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Highest-rated free things to do in Arkansas by visitors

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valeriiaarnaud // Shutterstock
valeriiaarnaud // Shutterstock
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Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Arkansas.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Arkansas using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#27. Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel

Tripadvisor

4 / 30

#27. Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel

- Rating: 4.8/5 (319 reviews)
- City: Bella Vista
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Blanchard Springs Recreation Area

Tripadvisor

6 / 30

#25. Blanchard Springs Recreation Area

- Rating: 4.8/5 (333 reviews)
- City: Mountain View
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church

Tripadvisor

11 / 30

#20. St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church

- Rating: 4.7/5 (692 reviews)
- City: Eureka Springs
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Museum of Native American History

Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. Museum of Native American History

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,024 reviews)
- City: Bentonville
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Eureka Springs Historical Downtown

Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. Eureka Springs Historical Downtown

- Rating: 4.4/5 (862 reviews)
- City: Eureka Springs
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Tripadvisor

18 / 30

#13. Pinnacle Mountain State Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (504 reviews)
- City: Little Rock
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Christ of the Ozarks

Tripadvisor

21 / 30

#10. Christ of the Ozarks

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,669 reviews)
- City: Eureka Springs
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Lake Catherine State Park

Tripadvisor

23 / 30

#8. Lake Catherine State Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (513 reviews)
- City: Hot Springs
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

Tripadvisor

24 / 30

#7. Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,272 reviews)
- City: Little Rock
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Hot Springs National Park

Tripadvisor

27 / 30

#4. Hot Springs National Park

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,098 reviews)
- City: Hot Springs
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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