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Join CAF for a curated trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. We'll visit the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (including a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house) and the Thorncrown Chapel. Lodging will be at the trendy 21c Museum Hotel. Travelers may add an extension to visit the Clinton Presidential Center.

Price
$1,679 per member (based on double occupancy)*
$2,129 per member (single occupancy)*
Meet
21c Museum Hotel, 200 NE A St, Bentonville, Arkansas, 72712

Trip Overview

On this four-day program in and around Bentonville, Arkansas we will focus on the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art including the Bachman-Wilson House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and just relocated to the museum's campus in 2015. Our hotel, the 21c Museum Hotel, is within walking distance of both Crystal Bridges and the heart of downtown Bentonville where you will find the Walmart Museum. Near Bentonville we will also visit Thorncrown Chapel and visit two current projects by award-winning architect Marlon Blackwell. You may choose an optional extension to visit Little Rock's Clinton Presidential Center. The trip duration is four days and three nights with an optional one-day/one-night extension. Travelers will receive a detailed daily itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure. While unlikely, slight changes to the itinerary may occur.

CAF's Donor Travel Program is a one-of-a-kind educational experience that brings visitors to some of the most artistically and architecturally fascinating and thought-provoking sites in the world. CAF's domestic donor trips focus on sites of special architecture and design interest—allowing travelers to share an in-depth visit and talk with architects about contemporary projects.

*Notes:
  • The following are not included in the trip price: Travel to and from Bentonville, AR, beverages other than those included with meals as indicated, personal expenses, optional travel insurance, baggage fees and other items not specifically mentioned as included.
  • Payment in full is required at the time of registration.
  • Published pricing is exclusively for donor level members at the Deco level and higher. An additional charge will apply to non-donors, or you can become a donor level member today.
  • A tax deductible contribution is included in the price of the trip.
Little Rock Trip Extension

Members have the choice to extend their trip and travel to Little Rock, AR for an additional day and night. Highlights of the Little Rock trip include a visit to the Clinton Presidential Center, a tour of the LEED certified Heifer International Center and cocktails and tour of the Capital Hotel by restoration design firm Cromwell and Associates. Pricing with the Little Rock extension is $2,000 per member (based on double occupancy), or $2,600 (based on single occupancy). Please note that at least 10 travelers are required to be able to run the Little Rock leg of the trip.

Cancellation and Refund Policy (to be made in writing)

In the event that you have to cancel your participation in the Bentonville/Little Rock travel program, the following terms will apply: Reservations cancelled up to and including 90 days prior to departure will incur a $50 administrative fee. Later cancellations will be subject to the following charges: 40 to 89 days before scheduled departure 50% of tour cost; 7 to 39 days prior to departure the total cost of the trip, less any recoverable sums from independent providers or services, accommodations and the like; 6 days or less, including no-shows, or early return from the trip will result in forfeiture of 100% of the trip cost.


Itinerary

Day 1

We'll be staying at the 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, ranked #1 on TripAdvisor's Hot New Hotels list. The hotel is located in downtown Bentonville, just north of Bentonville City Square and a short walk from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It houses a contemporary art museum that is open 24 hours a day and The Hive restaurant, which serves refined country cuisine. Check-in as early as 3pm and get to know your fellow travelers over dinner in one of the hotel galleries.

Meals included: dinner

Day 2

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a half-mile walk along the Art Trail, which connects our hotel to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Transportation will be available by request, or in the case of inclement weather.

We will start our visit to the museum with a private tour of the Bachman-Wilson House, a Usonian home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright that was built in New Jersey in 1956. The home was reconstructed at Crystal Bridges in 2015. Our tour will be led by the museum's curator of architecture, who will also lead us on a tour focusing on the architecture of the museum itself.

After a break for lunch we will get a brief overview of the collections in the museum. You will have the afternoon free to explore the museum and its grounds at your own pace. The evening is free for you to enjoy relaxing at the hotel or exploring restaurants and shops on Bentonville Square, where you'll also find the Walmart Museum.

Meals included: breakfast and lunch

Day 3

We will enjoy an early breakfast together before driving an hour east through the Ozark Mountains to visit Thorncrown Chapel. The 48-foot tall religious space was designed by architect E. Fay Jones and constructed in 1980. It stands majestically in the woods overlooking the mountains, with 425 windows and more than 6,000 square feet of glass. The simple, but impactful design has earned praise from critics and the American Institute of Architects.

In the afternoon, we head south to Fayetteville, to visit the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas and Marlon Blackwell Architects, which was named the 2016 Best Architectural Design Firm in the U.S. by Architecture Magazine. Our time in Fayetteville will include a private tour of St. Nicholas Eastern Orthodox Cathedral, an award-winning workshop/garage that has been transformed into a place of worship. We will also attend a private reception for Marlon Blackwell's newest, yet-to-be unveiled project before returning to Bentonville. The evening is free for you to enjoy on your own.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, cocktail reception

Day 4

Fill up on breakfast at the hotel before taking a shuttle (included in cost) to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA). This is the conclusion of the basic program.

Meals included: breakfast

Optional Extension

If you have an extra day, join us after breakfast as we travel three hours south to Little Rock. A lunch stop will be included. Upon arrival we will tour Little Rock Central High School, a National Historic Site recognized for the role it played in the desegregation of public schools in the U.S. Nine African-American students' integration into the formerly all-white high school was the most prominent national example of the implementation of Brown v. Board of Education.

The afternoon will be spent touring the Clinton Presidential Center and the LEED-certified headquarters of Heifer International. We will stay the night at the Capital Hotel, designated a Historic Hotel of America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Enjoy dinner on your own in the adjacent River Market neighborhood. We will have a final dessert reception back at the hotel, along with a building tour led by restoration architects Cromwell & Associates.

Additional meals included: lunch and dessert reception

Day 5

Breakfast at the hotel will be included, as well as shuttle service to Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT).

Meals included: breakfast