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Summer doesn’t disappear overnight in Arkansas. Even after school buses are back on the road and football season kicks off, afternoons are still warm enough for a swim, farmers markets are overflowing with late-season produce, and there’s usually time for one more sunset at the lake.
Whether you’re planning one last family outing before routines take over, looking for a relaxing Labor Day weekend, or simply hoping to slow down after the busy start to the school year, late summer is the perfect excuse to make time for the things you enjoy most.
The best part is that you don’t have to travel across the state to make it memorable. Sometimes a weekend at home is exactly what you need. Other times it’s fun to hit the road for a day trip or discover a place you’ve never visited before. However you spend it, here are a few ideas to help you stretch your final summer days.
Saturday Morning
Stay Close to Home
Slow mornings are one of summer’s greatest gifts.
Sleep in a little, enjoy coffee on the porch before the heat sets in, and make a leisurely breakfast with fresh fruit from the farmers market. If you have kids, let them ride bikes around the neighborhood, play in the sprinkler or help pick vegetables from the garden. It’s a chance to enjoy the slower pace that often disappears once fall activities begin.
Get Out
If you’d rather start the day with an adventure, head out before temperatures climb.
Visit a local farmers market, take a walk through one of Arkansas’s state parks, bike part of the Arkansas River Trail or explore a nearby downtown while shops are just opening. Morning is also one of the best times to paddle a lake or creek before boat traffic picks up.
Lunch
Stay Close to Home
Keep lunch simple and seasonal.
Build fresh Arkansas tomato sandwiches, grill burgers, make homemade lemonade, or spread a picnic blanket in your backyard. Sometimes eating outside makes an ordinary lunch feel like an event.
Get Out
Pick a locally owned restaurant you’ve never tried, stop by a roadside barbecue joint, or find an old-fashioned soda fountain for burgers and shakes. Supporting local restaurants is one of the easiest ways to explore your own community.
Afternoon
Stay Close to Home
The hottest hours of the day are a good excuse to slow down.
Read a book in the hammock, work on a puzzle, make homemade ice cream, play board games, watch a favorite movie, or simply enjoy an afternoon nap with the windows covered and the ceiling fan humming.
If you have kids, this can also be a great time to make popsicles, bake cookies together, or start planning a scrapbook of your favorite summer memories.
Get Out
Spend the afternoon wherever summer feels most like summer.
Go swimming at a state park, rent kayaks, explore a cave, visit a museum, browse an independent bookstore, or wander through a historic downtown you’ve never taken time to explore.
Evening
Stay Close to Home
Some of the best parts of an Arkansas summer happen after dinner.
Eat outside, roast hot dogs over a backyard fire pit, catch lightning bugs, play cornhole, listen to the cicadas, or simply sit on the porch as the sun goes down.
These quiet evenings often become the moments families remember most.
Get Out
If you’re looking to end the day on a high note, find an outdoor concert, minor league baseball game, county fair, community festival, sunset overlook, or lakeside restaurant.
Late summer evenings are often the most comfortable time of day, making them ideal for lingering a little longer.
Make It a Weekend
If one day isn’t enough, turn it into an overnight escape.
Stay Close to Home
Pitch a tent in the backyard, sleep on the porch, or unplug for 24 hours by putting phones away and spending the evening playing cards, telling stories, and watching the stars.
Get Away
Book a cabin at a nearby state park, spend a night camping, or find a small-town inn within a couple of hours of home. You don’t need a long drive to feel like you’ve taken a vacation.
One Last Summer Tradition
Before summer officially fades into fall, choose one tradition you’ll want to repeat every year. We host a big back-to-school bash every year, and it’s become a favored tradition. It’s a great way to bring friends together and celebrate the transition of seasons and the shift from the lazy days of summer to the busy back-to-school season.
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