This summer, road trip to these three Arkansas destinations where you and your family can stay, play and do all sorts of cool things.

Heber Springs (The Outdoors Family)

If your idea of a great summer adventure is time spent outside, head to Heber Springs. This north central Arkansas destination has been a well-kept secret from outsiders, and it continues to be a wonderful but not overloaded destination year after year. Since Greers Ferry Dam began operations in 1963, the lake has provided numerous opportunities for families looking for places to swim, fish and boat. There are plenty of things to do in the area that are cheap or free, and lots of other families from around Arkansas in the area to enjoy those things with every summer.

Swim to your heart’s delight

Greers Ferry Lake is surrounded by beaches of all sorts, from secluded nooks to sunny shoals. Sandy Beach offers a white sand ellipse surrounded by 210 degrees of water. The Old Highway 25 landing is often shaded by trees. Dam Site Park offers a cordoned-off swimming area.

Go trout fishing

The Little Red River boasts some of the best trout fishing in the world. The largest brown trout ever pulled in was taken here, a 40.4 lb. behemoth. Fishing camps, cabins and resorts have popped up along the 29 miles of trout-suitable waters below the dam, and guide services are plentiful. You don’t even need your own boat.

Hike a mountain

Heber Springs was once home to the Sugar Loaf Health Resort, and folks in the area liked the name so much, they named a mountain after it—twice! There’s a landlocked Sugar Loaf Mountain behind the campus of ASU-Heber Springs with an easy path that will take you to its peak, and a Sugar Loaf Mountain that’s an island you can reach by boat in the middle of the lake. Try them both!

Seek out a waterfall

Every rainfall brings with it a bevy of waterfalls around Heber Springs. View the magnificent Bridal Veil Falls or catch nearby Cornelius Falls. Ask the desk at the nearby William Carl Garner Visitors Center for directions.

Fort Smith (Urban Adventures)

The Wild West beckons with attractions galore in this western Arkansas town. Home to some of Arkansas’ most notorious lawmakers and lawbreakers, Fort Smith is a historic treasure trove with days upon days of exploring to enjoy—most in air-conditioned comfort.

Learn about the Wild West

Visit the site of two of the town’s first jails along with the courtroom of “Hanging Judge” Isaac C. Parker. Explore the fort that gave the city its name. View the Bass Reeves statue, a tribute to one of the first black US Marshals west of the Mississippi who inspired The Lone Ranger. Visit Miss Laura’s Visitors Center, a restored house of ill repute that now offers guest services and information.

Explore military history

The Fort Smith Museum of History has amongst its myriad of displays and exhibits, a celebration of the life of General William O. Darby, leader of Darby’s Rangers in World War II, which became the famed Rangers of the US Army. Visit his home nearby. Head out to Chaffee Crossing and visit the Chaffee Barbershop Museum, which includes a history of Fort Chaffee and the many who served there—and a recreation of the barbershop where Elvis Presley had his hair cut before entering the service.

Splash about

When you decide to get outside, head to Ben Geren Park and pull out your swimsuit for water fun at Parrot Island Water Park, a new development with water slides, a wave pool, lazy river and more. Ben Geren Park also has a miniature golf course, go carts, hiking trails and tennis courts.

Hot Springs (Be a Tourist)

Arkansas’ longtime summer adventure spot, the Spa City offers plenty for families. The big summertime attraction is Magic Springs and Crystal Falls, a great place to play all day (don’t forget your sunscreen). But there’s far more in store for kids and adults alike.

Entertain the kids

For the science fiction buff, a visit to the Star Wars-themed Galaxy Connection is a must. Or, spend an entire day with the kids exploring everything Mid-America Science Museum has to offer, with more than 100 interactive displays, a tinkering studio, theater, climbing structure, and the summer exhibit—Dinosaurs Revealed.

Explore cool history

Stay in from the heat and explore four stories of history at the Fordyce Bathhouse, a restored bathhouse from the glory days of bathing in the city that’s now home to the National Parks Service Visitors Center. A little further down Central Avenue, examine a more notorious past at the Gangster Museum of America.

Hit the lake

Or several, if you like. Hot Springs is located smack dab in the Diamond Lakes region of Arkansas, and whether it’s Lake Catherine’s seclusion, Lake Hamilton’s popular shores or Lake Ouachita’s clear bottom, there’s a lake for you.

Kat Robinson is an Arkansas foodways enthusiast and travel writer covering Arkansas and points all around on the search for great stories, interesting places and those amazing restaurants off the beaten path. Check out her website TieDyeTravels.com for her latest adventures.

This article originally appeared on LittleRockFamily.com on July 18, 2016.