Tour of the town
10 Things to do in Conway
10 THINGS TO DO IN CONWAY
Whether the activity is indoors or outdoors, artsy or adventurous, educational or leisurely, Conway offers its residents and visitors ample daily options. The following activities, which don’t encompass everything offered in the city, provide a general scope of what to expect for those looking for an eventful excursion in the town.
The Conway Symphony Orchestra plays in various locations in central Arkansas, including at Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas. The full orchestra can provide for an entertaining and serenading night for you and a loved one.
The city has made a name for itself when it comes to its art scene. This is evident in the playful sculptures and beautiful fountains around the town, but also through the wide range of galleries one can visit. For example, the Baum Gallery and Black Box Student Gallery at UCA showcase art by the university’s students and faculty, as well as professional artists. Both galleries have new exhibits that are constantly being featured, so more than one visit is definitely necessary. At Hendrix College, student art can be seen in the Trieschmann Fine Arts Building, which has a gallery and studios where students create artwork. Art on the Green, an art studio for all ages and styles, features exclusive collections for sale in three-month rot-ations. The site also offers lectures and art classes and has an online store.
Continuing with the art scene, Conway offers entertaining theater and performances at various venues. Reynolds Performance Hall hosts big-name speakers, Broadway musicals, concerts and much more each year. Hendrix offers The Cabe Theatre Arts Center, a 224-seat, thruststage theater that plays host to the Hendrix Players. The Lantern Theatre, home of the Conway Community Arts Association, provides entertaining community theater in Conway with the goal of cultivating growth and connections within the population. This season, Lantern audiences still can see The Importance of Being Earnest, Craigslisted, Electra and Clybourne Park.
Discovering an area’s history can be an exciting event and an adventure. With the Faulkner County Museum, you can discover the adventurer in yourself, going on an excursion and diving into the historic events that helped Conway become the city it is today. The museum is celebrating its 25th anniversary — it was founded in 1992 and was officially opened to the public in 1997. Showcasing artifacts, archival and documentary collections, art, images and other historic objects, the museum can take guests on an experience of a lifetime. The museum on the courthouse square is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m Mondays through Thursdays.
With a mission to “open access to ideas and communities through shared collections, shared spaces and shared activities,” the Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library System has exciting and thought-provoking activities for children and adults. For example, the two-county library system has hosted adult coloring classes and meditation classes, along with activities on playing with yarn and other crafts that everyone can enjoy. Aside from the wealth of knowledge that can be obtained within the pages of the books in the library, the Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library System provides its visitors with a unique outlet to have fun.
Located on Front Street, the downtown Conway Farmers and Crafts Market provides attendees with a one-of-a-kind experience and an opportunity to walk away with fresh produce and unique crafts. The market includes fruits, vegetables, baked goods and crafts from local farmers and artisans. The market is open every Saturday from May through October, and Tuesdays and Thursdays from June through September. Its hours are 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Conway’s beautiful downtown has much to offer. This includes attending an event in Simon Park, where concerts are held on the Kris Allen Stage, or going shopping in one of the many interesting antique shops, boutiques and other stores that line the streets. Whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, plenty of options for food are available in downtown Conway, and the area has a growing live-music scene.
Staying active in Conway is not a problem. The city is home to numerous running and biking trails that wind throughout the town and beyond. These trails not only provide a superb outlet for staying in shape, but also to get out and get a breath of fresh air while taking in scenic views. Along with these trails, Conway is home to two community centers, the Conway Sports Center and the McGee Center, which both provide the community with basketball, volleyball and racquetball courts, a track and much more. Tucked away on the west end of Conway is Centennial Soccer Park. This soccer complex has numerous fields to play on and is often home to tournaments and leagues throughout the week and during the weekend.
Conway is home to two lakes, giving visitors and residents the opportunity to enjoy Lake Conway or Beaverfork Lake. Lake Conway is the largest man-made Game and Fish Commission lake in the United States and has an average depth of 6 feet with a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake is known for its excellent fishing, including bass, catfish, bream and crappie. Beaverfork Lake is a much smaller lake at 960 acres but is in Conway’s largest city park. This lake is home to bass, bluegill, catfish and crappie but is better known for its water sports, such as windsurfing.
Although Conway offers plenty of parks to visit, Cadron Settlement Park is the city’s most historic. The park is a national historic site that includes a reconstructed blockhouse, the Cherokee Trail of Tears, exhibits and more. Cadron Settlement Park was a stopping spot for the Butterfield Overland Mail Route. The Trail of Tears and the Butterfield Trail are part of the Arkansas Historic Trails system.