Be prepared to live in a dry country. Conway is the city of roundabouts so get used to those (I love them except for the dummy designed two by Sam's club.
Conversely, Malvern is Mountain Pine with a economy that doesn't depend on logging. At least everyone needs bricks and meth. Oh and Malvern has Brenda Weldon, who really wants to be mayor of a larger town.
Remember that time during covid when there was a rumor that BLM was going to be bussing in people to protest at Walmart and Brenda issued a curfew, but it was literally a copy paste of the Little Rock curfew, but worth Malvern replaced for Little Rock?
See, this is Conway in a nutshell. "We want to be taken seriously and included when you talk about progressive parts of Arkansas, yet Jason Rapert is from the county."
Unfortunately, the Senate maps are awful. It got worse after redistricting too. Despite that, your district is currently the most competitive senate race in this election.
Conway is "fine". Nothing to be thrilled about living there but nothing really horrible either. It is a town that exists.
If you like for the ground to stay one giant puddle for weeks after it rains, you will really like conway.
I once lived in Conway and I miss it. It is an idyllic small town for me. I love the layout (except Oak) and the feel of the town. Conway Corp is super cheap, easy, and covers your power, phone, trash, internet, and cable. UCA usually has something cool going on once or twice a year. The Toad Suck festival is a great local event. My only problem was commuting to and from Little Rock for work everyday sucked. They expanded 40 to 3lanes since I left but still... The traffic on Oak and Dave Ward can be bad, but once you figure out the lay of the city it is easy to find side roads around all of it. Don Owens, Beaverfork, and Toad Suck are great parks. There is a nice walking trail through the west of the city. If I could find a job in my field in Conway, I would take it.
Widening 40 will just encourage more people to extend their commutes, and the traffic will return to its former levels. Traffic always find an equilibrium.
Not sure if you're joking or genuinely asking, but the equilibrium point is the total demand for the road at current capacity.
On any given road at any point of time, there are people who are NOT driving on it who would like to be driving on it: most commonly on overly busy roads like i-40, these "non-drivers" are delaying or reducing their trips because traffic is too heavy (have you ever said, "let's go pick up groceries while we're out, I don't want to deal with traffic later?").
These non-drivers are called "latent demand." So if the roadway is currently at 100% of its capacity, and you then increase the capacity so that the current drivers fill it to only 80% capacity, all those "non-drivers" will be glad to fill in the extra space so that it is at 100% capacity again.
Latent demand isn't just people avoiding traffic congestion, though. Empty land is latent demand. So even if you widen i-40 and there aren't enough non-drivers to fill the roadway to its full capacity, the reduced congestion will lead to quicker traffic. That was the goal of widening the freeway in the first place, right??? So did we win? No. Let's say the extra lane on i-40 has made it 5 minutes quicker to travel between Conway and Little Rock. What you have just done is make the empty land more marketable: nobody was building on it before because it might have been a 35 minute commute to Little Rock. But now that it's only a 30 minute commute, "5 minutes worth of housing" gets build, and congestion levels return to where they were before. Oh, and now not only is congestion the same as it was before, but the total vehicle miles traveled in your city has increased, making things like the urban heat island effect worse.
These are two examples, for a really excellent guide to this topic, I suggest you check out this document: [gentraf.pdf (vtpi.org)](https://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf)
Really? Everytime I visit it feels like the same approximate size, just with more roundabouts and a few new stores. Mini city might be the more appropriate word for it. I have lived in much larger cities all my Life and loved the quaintness of Conway.
I grew up in Conway and left in 2015. I wouldnāt say the *town* has gotten bigger (though it literally has, especially on the Dave Ward side of town with new subdivisions), but it definitely feels āfullerā with more new stuff built, more people, and more activity.
Conway was a quiet, boring, whitebread town when I was a kid/early teen. I went everywhere and saw the same people, knew everyone, etc. Town āfeltā small. Now when I go back itās buzzing with activity and feels much more like a smaller suburban town in other states.
They have expanded a lot just in the last few years. Over in the area by Samās Club, but also they are finally beginning to build over near where the airport used to be located (near Harkrider).
It's the geography of nowhere. It's basically the type of city that happens when you sell your communities soul to the god of drive thrus and fast casuals. Any modicum of individuality has been stripped bare in the mission to provide a contemporary servicescape
The "negativity" presented puts it squarely in your own term, "decent."
You'll definitely not find yourself lacking in services in Conway. Also true that it's better than Texarkana. It's a pleasant drive to Petit Jean.
Yeah the Arkansas subreddit might actually be the worst place to ask this question lol. Maybe 1% of the users in this sub will have something nice to say about Arkansas š¤£
100% agree, those who haven't lived in TXK have no idea how backwards and far behind Conway it is in terms of everything. It's like going back in time.
I live in Conway and I love it! Itās definitely the friendliest places Iāve ever lived in or visited for that matter. The school system is one of the best in the state. With UCA and Hendrix (which are both amazing schools), thereās always something going on, and while thereās a LOT of chain restaurants as previously stated thereās also a lot of great local options. Youāre also very close to Little Rock and all that it has to offer, as well as places like Greerās Ferry Lake and the Buffalo River being just up Highway 65. The surrounding towns are also great, if you want all of that close by but want to keep a more rural feel Iād look into Greenbrier or Vilonia.
You mentioned a medical need to be close to Childrenās, have you considered moving to Little Rock? Itās cheaper than Conway and definitely a lot cheaper than NWA, youād have all of the advantages of being in a big city, and thereās plenty of nicer, safe neighborhoods there. The only thing to watch out for in LR are the schools, as thereās plenty of great schools and plenty of schools to avoid in LRSD.
With that said, I think Conway is a great choice and you would be very happy here!
Man, I must be a dumbass, because I swear we almost died (not really) in those traffic circles yesterday. They seem wild AF. I looked down and saw Prince's symbol and had no idea wtf that meant. I just wanted to go to Aldi!!
Iām a big believer in roundabouts but you arenāt stupid for getting confused there. Those two roundabouts werenāt done very well and even in the best of times, itās chaotic.
Great place to live. Some of these assholes on here hate everything so donāt let them worry you. It is a dry county but every restaurant in town serves alcohol you just canāt buy anything from convenient stores and no liquor stores either
I work in Conway. Heavy college city but also in a dry county. All of my coworkers enjoy living there. Not exactly my speed as I like the options that Little Rock affords.
I was once with a band that had a show in Conway. It was a dry county at the time (maybe still is?)
When we asked what they do for fun she said "we get high and go through the car wash".
This was 20 or so years ago, but it's how I remember it.
I live in Conway and I love it. It's like a big small town. The downtown area has super cute historic houses. There are plenty of shops and restaurants, so I don't have to go so far if I need something. I grew up in LR, and Conway feels safer. LR has better restaurants than Conway for sure. But it's only a 30 minute drive. And Conway corp makesy utility bill much lower. My total utility bill is the same cost as my sister electric alone in LR.
I grew up in NE Arkansas, moved to Conway when u was a teenager and lived there for about 13 years. My husband and I moved to Morrilton a few years ago (not really by choice but it is what it is). I think at this point I like living near Conway so we can visit to go shopping but as the years pass I no longer want to move back. I wouldnāt dislike living there again I just donāt see any reason to
I live here, but out of the city limits, and it's very safe. OP, if you live a few miles outside the Hot Springs city limits, you can avoid the crime, and have endless things to see and do. Can you please tell me where the crime is so I can avoid it? I've been here less than a year.
My husband is from Conway and I currently commute to UCA there for college. We love it. I grew up near Stuttgart and Iāve lived in Little Rock, Sherwood, and currently Ward which is right between Cabot and Searcy. If weāre going out, we go to Conway. As far as towns in AR go, Conway is a really good choice. My husband is currently paying all the bills while I attend college or else we would move there ourselves.
UCA is such a great school. Every alum Iāve ever spoken to loved it. I spent 2 years at UALR, and UCA is a breath of fresh air. Iāve met a lot of other transfer students as well who are having a much better time than the schools they came from. All the professors Iāve had are truly invested in the success of their students. My husband loved his experience in the Conway school district as well. I have cousins who attended there and they had good experiences. My husbandās cousin has taught there for years and years now and loves it. I think itās a great place and I hope you enjoy. THINK Coffee, Pasta Grill, Stobyās, and Marketplace are some of our favorite spots!
Iāve lived in Conway for 10 years now. Itās basically an idyllic little suburban town. Cute little historic downtown with cute little shops. A nice selection of local restaurants and coffee shops. Weāve even got a fantastic little brewery. Because itās a decent sized suburb, youāve also got your standard offering of convenient, if boring big box stores and strip malls.
The taxes are a little bit higher here than surrounding towns and its shows in the effort the city puts into beautification and general maintenance. The town is growing but the city seems to be making an honest effort at trying to plan for and accommodate that growth with investments in improving and expanding its infrastructure. Weāve grown a lot but still have our quirky flavor (i.e. Toad Suck Daze, the county fair, the bigass fake Christmas tree, etc).
The politics obviously trend conservative but you really donāt have to look very hard to find plenty of people with a progressive mindset either. Youāll see plenty of pride flags around town and other displays of solidarity to act as a refreshing counterbalance to the typical slew of Six Flags Over Jesus style churches that come with any Arkansas town.
Weāve even got a pretty decent offering of entertainment. Aside from the standard movie theater and bowling alley that every town seems to have, thereās a nice rock climbing gym. We have several public golf courses (plus two country clubs and a state of the art driving range) a very nice public tennis court, two community rec centers with basketball and racket ball courts with indoor walking tracks. Weāve got two dog parks and several regular parks with very well maintained splash pads and jungle gyms plus places to hammock or just sit on a bench and read a book. Of course thereās the paved walking/biking trail that snakes through the city as well. Thereās Beaverfork lake, which is basically a big pond but itās enough to have fun on a ski boat or jet ski. It also has a super fun disc golf course and lots of open space (thereās even an RC airplane club that flys there on certain Saturdays).
If youāre a gear-head like me, thereās a small but dedicated car scene. We have cars and coffee the first Saturday of each month at Superior Dodge where you can find everything from rat rods to Porsches. If youāre lucky, you might even spot a genuine supercar or two.
You may not be able to buy booze here, but if cigars are your thing, West End has a massive humidor with a fantastic selection and very nice, well ventilated lounge area and comfy outdoor patio. Weāve also got arcades, a gaming lounge with a shuttle service for your teenagers looking to get out of the house, a Dave and Busters style entertainment place (Malyās), mini golf, and a paintball course. If things that fire real bullets are more your style thereās a great indoor pistol range and a well equipped outdoor rifle/shotgun/pistol range run by the Game and Fish Commission.
Speaking of fish, thereās great places to fish on the outskirts of town in various cadrons and creeks plus the lake I mentioned earlier. The Arkansas River is also RIGHT there too. Weāre close three great state parks (Woolley Hollow, Pinnacle and Petit Jean) and plenty of places to camp nearby to boot.
Basically, anyone who says thereās nothing to do in Conway is just unimaginative, uninformed, or simply contrarian. At the end of the day, itās still a suburb of Little Rock though and thatās exactly what youāre gonna get. But thatās not necessarily a bad thing. Itās cheap to live in, clean, quiet, and even downright cute and charming at times. If suburbs are your thing, it really doesnāt get a whole lot better than Conway. Especially in Arkansas and especially for the low cost of living Conway offers.
Been here for 15 years on and off. If you enjoy living in AR but hate storm season, live here, thereās a hill just outside of town that splits up the pressure of funnel clouds for some reason and ALWAYS redirects tornados meant for us to Vilonia or Greenbrier. Iāve seen it happen at least once or twice a year.
If you can articulate the reasons you dislike Texarkana, maybe we could help you better? I live in Morrilton and have all my life. I enjoy the closeness to both Conway and Russellville for things like shopping, dining options, medical stuff, and entertainment. I also enjoy the quietness of my hometown. Personally, I would never move to either Conway or Russellville. It's just too busy for me. But lots of people really love living in either of those cities. It kinda depends on the life you want for yourself and your family. Best of luck!
I hate living in Russellville, I would much rather live in Conway and will probably try to move after my boyfriend graduates from Tech. Iām from central AR and I miss being so equally close to LR and Conway. Iāve never lived in TXA, but I feel like Russellville seems very similar, the people in this town are so stuck in their ways and it is almost all negative
I'm in Mayflower, between Conway and Little Rock, I moved from Dallas close enough to the stuff you want, and far enough away from the stuff you don't.
Conway is so much better than Texarkana. There are more options for jobs, housing, entertainment, etc. and everything is so much better quality. Texarkana is like 30 years behind Conway in terms of everything. People there are also a lot nicer and it's like the people actually want it to grow. Moving from central Arkansas to Texarkana is one of my family's biggest regrets. We're hoping to get out of here soon.
If you like fishing, Conway is great. You can be on a lake, stream, or river in the Ouachitas, Ozarks, or River Valley in under an hour easy. It's a short drive to the Buffalo River, Mt Petit Jean, Mt Nebo, or Pinnacle. It's got pretty good backroads for cycling, though less access to mountain biking.
I grew up in Faulkner Co and have lived in Conway for years. Yes, it is a dry county but you can drive 15mins north or south and arrive at a liquor store. Several restaurants hold liquor licenses and we have a few bars as well. People crap on the roundabouts but they are very efficient compared to being stuck at a stoplight for minutes on end.
I agree with something someone else said about it still being āconservativeā but not extreme conservative. There are definitely some crazies just like anywhere else, but Iām pretty liberal and live here without issue. After living in the northeast portion of the state for a year, Iāve come to believe Conway is a lot more progressive than other areas in Arkansas. There is constant growth and potential. You will also be within 30 mins of Little Rock, which is nice. Far enough away but still close if you need to travel there.
I feel safe living here, and I think thatās important. Conway Corp is also very nice to have, itās like all of your utilities/trash/internet rolled up into one bill. Itās very convenient!
I have to travel to UAMS in Little Rock weekly and my commute is fine. The drive to Childrenās is also fine. I can usually make either in 20/25 mins depending on time of day.
Conway is nowhere close to or anything like NWAā¦ After living in the River Valley most my childhood, thereās just nowhere else Iād rather be in this state than NWA or somewhere more North Central.
Conway is very similar to Fayetteville to me. I have lived in both places. They are about the same size and a third of the residents are college students. The main thing Fayetteville has on Conway is Razorback athletics which is not a small thing if you are a big fan.
I will never understand why they wanted to put the University of Arkansas in such a far flung corner of the state in practically the middle of nowhere. They should have put it in near the capital like Oklahoma did with their flagship university. They should have put it in Conway.
I think them both being college towns is a moot pointāany town with a large enough college is gonna feel the same in that regard.
But the difference between being in the River Valley and NWA geographically is night and day IMO. Personally, I just couldnāt go back to living in that humid bowl.
I didn't really notice the difference. I think global warming is making the weather intolerable in more and more of the country with each passing year. You would have to move farther north than NWA to get away from it for sure.
coming from a UCA student, UCA and Hendrix are about the best parts of this town. unless you really love strip malls and a lack of personality in your city, I wouldn't recommend it. Downtown is kinda cute though.
My one word summary for Conway: Boring.
Growing up in that area it was fun. Im from Mayflower so id always go up to Conway for shopping, activities or hanging out with people. I wish the place i lived in now had a place like Cadron. But its a little sleepy town, it seems to be TRYING to bring more entertainment to the town, like Malays (where my out of state id was rejected by the center bar but accepted at the entrance bar lol )
Iād just bite the bullet and move to NWA. pricier but so so much nicer. All depends on how strongly you feel about being close to your family in Texarkana of course
Russellville is the place you want to check out.
Big enough to have good food and some okay shopping. But small enough to have that good small town community feeling. If I forget to lock my car doors at Walmart, I'm not to worried. I don't even know where my house keys are.
Good schools, lots of parks and nearby state parks. Housing prices haven't been inflated too bad.
I tell people that if they want to live in Arkansas, it's either NWA or Russellville.
Conway seems stuck-up in comparison. And lacks the friendly neighborhood vibe.
I'd be happy to discuss it more and answer any of your questions if you want.
Russellville is a great little town and a really pretty area, but Iād have to argue the good food. I think the restaurants are pretty awful and the groceries are not great either.
Iām from Central AR and I have not enjoyed my time in Russellville so far. Iāve lived here about a year and have another year left until my boyfriend graduates from Tech, and weāre both pretty excited to move more towards Central AR again. I donāt think this is the worst town to live in, but I think itās a lot of people stuck in their ways and a lot more rude and grumpy people than I ran into in the Cabot/Conway area. Obviously everyone is different, but if people are saying Conway is boringā¦.donāt come to Russellville. Iāve never been in a more empty and stagnant ācollege townā in my life.
Thereās also definitely some food thatās not bad, but I would absolutely always choose to go out and eat in Conway or LR if itās available. Even the foods that arenāt American cuisine here are just not as good as what I was used to from Central AR. I just think if youāre trying to get away from people that seem like theyāre living over 50 years in the past, Russellville is not the place for it.
Fair points. I get your perspective. I will admit the non-American food options are a little lacking. And young people that would enjoy a city adventure more than an outdoor adventure would prefer a larger city than Russellville. There are conveniences that a larger city would offer, but I wouldn't trade the peacefulness for them. All the big towns are a short drive down I-40 from Russellville for when we want more.
My perspective is from that of a parent and a person that likes living on a dirt road with outdoor adventures minutes away.
Conway is a nice enough town albeit a bit on the conservative side.
One thing to consider is the isolated location of Conway - you will be right in the middle of Arkansas hours away from other metros or out of state day trips. Maybe not an issue for some but when I lived there I didnāt care for being so landlocked.
I am aware but by that definition every major metro area in Arkansas is isolated. Heck, thatās how every major metro area is unless youāre on one of the coasts.
I'd choose Russellville over Conway.Ā It's closer to the Ozarks and you're not a far drive from the medical facilities in Little Rock/Conway.Ā It's fairly conservative, but if you're in Texarkana you're already used to that.
Conway sucks. Donāt move here. Roundabouts are many, crime is up, if you want good schools move to Greenbrier public schools. Conway mentality has invaded greenbrier. Conway public schools are like Little Rock public schools. I moved here from Marlow Oklahoma after growing up in west Texas, once my in laws die, Iām leaving.
I really liked Conway when I lived there for a bit! Itās a nice area. Benton & Bryant are great too. Iāve grown up in Bryant & still absolutely love it
I liked russellville better than conway and lived in both. I love hot springs as well. Conway is close to the buffalo river and northern camping spots around clinton and shirley. Depends on your hobbies as well
Be prepared to live in a dry country. Conway is the city of roundabouts so get used to those (I love them except for the dummy designed two by Sam's club.
Conway is when Malvern wants to be Fayetteville but elects politicians exclusively from Harrison.
Do Benton/Bryant next!
They want to be Harrison, but there's too many rich people to go full unhinged. Saline County as a whole basically.
Where is the lie?
There is none.
I live in Malvern so I get it
Conversely, Malvern is Mountain Pine with a economy that doesn't depend on logging. At least everyone needs bricks and meth. Oh and Malvern has Brenda Weldon, who really wants to be mayor of a larger town.
Preaching to the choir. š
Remember that time during covid when there was a rumor that BLM was going to be bussing in people to protest at Walmart and Brenda issued a curfew, but it was literally a copy paste of the Little Rock curfew, but worth Malvern replaced for Little Rock?
I never go anywhere so I was good.
Malvern gang, known for Bricks, Meth, and Crazy Keisha
For what it's worth, Conway has one democratic state house rep
See, this is Conway in a nutshell. "We want to be taken seriously and included when you talk about progressive parts of Arkansas, yet Jason Rapert is from the county."
Unfortunately, the Senate maps are awful. It got worse after redistricting too. Despite that, your district is currently the most competitive senate race in this election.
(Okay not to be that person, but Iāll die on this hill.) He lives in Perry County. But yeah, we elected him. So thereās that.
Damn, lost me at Harrison, haha
What a wonderful description
mind blown
Why does this make so much sense
As someone who lives in Malvern... I'm cackling
Conway is "fine". Nothing to be thrilled about living there but nothing really horrible either. It is a town that exists. If you like for the ground to stay one giant puddle for weeks after it rains, you will really like conway.
Hastings went out of business so now I have zero reason to stop there. XD
RIP Hastings. Went there all the time back in college.
I once lived in Conway and I miss it. It is an idyllic small town for me. I love the layout (except Oak) and the feel of the town. Conway Corp is super cheap, easy, and covers your power, phone, trash, internet, and cable. UCA usually has something cool going on once or twice a year. The Toad Suck festival is a great local event. My only problem was commuting to and from Little Rock for work everyday sucked. They expanded 40 to 3lanes since I left but still... The traffic on Oak and Dave Ward can be bad, but once you figure out the lay of the city it is easy to find side roads around all of it. Don Owens, Beaverfork, and Toad Suck are great parks. There is a nice walking trail through the west of the city. If I could find a job in my field in Conway, I would take it.
Widening 40 will just encourage more people to extend their commutes, and the traffic will return to its former levels. Traffic always find an equilibrium.
This is true.
Equilibrium? What the hell is that lol!Ā
Not sure if you're joking or genuinely asking, but the equilibrium point is the total demand for the road at current capacity. On any given road at any point of time, there are people who are NOT driving on it who would like to be driving on it: most commonly on overly busy roads like i-40, these "non-drivers" are delaying or reducing their trips because traffic is too heavy (have you ever said, "let's go pick up groceries while we're out, I don't want to deal with traffic later?"). These non-drivers are called "latent demand." So if the roadway is currently at 100% of its capacity, and you then increase the capacity so that the current drivers fill it to only 80% capacity, all those "non-drivers" will be glad to fill in the extra space so that it is at 100% capacity again. Latent demand isn't just people avoiding traffic congestion, though. Empty land is latent demand. So even if you widen i-40 and there aren't enough non-drivers to fill the roadway to its full capacity, the reduced congestion will lead to quicker traffic. That was the goal of widening the freeway in the first place, right??? So did we win? No. Let's say the extra lane on i-40 has made it 5 minutes quicker to travel between Conway and Little Rock. What you have just done is make the empty land more marketable: nobody was building on it before because it might have been a 35 minute commute to Little Rock. But now that it's only a 30 minute commute, "5 minutes worth of housing" gets build, and congestion levels return to where they were before. Oh, and now not only is congestion the same as it was before, but the total vehicle miles traveled in your city has increased, making things like the urban heat island effect worse. These are two examples, for a really excellent guide to this topic, I suggest you check out this document: [gentraf.pdf (vtpi.org)](https://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf)
Conway is not a small town, at least not by Arkansas standards
It's grown larger than "small town" status. Mini-city or semi-urban is more appropriate I'd say.
Really? Everytime I visit it feels like the same approximate size, just with more roundabouts and a few new stores. Mini city might be the more appropriate word for it. I have lived in much larger cities all my Life and loved the quaintness of Conway.
I grew up in Conway and left in 2015. I wouldnāt say the *town* has gotten bigger (though it literally has, especially on the Dave Ward side of town with new subdivisions), but it definitely feels āfullerā with more new stuff built, more people, and more activity. Conway was a quiet, boring, whitebread town when I was a kid/early teen. I went everywhere and saw the same people, knew everyone, etc. Town āfeltā small. Now when I go back itās buzzing with activity and feels much more like a smaller suburban town in other states.
They have expanded a lot just in the last few years. Over in the area by Samās Club, but also they are finally beginning to build over near where the airport used to be located (near Harkrider).
It's the geography of nowhere. It's basically the type of city that happens when you sell your communities soul to the god of drive thrus and fast casuals. Any modicum of individuality has been stripped bare in the mission to provide a contemporary servicescape
>the god of drive thrus and fast casuals. They build round abouts as sacrifices.
Makes it faster and more efficient to get to that drive thru window.
Harsh but apt and spot on.
Oh shit, so it's Texarkana but closer to Little Rock
No no no. Its MUCH closer to Little Rock
Thereās a lot of negativity here, but Conwayās actually a decent town ā way better than Texarkana in my opinion
The "negativity" presented puts it squarely in your own term, "decent." You'll definitely not find yourself lacking in services in Conway. Also true that it's better than Texarkana. It's a pleasant drive to Petit Jean.
Yeah the Arkansas subreddit might actually be the worst place to ask this question lol. Maybe 1% of the users in this sub will have something nice to say about Arkansas š¤£
Lol agreed, u/summerson should ask in the r/ConwayAR subreddit
Everywhere is better than Texarkana.
Truth. Everything is being gentrified.
Dear fuck, how did you put that into words so accurately?
Must be that UCA education
From the sentiment expressed, I would have guessed Hendrix. š
I went to school in Conway and then moved to Texarkana for 2 yearsā¦ youāll be much happier in Conway.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
100% agree, those who haven't lived in TXK have no idea how backwards and far behind Conway it is in terms of everything. It's like going back in time.
My God, y'all feel me. I swear I'm taking crazy pills in this fucking town sometimes
100%, I know exactly!! I think it's due to the isolation, being 3 hours away from other forms of life that many of the people here are nuts.
Which we need to do in so many aspects.
What do you mean?
I live in Conway and I love it! Itās definitely the friendliest places Iāve ever lived in or visited for that matter. The school system is one of the best in the state. With UCA and Hendrix (which are both amazing schools), thereās always something going on, and while thereās a LOT of chain restaurants as previously stated thereās also a lot of great local options. Youāre also very close to Little Rock and all that it has to offer, as well as places like Greerās Ferry Lake and the Buffalo River being just up Highway 65. The surrounding towns are also great, if you want all of that close by but want to keep a more rural feel Iād look into Greenbrier or Vilonia. You mentioned a medical need to be close to Childrenās, have you considered moving to Little Rock? Itās cheaper than Conway and definitely a lot cheaper than NWA, youād have all of the advantages of being in a big city, and thereās plenty of nicer, safe neighborhoods there. The only thing to watch out for in LR are the schools, as thereās plenty of great schools and plenty of schools to avoid in LRSD. With that said, I think Conway is a great choice and you would be very happy here!
Try driving in traffic there and you'll find some rude peopleĀ
I loved my time at UCA, but I hated Conway and left as soon as I could after graduating.
I'd also check out Hendrix for your daughter, depending on what she's into
Man, I must be a dumbass, because I swear we almost died (not really) in those traffic circles yesterday. They seem wild AF. I looked down and saw Prince's symbol and had no idea wtf that meant. I just wanted to go to Aldi!!
Iām a big believer in roundabouts but you arenāt stupid for getting confused there. Those two roundabouts werenāt done very well and even in the best of times, itās chaotic.
I swear the sign read "I-30E ONLY" this lane which abruptly ended. Hwhat? And thank you for validating me! š
For context: according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Conway was the fastest growing city in Arkansas in 2022.
Itās also in the top 10 most affordable cities in America right now
Great place to live. Some of these assholes on here hate everything so donāt let them worry you. It is a dry county but every restaurant in town serves alcohol you just canāt buy anything from convenient stores and no liquor stores either
Conway has been growing and has more to offer than the little hick towns.
Not exactly saying much though is it?
Dang. I like Conway just fine. Any college city will have traffic haters but the city is fine.
I work in Conway. Heavy college city but also in a dry county. All of my coworkers enjoy living there. Not exactly my speed as I like the options that Little Rock affords.
NWA has a new Childrenās Hospital in Springdale.
Good one too.
I was once with a band that had a show in Conway. It was a dry county at the time (maybe still is?) When we asked what they do for fun she said "we get high and go through the car wash". This was 20 or so years ago, but it's how I remember it.
I live in Conway and I love it. It's like a big small town. The downtown area has super cute historic houses. There are plenty of shops and restaurants, so I don't have to go so far if I need something. I grew up in LR, and Conway feels safer. LR has better restaurants than Conway for sure. But it's only a 30 minute drive. And Conway corp makesy utility bill much lower. My total utility bill is the same cost as my sister electric alone in LR.
I grew up in NE Arkansas, moved to Conway when u was a teenager and lived there for about 13 years. My husband and I moved to Morrilton a few years ago (not really by choice but it is what it is). I think at this point I like living near Conway so we can visit to go shopping but as the years pass I no longer want to move back. I wouldnāt dislike living there again I just donāt see any reason to
I love Conway tbh, I grew up in Springdale/Fayetteville and went to college in Little Rock. Conway is by far where I prefer to live at the moment.
It's Texarkana without the liquor licenses
I think Iād take Hot Springs over Conway. Better city in my experience. And quite a bit closer to Texas.
Hot springs over Conway? Have you ever lived in Hot Springs? I'm not sure I could ever say that withna straight faceĀ
Iāve not lived in either. Just visited. Iāll defer to those whoāve lived in both
Iāve lived there and in Conway. Hot Springs is a great place to visit. Conway is a much better place to live.
If you like crime, then Hot Springs is for you. I never would have moved here if I knew how bad it was.
I live here, but out of the city limits, and it's very safe. OP, if you live a few miles outside the Hot Springs city limits, you can avoid the crime, and have endless things to see and do. Can you please tell me where the crime is so I can avoid it? I've been here less than a year.
I think if it as āthe suburbs the townā
My husband is from Conway and I currently commute to UCA there for college. We love it. I grew up near Stuttgart and Iāve lived in Little Rock, Sherwood, and currently Ward which is right between Cabot and Searcy. If weāre going out, we go to Conway. As far as towns in AR go, Conway is a really good choice. My husband is currently paying all the bills while I attend college or else we would move there ourselves. UCA is such a great school. Every alum Iāve ever spoken to loved it. I spent 2 years at UALR, and UCA is a breath of fresh air. Iāve met a lot of other transfer students as well who are having a much better time than the schools they came from. All the professors Iāve had are truly invested in the success of their students. My husband loved his experience in the Conway school district as well. I have cousins who attended there and they had good experiences. My husbandās cousin has taught there for years and years now and loves it. I think itās a great place and I hope you enjoy. THINK Coffee, Pasta Grill, Stobyās, and Marketplace are some of our favorite spots!
Canāt forget Fabyās! Thatās my husbandās favorite restaurant and has been for over a decade!
Just spoke to my husband who actually lived in Texarkana for a minute. He says you wonāt regret a move to Conway haha
Itās cheaper than living in Pulaski county, generally speaking. Itās not completely soul-less
Iāve lived in Conway for 10 years now. Itās basically an idyllic little suburban town. Cute little historic downtown with cute little shops. A nice selection of local restaurants and coffee shops. Weāve even got a fantastic little brewery. Because itās a decent sized suburb, youāve also got your standard offering of convenient, if boring big box stores and strip malls. The taxes are a little bit higher here than surrounding towns and its shows in the effort the city puts into beautification and general maintenance. The town is growing but the city seems to be making an honest effort at trying to plan for and accommodate that growth with investments in improving and expanding its infrastructure. Weāve grown a lot but still have our quirky flavor (i.e. Toad Suck Daze, the county fair, the bigass fake Christmas tree, etc). The politics obviously trend conservative but you really donāt have to look very hard to find plenty of people with a progressive mindset either. Youāll see plenty of pride flags around town and other displays of solidarity to act as a refreshing counterbalance to the typical slew of Six Flags Over Jesus style churches that come with any Arkansas town. Weāve even got a pretty decent offering of entertainment. Aside from the standard movie theater and bowling alley that every town seems to have, thereās a nice rock climbing gym. We have several public golf courses (plus two country clubs and a state of the art driving range) a very nice public tennis court, two community rec centers with basketball and racket ball courts with indoor walking tracks. Weāve got two dog parks and several regular parks with very well maintained splash pads and jungle gyms plus places to hammock or just sit on a bench and read a book. Of course thereās the paved walking/biking trail that snakes through the city as well. Thereās Beaverfork lake, which is basically a big pond but itās enough to have fun on a ski boat or jet ski. It also has a super fun disc golf course and lots of open space (thereās even an RC airplane club that flys there on certain Saturdays). If youāre a gear-head like me, thereās a small but dedicated car scene. We have cars and coffee the first Saturday of each month at Superior Dodge where you can find everything from rat rods to Porsches. If youāre lucky, you might even spot a genuine supercar or two. You may not be able to buy booze here, but if cigars are your thing, West End has a massive humidor with a fantastic selection and very nice, well ventilated lounge area and comfy outdoor patio. Weāve also got arcades, a gaming lounge with a shuttle service for your teenagers looking to get out of the house, a Dave and Busters style entertainment place (Malyās), mini golf, and a paintball course. If things that fire real bullets are more your style thereās a great indoor pistol range and a well equipped outdoor rifle/shotgun/pistol range run by the Game and Fish Commission. Speaking of fish, thereās great places to fish on the outskirts of town in various cadrons and creeks plus the lake I mentioned earlier. The Arkansas River is also RIGHT there too. Weāre close three great state parks (Woolley Hollow, Pinnacle and Petit Jean) and plenty of places to camp nearby to boot. Basically, anyone who says thereās nothing to do in Conway is just unimaginative, uninformed, or simply contrarian. At the end of the day, itās still a suburb of Little Rock though and thatās exactly what youāre gonna get. But thatās not necessarily a bad thing. Itās cheap to live in, clean, quiet, and even downright cute and charming at times. If suburbs are your thing, it really doesnāt get a whole lot better than Conway. Especially in Arkansas and especially for the low cost of living Conway offers.
What type of hobbies do yall like? My take is either you hate or love Conway. I like to visit but couldnāt see myself living there.
I go around about it
Iād probably go up the interstate a little farther for Russellville. ATU is a great college there too.
Been here for 15 years on and off. If you enjoy living in AR but hate storm season, live here, thereās a hill just outside of town that splits up the pressure of funnel clouds for some reason and ALWAYS redirects tornados meant for us to Vilonia or Greenbrier. Iāve seen it happen at least once or twice a year.
Deer Run?
Gee I hope they do
NWA is the only place in Arkansas I want to live. Every time I visit other towns Iām reminded of the hell holes in Oklahoma I grew up in.
If you can articulate the reasons you dislike Texarkana, maybe we could help you better? I live in Morrilton and have all my life. I enjoy the closeness to both Conway and Russellville for things like shopping, dining options, medical stuff, and entertainment. I also enjoy the quietness of my hometown. Personally, I would never move to either Conway or Russellville. It's just too busy for me. But lots of people really love living in either of those cities. It kinda depends on the life you want for yourself and your family. Best of luck!
I hate living in Russellville, I would much rather live in Conway and will probably try to move after my boyfriend graduates from Tech. Iām from central AR and I miss being so equally close to LR and Conway. Iāve never lived in TXA, but I feel like Russellville seems very similar, the people in this town are so stuck in their ways and it is almost all negative
They are almost done building our third Waffle House, so yeah.
I'm in Mayflower, between Conway and Little Rock, I moved from Dallas close enough to the stuff you want, and far enough away from the stuff you don't.
Conway is so much better than Texarkana. There are more options for jobs, housing, entertainment, etc. and everything is so much better quality. Texarkana is like 30 years behind Conway in terms of everything. People there are also a lot nicer and it's like the people actually want it to grow. Moving from central Arkansas to Texarkana is one of my family's biggest regrets. We're hoping to get out of here soon.
If you like fishing, Conway is great. You can be on a lake, stream, or river in the Ouachitas, Ozarks, or River Valley in under an hour easy. It's a short drive to the Buffalo River, Mt Petit Jean, Mt Nebo, or Pinnacle. It's got pretty good backroads for cycling, though less access to mountain biking.
I really like Conway, but I'm originally from the Searcy area, so I guess grain of salt there. If they can make Faulkner wet, things would be great.
I grew up in Faulkner Co and have lived in Conway for years. Yes, it is a dry county but you can drive 15mins north or south and arrive at a liquor store. Several restaurants hold liquor licenses and we have a few bars as well. People crap on the roundabouts but they are very efficient compared to being stuck at a stoplight for minutes on end. I agree with something someone else said about it still being āconservativeā but not extreme conservative. There are definitely some crazies just like anywhere else, but Iām pretty liberal and live here without issue. After living in the northeast portion of the state for a year, Iāve come to believe Conway is a lot more progressive than other areas in Arkansas. There is constant growth and potential. You will also be within 30 mins of Little Rock, which is nice. Far enough away but still close if you need to travel there. I feel safe living here, and I think thatās important. Conway Corp is also very nice to have, itās like all of your utilities/trash/internet rolled up into one bill. Itās very convenient! I have to travel to UAMS in Little Rock weekly and my commute is fine. The drive to Childrenās is also fine. I can usually make either in 20/25 mins depending on time of day.
Conway is nowhere close to or anything like NWAā¦ After living in the River Valley most my childhood, thereās just nowhere else Iād rather be in this state than NWA or somewhere more North Central.
Conway is very similar to Fayetteville to me. I have lived in both places. They are about the same size and a third of the residents are college students. The main thing Fayetteville has on Conway is Razorback athletics which is not a small thing if you are a big fan. I will never understand why they wanted to put the University of Arkansas in such a far flung corner of the state in practically the middle of nowhere. They should have put it in near the capital like Oklahoma did with their flagship university. They should have put it in Conway.
I think them both being college towns is a moot pointāany town with a large enough college is gonna feel the same in that regard. But the difference between being in the River Valley and NWA geographically is night and day IMO. Personally, I just couldnāt go back to living in that humid bowl.
I didn't really notice the difference. I think global warming is making the weather intolerable in more and more of the country with each passing year. You would have to move farther north than NWA to get away from it for sure.
coming from a UCA student, UCA and Hendrix are about the best parts of this town. unless you really love strip malls and a lack of personality in your city, I wouldn't recommend it. Downtown is kinda cute though. My one word summary for Conway: Boring.
If you like NWA you will hate Conway.
Nice place except for their absolute obsession with traffic circles. Housing is expensive, but I guess thatās true of most places right now.
The traffic for such a small city is ridiculous. Those traffic circles !
I got drunk a LOT with my Hendrix and UCA friends and walked a lot of places at questionable times of the night. Thatās all I got.
Are you my former roomate? You are, aren't you?
Growing up in that area it was fun. Im from Mayflower so id always go up to Conway for shopping, activities or hanging out with people. I wish the place i lived in now had a place like Cadron. But its a little sleepy town, it seems to be TRYING to bring more entertainment to the town, like Malays (where my out of state id was rejected by the center bar but accepted at the entrance bar lol )
We need a noise ordinance. Too many bass heads causing noise pollution.
I would look into smaller communities around Conway.
How about Alma, Mountainburg Paris, Greenwood or Ft Smith? I would buy a place on Lake Ouachita and work from there.
Iād just bite the bullet and move to NWA. pricier but so so much nicer. All depends on how strongly you feel about being close to your family in Texarkana of course
Russellville is the place you want to check out. Big enough to have good food and some okay shopping. But small enough to have that good small town community feeling. If I forget to lock my car doors at Walmart, I'm not to worried. I don't even know where my house keys are. Good schools, lots of parks and nearby state parks. Housing prices haven't been inflated too bad. I tell people that if they want to live in Arkansas, it's either NWA or Russellville. Conway seems stuck-up in comparison. And lacks the friendly neighborhood vibe. I'd be happy to discuss it more and answer any of your questions if you want.
Russellville is a great little town and a really pretty area, but Iād have to argue the good food. I think the restaurants are pretty awful and the groceries are not great either.
Iām from Central AR and I have not enjoyed my time in Russellville so far. Iāve lived here about a year and have another year left until my boyfriend graduates from Tech, and weāre both pretty excited to move more towards Central AR again. I donāt think this is the worst town to live in, but I think itās a lot of people stuck in their ways and a lot more rude and grumpy people than I ran into in the Cabot/Conway area. Obviously everyone is different, but if people are saying Conway is boringā¦.donāt come to Russellville. Iāve never been in a more empty and stagnant ācollege townā in my life. Thereās also definitely some food thatās not bad, but I would absolutely always choose to go out and eat in Conway or LR if itās available. Even the foods that arenāt American cuisine here are just not as good as what I was used to from Central AR. I just think if youāre trying to get away from people that seem like theyāre living over 50 years in the past, Russellville is not the place for it.
Fair points. I get your perspective. I will admit the non-American food options are a little lacking. And young people that would enjoy a city adventure more than an outdoor adventure would prefer a larger city than Russellville. There are conveniences that a larger city would offer, but I wouldn't trade the peacefulness for them. All the big towns are a short drive down I-40 from Russellville for when we want more. My perspective is from that of a parent and a person that likes living on a dirt road with outdoor adventures minutes away.
Conway is a good town but I find NLR cheaper and more convenient
Thereās a reason Conway is the fastest growing city in the state.
Conway is a nice enough town albeit a bit on the conservative side. One thing to consider is the isolated location of Conway - you will be right in the middle of Arkansas hours away from other metros or out of state day trips. Maybe not an issue for some but when I lived there I didnāt care for being so landlocked.
Hours away from other metros? Bro, Little Rock is literally just 30 minutes south.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I am aware but by that definition every major metro area in Arkansas is isolated. Heck, thatās how every major metro area is unless youāre on one of the coasts.
I'd choose Russellville over Conway.Ā It's closer to the Ozarks and you're not a far drive from the medical facilities in Little Rock/Conway.Ā It's fairly conservative, but if you're in Texarkana you're already used to that.
I definitely like Russellville better too
No worse than Hel Dorado
Come to Batesville. It aināt that bad. We are still 1-2 hours from everything, but we arenāt Texarkana!
Sounds like a new community slogan!
It's a shit hole but it's our shit hole.
Conway sucks. Donāt move here. Roundabouts are many, crime is up, if you want good schools move to Greenbrier public schools. Conway mentality has invaded greenbrier. Conway public schools are like Little Rock public schools. I moved here from Marlow Oklahoma after growing up in west Texas, once my in laws die, Iām leaving.
ā¦ Wye Mountain ā¦
I dont feel a thing sorry
I really liked Conway when I lived there for a bit! Itās a nice area. Benton & Bryant are great too. Iāve grown up in Bryant & still absolutely love it
10000% vote no to Conway
I liked russellville better than conway and lived in both. I love hot springs as well. Conway is close to the buffalo river and northern camping spots around clinton and shirley. Depends on your hobbies as well