Things To Do in Arkansas

The Arkansas State Parks fete vibrant visitors and loping locals alike with a dizzying array of landscapes, natural and cultural resources, and myriad learning opportunities at parks scattered throughout the state. Familial units with children 18 and under can flex their pass muscles multiple times throughout the year at a wide range of museums, gleaning valuable state knowledge while conversing with park guides or well-read white-tailed deer.

Lokomotion Family Fun Center paves the way for friendly competition and family fun in a multi-attraction complex filled with arcade games, mini golf, laser tag, go-karts, and bumper boats. Feed fistfuls of tokens ($0.25 value each) into a multitude of games to shoot hoops, smack air-hockey pucks, and recklessly race virtual cars without being grounded for hitting the neighbors' mailbox. Take aim at sibling rivalries during black-light laser-tag games or spray down peers in the bumper-boat pool. Thirty-six mini golf holes border an Illinois River tributary, setting a beautiful scene to knock grandma off the top of the family standings. Four different go-kart tracks separate racers by age with single-seat pro-track cars for licensed drivers and double-seated family-track cars that liberate backseat drivers.

The Golf of Castle Valley course bounds over gently rolling hills as it wraps around Coulter Lake through thick stands of mature trees. Golfers can tee off an unlimited number of times on the club's 18-hole course, slowly building a mental map of each area until every dogleg, water hazard, and tricky green is as familiar as the national anthem or the national butterfly. Practice approach shots along the bank of Coulter Lake, or chip shots past winding streams and the stretching limbs of trees along each fairway.

A lengthy lineup of traditional game-day fare and a sports atmosphere captivate fans at Fox and Hound - Bailey's, where the kitchen remains open as late as its neighboring fully stocked bar. Chefs cook until the wee hours of the morning and always until the bar closes, baking Bavarian pretzel starters, crafting towers of onion rings, and preparing hand-battered chicken tenders that are cooked until they are golden brown. They blend their own seasonings to sprinkle over grilled-to-order burgers, and draw from a diverse roster of cheeses and toppings to crown their wood-oven-inspired flatbreads.

While manning the bars, bartenders tap into a stash of libations, such as UV Whipped vodka and Patron Silver tequila, to mix their specialty cocktails. To further foster a sporting ambiance, high-definition TVs glow with sports games and custom music-video playlists, and guests partake in pastimes of ump bashing, billiards, or competitive people watching.

Students at Ahrang Martial Arts come away from classes fitter, lighter, and well versed in a variety of martial arts. From kickboxing and tae kwon do to muay thai and MMA, Ahrang's classes cater to students of all ages and ability levels. The company is so confident in the effectiveness of these classes that it guarantees students will lose 10 pounds after just six weeks of enrollment.

Returning to the scenic Ozark Mountains for its fourth year, Wakarusa immerses festivalgoers in a weekend of natural beauty, free-spirited art, and more than 100 musicians playing on five stages. Prolific rockers Primus headline on Saturday, pouring out the thick bass lines and cutting guitar riffs that line tracks such as Jerry Was a Race Car Driver. After rocking through the '80s and '90s, and becoming a household name by performing the theme song for South Park, the influential band returns, touring on the heals of its latest effort, Green Naugahyde. Though recently without his distinctive bushy beard, reggae and hip-hop icon Matisyahu headlines on Sunday, thrilling fans with his characteristically probing lyrics. Also performing throughout the weekend, soulful pop-crafters Fitz and The Tantrums continue a meteoric rise that saw them named hardest-working band of the 2011 summer festival season by Vogue and the most attractive group of talented people anywhere by their mothers. RJD2 keeps the air filled with beats throughout Saturday night, and San Diego outfit Slightly Stoopid continues two-and-a-half decades of sprightly, reggae-infused rock Saturday and Sunday. Check out the schedule for up-to-date times.