are_wild
Posted : 8/7/2009 2:03:12 PM
I just saw this too. I'm in Little Rock, so quite a ways away from Bentonville, but still one of the biggest cities in Arkansas. Even in the bigger cities we're still behind the rest of the nation in a lot of ways though, so be prepared for that. It may be different in Bentonville since it's the northernmost part of the state, but here there's not much nightlife. Restaurants and things tend to close earlier than you're probably used to and unless you're going to an actual bar there isn't much to do after dark. Most places are closed or have very limited hours on Sundays and almost everybody attends church regularly.
While the southern hospitality thing is right on the mark, that can border on nosiness if you're not used to it. Its not at all unusual to ask someone you just met what church they go to, or why they moved here or any number of semi-intrusive questions. Depending on the neighborhood you land in you could also have neighbors that stop by unannounced, or ask you about people you have over. It's not intended to be rude though, just sort of a way to foster community. Gossip is also a big bonding activity, so expect that.
We definitely don't have any Italian markets. We have a few Hispanic markets and a couple of Asian markets though. A great bonus to being close to so much farm land is that we have fantastic farmer's markets too. There are some coops here that organize them all year round so that the farmers with winter produce (either seasonal or grown in greenhouses) can reach the public more effectively. I'm not aware of any groups as far north as Bentonville, but I'm willing to bet they're there. I don't know what you feed your dogs, but I know for sure there are a couple of raw food coops for NW Arkansas.
As far as schools go, the public schools are not great. Actually, they're pretty bad. We do have some great private schools, but they're all religious. As far as dog friendliness, I wouldn't count on it. The state still requires annual rabies vaccination, and does not have any exemption allowance. Around here there is one fenced in dog park, and its small and completely unmonitored. A huge portion of dog owners are uneducated about positive training and a lot of hunting and farm dog myths are hailed as common knowledge.
Another thing to consider is that there are a lot of drugs here. The ability to drive 20 minutes from the city and be in the middle of the country makes it a pretty ideal place to grow pot or make meth. Plus, we (here in Little Rock, not sure about Bentonville specifically) have high rates of gang crimes, rape, and teen pregnancies. Don't get me wrong, it's not like the city is run by the mafia. It's really all small time stuff, but it's out there.
On the other hand, the whole state is beautiful. Bentonville is pretty close to Devil's Den, Beaver Lake, and the Botanical Garden. There are tons of spots for hiking and camping. The Buffalo River (an hour or so away?) is one of my dad's favorite trout fishing spots. Fayetteville has an annual motorcycle rally, and Siloam Springs has a dogwood festival every year when the dogwoods bloom.
If you like to take mini road trips there are quite a few places around the state that would be interesting to spend a weekend. Hot Springs is full of artists and is a little touristy, but it has an abandoned hospital that looks down over downtown. It also has the actual hot springs that you can collect water from and I believe they still keep one of the old bathhouses operation through part of the year. Eureka Springs is also a bit of an artist's haven, but much more hippie friendly. They have a haunted hotel you can stay in, and tons of artists' shops to see.
That's all I can think of, but if you have any more questions feel free to ask or PM me. I've lived here all my life and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
-Rebecca