwalk2urheart Well, I'm not going to lie, it's not exactly exciting. NW Arkansas is very different than Little Rock (and nothing like Dallas!). It's a great place if you like outdoors stuff, like swimming, kayaking, hiking, etc. And Fayetteville is the funky little town that you can come back to, to enjoy live music, good food, and fun. Some have compared it to a littler version of Austin, if that helps. Bentonville bills itself as a big "arts center" of the region, but it's all brand-new, all bought and paid for with Walmart money. Fayetteville is the OG art center of NWA.
I used to live in Tulsa and travelled all over Arkansas for work, I had 2 shocks... 1 was the Wealth, I saw Ferraris in Barns in Tyson country, and loads of Porsches in Bentonville. 2. was the Great Vietnamese food in Fort Smith, AR in 1975 a nearby base housed 100,000 refugees from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon, while most left to other parts of the country, there is a large population of Vietnamese and some excellent restaurants to get your Pho on :) Thanks for the Arkansa memories, I used to love going to Eureka Springs
They used fort chaffee for the Japanese they were rounded up in the United States in world war II It is also the place Elvis Presley got his haircut when he joined the army
@@breannapeel2767 I have an Airbnb reserved in belle vista for a Bentonville mtn bike trip at the end of July. Can you recommend anything else that would be fun for a 7 and 11 year old in the area? Or even within a couple hours of the area? I’m crazy excited about the biking but I’d like to find other things to do so my kids don’t get burnt out on the biking.
I actually was born and raised here. Several years ago, I moved to Los Angeles California and then to Henderson, Nevada for a few years. I moved back last year and there truly is NO PLACE LIKE HOME ❤️🥰❤️ Thank you for this video!!!! ❤️
Spent 2 days driving Ozarks down to Texarkana through the back roads! wow! Arkansas truly shocked me. We drove from Texas up to Oklahoma and east into the Ozarks.. the landscape flipped to beautiful hills , winding roads.. roads were clean and smooth . People drove sensibly , sticking to speed limits, nice little towns in the national forests! I am surely coming up here every spring and autumn .
I moved from So Cal to Little Rock Arkansas a few years ago and now live up in Northwest Arkansas. I *love* NW Arkansas, so many lakes, rivers, trails, State Parks, National Forests, Nat'l Park, etc. I like the city of Fayetteville here when i need to go into the city. If you love nature, this is a great place to live. I won't move now.
@@shanekasper4587 Honestly I can't imagine. I love California (my home state), but I also would want to visit and see what each state in the U.S. has to offer. Arkansas looks very interesting especially it's natural scenery, sounds like it's worth a visit.
@@Abel-Alvarez it is a great state. You have a mix from one end to the other. Farming to the highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. in Nothwest Arkansas. Mountains and Delta. Lived here since I was in 3rd grade and love it.
Howdy neighbor! We just moved to Harrison in August from Northern California. Then we lived in Marshall for a month and now we are living in Jasper. Been out to Mountain View, Little Rock, Kingman, Springdale, and we are loving everything, especially the Buffalo National River.
@@gloriaharp4872 Haha that’s crazy. I live just at the top of the hill close to downtown by the police station. Hope you guys didn’t have any major damage from that tornado last Monday.
Thank you for covering Arkansas in such a kind way. We so often are made fun of as hillbilly’s, which is so far from the truth. I was born and raised in Arkansas and I love Arkansas. And the Pig Trail is BEAUTIFUL in the fall. Not sure I agree about the Midwest vibe, we are as Southern and country as cornbread. Also, in the counties where you can buy alcohol, it is not sold on Sunday.
Born and raised Arkansan here! I became a big fan of your channel before we loved to Germany. We've used it a lot to plan trips in Europe and learn how to enjoy the Christmas markets. It's so, so nice to see Arkansas made your channel! Very proud of my home state. Although I was shocked by your statement that it has a Midwestern feel, I get it. Woo pig!!!
From a person from Illinois who’s been living in Arkansas for over 14 years, It does not feel like Georgia but it certainly does not feel like even Missouri. The hospitality is much nicer people are kinder here some drive like idiots but it is a slower pace of life and just a nice place to live!
We do consider ourselves southern, at least most of us, but.. Overall, you are 100% correct about the beauty and the small towns. We love it here, and yes.. pigs are important to us :D
What a change of pace to hear a positive outlook on AR. Most people, even the ones here, tend to speak negatively. But it really is a great state. That being said, to all that don't live in AR: Don't move here. Let's keep it great
I lived in the little tiny town of Elm Springs for 5 months in 2008. That whole northwest part of the state is absolutely fantastic! The people are amazing and never once looked down on me for being from Pennsylvania!
I have been a fan for a while now! Super surprised with this vid! Thank you for seeing Arkansas as we natives see it! Much love and let’s get back to traveling soon!
I didn't see any confederate Rebel flags and I was shocked ( not a big fan). In Tennessee they are everywhere!! I live in Ohio so it's a mixed bag. Alot of BLM banners and signs
@@lowlifeangler if you go to a lot of smaller towns, you will see rebel flags everywhere. Now most people flying them aren’t racist, they just take pride in being a southerner. In the little town I live in, just about every other house has a rebel flag flying.
@@desupernoodle That's OK, I might rather fly an American flag but I don't support those pos democrats. I saw plenty of Anti-Hlllary souvenirs in Gatlinburg shops during the 2016 election lol Visited Michigan in 2020, to many Biden signs to make me sick!!
Thank you for showing my beautiful home state in such a positive way! We have our good and bad things like every state, but it really is a beautiful place. I have lived in the south, central, and now northwest part of the state and have always been able to find beauty. Good people, good food, wonderful natural scenery.
Being from Arkansas i can say one of the best places for views in in the jasper area. Especially if you ride a motorcycle or a car cruise. Some of the twistiest curviest roads around. I live fairly close to the area and enjoy taking a day to drive my squarebody c10 through the hills every now and then.
Yes, thank you.. Also Arkansas is the place to go if you are a rockhound. We have the Diamond Mine in Murfreesboro and countless crystal mines west Arkansas. Here in Men's where I live you can travel almost any back road and find crystals. I even gave a few deep ocean fossils (we used to be under the ocean, hence our strange mountain ranges).
As a native Arkansan, I’d like to say thankyou for this awesome video!😋 north-east Arkansas getting in those Ozark mountains can really highlight the beauty of this state, stopping by Greers Ferry Lake or Heber Springs is a gorgeous town, and Mountain View Arkansas is a real tourist stop for anyone wanting to sneak a peak into that mountain top lifestyle 😁
@@zacharylewis7012 I grew up on the Strawberry River and Spring River, so I know what I hope Heaven is. Things were much different back in the late 1940s through 1960s. Simple straightforward lifestyle built around family, close friends and your church. We grew/raised 80 percent of our food and hunted or fished the rest of it. Welfare didn’t exist but your neighbors and the church took care of it. Crime was almost non existent but none of us had so much that robbery would be tolerated. Justice was immediately served old school style. A man’s word was as good or better than a signed document. Every boy had a pocket knife even in school and on occasion a shotgun. No school shootings or stabbings as everyone knew and depended upon each other. We had one full time policeman and a part time helper. All this liberal progress has sure made things better. Same area now has almost 30 police officers and crime because of drugs etc keep them busy.
@@WalterJohnson-er7bt Hi Mr. Johnson, that’s amazing to hear, I’ve always enjoyed learning how things were back then. I’ve lived between the White and Little Red Rivers my whole life. My mother was born in 1970 if that hints you towards my generation so I’ve never gotten to see life like that with my own eyes. But my grandmother spoke of times like that often. She was the oldest of 6, and although I’m not sure what my great grandparents did for work, she talked of her and her siblings having to pick a lot of cotton when they were younger. Filling giant burlap sacks, I’m not sure if she said 10 feet or 10 yards, but she showed me a picture once and they did indeed look pretty large. She also told me how her favorite treat for Christmas was a simple orange. Because they didn’t have them available back then. My great grandpa would ride horse and buggy to Batesville to get supplies, it would take him 2-3days. That trip only takes us 30-40minutes now. But around Christmas time he would get all the children an orange. And that’s a tradition my family has done ever since, and this year my two year old daughter will have an orange in her stocking. All thanks to a great man I’ve never met, although I wish I could have.
@@WalterJohnson-er7bt also when I was in 1st grade, I took my pocket knife to school. It was confiscated and I was sent to the principal’s office. Times are very different now, and not everything has gotten better. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a Merry Christmas Mr. Johnson.
@@zacharylewis7012 in those days Christmas was not toys or video games etc. You got things you needed such as clothes, shoes etc. I generally got a couple boxes of 22 ammo and shotgun shells. I was the primary hunter in our family as I was born with a natural knack for hunting. We ate a bunch of cotton tails, squirrels, quail and the occasional deer or wild hog. We actually ate a good deal of bass, crappie and fat bluegill. The communities were much smaller than and everyone knew everyone, so everyone knew everyone’s business. Our first phone was a party line with I believe nine people on it. The girls at the switchboard made it their business to know who what when and where on the entire community. My Dad had a big flatbed truck and twice a year a bunch of the women went to our biggest local town for canning supplies, cloth, school supplies etc. In the fall when it got cool enough the neighbors all got together for the butchering and a Thanksgiving Party. Much simpler times in my mind but people were happier and much closer as a community. The little country cemetery where my Dad is buried has just plain big rocks to mark many of the graves. All I learned in those woods hunting and fishing served me well in Vietnam. Country Boys make the best soldiers. I live in Alabama now and like the warmer winter weather. The people here are very much like the people back home in Arkansas.
We do actually consider ourselves as southerners, we are a far cry from a Midwest state, lived here my whole life. Everything else was spot on though. Thank you for not giving us a negative review. Most of us are full of southern hospitality.
Yeah. When someone says they've visited Arkansas and get a midwestern vibe, it's obvious that they have spent nearly all their time in state within the NWA metro area and the surrounding area. The NWA metro (which has tripled in population in the last 30-40 years) has a midwestern vibe mostly due to the large number of people that have moved to the area from the Midwest to work for the corporate offices. It being in relatively close proximity to southeastern Kansas, North Central Oklahoma, and West Central Missouri (the closest locations with a solid midwestern culture) has a slight effect now that the region is populous enough to attract people. Prior to roughly 1990, this region resembled the rest of the Ozarks. Once you get away from the western part of the Ozarks (NWA metro, Madison Co, and Carroll Co) you start to get a vibe and culture that closely resembles southern Appalachia (which is where most settler families in this region moved from). The Northeastern part of the state plus a narrow strip down to the Little Rock metro plus the River Valley and Ouachita Mountains geographic regions have a more upper South culture. The Northeastern part has had some people move in from the Midwest over the years but not in significant enough numbers to change the region's culture. You will occasionally hear some Midwest vernacular but that's about it. The western end of the River Valley around Fort Smith does have a bit of more localized rugged individualism western undertones vibe since it was a frontier region for the first 80-100 years of its settlement by non-native people. The parts of the Delta located in the East Central and Southeast parts of the state have a deep south culture just like Memphis or the Mississippi Delta. The woodlands of Southern Arkansas, like Northern Louisiana and deep East Texas has a mostly deep South culture mixed with a local culture due to this region (called the Ark-la-tex) being a frontier region when originally settled.
Awesome video and thanks for the positivity for our state! Only thing I will say is that NWA Is Midwest/southern, however southern and eastern Arkansas are most certainly not Midwestern. Very southern in culture and more similar to East Texas, North Louisiana and Mississippi, but most tourist don’t travel to those parts of the state lol. I was born in southern AR and grew up in LR. North Arkansas Is very different from central southern and eastern AR.
Not only is Arkansas the home of Wal-Mart, but it's also the home of Tyson & JB Hunt. And a little bit of fun trivia: the Arkansas Razorbacks were once the _Cardinals._ But they changed their name in 1910 when UARK Coach Bezdek said his team played like a _"wild band of razorback hogs"_ after defeating LSU 7-0. Woo pig sooie! (Btw, I'm a Springdale resident, born in Eureka Springs. 😁)
I agreed with everything except the “midwestern feel”. As someone who’s actually lived in the midwest for a few years let me tell you, there is definitely a difference. I think Arkansas just has its own culture.
Depends. Most of Arkansas is culturally Greater Appalachian which includes states like Kentucky and West Virginia, most of Illinois, Indiana, Southern Missouri, Southern Ohio, Western Virginia, Most of Tennessee, Eastern Oklahoma, and North Texas. However South of I40, and east of I30 it is culturally deep south which is Most of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, non Cajun Louisiana and Southeast Texas. Arkansas is at a crossroads culturally. It can feel Midwestern or Deep South depending on where you are at and who you interact with.
@@jdredwine7224 That wasn’t my point. My point is that the parts of AR that “feel like the midwest” don’t actually feel like the midwest. The REAL midwest is a completely different cultural experience. That’s why I suggested that maybe AR just has its own culture.
@@ZebraPrintedBanANA As someone who's lived in the Ozarks and that region of the Midwest (if he's referencing the 11 nations of America), they are clearly two different regions. They might have similar views when it comes to politics but that's about the limits of the similarities in the modern day. Anytime I'm in Southern Appalachia (eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, southwest Virginia, down to northeastern Alabama and North Georgia) it reminds me of the Ozarks. The NWA metro and adjacent areas of the Ozarks (over to about a Marble to Green Forest line) does feel like the Midwest. I will give him that but it's fairly recent population changes that has changed that region's culture, not a long ago historic basis. The main reason for that is the metro area tripling in population in the last 30-35 years with many moving in from the Midwest.
We were so excited to see you in our area with this video! I'm from Illinois too, and we just love North Central Arkansas!! Thanks for showing the twin lakes area in such a positive way!
I lived in Arkansas for over 10 years and it is a beautiful state. The people are wonderful and very friendly. It is just so sad it is so poor. I probably wouldn’t have left if I could have found another job.
I am not sure what line of work you are in or what part you lived in for 10 years, but myself and colleagues make really great money here....of course, there are poorer areas but that is in every state..
I never thought I would see a video from you about Arkansas. My family is from there. I have two uncles that are former razorbacks and you are correct on how passionate they are. I was actually born on the Texas side of Texarkana. My mom was shopping and went into labor and my uncle was like we need to move her to the Arkansas side of Texarkana so that I would be born a Razorback and not a Texan lol. Hot Springs is also one of the gem capitals of the world. It is the only place in the United States where you can actually go digging for diamonds. Arkansas is actually on top of a large volcano crater (that's why there are the hot springs) and they regularly till the fields so that you can mine for diamonds. People still find quality gems to this day. I can attest to my family life growing up on just how much of a sportsmans paradise that state is. Every time we would visit (we moved to Georgia) the grandparents they would go fishing and bring home mountains (like 300 across 3 giant green coolers) of catfish. We would fry it up (lol that irony on fried food was not lost on me) and have platters upon platters of fried catfish. My grandfather would spend hours at the sink cleaning fish. He had an incredible method of quickly cleaning a fish. He could clean an entire catfish in less than 7 seconds. Not just walmart have their headquarters there. Many companies have large manufacturing and distribution centers. I know Maybelline and Remington both have enormous facilities plus all the trucking company hubs.
Thank you for saying these positive things about Arkansas. I moved here 8 years ago and I absolutely love it. (Okay maybe not all the fried food) I am so used to seeing snarky comments about the ignorance of the people, etc. It took me at least two years to get accustomed to how genuinely kind and friendly people are. I don’t experience the daily stress of road rage and nasty interactions with store clerks, etc. Instead of seeing ugly strip malls and trash, I live in a gorgeous area in forests and lakes. There are so many outdoor activities and I breathe clean air and get my water free of charge from the natural springs in the area. I don’t say all this to encourage anyone to move here! Don’t! If the secret gets out this place will change and become like everywhere else. I just feel like defending and bragging a little about my lovely adopted home.
As a fifth generation Arkie, this is the first time I've ever heard someone say that Arkansas didn't feel like the South. Really? There's so much more to my state than the Ozarks. The Delta, Crowley's Ridge, the rolling hills of south Arkansas. BTW, even in wet counties, we don't sell alcohol on Sundays.
Looks like no bustles and hustles, unlike in the big cities. I find it to be a nice romantic state people who love peace and serenity. Love it. - from the Philippines
Wow, you’re right outside the Yellville courthouse. It’s funny seeing you here, I usually watch your international travel videos. I used to climb in and out of that lower window on the steps as a kid, on your left shoulder. One block away Id meet for cubscouts, and my dad had guitar lessons right across the street. I was part of the turkey trot parade and boxcar racing as a kid bc of being in cubscouts. I grew up in Pyatt, Arkansas, outside yellville until I was 10 years old and I moved to central Arkansas. When I lived there, my last year of school converted from Bruno-Pyatt school district to the Ozark Mountain school district, but yellville is still its own district I think, or yellville/summit. Anyways, thanks for the walk down memory lane, enjoyed your video as always, take care!
As a Arkie, Thank you sir for this, a bit more of the non tourist trap sections, now will add that Hot Springs has a LOT more than the Bathhouse Row, check out Magic Springs , their concert series during the summer is a mix of all types of music , and a great place to spend a day, along with the Midamerica Museum , and even the big cities we have , have a LOT of things to see as well, okay , TL:DR, THANK YOU!
Arkansas is a beautiful state and where I've lived my entire life. Fort Smith, my home, is an old west town with Judge Parker's Courthouse and hanging gallows, Miss Laura's, a lot of old west history. So many lakes and mountains. And yes, Woo Pig Sooey, Razorbacks!!!
I love when you do these videos on less well know states and US Cities (like Kansas City) now I know how Americans must feel when you do videos on Slovenia or Wales. When I watch a video on these types of places, I am always like “how come this place doesn’t get more press” you really putt all kinds of places on my radar that really wouldn’t been before.
Ive lived all over the country and by far Arkansas is my favorite state and I have now made it my home. I'm actually not far from Yellville. In fact if you turn down rt 14 in Yellville you will run into a small place called Cozahome right before Harriet. Greatest community on the planet.
I love Arkansas and I love Hot Springs it’s a shame that the big historic hotel right near bath row in Hot Springs is deteriorating. The outside looks beautiful, the lobby and everything is gorgeous and historic but from all my friends who stayed there they tell me the rooms are deteriorating and that’s just sad. I hope they put some money into the hotel rooms soon before they get worse!
Nice video! I was surprised that Fort Smith was never mentioned. It is one of the largest cities in AR. It might not be the most prestegious but I love living here! And I am a Dutch immigrant.
Although I live in NW GA now, and have lived here for just over 20 yrs., I am originally from AR and AR will ALWAYS be home to me. I lived there for 50 yrs. and have traveled just about every road there is to travel. I did much of it on a motorcycle. My wife and I would go camping almost every other weekend and every vacation we had. Many times, we would just load up the vehicle or the motorcycle and take off with no particular destination in mind. We did go to numerous National Parks and State Parks, but we preferred getting off the beaten path and go camping, fishing, floating, and hunting in areas that one seldom sees other people. I will have to admit, though, East Central, NE, North, and Central AK are the best parts of the state. The Southern portion is great for hunting in lowlands, bottom lands and the Eastern portion is mostly farmland (soy beans and rice) But even there, Stuttgart, AR is the duck hunting capital of the world. GO HAWGS!!!
A wagon train of my ancestors was headed west. They camped near the hot springs. The leader went to get some water, found it hot, went back to the others: "Load up, we are leaving, this place is too close to hell for me". True story.
glad to hear something positive about my home state arkansas people are good people my family settled there in1800 there is so much more to my state just visit and enjoy
Driving part made me think of a time my uncle was driving through Arkansas - he lives there - he came around a curve and hit a cow. It was from a farm of his friend and I don’t think they’ve been friends since then lol
These US videos are very interesting, I hope I'll be able to visit every single state since it seems like every single one of them has something to offer!
Agreed with everything except that Arkansas is Midwest...as someone who is from Arkansas I have never been nore startled in my life. Of course closer to the Northwest Corner it is much more similar to Missouri, but the rest of the state is much more southern like Mississippi or Louisiana.
the guy only went to NE AR and Hot springs and neither of those places really represent Ar to well. that NE part of Ar is like a different kind of world.
Lived a good portion of my life in and around Chicago. Moved to rural area southwest of Hot Springs nearly 10 years ago. The only thing I miss from Chicago area, are friends and family stuck there. Love the southern folks that are like family.
I am amazed you did'nt cover the biggest shocker for me being from Kansas. In kansas since its flat for the most part most of our roads are laid out in nice orderly one mile intervals north and south. So you can get anywhere from anywhere up five, over three........ Not so in Arkansas. In Arkansas the rule is 50% of the time, " You can't get there from here"..........
Sorry as a born and raised Arkansan I can assure you we're southern. Our food is much more than fried. We pride ourselves on our southern hospitality and our food. We love our state parks. We are also more than the Ozarks. You never mentioned any of the other regions. Like the delta or really anything south or east of Little Rock. It's a decent video but you make alot of assumptions based on your trip to the Ozarks.
Bubba's catfish-2-go food truck in Hot springs had killer catfish. Ohio might have the upper hand on Perch and Walleye but Arkansas has the Fn catfish!!
Very true- people think it's all the Ozarks. My family is from AR, Little Rock and NE. Farm country. They do not identify as Midwestern. And thank God for Evanescence!
Great video!! Yellville is a great town it’s only a few miles from Cotter “The Trout Capital!” and my favorite place on earth!! Some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, the food the is almost as good as the fishing!! Thanks for the kind words on Arkansas!!
I was born in Hardy Arkansas then my parents moved me to Illinois. Hated it then but have learned to tolerate now. Visited Arkansas often, going home. Love Arkansas. Always wanted to move back. I’ll soon be 80 so doubt I’ll make it this lifetime, maybe next time. You are making me want a road trip going past Kingston and seeing Kathy at AzLea Falls and our daughter, Karyl, pottery artist, nearby.
I use to live in Flipen.. right down the road from where you're standing.. Beautiful place.. We use to go flipping off yelville.. Just for fun.. Aaaand.. the best thing about piggy worship is the stellar bbq.. Five stars.. highly recommend!!
Next time your in Arkansas check out the diamond mine (the only public one in North America) it’s only an hour from hot springs! Located in Murfreesboro
My biggest shock when visiting Arkansas was all the rice fields on the eastern side of the state. We were heading back home to Kansas from Florida and decided to come up through Arkansas, expecting to enjoy some Ozark scenery. I'd fallen asleep for a bit and when i woke up, all i could see was endless fields of water. When my wife informed me we were in Arkansas, I could not believe it. Apparently, Arkansas is one of the top rice producers in the world?
As a black man who's family has been in the state since before the civil war, Arkansas is definitely a southern state, and if you wanna see for yourself take a trip to the northern tier of Arkansas.😅
NWA and hot springs and the hills may be more Midwestern but I assure you, we are definitely southern south of Little Rock let me tell you 😂 great video tho! If anybody visits Little Rock go the Root, great restaurant. And not sure if I missed it mentioned, but definitely go to the Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville, it’s amazing
Kentucky has the same system. Interestingly, Bourbon County, KY, where Bourbon whiskey was invented, and several whiskey distilleries still operate, is a dry county. Liquor distributors can buy Bourbon whiskey by the truckload, but you cannot buy a bottle of Bourbon in a store, or get a cocktail, glass of wine or a beer in a restaurant in Bourbon county.
LOL it's also illegal to sell liquor on Sundays. No running to the gas station to pick up a case of beer. Our friends from Louisiana who came up to visit one year thought we were joking with them until they got to the store, LMAO.
Yellville is a beautiful little town. Not sure if you had the chance to go to Cotter over the rainbow bridge or to Buffalo City, but those are my two favorite places. I was born and reared in Mountain Home.
You did a really good job for someone who doesn’t live here. I don’t agree however with the Midwest vibe. We all think of ourselves as southerners and fought for the south in the civil war. Our food screams south as well. Not like that bland midwestern food.
Most of Arkansas is culturally Greater Appalachian which includes states like Kentucky and West Virginia, most of Illinois (this may be the link in your case), Indiana, Southern Missouri, Southern Ohio, Western Virginia, Most of Tennessee, Eastern Oklahoma, and North Texas. However, South of I40 towards Little Rock, and east of I30 it is culturally deep south which is Most of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, non Cajun Louisiana and Southeast Texas. Arkansas is at a crossroads culturally. It can feel Midwestern or Deep South depending on where you are at and who you interact with.
I just completed a 6 nights road trip through Arkansas from Ohio, reminded me of west Virginia/ Eastern Kentucky. But alot oak trees instead of maple. Devil's Den is alot like a section in Hocking hills in southeast Ohio.
As an arkansasan i wont say this is the best state or one you should live in or vist. HOWEVER i love arkansas because i grew up here and it is very pretty in most of the state.
As an Arkansan, I must say, it'll certainly upset a lot of people that you think Arkansas is more of a Midwestern state! Although I don't identity as a southerner, most of my compatriots do. As I say, Arkansas isn't flat enough to be in the Midwest!
@@lowlifeangler oh man there are a ton. Depends on where you are, though. Most parts of Central and Northwest Arkansas are a lot more liberal, so the Confederate flags are less prevalent. But small-town Arkansas has lots of them from my experience
Good video of northwest Arkansas and Hot Springs, but there is a whole lot more. Southwest Arkansas is full of Timberland and very Southern and Eastern Arkansas is very Southern full of Cotton and Rice land. You missed some of the richest land and history. More to Arkansas that northwest, Little Rock and Hot Springs.
Biggest "shock" to me was the exceptional hospitality every where we went. Very kind hearted people.
We. Have the nicest grandma’s
We appreciate this not many people mention that and that is important to us. We raised to treat people like that you never know you could improve someone's day
Southern hospitality
Thank you for the kind words about Arkansas! We are so used to hearing the negative, it’s nice to hear some positive things said about our state. So pleased you all enjoyed your time here.
I've lived all over the state. Pretty with all the trees. Logging big time down by Mena and South. Fayetteville is ok but I remember when it was cool to live in Fayetteville. Not so much now. Springdale is nice and a must go and visit eureka springs. You will fall in absolute love with this town
As a Michigander that moved to California, i recently did another cross country trip and passed through Arkansas. My most favorite state in the south by far! 😄 So beautiful!
Im a Texas boy that lived the last 4 years in Idaho. I love Arkansas. Such a nice place that gets a bad wrap.
@@Rumpl4Skyn as a native and (basically) lifelong Arkansan- only lived outside Arkansas a little less than two years, and I’m 47 next month-I wholeheartedly agree! But it’s nice to hear people, especially from other, “bigger and better” states, say it. Thanks for taking the time to even check out what your little neighbor to the northeast is like in the first place. (Although in a way it’s fortunate that AR is a bit of a hidden gem; TOO many people would just ruin it.)
@@ashleydixon4613 Its funny you just said that because I literally just moved to Arkansas a week ago. I'm living in Bauxite! I'm so glad to be back in the South.
1 of my pre peeves. Born n raised in Arkansas, people come here, see how beautiful it is; move here, then bulldoze down all the trees to make a ranch. Really, it's the trees that make it beautiful.
same in GA. sad sad sad.
Agreed big time man we love our woods seeing them being destroyed is very aggravating
Same in many places. People visit a place, like it, move there, then try to change to suck as bad as the place they just left.
The trees can be dangerous they get old and branches fall on people. Especially after it rains it freezes branches get really heavy.
@@shane5591Then trim. but to cut 100 of yards of trees just creates a hole in the middle of beautiful nature. Imagine someone shaving a random hole in ur scalp. Preserve nature
Lived in Arkansas my entire life. It is absolutely gorgeous here. If someone from Arkansas tells you to 'watch for deer' when you leave, it's our way of saying we love you.
stayed in Arkansas last week driving through, the entire state smelled like a hamster cage
Hello,
would you say Arkansas is a must visit? I am looking into doing a Dallas to Arkansas trip (im from southern california, so Dallas would be a trip as well)
@@Jwalk2urheart absolutely not Arkansas has nothing to offer and smells bad, do dallas to Nashville, TN is one of the most beautiful southern states by far
@@BielichDai dang.. i would only be gone for 4 days. a 10 hour drive is too much for what i am looking for. What else would you recommend from Dallas? I've been to houston/austin
@@Jwalk2urheart Dallas is tricky because TX is huge and almost everything is a long drive away. I honestly would just travel within the state, check out the gulf coast, lots of smaller cities offer a lot in TX.. Austin, San Antonio, Houston are all good cities and lots of nature on the drive like the iconic Davey Croket national forrest
One thing to always appreciate about Mark Wolter is that he doesn’t just give you the basic tourist info of every city/state and country he visits. He gives you the inside scoop of what a local would give you! Dude, your channel is a goldmine!! Been a follower for over a year!
Thank you Zac. That is really nice to hear. I really appreciate this. Cheers!
He needs to learn geography because he says in this video that Arkansas is a mid western state and it's not. Arkansas is a Southern State and The Deep South. Always has been always will be.
Great video! But as a native Arkansan, I have to point out that Hot Springs is NOT in the Ozarks. It's in the Ouachita Mountains, an ENTIRETY different mountain range.
Hello there DR Bartlete
Correct.... There are several mountain ranges in Arkansas, the Ozark mountains are only one of the ranges. unfortunately people tend to blend all the ranges together.
Hello,
would you say Arkansas is a must visit? I am looking into doing a Dallas to Arkansas trip (im from southern california, so Dallas would be a trip as well)
@@Jwalk2urheart Well, I'm not going to lie, it's not exactly exciting. NW Arkansas is very different than Little Rock (and nothing like Dallas!). It's a great place if you like outdoors stuff, like swimming, kayaking, hiking, etc. And Fayetteville is the funky little town that you can come back to, to enjoy live music, good food, and fun. Some have compared it to a littler version of Austin, if that helps.
Bentonville bills itself as a big "arts center" of the region, but it's all brand-new, all bought and paid for with Walmart money. Fayetteville is the OG art center of NWA.
@@d.r.bartlette3431 Dang!! i see its shouldnt be on the visiting list then. Thank you for your feedback
I used to live in Tulsa and travelled all over Arkansas for work, I had 2 shocks... 1 was the Wealth, I saw Ferraris in Barns in Tyson country, and loads of Porsches in Bentonville. 2. was the Great Vietnamese food in Fort Smith, AR in 1975 a nearby base housed 100,000 refugees from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon, while most left to other parts of the country, there is a large population of Vietnamese and some excellent restaurants to get your Pho on :) Thanks for the Arkansa memories, I used to love going to Eureka Springs
That is cool to know. I had no ide
Billionaires in overalls. Facts. It’s ok to be rich, poor taste to show it off...
They used fort chaffee for the Japanese they were rounded up in the United States in world war II
It is also the place Elvis Presley got his haircut when he joined the army
Haha I’m in the bentonville area! Bella vista is a big retirement area and lots of wealth is here
@@breannapeel2767 I have an Airbnb reserved in belle vista for a Bentonville mtn bike trip at the end of July. Can you recommend anything else that would be fun for a 7 and 11 year old in the area? Or even within a couple hours of the area? I’m crazy excited about the biking but I’d like to find other things to do so my kids don’t get burnt out on the biking.
I actually was born and raised here. Several years ago, I moved to Los Angeles California and then to Henderson, Nevada for a few years. I moved back last year and there truly is NO PLACE LIKE HOME ❤️🥰❤️ Thank you for this video!!!! ❤️
Folks from Arkansas are as genuine as can get
😂😂😂 lying hypocrites in Arkansas
Spent 2 days driving Ozarks down to Texarkana through the back roads! wow! Arkansas truly shocked me. We drove from Texas up to Oklahoma and east into the Ozarks.. the landscape flipped to beautiful hills , winding roads.. roads were clean and smooth . People drove sensibly , sticking to speed limits, nice little towns in the national forests! I am surely coming up here every spring and autumn .
I moved from So Cal to Little Rock Arkansas a few years ago and now live up in Northwest Arkansas. I *love* NW Arkansas, so many lakes, rivers, trails, State Parks, National Forests, Nat'l Park, etc. I like the city of Fayetteville here when i need to go into the city. If you love nature, this is a great place to live. I won't move now.
Visited Devil's Den State Park last week, reminds me of Hocking hills in Ohio... which I live about 30 minutes away
Vickie it must have been quite a change from Cali.
@@shanekasper4587 Honestly I can't imagine. I love California (my home state), but I also would want to visit and see what each state in the U.S. has to offer. Arkansas looks very interesting especially it's natural scenery, sounds like it's worth a visit.
@@Abel-Alvarez it is a great state. You have a mix from one end to the other. Farming to the highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. in Nothwest Arkansas. Mountains and Delta. Lived here since I was in 3rd grade and love it.
Howdy neighbor! We just moved to Harrison in August from Northern California. Then we lived in Marshall for a month and now we are living in Jasper. Been out to Mountain View, Little Rock, Kingman, Springdale, and we are loving everything, especially the Buffalo National River.
Just moved to arkansas from arizona 3 weeks ago and love it so far! The beauty in this state is unbelievable.
What part? I live in the Van Buren/Fort Smith area.
From a very dry state, to a humid AF state... Welcome, though.
Welcome!
@@bourbon.36 I live in Van Buren. Howdy neighbor.
@@gloriaharp4872 Haha that’s crazy. I live just at the top of the hill close to downtown by the police station. Hope you guys didn’t have any major damage from that tornado last Monday.
Thank you for the insight but you forgot one thing: The only diamond producing area is in Arkansas at Murfessboro and it is also a State Park.
BUT, you can take the diamonds/anything else you find there home!
Thank you for covering Arkansas in such a kind way. We so often are made fun of as hillbilly’s, which is so far from the truth. I was born and raised in Arkansas and I love Arkansas. And the Pig Trail is BEAUTIFUL in the fall. Not sure I agree about the Midwest vibe, we are as Southern and country as cornbread. Also, in the counties where you can buy alcohol, it is not sold on Sunday.
Hello there Jennie
How are you doing?
Thank you. It bothered me that he said we are not southern lol. We are definitely southern.
Lived in the Fort Smith area for over 50 years and he is right, southern but also a midwest flair.
Oh, please. Everyone knows the hillbillies are in Missouri. 😊
Born and raised Arkansan here! I became a big fan of your channel before we loved to Germany. We've used it a lot to plan trips in Europe and learn how to enjoy the Christmas markets. It's so, so nice to see Arkansas made your channel! Very proud of my home state. Although I was shocked by your statement that it has a Midwestern feel, I get it. Woo pig!!!
From a person from Illinois who’s been living in Arkansas for over 14 years, It does not feel like Georgia but it certainly does not feel like even Missouri. The hospitality is much nicer people are kinder here some drive like idiots but it is a slower pace of life and just a nice place to live!
We do consider ourselves southern, at least most of us, but.. Overall, you are 100% correct about the beauty and the small towns. We love it here, and yes.. pigs are important to us :D
What a change of pace to hear a positive outlook on AR. Most people, even the ones here, tend to speak negatively. But it really is a great state. That being said, to all that don't live in AR: Don't move here. Let's keep it great
Finally. Someone see the beauty in our state.
I lived in the little tiny town of Elm Springs for 5 months in 2008. That whole northwest part of the state is absolutely fantastic! The people are amazing and never once looked down on me for being from Pennsylvania!
Good choice
I have been a fan for a while now! Super surprised with this vid! Thank you for seeing Arkansas as we natives see it! Much love and let’s get back to traveling soon!
Glad I could bring some love to Arkansas
Love from Japan 🇯🇵 We are your fans now ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you!
@@woltersworld welcome 😀
@@CoupleDrift Sister cities!
@@missmiami9230 🤩❤️❤️
@Ken Bivens we live in Kawasaki city 😀
You forgot the Arkansas Grand Canyon! Gorgeous!
Thank you for representing my state with class and respect loved it
I didn't see any confederate Rebel flags and I was shocked ( not a big fan). In Tennessee they are everywhere!! I live in Ohio so it's a mixed bag. Alot of BLM banners and signs
@@lowlifeangler if you go to a lot of smaller towns, you will see rebel flags everywhere. Now most people flying them aren’t racist, they just take pride in being a southerner.
In the little town I live in, just about every other house has a rebel flag flying.
@@desupernoodle That's OK, I might rather fly an American flag but I don't support those pos democrats. I saw plenty of Anti-Hlllary souvenirs in Gatlinburg shops during the 2016 election lol
Visited Michigan in 2020, to many Biden signs to make me sick!!
Thank you for showing my beautiful home state in such a positive way! We have our good and bad things like every state, but it really is a beautiful place. I have lived in the south, central, and now northwest part of the state and have always been able to find beauty. Good people, good food, wonderful natural scenery.
Being from Arkansas i can say one of the best places for views in in the jasper area. Especially if you ride a motorcycle or a car cruise. Some of the twistiest curviest roads around. I live fairly close to the area and enjoy taking a day to drive my squarebody c10 through the hills every now and then.
Eureka Springs roads reminds me of west Virginia
Ozark Cafe! Woo. We are living in Jasper. It’s a great town.
Yeah I live in st joe so we come up that way quite a bit to eat and make a run through the hills.
Yes, thank you.. Also Arkansas is the place to go if you are a rockhound. We have the Diamond Mine in Murfreesboro and countless crystal mines west Arkansas. Here in Men's where I live you can travel almost any back road and find crystals. I even gave a few deep ocean fossils (we used to be under the ocean, hence our strange mountain ranges).
As a native Arkansan, I’d like to say thankyou for this awesome video!😋 north-east Arkansas getting in those Ozark mountains can really highlight the beauty of this state, stopping by Greers Ferry Lake or Heber Springs is a gorgeous town, and Mountain View Arkansas is a real tourist stop for anyone wanting to sneak a peak into that mountain top lifestyle 😁
@@zacharylewis7012 I grew up on the Strawberry River and Spring River, so I know what I hope Heaven is. Things were much different back in the late 1940s through 1960s. Simple straightforward lifestyle built around family, close friends and your church. We grew/raised 80 percent of our food and hunted or fished the rest of it. Welfare didn’t exist but your neighbors and the church took care of it. Crime was almost non existent but none of us had so much that robbery would be tolerated. Justice was immediately served old school style. A man’s word was as good or better than a signed document. Every boy had a pocket knife even in school and on occasion a shotgun. No school shootings or stabbings as everyone knew and depended upon each other. We had one full time policeman and a part time helper. All this liberal progress has sure made things better. Same area now has almost 30 police officers and crime because of drugs etc keep them busy.
@@WalterJohnson-er7bt Hi Mr. Johnson, that’s amazing to hear, I’ve always enjoyed learning how things were back then. I’ve lived between the White and Little Red Rivers my whole life. My mother was born in 1970 if that hints you towards my generation so I’ve never gotten to see life like that with my own eyes. But my grandmother spoke of times like that often. She was the oldest of 6, and although I’m not sure what my great grandparents did for work, she talked of her and her siblings having to pick a lot of cotton when they were younger. Filling giant burlap sacks, I’m not sure if she said 10 feet or 10 yards, but she showed me a picture once and they did indeed look pretty large. She also told me how her favorite treat for Christmas was a simple orange. Because they didn’t have them available back then. My great grandpa would ride horse and buggy to Batesville to get supplies, it would take him 2-3days. That trip only takes us 30-40minutes now. But around Christmas time he would get all the children an orange. And that’s a tradition my family has done ever since, and this year my two year old daughter will have an orange in her stocking. All thanks to a great man I’ve never met, although I wish I could have.
@@WalterJohnson-er7bt also when I was in 1st grade, I took my pocket knife to school. It was confiscated and I was sent to the principal’s office. Times are very different now, and not everything has gotten better. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a Merry Christmas Mr. Johnson.
@@zacharylewis7012 in those days Christmas was not toys or video games etc. You got things you needed such as clothes, shoes etc. I generally got a couple boxes of 22 ammo and shotgun shells. I was the primary hunter in our family as I was born with a natural knack for hunting. We ate a bunch of cotton tails, squirrels, quail and the occasional deer or wild hog. We actually ate a good deal of bass, crappie and fat bluegill.
The communities were much smaller than and everyone knew everyone, so everyone knew everyone’s business. Our first phone was a party line with I believe nine people on it. The girls at the switchboard made it their business to know who what when and where on the entire community.
My Dad had a big flatbed truck and twice a year a bunch of the women went to our biggest local town for canning supplies, cloth, school supplies etc.
In the fall when it got cool enough the neighbors all got together for the butchering and a Thanksgiving Party.
Much simpler times in my mind but people were happier and much closer as a community.
The little country cemetery where my Dad is buried has just plain big rocks to mark many of the graves.
All I learned in those woods hunting and fishing served me well in Vietnam. Country Boys make the best soldiers.
I live in Alabama now and like the warmer winter weather. The people here are very much like the people back home in Arkansas.
One of my favorite childhood vacations was a family road trip throughout the South. Arkansas was a highlight of the trip
We do actually consider ourselves as southerners, we are a far cry from a Midwest state, lived here my whole life. Everything else was spot on though. Thank you for not giving us a negative review. Most of us are full of southern hospitality.
Yeah. When someone says they've visited Arkansas and get a midwestern vibe, it's obvious that they have spent nearly all their time in state within the NWA metro area and the surrounding area. The NWA metro (which has tripled in population in the last 30-40 years) has a midwestern vibe mostly due to the large number of people that have moved to the area from the Midwest to work for the corporate offices. It being in relatively close proximity to southeastern Kansas, North Central Oklahoma, and West Central Missouri (the closest locations with a solid midwestern culture) has a slight effect now that the region is populous enough to attract people. Prior to roughly 1990, this region resembled the rest of the Ozarks.
Once you get away from the western part of the Ozarks (NWA metro, Madison Co, and Carroll Co) you start to get a vibe and culture that closely resembles southern Appalachia (which is where most settler families in this region moved from). The Northeastern part of the state plus a narrow strip down to the Little Rock metro plus the River Valley and Ouachita Mountains geographic regions have a more upper South culture. The Northeastern part has had some people move in from the Midwest over the years but not in significant enough numbers to change the region's culture. You will occasionally hear some Midwest vernacular but that's about it. The western end of the River Valley around Fort Smith does have a bit of more localized rugged individualism western undertones vibe since it was a frontier region for the first 80-100 years of its settlement by non-native people.
The parts of the Delta located in the East Central and Southeast parts of the state have a deep south culture just like Memphis or the Mississippi Delta. The woodlands of Southern Arkansas, like Northern Louisiana and deep East Texas has a mostly deep South culture mixed with a local culture due to this region (called the Ark-la-tex) being a frontier region when originally settled.
Thank you for saying that. I live in Higden and everyone talks with a southern draw around here. We are southern as it gets.
@@booboo8706as someone from the Deep South, I like Arkansas because it reminds me a lot of Eastern Appalachia bordering Georgia and Alabama
Awesome video and thanks for the positivity for our state! Only thing I will say is that NWA Is Midwest/southern, however southern and eastern Arkansas are most certainly not Midwestern. Very southern in culture and more similar to East Texas, North Louisiana and Mississippi, but most tourist don’t travel to those parts of the state lol. I was born in southern AR and grew up in LR. North Arkansas Is very different from central southern and eastern AR.
Not only is Arkansas the home of Wal-Mart, but it's also the home of Tyson & JB Hunt.
And a little bit of fun trivia: the Arkansas Razorbacks were once the _Cardinals._ But they changed their name in 1910 when UARK Coach Bezdek said his team played like a _"wild band of razorback hogs"_ after defeating LSU 7-0. Woo pig sooie!
(Btw, I'm a Springdale resident, born in Eureka Springs. 😁)
Thank you for the great video on Arkansas! I love Arkansas.
I agreed with everything except the “midwestern feel”. As someone who’s actually lived in the midwest for a few years let me tell you, there is definitely a difference. I think Arkansas just has its own culture.
Depends. Most of Arkansas is culturally Greater Appalachian which includes states like Kentucky and West Virginia, most of Illinois, Indiana, Southern Missouri, Southern Ohio, Western Virginia, Most of Tennessee, Eastern Oklahoma, and North Texas. However South of I40, and east of I30 it is culturally deep south which is Most of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, non Cajun Louisiana and Southeast Texas. Arkansas is at a crossroads culturally. It can feel Midwestern or Deep South depending on where you are at and who you interact with.
@@jdredwine7224 That wasn’t my point. My point is that the parts of AR that “feel like the midwest” don’t actually feel like the midwest. The REAL midwest is a completely different cultural experience. That’s why I suggested that maybe AR just has its own culture.
@@ZebraPrintedBanANA As someone who's lived in the Ozarks and that region of the Midwest (if he's referencing the 11 nations of America), they are clearly two different regions. They might have similar views when it comes to politics but that's about the limits of the similarities in the modern day. Anytime I'm in Southern Appalachia (eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, southwest Virginia, down to northeastern Alabama and North Georgia) it reminds me of the Ozarks.
The NWA metro and adjacent areas of the Ozarks (over to about a Marble to Green Forest line) does feel like the Midwest. I will give him that but it's fairly recent population changes that has changed that region's culture, not a long ago historic basis. The main reason for that is the metro area tripling in population in the last 30-35 years with many moving in from the Midwest.
We were so excited to see you in our area with this video! I'm from Illinois too, and we just love North Central Arkansas!! Thanks for showing the twin lakes area in such a positive way!
I visited Yellville back in 2020 and absolutely fell in love with the scenery.
Oh crap, you showed Blacksheep BBQ too. I ate there! Great food
I lived in Arkansas for over 10 years and it is a beautiful state. The people are wonderful and very friendly. It is just so sad it is so poor. I probably wouldn’t have left if I could have found another job.
I am not sure what line of work you are in or what part you lived in for 10 years, but myself and colleagues make really great money here....of course, there are poorer areas but that is in every state..
I never thought I would see a video from you about Arkansas. My family is from there. I have two uncles that are former razorbacks and you are correct on how passionate they are. I was actually born on the Texas side of Texarkana. My mom was shopping and went into labor and my uncle was like we need to move her to the Arkansas side of Texarkana so that I would be born a Razorback and not a Texan lol. Hot Springs is also one of the gem capitals of the world. It is the only place in the United States where you can actually go digging for diamonds. Arkansas is actually on top of a large volcano crater (that's why there are the hot springs) and they regularly till the fields so that you can mine for diamonds. People still find quality gems to this day. I can attest to my family life growing up on just how much of a sportsmans paradise that state is. Every time we would visit (we moved to Georgia) the grandparents they would go fishing and bring home mountains (like 300 across 3 giant green coolers) of catfish. We would fry it up (lol that irony on fried food was not lost on me) and have platters upon platters of fried catfish. My grandfather would spend hours at the sink cleaning fish. He had an incredible method of quickly cleaning a fish. He could clean an entire catfish in less than 7 seconds. Not just walmart have their headquarters there. Many companies have large manufacturing and distribution centers. I know Maybelline and Remington both have enormous facilities plus all the trucking company hubs.
Im not known for being very emotional. But, man thank you for the kind words about my home.
WILD! I’ve been a casual fan for a while. This video won me over. I’m from Arkansas. Great to see our state repped! Go Hogs!
I’m a RUclipsr from Arkansas and I totally agree! It’s gorgeous here! I love that I grew up here even tho I’d love to explore more of other states!
Thank you for saying these positive things about Arkansas. I moved here 8 years ago and I absolutely love it. (Okay maybe not all the fried food) I am so used to seeing snarky comments about the ignorance of the people, etc. It took me at least two years to get accustomed to how genuinely kind and friendly people are. I don’t experience the daily stress of road rage and nasty interactions with store clerks, etc. Instead of seeing ugly strip malls and trash, I live in a gorgeous area in forests and lakes. There are so many outdoor activities and I breathe clean air and get my water free of charge from the natural springs in the area. I don’t say all this to encourage anyone to move here! Don’t! If the secret gets out this place will change and become like everywhere else. I just feel like defending and bragging a little about my lovely adopted home.
As a fifth generation Arkie, this is the first time I've ever heard someone say that Arkansas didn't feel like the South. Really? There's so much more to my state than the Ozarks. The Delta, Crowley's Ridge, the rolling hills of south Arkansas. BTW, even in wet counties, we don't sell alcohol on Sundays.
Looks like no bustles and hustles, unlike in the big cities. I find it to be a nice romantic state people who love peace and serenity. Love it. - from the Philippines
I am a razorback sir! Chemical engineering student at the University of Arkansas. You made my day with this video!
Call them Hawgs!!😁💝
Wow, you’re right outside the Yellville courthouse. It’s funny seeing you here, I usually watch your international travel videos. I used to climb in and out of that lower window on the steps as a kid, on your left shoulder. One block away Id meet for cubscouts, and my dad had guitar lessons right across the street. I was part of the turkey trot parade and boxcar racing as a kid bc of being in cubscouts. I grew up in Pyatt, Arkansas, outside yellville until I was 10 years old and I moved to central Arkansas. When I lived there, my last year of school converted from Bruno-Pyatt school district to the Ozark Mountain school district, but yellville is still its own district I think, or yellville/summit. Anyways, thanks for the walk down memory lane, enjoyed your video as always, take care!
As a Arkie, Thank you sir for this, a bit more of the non tourist trap sections, now will add that Hot Springs has a LOT more than the Bathhouse Row, check out Magic Springs , their concert series during the summer is a mix of all types of music , and a great place to spend a day, along with the Midamerica Museum , and even the big cities we have , have a LOT of things to see as well, okay , TL:DR, THANK YOU!
Hot Springs native here👋🏼
Most people I know won’t step foot on Magic Springs property. It draws the bottom of the cesspool.
Arkansas is a beautiful state and where I've lived my entire life. Fort Smith, my home, is an old west town with Judge Parker's Courthouse and hanging gallows, Miss Laura's, a lot of old west history. So many lakes and mountains. And yes, Woo Pig Sooey, Razorbacks!!!
I love when you do these videos on less well know states and US Cities (like Kansas City) now I know how Americans must feel when you do videos on Slovenia or Wales. When I watch a video on these types of places, I am always like “how come this place doesn’t get more press” you really putt all kinds of places on my radar that really wouldn’t been before.
Hey!! That's my area!! I grew up in North Arkansas! The Buffalo River is the first National River, it's gorgeous. North Arkansas has water everywhere.
I 💝 floating on the Buffalo River!!
Arkansas is definitely southern. Maybe not in the big citys but the small towns definitely are!
💕 the video. This is my home. You couldn't have done a better job of a quick explanation and positive insite. 😊.
Ive lived all over the country and by far Arkansas is my favorite state and I have now made it my home. I'm actually not far from Yellville. In fact if you turn down rt 14 in Yellville you will run into a small place called Cozahome right before Harriet. Greatest community on the planet.
I love Arkansas and I love Hot Springs it’s a shame that the big historic hotel right near bath row in Hot Springs is deteriorating. The outside looks beautiful, the lobby and everything is gorgeous and historic but from all my friends who stayed there they tell me the rooms are deteriorating and that’s just sad. I hope they put some money into the hotel rooms soon before they get worse!
As far as the float trips go, the waters starts to warm up in June. But there is a lot of pretty sights to see if you choose to go in May.
Arkansas has always felt very southern to me... Way more similar to Alabama than Michigan for example.. nonetheless love the videos!
Felt like West Virginia/Eastern Kentucky in me, just got back couple days ago from Ohio
Sounds like heaven. Seriously thinking of moving there
Hey! I'll be going there this summer in the Ozarks. Good timing Mark! thanks
I hope you enjoy your time in our beautiful state
Reminded of west Virginia Eastern Kentucky
I enjoyed living 4 years in Arkansas
I've lived in Hot Springs, Arkansas my whole life so I just wanted to say you did a good job on the video 👍
Lost count on the pawn shops and liquor stores on central avenue in Hot springs while visiting last week
Nice video! I was surprised that Fort Smith was never mentioned. It is one of the largest cities in AR. It might not be the most prestegious but I love living here! And I am a Dutch immigrant.
Although I live in NW GA now, and have lived here for just over 20 yrs., I am originally from AR and AR will ALWAYS be home to me. I lived there for 50 yrs. and have traveled just about every road there is to travel. I did much of it on a motorcycle. My wife and I would go camping almost every other weekend and every vacation we had. Many times, we would just load up the vehicle or the motorcycle and take off with no particular destination in mind. We did go to numerous National Parks and State Parks, but we preferred getting off the beaten path and go camping, fishing, floating, and hunting in areas that one seldom sees other people. I will have to admit, though, East Central, NE, North, and Central AK are the best parts of the state. The Southern portion is great for hunting in lowlands, bottom lands and the Eastern portion is mostly farmland (soy beans and rice) But even there, Stuttgart, AR is the duck hunting capital of the world. GO HAWGS!!!
A wagon train of my ancestors was headed west. They camped near the hot springs. The leader went to get some water, found it hot, went back to the others: "Load up, we are leaving, this place is too close to hell for me". True story.
glad to hear something positive about my home state arkansas people are good people my family settled there in1800 there is so much more to my state just visit and enjoy
Driving part made me think of a time my uncle was driving through Arkansas - he lives there - he came around a curve and hit a cow. It was from a farm of his friend and I don’t think they’ve been friends since then lol
Arkansas is southern. But it’s a great video and I’m glad you enjoyed visiting.
These US videos are very interesting, I hope I'll be able to visit every single state since it seems like every single one of them has something to offer!
Glad I can give you some ideas
I am Marion County native and work for the county. Love all the scenes. Great job on your video. WPS
Agreed with everything except that Arkansas is Midwest...as someone who is from Arkansas I have never been nore startled in my life. Of course closer to the Northwest Corner it is much more similar to Missouri, but the rest of the state is much more southern like Mississippi or Louisiana.
the guy only went to NE AR and Hot springs and neither of those places really represent Ar to well. that NE part of Ar is like a different kind of world.
Lived a good portion of my life in and around Chicago. Moved to rural area southwest of Hot Springs nearly 10 years ago. The only thing I miss from Chicago area, are friends and family stuck there. Love the southern folks that are like family.
I am amazed you did'nt cover the biggest shocker for me being from Kansas. In kansas since its flat for the most part most of our roads are laid out in nice orderly one mile intervals north and south. So you can get anywhere from anywhere up five, over three........ Not so in Arkansas. In Arkansas the rule is 50% of the time, " You can't get there from here"..........
Oh you can get there, it's just that you'll need a mule and overnight camping supplies to do it!! And that's how we like it. 😁
Sorry as a born and raised Arkansan I can assure you we're southern. Our food is much more than fried. We pride ourselves on our southern hospitality and our food. We love our state parks. We are also more than the Ozarks. You never mentioned any of the other regions. Like the delta or really anything south or east of Little Rock. It's a decent video but you make alot of assumptions based on your trip to the Ozarks.
Bubba's catfish-2-go food truck in Hot springs had killer catfish. Ohio might have the upper hand on Perch and Walleye but Arkansas has the Fn catfish!!
Very true- people think it's all the Ozarks. My family is from AR, Little Rock and NE. Farm country. They do not identify as Midwestern.
And thank God for Evanescence!
Great video!! Yellville is a great town it’s only a few miles from Cotter “The Trout Capital!” and my favorite place on earth!! Some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, the food the is almost as good as the fishing!! Thanks for the kind words on Arkansas!!
I was born in Hardy Arkansas then my parents moved me to Illinois. Hated it then but have learned to tolerate now. Visited Arkansas often, going home. Love Arkansas. Always wanted to move back. I’ll soon be 80 so doubt I’ll make it this lifetime, maybe next time. You are making me want a road trip going past Kingston and seeing Kathy at AzLea Falls and our daughter, Karyl, pottery artist, nearby.
Arkansas is Southern. Don't doubt it!
Exactly! We say "y'all," we eat grits, and we always ask how's your mom and them. It don't get more Southern that that!
excellent quality video and simple format. well done
thank you kind sir for this video. As a boy from texas, Arkansas looks and sounds like a better place to call home.
I use to live in Flipen.. right down the road from where you're standing..
Beautiful place..
We use to go flipping off yelville..
Just for fun..
Aaaand.. the best thing about piggy worship is the stellar bbq..
Five stars.. highly recommend!!
How many memories that we have from this place......thank you so much that you remind us the plenty of beauties from this country!!!!
Thank you
Next time your in Arkansas check out the diamond mine (the only public one in North America) it’s only an hour from hot springs! Located in Murfreesboro
Arkansas for life my home state is amazing love u Arkansas
Never heard of anyone thinking Arkansas was midwestern
My biggest shock when visiting Arkansas was all the rice fields on the eastern side of the state. We were heading back home to Kansas from Florida and decided to come up through Arkansas, expecting to enjoy some Ozark scenery. I'd fallen asleep for a bit and when i woke up, all i could see was endless fields of water. When my wife informed me we were in Arkansas, I could not believe it. Apparently, Arkansas is one of the top rice producers in the world?
As a black man who's family has been in the state since before the civil war, Arkansas is definitely a southern state, and if you wanna see for yourself take a trip to the northern tier of Arkansas.😅
Love how there is a law to ensure that you pronounce Arkansas correctly 😆
Not that it helps all the time :)
I’ll ask my arteries if they mind a trip to Arkansas for some fried food ! 😝 but set, this video convinced me to eventually visit the state!! 👍🏻
There is also a law concerning the proper possessive form of Arkansas - Arkansas's I think it is which is dumb.
NWA and hot springs and the hills may be more Midwestern but I assure you, we are definitely southern south of Little Rock let me tell you 😂 great video tho! If anybody visits Little Rock go the Root, great restaurant.
And not sure if I missed it mentioned, but definitely go to the Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville, it’s amazing
Reminded me of west Virginia Eastern Kentucky
Love that restaurant!
It doesn't even feel Midwestern in Hot Springs. At all.
A dry county!? Honestly, that one took me by surprise 🤯 had no idea that that was a thing
Yep
All over the South
Kentucky has the same system. Interestingly, Bourbon County, KY, where Bourbon whiskey was invented, and several whiskey distilleries still operate, is a dry county. Liquor distributors can buy Bourbon whiskey by the truckload, but you cannot buy a bottle of Bourbon in a store, or get a cocktail, glass of wine or a beer in a restaurant in Bourbon county.
@@woltersworld What's a "mid west" attitude v "southern" one?
LOL it's also illegal to sell liquor on Sundays. No running to the gas station to pick up a case of beer. Our friends from Louisiana who came up to visit one year thought we were joking with them until they got to the store, LMAO.
Yellville is a beautiful little town. Not sure if you had the chance to go to Cotter over the rainbow bridge or to Buffalo City, but those are my two favorite places. I was born and reared in Mountain Home.
Yesterday we had a video from Texas and today we have a video from Arkansas... amazing! 🤩
Trying to show more and more
Texarkana is the only city that is in two states but is only one city
Thank you for these great videos it is so fun to learn about the different states and places, you are great! Sue
Eureka Springs is our yearly vacation spot its just amazing up there.
Amore Pizza had some killer pizza
Not when you are related to half of their year round population.
You did a really good job for someone who doesn’t live here. I don’t agree however with the Midwest vibe. We all think of ourselves as southerners and fought for the south in the civil war. Our food screams south as well. Not like that bland midwestern food.
Most of Arkansas is culturally Greater Appalachian which includes states like Kentucky and West Virginia, most of Illinois (this may be the link in your case), Indiana, Southern Missouri, Southern Ohio, Western Virginia, Most of Tennessee, Eastern Oklahoma, and North Texas. However, South of I40 towards Little Rock, and east of I30 it is culturally deep south which is Most of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, non Cajun Louisiana and Southeast Texas. Arkansas is at a crossroads culturally. It can feel Midwestern or Deep South depending on where you are at and who you interact with.
I just completed a 6 nights road trip through Arkansas from Ohio, reminded me of west Virginia/ Eastern Kentucky. But alot oak trees instead of maple. Devil's Den is alot like a section in Hocking hills in southeast Ohio.
Thank you for being nice to my state
Thank you! We plan on moving to Arkansas in August. Around Ft. Smith.
As an arkansasan i wont say this is the best state or one you should live in or vist. HOWEVER i love arkansas because i grew up here and it is very pretty in most of the state.
And don't forget about Jim Dandy and Black Oak Arkansas. Early southern rock and roll!
Its funny i watched this video preparing to go to Yellville in a few days and thats where you were! very cool looking area!
As an Arkansan, I must say, it'll certainly upset a lot of people that you think Arkansas is more of a Midwestern state! Although I don't identity as a southerner, most of my compatriots do. As I say, Arkansas isn't flat enough to be in the Midwest!
All of my friends moved to Arkansas. My neighbors from Arkansas are the first to steal my stuff.
Didn't see enough confederate Rebel flags to be a southern state.... visit Tennessee...they are everywhere
@@lowlifeangler oh man there are a ton. Depends on where you are, though. Most parts of Central and Northwest Arkansas are a lot more liberal, so the Confederate flags are less prevalent. But small-town Arkansas has lots of them from my experience
Good video of northwest Arkansas and Hot Springs, but there is a whole lot more. Southwest Arkansas is full of Timberland and very Southern and Eastern Arkansas is very Southern full of Cotton and Rice land. You missed some of the richest land and history. More to Arkansas that northwest, Little Rock and Hot Springs.
The landscape of southwest Arkansas reminds me about alot like southeast Ohio...alot