How A Small City Earned Global Headlines

We sit down with Alison Nation, CMO of Visit Bentonville, to trace how a small city stitched together art, trails, wellness, and hospitality into a destination that keeps turning editors’ heads from New York to London.

Crystal Bridges fuels the cultural surge with a major expansion that doubles gallery space. The Compton brings fresh momentum to the downtown hotel scene, while 8th Street Gateway Park strengthens a car-light loop that moves from Razorback Greenway to Applegate Trail and up to Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. With USA Cycling training here and local trail builders shaping projects heading into LA28, Bentonville’s outdoor credibility is real.

Looking ahead, we map 2026 goals: hosting writers, curating e-bike tours, and partnering on exhibition openings to build itineraries that show the city’s full range. Along the way, Alison shares local favorites—greenway strolls, experimental installations at The Momentary, and essential ice cream stops—that explain why visitors arrive curious and leave attached. If you’ve been watching the headlines and wondering what changed, this is the episode for you.

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