How will you spend your time between sessions?
We asked the people who know it best how visitors can best spend their time in this hub of Northeastern Arkansas; they suggested visiting these attractions during your downtime:
Day 1
7 a.m. | Start your day with some caffeine at one of several unique cafes in Jonesboro. Ding Tea provides a contemporary Taiwanese tea house experience, while Shadrachs Coffee Roasting Co., with multiple locations around the city, offers coffee-lovers’ favorites while also sharing the company’s values with customers.
8 a.m.-noon | Meeting time
Noon | Food trucks in Jonesboro offer a diverse selection of lunch fare, including barbecue, Thai, Greek, American and Southern soul and pizza, along with snacks like pretzels, ice cream and snow cones.
1-5 p.m. | Meeting time
5-6:30 p.m. | Take a breather at The Hotel at Huntington Square, a boutique property offering a variety of accommodations, including suites, deluxe studios and two- or three-bedroom townhouses. Located in the heart of downtown Jonesboro, the hotel includes a speakeasy restaurant and lounge, and a nearby bar and grill with indoor and outdoor games.
6:30 p.m. | Grab a slice at one of Jonesboro’s pizza places. Pizza Chef, Pizza Works, Upper Crust Pizza and Lost Pizza Co. offer standard and specialty pizzeria fare, salads and beer. Pastaria 49 is new this year, offering pizza and pasta. Lazzari Italian Oven and LaBocca Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria both offer high-end Italian fare, including pizza.
8:30 p.m. | Head back to Huntington Square to listen to live music at The Porch or The Lounge. The Porch is child- and pet-friendly, with outdoor games and seating available. The Lounge offers tapas style dining and craft cocktails along with low-key live music sets. Or visit the Arkansas State University campus to take in a show at the Fowler Center, where contemporary art exhibits and professional-grade theater are featured.
Day 2
7 a.m. | Sit down for breakfast at Gina’s Place, offering hearty, Southern meals. Or visit Sandy’s Bakery & Catering, a Mexican bakery with a variety of cafe fare and baked goods.
8 a.m.-noon | Meeting time
Noon | Grab a quick bite at Munchy’s Specialty Sandwich, a local shop with corn dogs, hot dogs and chicken strips also on the menu. Or visit Potbelly Sandwich Works, an Arkansas original and favorite statewide, offering sandwiches, wraps, soup and mac ‘n’ cheese.
2 p.m. | Visit Crowley’s Ridge State Park to learn about this unique geological formation with plenty of history, having been the site of the Civil War Battle of Chalk Bluff in 1863. The state park offers kayak rentals and contains a fishing lake and swimming area, along with hiking trails and picnic areas. Or visit the Craighead Forest Park, also at Crowley’s Ridge, with mountain biking and hiking trails, horseback riding, bird watching opportunities and sports like basketball, volleyball and softball.
5 p.m. | Have a nice dinner at one of Jonesboro’s high-end eateries, like 501 Steakhouse, a romantic seafood and steak restaurant with an eclectic menu. Or try local favorite Omar’s Uptown, a Creole-Cajun inspired restaurant offering signature menu items, including with vegetarian options. There’s also BenYay’s Gumbo Shop, a Cajun restaurant with classic Louisiana-style Southern fare.
7:30 p.m. | End the night with some fun at The Social, a family-friendly bowling alley open late, complete with free table and arcade games available for down time between games. Or visit one of the local breweries in Jonesboro, like Native Brew Works, offering craft beer and with regular community events like trivia nights, or Lebowski’s Brewing Co. — no bowling alley here, but they do offer unique craft beers and Irish pub-inspired food.
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