Rogers, AR on a Budget

You don’t need to burn a hole in your wallet or spend too much to have an awesome time exploring and experiencing Rogers, AR! Check out this low-budget itinerary for a day on the town.

8am – Start Your Day with Breakfast at Your Hotel

Rogers has plenty of hotels to choose from for every traveler, whether in town for business or pleasure. An added value for those on a budget is a hotel that offers breakfast, such as the Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas or Hyatt Place. So, head down to the hotel lobby and find the feast—fruit, yogurt, pastries, cereal, waffles, juice, and more. Grab some sustenance and plenty of coffee to fuel up for the day. Pack some snacks and fill up your water bottle before you head out. You’re going to be busy.

9:30am – First Stop: Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area.

About 13 miles east of downtown Rogers is Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, a 12,056-acre natural park with free admission. Head straight to the 17,500-square-foot, LEED-certified Visitor Center to pick up trail maps and get tips from the staff about the best ways to experience the park.

Check out the center’s interactive exhibits. There’s a cave replica that shows the karst topography of the area, digital displays about animals, a wildlife viewing area, plus flora and fauna exhibits.

Hobbs has several trails of various lengths and difficulty to choose from. Some are short paths perfect for wheelchairs and strollers. The longest is a 24-mile multi-use trail for equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers.

A nice option for the morning is Pigeon Roost Trail: 8.4 miles with two loops in a figure-eight shape. The moderate to strenuous path follows old logging roads on ridge tops and contours around hillsides down into several hollows and backup ridges. There’s a bench to rest on at the overlook. About 100 yards from the trailhead, look for a tree bent into two right angles. It’s thought to be a marker tree or “thong” tree. Native Americans marked trails, springs, caves, salt supplies, rivers crossing, and more with trees bent to grow in this unusual fashion.

12pm – Lunch at OZ Smokehouse

You can’t go wrong at OZ Smokehouse, known for Ozark-style BBQ and dishes that are sure to delight you. You can’t go wrong with their pulled pork sandwich, or you can branch out with the Smoked Brisket Au Ju, Brisket Tacos, or the Triple Threat (a brisket, pork, sausage sandwich). Why choose when you can get the meat platter for a sampling of brisket, pork, chicken, and sausage? Don’t forget to try some of their mouth-watering sides and a dessert – if you are still hungry.

2pm – The Railyard and Lake Atalanta

Your next off-road adventure is on two wheels. The Railyard Bike Park is a dirt jump bike park featuring wall rides, whale tales, and concrete lips—and it’s free to use. It accommodates riders of all skill levels and different types of bicycles, from striders to full suspension bikes to dirt jumpers to BMX. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., it has lights, a pavilion, restrooms, water fountains, a bike wash station, observation decks, a dog park, and a large parking lot. Its signature piece is a full-scale rail car set on real railroad tracks that bikers ride through. From The Railyard, you can also access a trail to Lake Atalanta for more mountain biking adventures.

Looking for an activity that is less adventurous? Head over to the Daisy Airgun Museum to explore the history of the Daisy BB Gun. You’ll need about an hour to go through the museum. Then, you can walk two blocks to explore the Rogers Historical Museum before you shop in downtown Rogers exploring the locally owned and operated boutiques and stores. 

6pm – Dinner at Hapa’s Hawaiian Bar & Grill and a Walk Downtown

In the heart of downtown, Hapa’s serves up their egg rolls, spicy crab rangoons, and Kalua nachos. Entrees include coconut fried shrimp, pork belly, Teriyaki beef and chicken, Kalua pork, and so much more. Each entree comes with rice, potato macaroni salad, and cabbage-ramen salad. Also, on the menu, are burgers, tacos, rice bowls, and a chicken sandwich. Don’t miss the Hawaiian Donuts for dessert. Bowls average around $7, tacos and burgers around $10.

Now that you’ve had a full day of fun and have a full stomach, take a leisurely walk around Historic Downtown Rogers before heading back to your hotel.

Looking for more budget-friendly activities?

Rogers has so much to do and it’s easy to stay in budget. Start planning your trip for Rogers, AR with more ideas of budget-friendly activities.