Things to do
Weekends in Jonesboro: from the park lake to the stadium and the road to Memphis
Jonesboro is far quieter than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, which is both a drawback and a gift. The slower rhythm helps you study; for everything else there is a campus full of activity, a town with real amenities, and Memphis one hour away.
Largest park
Craighead Forest Park
Athletics
Red Wolves · Sun Belt Conference
Memphis
≈ 1 hour drive
Little Rock
≈ 2 hour drive
Things to do
On campus
Most of a first-year student’s weekend happens within walking distance.
Red Wolves games
A-State competes in the Sun Belt Conference, and home-game days turn the whole town red. Football in autumn, basketball in winter. Students usually attend on their student ID — ask the athletics office about the current ticket policy.
Reng Student Union
The heart of campus life: food court, group study space, event rooms and the tables where student clubs recruit. If you do not know where to start fitting in, spend an afternoon here reading the noticeboards.
Campus recreation and sport
Gym, basketball and football courts, group fitness classes and intramural leagues between student teams. The cheapest and fastest way to meet people without needing polished small talk.
International student organisations
International student groups and the Multicultural Center run culture nights, food fairs and monthly meet-ups. The active club list changes each year — ask the international student office during orientation week.
Around the city
Craighead Forest Park on the southern edge of town is where students go most weekends: a large lake, walking and running trails, picnic areas, fishing spots and campsites. Autumn there is beautiful and spring is mild and green. It costs nothing, and you can reach it by bus or with a friend who drives.
Downtown Jonesboro has cafés, small restaurants and seasonal community events run by the city — farmers markets, outdoor music, holiday fairs. The calendar is published by the city each year, so follow the City of Jonesboro page rather than trusting an old listing online.
The city also has a mall, cinemas, restaurant districts and the familiar chains. With a cost-of-living index of 86.9 against a US average of 100, a day out in Jonesboro costs meaningfully less than in a big city.
Source: City of Jonesboro · Numbeo — Cost of living in Jonesboro · Updated 08/2026
Going further on breaks
Jonesboro sits well: one hour to a major city, four hours to two well-known destinations.
| Destination | Drive time | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis, Tennessee | ≈ 1 hour | Blues and soul music, southern food, larger Asian groceries and restaurants than Jonesboro, MEM international airport |
| Little Rock, Arkansas | ≈ 2 hours | The state capital, museums, riverfront parks, LIT airport |
| Nashville, Tennessee | ≈ 4 hours | Music City — good for a long weekend |
| St. Louis, Missouri | ≈ 4 hours | Gateway Arch, museums, major league baseball |
Drive times are approximate under normal conditions. If you do not have a car, carpool with classmates and split fuel — the most common and the most enjoyable option.
Source: US Census — Jonesboro city, Arkansas · Updated 08/2026
How an academic year unfolds
Autumn (Aug–Nov)
Arrival, the club fair, football season, autumn colours at Craighead Forest Park. The busiest semester for events — join early, while everyone is still looking for new friends.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Winter break runs from mid-December to mid-January. Go home, visit friends in another state, or stay on campus. Basketball season begins and snow occasionally falls — for many Vietnamese students, the first time they have seen it.
Spring (Mar–May)
Spring break is the longest travel window inside the academic year. Good weather, plenty of outdoor events, but also storm season — watch the weather alerts.
Summer (May–Aug)
A long break and a quiet campus. Many students fly home, some stay for summer classes or full-time campus work. Also when flights to Vietnam are most expensive — book early.
Weekends before you have a car
No car does not mean staying in your room. The GOJO city bus is free with an A-State ID (pilot through 15 August 2028) and runs five routes with nine campus stops — enough for the supermarket, the mall or the park. The international office shuttle runs Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 4–7 pm and Saturday 10 am–3 pm, with periodic trips to the Memphis markets.
On campus, almost everything is free or very cheap with a student ID: gym, intramural leagues, film nights, culture nights, career workshops. The most effective move is to pick two clubs in your first month and attend consistently — within a few weeks you will have a group, and weekend plans start finding you.
Weekends before you have a car
- Join at least two clubs in your first month
- Get the shuttle schedule and save the international office number
- Save the five GOJO route maps to your phone
- Invite people on your floor to the park or a home game
- Check the event boards at the Reng Student Union weekly
- Carpool and split fuel for trips out of town
Frequently asked questions
Is Jonesboro boring?
It is much quieter than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City: little nightlife, weekends built around campus, sport and the outdoors. Many international students count that as an advantage for focus. When you want more intensity, Memphis is an hour away.
Can students attend games?
A-State competes in the Sun Belt Conference and home games are a city-wide event. Student ticket policy is set by the athletics department each season, so ask them directly to confirm before planning around it.
How do I reach Craighead Forest Park without a car?
The GOJO city bus, free with an A-State ID, is the usual option, or carpool with a friend. The park has no entry fee and offers a lake, trails and picnic areas — an afternoon there costs almost nothing.
Which break is best for going home to Vietnam?
Summer (roughly May to August) is longest and easiest. Winter break, mid-December to mid-January, is long enough but flights cost more. Tet usually falls mid-spring-semester, which makes travel difficult.
Are there free activities for international students?
Many. The gym, intramural leagues, culture nights, career workshops and most club events are free or very cheap with a student ID. The Multicultural Center and the international student organisations are the first places to visit.
Is Memphis doable as a day trip?
Yes. About an hour each way, so students go for the day regularly — Asian food, shopping, live music. Without a car, carpool with friends or join the periodic Memphis market shuttle the university runs.
Want to know what an A-State year is really like?
We connect you with Vietnamese students on campus and answer every question before you fly.