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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Clarksville
Clarksville, Arkansas
Half a day to one night: the Oark General Store and the Peach Festival are the draws; skip if you are not driving I-40.
Clarksville is a small River Valley town on I-40 between Fort Smith and Little Rock. Its main reasons to stop are the historic Oark General Store (22 mi north) and the late-July Johnson County Peach Festival. Most travellers pass through in 30 minutes unless they plan a meal at Oark or time the festival.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Clarksville, Arkansas
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct (mild weather); late July for the Peach Festival
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid, except for the festival)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a diner | $2–3 |
| Lunch at Oark General Store cafe | $8–12 |
| Motel room (chain, I-40) | $70–120 |
| Gallon of gas | $3–4 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FSM · Fort Smith Regional Airport
- About 89 km (55 mi) west on I-40; limited flights.About 55 mi (89 km) west on I-40; limited flights.
- LIT · Clinton National Airport (Little Rock)
- About 161 km (100 mi) east on I-40; more flight options.About 100 mi (161 km) east on I-40; more flight options.
Typical fares
- Greyhound Fort Smith → Clarksville
- about $25, about 1 h (check)
- Taxi from I-40 exit to downtown
- $10–15
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential. The town is walkable in a few blocks, but Oark General Store is 22 mi north on winding roads. Greyhound stops on the outskirts.
See and do
Known for
- Johnson County Peach Festival (late July)
- Oark General Store (oldest continuously operating store in Arkansas)
- Clarksville post office mural (1941, Mary May Purser)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oark General Store | Drive 22 mi north on AR-103 and AR-21 | About 40 min each way |
| Altus wine country | Drive about 20 min west on I-40 | About 25 min |
| Fort Smith | Drive west on I-40, about 55 min | About 1 h |
| Van Buren | Drive west on I-40, about 40 min | About 45 min |
| Russellville | Drive east on I-40, about 25 min | About 30 min |
Sleep
- I-40 corridor
- Chain motels near exits 55–58; best for one night on a road trip.
- Downtown Clarksville
- A few independent inns and B&Bs; quieter but fewer options.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Oark General Store closes early (check hours; often by 17:00).
- Peach Festival dates vary each year; confirm on the Johnson County website.
- No Uber or Lyft coverage is reliable; plan your own transport.
Clarksville is a low-crime small town. Standard road-trip precautions apply: lock your car and do not leave valuables visible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Clarksville yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Johnson County Peach Festival (late July)
- Oark General Store (oldest continuously operating store in Arkansas)
- Clarksville post office mural (1941, Mary May Purser)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Greyhound — Clarksville, AR: www.greyhound.com/bus/clarksville-ar
- Wikivoyage: Clarksville (Arkansas), revision 5199695 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5199695
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ClarksvilleClarksville, Arkansas
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/clarksville-arkansas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.