When to Go

Peak Season: May to November

Plan and book in advance if you plan to visit during the summer, when Arkansas’s lakes and rivers are especially popular. October and November are particularly busy with the turning of the leaves and a jam-packed calendar of festivals.

Off Season: December to February

Great lodging specials are available throughout the state during winter months. December’s showcase is the Arkansas Trail of Holiday Lights, but plan carefully if your visit includes the northwest corridor, where weather can be especially unpredictable. Beginning in January, Hot Springs’ live Thoroughbred racing season—which continues through April—can squeeze available options for accommodations.

Shoulder Season: March to April

Early spring in Arkansas brings a plethora of garden tours and weddings around the state, plus the final months of Thoroughbred racing season in Hot Springs. Temperatures are usually mild, ranging from 50s to 70s, but competing weather systems colliding inside the state can sometimes trigger unexpected cold snaps.