Overview
Altus is located in the River Valley region of Arkansas. It is known for its wines and having been the location of the first season of the reality TV show The Simple Life starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.
4 sights · 2 places to eat
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Altus
Chateau aux Arc
Mount Bethel
Post Winery
Wiederkehr
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Oct. Summer highs reach about 92°F; winter lows dip to about 31°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Apr and May. (climate data from nearby Little Rock)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- FSM Fort Smith Regional Airport, Fort Smith — 35 mi away. Directions
- XNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport, Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers — 65 mi away. Directions
- TUL Tulsa International Airport, Tulsa — 129 mi away (major hub). Directions
Fort Smith is the nearest city with an airport (FSM) with scheduled passenger service. Other nearby airports within a 2 hour drive are Northwest Arkansas National (XNA), Tulsa International (TUL), and Little Rock International (LIT).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Chateau aux Arc, Mount Bethel
- Lunch Alligator Ray's Pizza
- Afternoon Post Winery, Wiederkehr
- Dinner Kelt's
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
The Wiederkehr winery hosts the Weinkeller Restaurant. It is a gourmet restaurant, with prices ranging from moderate to expensive. But the food is very well worth the price.
Visited by Hilton and Richie:
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Get in
By air
Fort Smith is the nearest city with an airport (FSM) with scheduled passenger service. Other nearby airports within a 2 hour drive are Northwest Arkansas National (XNA), Tulsa International (TUL), and Little Rock International (LIT).
General aviation pilots can consider using Ozark-Franklin County Airport (FAA ID: 7M5) or Paris Municipal Airport (FAA ID: 7M6), however, neither have standard rental car services available. You may be able, though, to arrange car service through the airport FBO or a rental agency in the Fort Smith area. For the Simple Life tourist, the airport seen in the first episode is (ironically) the Paris Municipal Airport.
By car
Altus is bounded by Interstate 40 to the north and U.S. Route 64 to the south, and is about 45 miles east of Fort Smith.
From Little Rock, travel west on Interstate 40 and take exit 41.
From Fayetteville or the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, travel south on Interstate 49 until it intersects Interstate 40 in Alma, then go east on I-40 to reach exit 41.
From Oklahoma, travel east on I-40 to reach exit 41.
Get around
Altus is a small town, so getting around isn't really a problem. The whole town can be toured by car, bicycle, or walking.
See
Wineries
The main tourist attractions in Altus are the wineries.
Other places
Fans of The Simple Life will easily recognize the setting. Note however, that the Sonic Drive-In and the Wal-Mart are not located in Altus, but in the neighboring town of Ozark, which is the next town west on U.S. Route 64.
Do
If you are a Catholic, a Simple Life fan, or both, you might want to attend Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, also called St. Mary's Church. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was attended by Hilton and Richie on the show.
Buy
Most wineries sell bottles of wine in their gift shops.
Eat
The Wiederkehr winery hosts the Weinkeller Restaurant. It is a gourmet restaurant, with prices ranging from moderate to expensive. But the food is very well worth the price.
Visited by Hilton and Richie:
Drink
While taking a tour of a winery, you might be given a chance at free wine tasting. Altus' wines are among the most exquisite in the world, so don't miss out on it.
Sleep
Altus has very few accommodations, most of which are bed-and-breakfast inns. Motels are available in Ozark, around 6 miles west, or in Clarksville, around 20 miles east.
Most visitors to Altus travel there on side trips from Little Rock, Fort Smith, or Eureka Springs. All three cities have abundant hotel accommodations.
Nearby
Ozark
City / town · 5 mi away
Paris
City / town · 6 listings · 12 mi away
Clarksville
City / town · 17 mi away
Alma
City / town · 1 listings · 25 mi away
Ozark National Forest
Park · 2 listings · 27 mi away
Winslow
City / town · 3 listings · 31 mi away
Greenwood
City / town · 32 mi away
Van Buren
City / town · 2 listings · 32 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.