Consider visiting the Arkansas River Valley

With the coming of the new year the problems of the economic problems of the last one unfortunately do not magically disappear at midnight. Many families may be planning ahead for vacations for 2009 and perhaps planning to stay close to home. For outdoor enthusiasts Arkansas is not called the Natural State for nothing. Arkansas offers everything from hunting and fishing to hiking, cycling, road trips and historical sites across the state and not terribly far from home in Faulkner County.

The River Valley region has a number of interesting locations that are a bit off the beaten path or even a surprise to people who have lived in Arkansas their entire lives and never gone wine tasting in the Arkansas River Valley or visited one of the many nature centers across the state where the outdoors is brought indoors for those less likely to head off to the woods.

So if you are planning a get away in 2009 and want to save money and help stimulate your local or state economy, looking just a few miles down the road may bring pleasant surprises.

Among those surprises are:

Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway One of the most scenic drives in the nation, Scenic 7 runs from the Louisiana border to Bull Shoals lake near the Missouri state line, passing through both the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains. Numerous resorts, attractions and scenic overlooks are found along its route. Car and Driver magazine named a portion of Scenic 7 Byway as one of the top 10 driving experiences in the United States. www.byways.org.

Arkansas Wine Country In the Arkansas River Valley rich soil gives life to vineyards. In and around the town of Altus, four wineries offer free tours, wine tastings and special events: Chateau Aux Arc, (800) 558-WINE; Mount Bethel Winery, (479) 468-2444; Post Familie Winery, (800) 275-8423; and Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, (800) 622-WINE. Visitors to the area can also learn more about the region's coal mining history at the Altus Heritage House Museum at 106 N. Franklin (479) 468-4684. In Paris, Cowie Wine Cellars is home to the Arkansas Historic Wine Museum. 479-963-3990.

Fort Smith National Historic Site The site, located in downtown Fort Smith, embraces the remains of two frontier forts and the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas. A building that now houses the park's visitors center was first used in the 1840s as barracks for Army troops sent to keep peace and administer government policies over Native American Tribes. In 1872 the building became a federal courthouse and its jail soon became known as "Hell on the Border." The historic courthouse and jail building have been restored and, today, are part of a visitors center with exhibits that focus on: Fort Smith's military history from 1817 to 1871; "Hangin' Judge" Isaac C. Parker and the federal court's impact on Indian Territory; U.S. Deputy Marshals and outlaws; Federal Indian policy; and Indian Removal including the Trail of Tears. The park also contains a reconstruction of the 1886 gallows on the original site used for executions from 1873 to 1896. Maintained trails lead visitors through this urban park and along the site of the first fort and the Arkansas River. 479-783-3961; www.nps.gov/fosm/.

Arkansas River Valley Nature Center Opening of the third Arkansas Game and Fish Commission nature center was in July 2006. The center was built on former Fort Chaffee land in Fort Smith next to Wells Lake, a popular spot for fishing and picnics. It includes a gift shop, classroom, multipurpose room, and a wildlife workshop. There is a wheelchair-accessible trail with wayside exhibit signs highlighting the environment and history of the lake and surrounding property. A 1,200-gallon aquarium contains species relevant to the Arkansas River. 877-478-1043; www.rivervalleynaturecenter.com

Miss Laura's Visitor Center at Fort Smith A restored turn-of-the-century brothel now serves as Fort Smith's Visitor Center. Tours are offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Miss Laura's is reportedly the only former house of prostitution on the National Register of Historic Places. Also catch the trolley here for tours of the historic district. 2 North B Street. 479-783-8888 or toll-free 800-637-1477; www.fortsmith.org.

Museum of Automobiles A collection of 50 regularly rotated vintage vehicles dating from 1904 to 1982 are on display at the museum on Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton. The museum has a gift shop and there are surplus cars for sale. Very popular are two annual car shows and swap meets (June and September). 501-727-5427; www.museumofautos.com.

Subiaco Abbey and Academy Established in 1878 as a Benedictine Monastery, it now serves as a boy's college prep school. Self-guided walking tour brochure of the park-like grounds and gothic-style architecture available at Coury House; guided and group tours available with prior notice. Scenic Ark. 22. 479-934-1000. www.subi.org

The Tri-Peaks Region The Arkansas River Valley is also referred to as the Tri-Peaks region because it contains three popular mountaintop state parks. Mt. Magazine State Park, the highest point in Arkansas and one that affords spectacular vistas, rises from the Arkansas River Valley near Paris to an elevation of 2,753 feet above sea level. The park offers hang gliding, rappelling, camping, hiking trails and a visitors center that features interpretive exhibits on the area's history and flora and fauna. A 90,000-square-foot lodge and conference center opened in 2005. (479) 963-8502. In Dardanelle, Mt. Nebo State Park is a Civilian Conservation Corps-built park with cabins, tennis courts, a swimming pool, campsites, a visitors center, a hang gliding area, group pavilions and 14 miles of hiking trails. (479) 229-3655. In Morrilton, Petit Jean State Park is the flagship of the state parks system. The park encompasses 2,658 acres of rare natural beauty -- an abundance of unmarred woods, ravines, streams, springs, spectacular views and interesting ecological formations preserved almost as French explorers found them 300 years ago. In addition to cabins and the park's Mather Lodge, it has a restaurant, swimming pools, campsites, boating, fishing, several hiking trails and the spectacular 95-foot Cedar Falls. 800-264-2462;