Jana Wood’s Arkansas: An Explorer’s Guide is the definitive guide to enjoying the Natural State. Wood, a native Arkansan and former communications director for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, is both knowledgeable and passionate; her love for the state and its people and places comes through on every page of this well-written, easy to use travel guide.
Wood is clearly the right person to undertake a comprehensive look at the state and its attractions. As she explains in the book’s introduction, “More than half of my career has been spent introducing folks from off (Arkansas-speak for non-Arkansans) to the richness and diversity of my state’s landscape and culture.” She also sets the tone for the book by referencing a 2008 Parks and Tourism study of our tourism industry, conducted by Longwoods, a national tourism consulting company. “The results of that study were most surprising to Longwoods’ experts. Most significantly, the company said they had encountered something they had never seen before: a location burdened by a preconceived negative image that was completely dispelled following a visit to the location.” To put a positive spin on this discovery, we not only have the opportunity to help visitors discover the natural beauty, rich history, and diverse cultures of our state, we can also send them home as ambassadors who will spread the word that Arkansas is much more than they expected.
The introduction also provides an overview of the state’s varied regions, stressing that “the geology of our state blessed each community with its own unique and rich natural resources and also created the natural barriers that isolated each of them from the rest of the state.” Wood points out that the state “didn’t come together to present a unified image of Arkansas to the rest of the world until the mid-70’s.” So it’s not surprising that we are still playing catch-up when it comes to our image and how we are perceived by the rest of the world.
Following the introduction, “What’s Where in Arkansas” offers an alphabetically-arranged list that highlights “the basics, special features, and helpful tips to know when travelling the Natural State.” Wood’s fifteen-page chapter covers a lot of ground, everything from antiques to wineries, Bill Clinton to Mark Martin, National Forests to pie. For visitors who want to get started before they read the entire book, “What’s Where in Arkansas” is perfect.
The core of the book is divided into seven chapters. Chapter 1 covers the history of our state parks system and highlights the major features that make each of the 52 parks unique. Wood offers an in-depth look at the Ozark Folk Center, “the only park in the country dedicated to the preservation and explanation of the Ozark Mountain way of life.” She explains that the parks are about much more than camping and fishing by discussing the many “interpretive” programs offered at most parks, ranging from quilting to Dutch oven cooking. The chapter concludes with a section on arkansasstateparks.com, an extremely useful website where visitors can download maps; book cabins, campsites, or rooms at state park lodges; and browse the “Things To Do” section.
Chapters 2 through 7 showcase the state’s seven geographical/geological regions: The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (Arkansas Delta), Crowley’s Ridge, The West Gulf Coastal Plain, The Ouachita Mountains, The Arkansas River Valley, and the Ozark Mountains. Each chapter includes a detailed map; the history of the region; a list of area resources, such as chambers of commerce and tourist associations, sure to be useful to visitors; descriptions of towns and villages; and a list of museums and other sites well worth visiting.
Wood also covers the many festivals and annual events that help to characterize each region, from Helena’s King Biscuit Blues Festival to Batesville’s T Tauri Film Festival and Movie Camp. (“T Tauri” is the astronomer’s term for a new star.) Her descriptions are succinct and informative. For example: “[T Tauri] is a really cool event featuring movies made by filmmakers under the age of 18 from around the nation. The juried event features judges of the same age. Organizers offer a number of filmmaking workshops ranging from two days to five days in duration. Workshop topics include documentary filmmaking, narrative filmmaking, and animation.”
One of the most useful features of the book is the detailed and well-informed discussion of restaurants, diners, and other eateries. Wood has wisely created two separate sections for Eating Out and Dining Out, “with the former devoted to casual dining and the latter reserved for a more gourmand experience.” She identifies those establishments that serve alcoholic beverages, extremely helpful information in a state dominated by “dry” counties, and provides information about prices at each restaurant.
Although the book focuses heavily on the major destinations–Little Rock, Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, and the Buffalo National River–it pays considerable attention to smaller but no less interesting communities like Hardy, Pocahontas, Heber Springs, and Helena. There is much more in this book than this review can cover. Wood offers valuable shopping tips for each region and provides tips for exploring by car, by river, or on foot. She provides valuable insights on family entertainment, green spaces, and wild places. Wood is also an accomplished photographer and provides dozens of original photographs, along with photos from state agency and archival sources.
Wood has not included franchise and chain food and lodging operations in the book, preferring “to take you along the back roads, not the highways, and show you the people and places that make our state unique.” She has succeeded admirably. As she puts it, “Think of this guide as a backseat passenger on your adventure on your adventure on your adventure, here to provide directions and guidance, and fill you in on the legend and lore along the way.” I couldn’t say it better.
Arkansas: An Explorer’s Guide is published by The Countryman Press and is available at Barnes & Noble Booksellers and www.amazon.com.
For more information on the Ozark Gateway Region visit www.ozarkgateway.com or call 1-800-264-0316.
