Are you looking for an affordable, centrally located city to live in Northwest Arkansas? In this episode of Naturally NWA, I’m going to give you a tour of Springdale and show you all it has to offer. We’ll explore everything from recreation to the great outdoors so you can decide if this area is right for you.
Springdale’s Jones Center
Springdale is one of the most affordable and centrally located cities to live in Northwest Arkansas. It has tons of opportunities for recreation and fun, especially at the Jones Center. The Jones Center is one of the most popular attractions in Springdale and is a recreation, education, and events center. It’s located near downtown and features a year-round ice arena, basketball court, indoor track, fitness center, pools, a conference center, and an auditorium.
The Jones Center outdoor area features a world-class bike park with three separate areas. These include the Pump Track, which is the largest asphalt track in North America, a Skills Course, and a Bicycle Playground for beginners. The bike park was created to give beginner mountain bikers a place to train so they can transition to riding in the vast trail networks in Northwest Arkansas. Be sure to check out the Jones Center website for a list of classes and activities, as well as membership options.
The Ozark Highlands Nature Center
Another awesome attraction that just opened up at the end of 2020 is the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center. And yes, that’s quite a mouthful. This 32,000 square foot facility sits on 61 acres and was created for visitors to learn about the natural world and outdoor recreation here in Northwest Arkansas.
Admission is free, but due to COVID protocol, you have to go on to their website to reserve tickets. Once you arrive, you can do all sorts of cool stuff like check out some of their high-tech interactive exhibits, brush up on your marksmanship skills at the BB gun and archery ranges, explore the trails and pavilions, or participate in educational activities. If you love the outdoors or would like to learn more about the outdoors, then you need to check this place out.
Arvest Ballpark
For baseball lovers, the Arvest Ballpark is a must-see. This place is where the Northwest Arkansas Naturals minor league baseball team plays since Arkansas doesn’t have any professional sports teams in the state. A lot of Northwest Arkansas residents like to root for the Naturals.
Tickets are pretty cheap, so it’s a really popular attraction for families and people who like to drink beer in the sun while watching the grass grow. The ballpark also has one of the largest firework displays in Northwest Arkansas on the Fourth of July.
Sassafrass Springs Winery And Vineyard
If you prefer enjoying a glass of wine and taking in the scenery, Sassafrass Springs Winery And Vineyard is the perfect spot. Located on the southeastern part of Springdale, the winery is just minutes from Fayetteville and sits on 60 acres.
Sassafrass Springs is a beautiful place to come and relax with a glass of wine. You can also host a wedding or event on the gorgeous grounds. I’ve been told that their wine is amazing, but I personally think all wine is nasty—so I’m just going to trust my wine-drinking friends on this one. You’ll want to come judge for yourself unless you’re like me and don’t like wine.
Housing Prices
Now that you know all of the fun things to do in Springdale, you’ll probably want to know how much it costs to live here. Springdale is one of the most affordable cities to live in Northwest Arkansas. For example, in the middle of Springdale, houses are mostly 30 years old or older. The average size is around 1600 square feet and the average price is around $180,000.
When you get outside of the city center, prices go up. If you look towards the west of Interstate 49 towards Tontitown, the homes are mostly built since the mid-2000s. Prices can range from the low $200,000s up to a million dollars in some neighborhoods. When you head out east of the city center towards the southern part of Beaver Lake, you can find more housing options with some acreage.
If you’re curious about property in Springdale, give me a shout and I can help point you in the right direction.
Come Explore Springdale
As you can see, Springdale has a lot to offer. If you have any additional questions about the local area, what it’s like to live here, or information about the real estate market, please reach out to me and I’ll make sure to get you all the information you could ever want.
Make sure to subscribe to my channel so you never miss an episode of Naturally NWA, the one show all about Northwest Arkansas living. Stay tuned to see what I feature next!