Beatles Park

Beatles Park and Abbey Road experience is something that anyone who at all cares about Rock and Roll should get to . Make sure to follow the QR links on the signs. One of which is for one of Washboard Sam’s pieces. He grew up in Walnut Ridge and became one of the big Chicago blues musicians. Right next to this is Waffle & Pancake House which a great place to eat. All of the locals suggested it. You are practically next door to The Hotel Rhea a hotel which was originally built around 1900.

The park was a cool historic landmarker, I'd say. The ground was a huge guitar shape, with markers for famous musicians of the 50s era. Elvis, Roy Orbison, etc. The Billboards around the park had pictures of musicians with a button you could push that would play back the musician telling their story surrounding the famous "abbey road" in their own words. It was kind of off the beaten path from our route from KC to Memphis. Really not much here though except for maybe 10 or 12 of the plaques and a mural of the Beatles in a bricked area in a separate location from the Guitar walk. There was a Grille, and the building has a yellow submarine painted on the side... Overall, it was really nothing special here... definitely not what I expect from other reviews and not something I would have gone out of my way to see...but if it's along the way, it's a nice stretch of the legs...

Stopped in during our road trip from WI to Hot Springs and it was a great little place to stop and stretch our legs. Very cool little park featuring something unexpected in a smaller town. There is a lot of detail in the mural, so get up close to check it out.

Interesting tribute to a band that tried to quietly slip into town some 60 years ago. (I added photos of things on the street just a few yards away)

Yes, the Beatles came to Arkansas in September 1964 and the city won't ever let that fact be forgotten. It was supposed to be a quiet vacation here for a couple of days but the secret got out and the entire city showed up to spot the most famous musicians. In remembrance of the events, the city created "Beatles Park" here and renamed the street to "Abbey Road" and there are cutouts and posters and sculptures and murals that commemorate the event. It's a quick, cheesy and campy stop and if you're anywhere near Walnut Ridge - look at a map, there's nothing near Walnut Ridge - you should stop in and check it out. And if you're going to be here in September, don't miss the annual Beatles Fest.

My son and I drove to Walnut Ridge to watch the eclipse, having no idea about the town’s connection* to the Beatles. The little park is delightful, kitschy, silly and sweet all at the same time. There’s an eclectic little gift shop and a decent pizza place with cold beer next to it, which — combined with a clear day — made for a near-perfect experience. The term “unforgettable” gets thrown around a lot, but in this case it really does apply. We watched a total eclipse of the sun in a Beatles-themed park in lovely Walnut Ridge, AR. Highly recommended. *Look it up

This tribute to The Beatles is SOOOOOO cool! There is some awesome artwork that definitely had a lot of time and effort put into it. The story board that told about how The Beatles got to that area of Arkansas was very interesting. I’m glad somebody put enough effort into preserving this kind of history.

It's a Great little tribute to one of the most iconic bands. A awesome story about the Beatles and the town of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. A must see

Yes, the Beatles came to Arkansas in September 1964 and the city won't ever let that fact be forgotten. It was supposed to be a quiet vacation here for a couple of days but the secret got out and the entire city showed up to spot the most famous musicians. In remembrance of the events, the city created "Beatles Park" here and renamed the street to "Abbey Road" and there are cutouts and posters and sculptures and murals that commemorate the event. It's a quick, cheesy and campy stop and if you're anywhere near Walnut Ridge - look at a map, there's nothing near Walnut Ridge - you should stop in and check it out. And if you're going to be here in September, don't miss the annual Beatles Fest. [Review 19824 overall - round number 300 in Arkansas - 797 of 2023.]

The town of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas takes a brief Beatles moment that happened in that area very seriously, and probably for the right reasons. The Beatles stood on Arkansas soil for a brief moment (and that was the only time) during the height of American Beatlemania. The park is very interesting and cool, definitely a must for Beatle fans. Surprisingly, not a lot of them know this park exists. Historical markers talk about the event, as well as local rock and roll moments.

Fun photo op where you can be the fifth Beatle. There is also a nice Rock N Roll Highway area near the train station. Also don't miss the annual Beatles Fest in September.

This is definitely my Atlas Obscura pick in Walnut Ridge, AR. Here's the official story from the "Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture": In 1964, the world's most popular music group, the Beatles, visited the Lawrence County town of Walnut Ridge. Though brief, their visit left a lasting impact on the community. On September 18, 1964, the group finished a concert at Memorial Coliseum in Dallas, Texas, and immediately boarded a plane owned and operated by Reed Pigman. Before traveling to Alton, [Missouri] the Beatles made a brief stop in Walnut Ridge. The Walnut Ridge airport provided the ideal spot for the group to change planes before heading to Missouri. The runway was built as a training facility during World War II and could handle large aircraft. Also, the Beatles could avoid the crush of screaming fans by landing at a secluded airport at the edge of a small town. Though the encounter lasted only moments, the memory of seeing the Fab Four at the height of Beatlemania has endured. The event has become the subject of a documentary featuring some of the people at the airport. On September 18, 2011, Walnut Ridge unveiled a monument, designed to look like the cover of the album Abbey Road, to commemorate the event. Walnut Ridge also renamed a downtown street Abbey Road. In 2011, the first Beatles at the Ridge festival was held, and in 2012, the town built a guitar-shaped plaza downtown modeled after Epiphone guitars played by John Lennon and George Harrison." This is the claim to fame for Lawrence county, Arkansas. An incidental encounter with the Beatles (even though in the summer of 1955 the "Hoxie School District, believing it did not have the funds to maintain separate schools, moved to abolish its dual educational system by integrating black children into its previously all-white schools, made up of approximately 1000 white children landmark choices were being made that shaped race relations and school desegregation"). No matter, the record will speak for itself, Beatles = tourism. Not much to see in this town, but if you are passing through, this small installation is certainly worth a photo stop and remember to spend a bit at local businesses.

Ditto to everything in Charles S.'s review. I mean, what is there to add on to that? Ha, well it did make for a good cheesy tourist photo, but I was more interested in the info on the plaque than anything else. It's pretty awesome, the different stories they have to tell about the locals' reaction/interaction with the Beatles. The park is also located right next to the Art + Culture froyo, Dark Side coffee shop, and Imagine art/gift shop.