The Glow of Bentonville

Pack your bags. Now's the best time of year to visit this Arkansas city where nature and art come together

-  LISA CERICOLA

THE NEON cowgirl surveys the scene from her perch on the old Benton County jail. She's clad in a white tengallon hat, and her red lips are blowing smoke from a gun barrel-she's a glamorous, glowing Bonnie looking for her Clyde. Created by Texas neon artist Todd Sanders, the sculpture, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, hangs across the street from the 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, where I'm staying. It greets me when I step out in the morning and return in the evening. Each of these brief interactions sparks a little joy during my weekend in Bentonville.

And that's exactly why the cowgirl is there. This Northwest Arkansas city has committed to making public art-130 works and counting-a regular part of life for residents and tourists. While most of these pieces are on display year-round, there's no better time to view them than autumn, when the Ozark Mountains are aglow with color and the weather is ideal for taking it all in. One unexpected pleasure of my visit was discovering that Bentonville is compact and walkable (or bikeable-more on that later), making it an easy art-filled escape that doesn't require traveling far.

START AT THE SQUARE

During my first afternoon, I set out to explore the town square that's fringed with red- and gold-leaved trees. It's small but densely populated with restaurants, bars, and locally owned stores such as Once Upon a Time Books, Phat Tire Bike Shop, and Remedy Road (a boutique that stocks ethically and globally sourced clothing and home goods). The square's main draw for out-of-towners is undoubtedly The Walmart Museum and Walton's 5&10, the original general store that Walmart founder Sam Walton opened in 1950. Both are undergoing extensive renovations and are set to reopen next spring, but a temporary space called The Walmart Museum Heritage Lab is located just two blocks off the square.