Bentonville is Getting Fancy

Bentonville is steppin it up!

Do you know where Bentonville is? I didn't know when I first heard about this city either. This was only my second time in Arkansas on a business trip and I was pretty impressed with all the fancy places Bentonville had to offer.

Bentonville Square

Bentonville Square

Bentonville is best known for being the headquarters of Walmart and there is a cute little Walmart museum in Bentonville Square that is FREE.

Walmart Museum

Walmart Museum

You walk in through an adorable gift shop that is full of toys and candies from the 1950's. I love those little harmonicas that come in that old school box and the store is full of items like this. The concept is keeping the feel of the original 5&10 store that Sam Walton started.

5&10 Store

5&10 Store

After you're done at the museum, you can enjoy $1 ice cream at the little diner next door. Yup, ONE DOLLAR!! You can't get anything for a dollar these days.

Get $1 ice cream at the diner

Get $1 ice cream at the diner

The next thing you must do in Bentonville is visit Crystal Bridges. Alice Walton, daughter of Sam Walton, spearheaded the development of Crystal Bridges and what a wonderful job she and the team has done in creating this art mecca. This museum is also FREE and so worth checking out. The building is absolutely gorgeous and full of exhibits, sculptures and paintings. This place is so huge that you can easily spend a full day here. There are also art trails you can take around the museum that I wish I could have explored, but ran out of time.

Crystal Bridges Museum

Crystal Bridges Museum

Inside Crystal Bridges is also an exquisite and beautiful restaurant called Eleven. The ambience is stunning and the food was amazing! I'm not a fan of deviled eggs, but I tried their Deviled Scotch Egg and it was heavenly. I shared a plate with some of my co-workers and I wish I would have ordered one all to myself.

Eleven restaurant

Eleven restaurant

I also checked out another little exhibit that is open 24 hours at 21c Museum Hotel. It's a tiny exhibit, but again, it's FREE, and there were some interesting pieces of contemporary art like the basketball hoop tree, green penguins and the fabric & thread pieces of art.

21c Museum and hotel

21c Museum and hotel

21c lobby area

21c lobby area

Finally, I enjoyed some coffee and breakfast at Onyx Coffee Lab and Pressroom in Bentonville Square.

Onyx Coffee Lab

Onyx Coffee Lab

The decor in these two places was magnificent and everyone was very friendly and accommodating. Great presentation and great food.

Pressroom

Pressroom

Well done, Bentonville!