Things to Do in Rogers, Arkansas – A Complete Travel and Dining Guide
If you are visiting Northwest Arkansas chances are you plan on visiting Bentonville or Fayetteville, the two most popular areas of Northwest Arkansas. But located just a few miles away from Bentonville you’ll find Rogers which has many unique things to do and places to eat. Although Bentonville is home to Walmart Corporate, Rogers was actually home to the first Walmart location, has a vibrant biking community, an amazing live music venue, and a variety of programs and festivals catering to the arts. After living in Northwest Arkansas for three years we found charm in each city in Northwest Arkansas, Rogers included. So be sure to check out these things to do in Rogers, Arkansas on your next trip!
Where is Rogers, Arkansas?
Rogers is a small city located in Northwest Arkansas between Bentonville, the headquarters of Walmart and Fayetteville, home to the University of Arkansas.
How to Get to Rogers, Arkansas
How to Get to Rogers by Car
If you live close to Northwest Arkansas the best way to get to Rogers is by driving. There are a number of cities that are within easy driving distance from Rogers.
Tulsa to Rogers: Approximately 2 hours
Oklahoma City to Rogers: Approximately 3 hours
Kansas City to Rogers: Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes
Little Rock to Rogers: Approximately 3 hours
St. Louis to Rogers: Approximately 5 hours 20 minutes
Dallas to Rogers: Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes
How to Get to Rogers by Plane
You might be surprised to find out that Northwest Arkansas has a regional airport (XNA) that serves a number of non-stop flights from major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, New York, Denver, Miami, and more. From XNA, you can rent a car and be in Rogers within 15 minutes.
Where to Stay in Rogers, Arkansas
There are a number of hotels to stay at in Northwest Arkansas, but in Rogers, you’ll find a number of great hotels that are close to Bentonville and Fayetteville as well. One of the most popular hotels in Rogers is the Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas which is located right off the interstate and close to a number of popular things to do in Rogers. At the Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas, you’ll find two-room suites with separate living spaces to provide a more comfortable stay.
Another place to stay in Rogers is the Aloft Rogers-Bentonville which has king and queen bedrooms, suites, and pet-friendly options. It is located right between Rogers and Bentonville making it a terrific spot for visiting a number of places in Northwest Arkansas.
The Best Things to Do in Rogers, Arkansas
Enjoy A Round at TopGolf
I first visited TopGolf in Oklahoma City and I’ll admit, before I went I felt like I wouldn’t enjoy the experience. However, TopGolf really proved me wrong. TopGolf is basically an indoor/outdoor driving range where you are assigned a “bay” for you and other members of your party. At your bay, you can order drinks, snacks, and entrees to enjoy while you take turns blowing off some steam and hitting golf balls! Here’s the kicker though you don’t have to be GOOD, you just have to hit the ball as far as you can. The best way I can describe this activity is like bowling but in golf form. Just go and have a good time whether it be a solo, couples, or friends activity!
Location: 3919 S JB Hunt Dr, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10am-11pm, Friday & Saturday 10am-12am
Bike Around Lake Atalanta
In my opinion, Northwest Arkansas boasts some of the best biking trails in the world. In fact, Bentonville is known as the mountain biking capital of the world so I don’t think I have to prove myself too much *wink wink*! But one of our favorite paved and off-road biking areas in Rogers is around Lake Atalanta. There are 13 miles of trails at Lake Atalanta ranging from easy, moderate, difficult, and even one black diamond mountain biking trail. If you would prefer a paved trail then there is a lovely 2-mile trail that takes you around Lake Atalanta with a few moderate inclines.
Location: 500 E Walnut St, Rogers // MAP
Hours: 6am-10pm daily
Cool Off at the Rogers Aquatic Center
If you are visiting Northwest Arkansas in the summer and are looking for a place to cool off, the Rogers Aquatic Center is a great place to visit! The Rogers Aquatic Center is a 3-acre public water park with many pools, slides, a lazy river, and other outdoor water activities. Because it has such a wide array of water attractions it is great for all ages but especially fun for families!
Location: 1707 S 26th St, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday & Saturday 12pm-6pm
Cost: $15/non-resident adult, $10/non-resident child
Shop at the Antique Malls
Although there are many stores to go antiquing in Northwest Arkansas (Prairie Grove being my favorite) Rogers has some of the best shops to visit! Most of the antique shops in Rogers focus on furniture, kitchen items, dishes, glassware, and other home goods. But a few have vintage clothing too.
Here are some of the best antique malls in Rogers to check out:
- Somewhere in Time // MAP
- Homestead Antique Mall // MAP
- Rose Antique Mall // MAP
- Betty’s Attic & Jen’s Jewels // MAP
- Blue Chair Consignment // MAP
- Gathered Goods // MAP
- Home Town Flea Market // MAP
- The Copper Crown // MAP
- The Rusty Chair // MAP
- The Rusted Rooster // MAP
- The Green Box // MAP
Hike At Hobbs State Park Conservation Area
If you enjoy hiking or spending time outdoors Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area is Arkansas’ largest state park covering over 12,000 acres! Within Hobbs State Park you’ll find 54 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and even six out of 11 campsites that are accessible by mountain bike, the first of its kind.
Of the trails at Hobbs State Park, you can find many different difficulty ranges, lengths, and scenery. One of the most popular trails for beginners or those hiking with children is Shaddox Hollow Trail. This easy hike is only 1.5 miles round-trip and is accessible to foot traffic only so you don’t have to worry about being in the way of mountain bikers or horses.
Another popular trail that is accessible for horses, mountain bikers, and hikers is Hidden Diversity Multi-Use Trail which is a 24-mile moderate to strenuous trail that is divided into four different sections and loops if you’d like to shorten the distance. Regardless of which trails you visit you’re most likely bound to see beautiful wildflowers, views of Beaver Lake, limestone bluffs, and lush foliage (all pending seasonality).
Location: 20201 AR-12, Rogers // MAP
Hours: 8am-5pm daily
Shop at Pinnacle Hills Promenade
If you are wanting to shop at popular retail stores then head over to Pinnacle Hills Promenade. The Promenade is an indoor/outdoor shopping mall that features a variety of clothing, home, and specialty stores as well as a selection of great places to eat in Northwest Arkansas. Some of the stores you’ll find at this mall are Kendra Scott, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Bath & Body Works, Athleta, Dillard’s, DSW, Lululemon, and Arkansas favorite, Gearhead Outfitters plus many more! Be sure not to miss Alchemy Macaron for a sweet treat and Savoy Tea Company for a hot or iced tea to-go.
Location: 2203 S Promenade Blvd Suite 3200, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday 12pm-6pm, Monday-Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-8pm
See A Show at the Walmart Amp
Because of the influence of Walmart, Northwest Arkansas sees a lot of concerts even though it is a smaller city area. In Rogers, you’ll find the Arkansas Music Pavilion (Walmart AMP) which is an outdoor amphitheater that caters to a wide variety of artists and events. Some past performances include The Avett Brothers, Alanis Morissette, Luke Bryan, NEEDTOBREATHE, Jonas Brothers, Dave Matthews Band, Nelly, TLC, & Flo Rida, and many more. If you are interested in theater programs, you might also check out the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville which is affiliated with the AMP.
VIEW UPCOMING PERFORMANCES + TICKETS
Location: 5079 W Northgate Rd, Rogers // MAP
Throw Down at Ozark Axe House
It seems like axe throwing is all the rage these days and Rogers is keeping up with Ozark Axe House. Ozark Axe House is located in Downtown Rogers making it incredibly convenient for those who want to grab something to eat or a drink before spending the evening with friends or family throwing some axes. One of the best parts about Ozark Axe House is they are also a BYOB establishment which means you and your friends can bring in your own beverages of choice and even bring your own food to enjoy while you take turns throwing. If you’ve never thrown axes before, have no fear, there are “axe-pert” (lol) coaches who will walk you through it step-by-step!
Location: 718 N 2nd St #102, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday 12pm-6pm, Monday-Friday 5pm-10pm, Saturday 3pm-10pm
Cost: Starting at $20
Visit Some of the Arkansas Microbreweries
Like the popularity of Axe Houses, microbreweries are even more prevalent nowadays and Northwest Arkansas has some terrific options! In Rogers, there are a number of craft breweries that are located in Downtown Rogers, near the Promenade, or along some of the paved biking trails in Rogers. Many of these breweries also partner with local companies to create specialty flavors like vanilla coffee porter from Rendezvous made with Onyx coffee.
Here are a few of our favorite breweries in Rogers:
- Ozark Beer Co // MAP
- New Province Brewing Co // MAP
- Hawk Moth Brewery // MAP
- Natural State Beer Company // MAP
- Rendezvous Junction Brewery // MAP
READ MORE: The Best Breweries in Northwest Arkansas
Take A Tour and Enjoy A Cocktail at Fox Trail Distillery
Anytime Logan and I travel we love visiting distilleries and swanky cocktail bars. I think I’ve finally reached that point where I’d rather pay a little more for a well-crafted cocktail than less for some margarita mix. Anyways, Fox Trail Distillery is by far one of our favorites. They offer a cozy atmosphere and distill all of their own artisanal spirits and use them in their own specialty cocktails. I’ve had a number of different drinks from Foxtrail over the years and I haven’t found one that I haven’t liked yet. Their menu is categorized by spirits and changes seasonally but I recommend the smoked old-fashioned, watermelon high ball, and the garden gimlet.
Location: 2121 S Bellview Rd, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Monday-Thursday 4pm-11pm, Friday & Saturday 4pm-12am
Peruse Downtown Rogers
Each area of Northwest Arkansas has its own downtown and all of them are different from the next! Downtown Rogers has some of our favorite shops, places to eat, and up-and-coming projects. Of the stores you’ll find there a few of my favorites are:
- Dandy Roll: Charming home goods and clothing store that specializes in antique prints and maps.
- Phat Tire Bike Shop: Buy or rent a bike, get your bike repaired, or buy some cycling gear.
- All Things Kindred: A selection of florals, plants, and other interior design items.
- Mockingbird Moon: A wide variety of yarns, needles, and other items for knitting and crochet.
- The Friendly Bookstore: Used bookstore that partners with the Rogers Public Library. Proceeds support the library!
- Anime Cafe: A selection of anime-themed goods for sale plus Japanese snacks and treats, boba, taiyaki (Japanese pastry), and other yummy snacks!
Visit the 1907 Building
Also located in Downtown Rogers is the 1907 Building which was recently renovated and now houses loft apartments and a few local businesses that are worth checking out. Onyx Coffee Lab is located just within the doors where you can get a coffee and pastry from Doughp! to enjoy while working on one of the comfortable couches or while relaxing with friends.
Yeyo’s, a popular restaurant that is also in Bentonville serves up traditional Mexican food with locally grown and sourced ingredients. In the evening, you can find The Foreman, a small cocktail bar located in the upstairs area in the 1907 building just behind Onyx. There is a little bit of everything in this beautifully remodeled building so be sure to visit when you are in Downtown Rogers.
Location: 101 E Walnut St, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Hours vary by business
See A Show at Arkansas Public Theater
The Arkansas Public Theater is a local, community theater that provides live theater experiences for audiences in an intimate setting in historic downtown Rogers. Throughout the year they put on around 8 different productions including names like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Something Rotten, Meteor Shower, and more. In addition to musicals and plays, they also host the annual Rogers Short Film Festival which celebrates local filmmakers from all different backgrounds.
Location: 116 S 2nd St, Rogers // MAP
Try the Pump Track at The Railyard
If you have tried out the paved biking trails in Rogers or want to enjoy a different experience The Railyard is a world-class bike park that is perfect for all ages and skill levels. At the Railyard, you’ll find a separate bike part area for toddlers and young kids as well as trails for expert-level mountain bikers. With the many twists, turns, and even actual rail cars to glide through on your bike this is one of the best free things to do in Northwest Arkansas!
Location: 299 E Cherry St, Rogers // MAP
Hours: 6am-10pm daily
War Eagle Mill
Although War Eagle Mill is located in Rogers it’s a bit of a drive out to Beaver Lake. But if you are visiting Rogers anyways the drive is worth it! The drive out to Beaver Lake is incredibly beautiful, especially in the fall and you’ll get the added bonus of visiting the mill! War Eagle Mill is an operating gristmill that offers guided history tours, a southern cooking restaurant, and all of its own milled products available for purchase. I especially love their grits, cornmeal, and flours which are all organic. But their jams and preserves are fabulous too! If you do happen to be visiting in the fall consider going to their fall craft fair which is usually held in October. At this event, you can shop at the Mill and shop from a number of local artisans.
Location: 11045 War Eagle Rd, Rogers // MAP
Hours: 9am-6pm daily
War Eagle Cavern
Near War Eagle Mill you can also visit War Eagle Cavern which is a natural lakeside cave that has guided tours of the caverns. There are two main tours that you can enjoy at War Eagle Cavern including a traditional cave tour that has plenty of standing room and will lead you through different pockets of the caves at a brisk 58℉. The second tour is the wild cavern tour which is the traditional tour with the addition of a few hours of spelunking through smaller caverns within tight spaces. After you enjoy the cave tour you can also visit the Moonshiners Mystery Shack, go gemstone panning, and visit the Lost in the Woods Maze.
Location: 21494 Cavern Dr, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday 10:30am-5pm, Monday-Saturday 9:30am-5pm
Cost: $19/adults, $11.50/children, free under age 3
READ MORE: Fun Things to Do in Bentonville, Arkansas
Places to Eat in Rogers
Neighbor’s Mill Bakery & Cafe
Neighbor’s Mill Bakery & Cafe is a quick sandwich, soup, and salad restaurant that offers made-from-scratch bread and more. They also have a number of their yummy, freshly baked bread and sweetbreads available to go. We like the Cranberry Turkey sandwich which has smoked turkey, swiss cheese, and cranberry mustard, or the Salad Sampler with honey pecan chicken salad, fruit, focaccia, and a blueberry muffin. I also suggest buying one of their sweetbreads to take home! The lemon blueberry is my favorite.
Location: 2090 W Pleasant Grove Rd, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday 8:30am-2pm, Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm
Pupuseria Salvadorena
Getting pupusas after a long bike ride has become one of our favorite things to do when we bike in Rogers and our favorite place is Pupuseria Salvadorena. The pupusas here are made fresh to order and served alongside salsa roja and curtido, a cabbage relish similar to coleslaw but far superior. Our favorite pupusas are chicharron (fried pork), frijol y queso (beans and cheese), camarón y queso (shrimp and cheese) and rajas y queso (peppers and cheese).
Location: 1610 S 8th St. Rogers // MAP
Hours: 8am-8pm daily
Yeyo’s Mexican Grill
Yeyo’s Mexican Grill is one of our favorite restaurants in Northwest Arkansas and while we normally visit the location at 8th Street Market in Bentonville, there is also a location within the 1907 Building in Downtown Rogers. All of the food is made fresh with locally sourced ingredients and you can really taste the difference! I love their burrito bowl or street tacos but the torta is another great option too!
Location: 101 E Walnut St, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Thursday & Friday 4pm-11pm, Saturday 4pm-10pm
Local Lime
Another Arkansas favorite is Local Lime which has a location in Little Rock and now in Rogers too! Local Lime has Tex-Mex street fare with a fun, urban interior. We love all of their tacos, especially the Easy Tiger Fish Tacos and their house margaritas are on point too. If you can make it work to visit during happy hour, I highly recommend it! Drinks are very affordable and you can get a few of their appetizers at a discounted price too.
Location: Monday-Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday-Sunday 11am-10pm
Hours: 2103 S Promenade Blvd, Rogers // MAP
Big Orange
Big Orange has fast become an Arkansas favorite and offers burgers, wraps, sandwiches, salads, and more. Although they have traditional burgers with most of their menu choices you can substitute for a turkey burger, grilled chicken, veggie burger, or falafel. One of our favorites is the smashed avocado turkey burger and we also love their milkshakes and happy hour specials for cocktails!
Location: 2203 S Promenade Blvd Ste 3100, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm
Pattaya Thai & Sushi
Pattaya is by far one of the best Thai restaurants in Northwest Arkansas and I think it has something to do with the love and care put into each recipe that has been passed down in the family, from mom to son. We typically order the crab wontons, Tom Yum soup, curry dumplings, and spring rolls for starters and change up our entrees. Our favorites are the red, panang, or massaman curry with chicken, stir-fried basil, or pad thai.
Location: 3600 W Walnut St, Rogers // MAP
Hours: 11am-9:30pm daily
Saiwok Vietnamese Street Food
If you are wanting a delicious variety of Vietnamese food staples we really enjoy Saiwok Vietnamese Street Food. They have a number of street foods like bao, satay, and bahn mi that are perfect for lunch or for lighter fare or you can also get more hearty Vietnamese dishes like pho and rice bowls with lemongrass chicken.
Location: 2882 W Walnut St. Rogers // MAP
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-9pm, Closed Sundays
Ramen Nara
Ramen Nara is hands down, the best ramen in Northwest Arkansas. You can find a variety of styles of ramen from different regions of Japan plus Japanese street food snacks. If you want to try one of the more traditional ramen options we recommend the Hakata Tonkatsu but I’m also a fan of the Spicy Curry Seafood Ramen. Another nice thing about Ramen Nara is the addition of their gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian menu items making it easier for those with dietary restrictions.
Location: 301 S Dodson Rd. Suite A, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Monday-Friday 11am-2pm & 5pm-8pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-2pm & 5pm-8:30pm, Closed Sundays
Monte Ne Inn
Looking for an all-you-can-eat option with southern homestyle cooking? Monte Ne Inn has fried chicken with all the fixings like homemade bean soup, green beans, sweet corn, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and homemade biscuits with apple butter all for $13 a person!
Location: 13843 AR-94 Rogers // MAP
Hours: Sunday 12pm-7pm, Wednesday-Saturday 5pm-8pm, Closed Monday & Tuesday
Mirabella’s Table
Over the years Mirabella’s Table has changed its menu up quite a bit from having a traditional menu, to family-style options, and now they offer a more upscale all-you-can-eat approach with a variety of small plates. If you aren’t in the mood for a lot of food you can order just a few small plates without the all-you-can-eat option too! We’ve also heard great things about their brunch although we have yet to dine with them outside of lunch and dinner.
Location: 4200 S 48th St #10, Rogers // MAP
Hours: Monday-Friday 6:30am-9pm, Saturday & Sunday 8am-9am
READ MORE: The Best Restaurants in Northwest Arkansas
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