Nestled in central Arkansas just north of Little Rock, Sherwood is a charming small city with lots to see and do. Though not a major tourist destination, Sherwood and the surrounding area feature numerous attractions that offer entertainment, history, sports, nature, and family fun. From historic house museums that provide a window into the past to wildlife preserves with ample opportunities for outdoor recreation, Sherwood has something for visitors of all ages and interests.
This article will highlight 12 top attractions in and around Sherwood that should not be missed. It will provide an overview of each attraction, details on its offerings and activities, and logistical information like location, hours of operation, and admission costs to help you plan your visit.
Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover, sports fan, or just looking for great things to see and do with kids, you’re sure to find something that piques your interest in Sherwood and its surrounding communities.
Old State House Museum
As the oldest standing state capitol west of the Mississippi River, the Old State House Museum provides visitors with a glimpse into early Arkansas history. The museum is located in downtown Little Rock, about 15 miles south of Sherwood.
It features interactive exhibits on key events and influential figures in 19th century Arkansas. Guests can explore rooms restored to look as they did in the 1800s, like the governor’s reception room and the Supreme Court. rotating exhibits also showcase different aspects of Arkansas history and culture.
Guided tours provide great opportunities to learn more background and ask questions. With political intrigue, frontier life exhibits, and ties to key national events like the civil war, the Old State House is a must-see for history lovers visiting the Sherwood area.
Location: 300 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72201
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Pinnacle Mountain State Park is a nature lover’s paradise located just 20 minutes northwest of Sherwood. The park spans over 2,300 acres centered around its namesake mountain that rises over 1,000 feet into the skyline.
Outdoors enthusiasts flock here year-round to hike over 20 miles of trails that vary from easy nature walks to strenuous climbs for experienced hikers. The East Summit Trail and West Summit Trail feature steep grades and some rock scrambling, leading to gorgeous panoramic views from the mountaintop.
The park also features excellent opportunities for camping, kayaking and canoeing along the Little Maumelle River, fishing, and wildlife viewing — keep eyes peeled for deer, turkey, beavers, river otters, and over 100 bird species. With outdoor recreation access right from the heart of central Arkansas, Pinnacle Mountain is an ideal attraction to experience natural splendor and adventure while visiting Sherwood.
Location: 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road, Roland, AR 72135
Hours: Open daily, Gate opens 7:00am, Closes at sunset
Admission: $4 per vehicle
Arkansas Travelers Professional Baseball
For sports fans visiting the Sherwood area, an evening taking in an Arkansas Travelers professional minor league baseball game is a must. The Travelers are the Double-A affiliate of MLB’s Seattle Mariners and play their home games at the state-of-the-art Dickey-Stephens Park located about 13 miles from Sherwood in North Little Rock.
Catch rising baseball stars and enjoy an affordable, fun night out at the ballpark cheering on the home team. Games feature typical minor league baseball entertainment like raffles, contests, themed events and giveaways throughout the season that runs from April through September.
With good views all around and a picnic area for enjoying ballpark sustenance like hot dogs and ice-cold drinks, a Travelers game lets you experience America’s pastime just minutes up the road from Sherwood.
Location: 400 West Broadway Street, North Little Rock, AR 72114
Hours: Game days and times vary, typically starting at 6:30 or 7:10pm
Admission: Tickets start around $10 for advance purchase
Arkansas Air & Military Museum
The Arkansas Air & Military Museum in Fayetteville offers visitors the opportunity to learn about and explore Arkansas’ role in aviation and military history. Located about two and a half hours northwest of Sherwood near Fayetteville, the museum houses fascinating exhibits with one-of-a-kind aircraft and artifacts dating from World War I to present-day.
Visitors can get up close to planes and helicopters suspended from the museum’s rafters, climb aboard aircraft like a C-130 Hercules cargo plane and UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter, and view detailed miniature aviation scenes like a World War II bombing raid and the attack on Pearl Harbor. The museum also showcases an extensive collection related to Arkansas veterans and POWs, as well as planes associated with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks athletic programs. Any airplane or military history enthusiast should make time to tour this unique museum while visiting nearby Sherwood.
Location: 4290 S. School Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Hours: Tues – Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm
Admission: Adults $10, seniors $8, children $4
Wildwood Park for the Arts
For performing and visual arts, Wildwood Park for the Arts brings quality cultural experiences to Sherwood and central Arkansas. Nestled on more than 200 acres just two miles from downtown Sherwood, Wildwood Park regularly hosts concerts, theatrical productions, dance performances, comedy acts and more at its modern Frank Broyles amphitheater venue that can seat over 1,500 spectators.
The park also features nature trails, expansive gardens, and displays sculpture and other works by Arkansas artists both indoors and throughout the grounds. Visitors can tour Wildwood’s historic Miller House that dates back to the 1830s or have a beautiful afternoon tea on the veranda. With charming scenery and diverse arts programming, Wildwood Park is a wonderful way to soak in some culture just minutes from downtown Sherwood.
Location: 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock, AR 72223
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 1pm-5pm
Admission: Free, fees for some programming
Heifer International Headquarters
Heifer International is a highly respected global nonprofit focused on empowering farming communities through gifts of livestock and training. Located on Heifer’s working farm property just 10 miles from Sherwood, Heifer Village visitors center allows guests to learn all about the organization’s mission to end poverty and hunger. Interactive exhibits showcase how Heifer helps families around the world improve their nutrition and generate income through animal agriculture.
Guests can tour the LEED Platinum certified Welcome Center with cutting edge sustainable architecture, visit livestock like goats, rabbits and pigs, explore demonstration gardens, shop fair trade artisan crafts in the gift shop and enjoy meals made with local ingredients at Cafe@Heifer. Scheduling a visit to Heifer International provides a fascinating look their global efforts while enjoying a beautiful sustainable farm setting.
Location: 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11am–2pm
Admission: Grounds access free, guided tours $5 per person
Rock Town Distillery
Rock Town Distillery brings craft spirits like bourbon, vodka and gin with an Arkansas flair to downtown Little Rock, located about 16 miles south of Sherwood. They are Central Arkansas’ first distillery since prohibition and the first legal distillery ever in Arkansas state history. Offering tours daily, Rock Town’s restored warehouse location provides a fascinating look behind-the-scenes at their production process using high-quality Arkansas grains.
Guests also enjoy complimentary tastings showcasing popular products like Rock Town’s Single Barrel Bourbon and seasonal releases. The craft cocktail bar features prohibition-era décor and serves creations that utilize Rock Town’s extensive spirits portfolio. With an educational glimpse at modern-day distillation and fantastic drinks, touring Rock Town Distillery makes for an engaging experience for adult visitors to the area.
Location: 1201 Main St, Little Rock, AR 72202
Hours: Monday through Saturday 10am-6pm
Admission: Distillery tours $10 per person
Wild River Country Water and Adventure Park
For family fun in the Sherwood area from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Wild River Country Water Park offers an action-packed day. Located just three miles from Sherwood in North Little Rock, this large seasonal water park provides 20 acres of aquatic attractions like giant wave pools, speed slides over 550 feet long, tubing and body waterslides, a lazy river, and toddler splash pad play areas.
Souvenir photos capture the excitement of riders navigate thrilling slides with lights and sound effects like the colorful Avalanche. When not hitting the slides, guests can relax in a private cabana with shaded seating, splash in one of the park’s pools, grab classic amusement park food like funnel cakes, and enjoy live entertainment. With rides and attractions for all ages, Wild River Country offers visitors a summertime adventure just minutes from Sherwood.
Location: 6820 Crystal Hill Rd, North Little Rock, AR 72118
Hours: Open daily late May through Early September
Admission: Rates start at $34.99 for all day basic admission
Cleo’s Bathhouse Dinner Theater
For over 40 years, Cleo’s Bathhouse Dinner Theater has entertained visitors to the Little Rock area with rib-sticking southern comfort food and Broadway-style song and dance revues with professional talent. Housed in a converted 1930s bathhouse just 12 miles from Sherwood in downtown Little Rock, Cleo’s transports audiences back to the era of classic supper clubs with musical variety shows.
The all-you-can-eat dinner buffets highlight southern cuisine favorites before the music starts with selections like fried chicken, pot roast, mashed potatoes, vegetables and peach cobbler. The high-energy singing and choreography pays homage to American popular music from classic standards to rock ‘n roll and everything in between. With fantastic homestyle food and toe-tapping live entertainment ideal for music lovers, Cleo’s offers a novel dining experience near Sherwood.
Location: 505 Louisiana St, Little Rock, AR 72201
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday evenings, seating times and shows vary
Admission: $55 – $68 per person
Arkansas Skatium Ice Arena
The Arkansas Skatium in nearby Jacksonville provides indoor ice skating opportunities for Sherwood visitors to try their skills on the rink. Open year-round with public skating hours, Skatium Ice Arena offers ample time for everyone from beginner skaters to advanced hockey players to hit the ice. Regularly scheduled skating lessons are available to help new skaters build confidence.
Birthday party packages provide fun skate-centered celebrations for kids. Seasonal offerings like Friday night Cosmic Skate with a glow in the dark rink and music are popular with families and youth groups. And winter holiday special events feature photos with Santa on ice and ice shows. Conveniently located about 15 minutes northeast of Sherwood via Hwy 67/167, Arkansas Skatium lets visitors chill out on the ice regardless of the weather.
Location: 1011 Burman Dr, Jacksonville, AR 72076
Hours: Hours vary weekly, check arkansasskatium.com for public skate schedules
Admission: $8 Mon-Thurs, $9 Fri/Sun
Burns Park
Little Rock’s beautiful Burns Park provides the perfect place for Sherwood visitors to have a nice outdoor afternoon enjoying affectionately nicknamed “Little Rock’s backyard.” Just 15 minutes south of Sherwood, the park spans 250 acres nestled against the foothills of the Ozark Mountains with fish-filled creeks, forested trails, and green open spaces surrounding a picturesque lake.
Families flock to Burns Park to feed ducks, have picnics, take paddle boats onto the water, let kids play at the large playground and splash pad area, walk dogs on the winding trails, and take advantage of other amenities like tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and a professionally designed 18-hole Frisbee golf course. With gorgeous scenery and plenty to keep visitors of all ages occupied, Burns Park allows Sherwood tourists to soak up scenic Arkansas nature minutes from downtown Little Rock.
Location: Military Dr & Fair Park Blvd, Little Rock, AR 72204
Hours: Daily, 5am to 30 minutes past sunset
Admission: Free
Arkansas Air Museum
Just five miles south of Sherwood in Exit 13A near Clinton National Airport, the Arkansas Air Museum exhibits an impressive collection of restored vintage aircraft. Featuring over 20 flyable antique airplanes built as early as 1917 all the way through 1943, the museum appeals especially to aviation enthusiasts and history buffs.
Visitors can get up close to marveled at restored WWI and WWII warbirds like the 1943 PT-19 Trainer once flown by President George H.W. Bush during his Navy pilot training. Airplane rides provide the public a chance to take off for quick spins over central Arkansas in a 1940s open cockpit Boeing PT-17 Stearman biplane flown in WWII. With landmark historical planes and memorabilia related to aerial combat history, the Arkansas Air Museum delivers an authentic look at Military aviation’s golden years near Sherwood.
Location: 4290 S School Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Hours: Hours vary, check site for tour schedules and rides availability
Admission: Flight experiences $70 and up
Conclusion
With history, culture, sports, nature, and great entertainment for all interests and ages, Sherwood and the surrounding communities offer many wonderful things to see and do for visitors. From the wildlife and scenery of Pinnacle Mountain State Park to the hands-on aviation history of the Arkansas Air Museum to the music and laughter at Cleo’s Bathhouse Dinner Theater, this area provides attractive options for travelers.
Whether you want to hike a state park trail or catch a baseball game, tour a distillery or historic museum, skate at an ice arena or cool off at a waterpark, or enjoy dinner theater and the arts, the top 12 attractions highlighted in Sherwood provide appealing activities for tourists of all types. So next time you’re visiting central Arkansas, take the chance to explore all that Sherwood’s local attractions have to offer.