Arkansas State in 2 Days: A Jonesboro, Arkansas College Visit Fly-In Trip
A parent-first plan for visiting Arkansas State University in Jonesboro: how A-State's free campus tours work and where to sign up, free Welcome Center visitor parking, an Embassy Suites about 3 minutes from the Welcome Center plus Mid-range and Budget options, drive times from Memphis, Jonesboro and Little Rock airports, the free A-State Museum and Crowley's Ridge Nature Center for siblings, and Jonesboro weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 31, 2026.
Wilson Hall on the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro, Arkansas (August 2007). Photo: Zereshk · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
School
Arkansas State University (A-State, Jonesboro, AR)
Days
2 days: fly into Memphis and drive to Jonesboro, then an A-State campus tour the next day.
Fly into
Memphis International (MEM), about 1 hour 33 minutes from campus with no traffic. Jonesboro Municipal (JBR) is about 12 minutes from the Embassy Suites, and Little Rock's Clinton National (LIT) about 2 hours 26 minutes from campus.
Best base
Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center, about a 3-minute drive (or 15-minute walk) to the Welcome Center.
Car or no car
Rent a car. Memphis is about 79 miles away, and the other hotels are a few minutes' drive from campus.
Registration
Register for a General Information Session & Walking Tour on A-State's admissions calendar. Tours are free.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents bringing a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, home of the Red Wolves.
A general campus visit includes an information session with an A-State staff member, followed by a walking tour of campus led by a student guide; sessions typically last about an hour and a half.
Why this order
Day 1: fly into Memphis and drive about 1 hour 33 minutes (about 79 miles) to the Embassy Suites by campus, with no traffic.
Day 2: an A-State campus tour from the Welcome Center on Aggie Road, plus time at the free A-State Museum on campus.
With extra time, the free Crowley's Ridge Nature Center on the south edge of Jonesboro is about 19 minutes away by car.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
Pick a date for a General Information Session & Walking Tour on A-State's admissions calendar and register. Tours are free.
Want to meet with an academic department during your tour? Say so on the registration form or email WelcomeCenter@AState.edu. Academic appointments with each college run on set weekdays; the Visit A-State page lists which.
Weekday schedule tight? A-State offers select Saturday campus tours through the year; check the Saturday Campus Tours page for dates.
Bringing a school group of 10 or more students? Use A-State's group tour request. Can't travel yet? Try the virtual tour.
Tour availability varies by season.
Summers are hot: July averages about 91°F highs and 72°F lows at Jonesboro Municipal Airport.
Spring is the wettest season: April and May each average about 5 inches of rain, so pack an umbrella for the walking tour.
Fall is mild for walking campus: October averages about 74°F highs and 51°F lows.
Check the Red Wolves schedule before you book if you'd like to catch a game while you're in town.
2. The suggested 2-day plan
Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Campus times are to the A-State Welcome Center, 2400 Aggie Road.
We list drive times only; check which airlines serve each airport for your dates. Memphis International (MEM) is about 1 hour 33 minutes (about 79 miles) from campus, and Little Rock's Clinton National (LIT) about 2 hours 26 minutes (about 133 miles), with no traffic.
Day 1: fly into Memphis and drive to Jonesboro
Memphis International Airport (MEM) → Embassy Suites Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 33 min, 78.6 mi
Driving
Rental car
Memphis International Airport (MEM) → Courtyard by Marriott Jonesboro
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 35 min, 80.6 mi
Driving
Rental car
Memphis International Airport (MEM) → Comfort Suites Jonesboro University Area
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 30 min, 76.3 mi
Driving
Rental car
Memphis International Airport (MEM) → Hampton Inn Jonesboro
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 29 min, 75.9 mi
Driving
Rental car
Jonesboro Municipal Airport (JBR) → Embassy Suites Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center
Driving (no traffic)
~12 min, 4.5 mi
Driving
Rental car
Clinton National Airport, Little Rock (LIT) → Arkansas State University
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 26 min, 132.7 mi
Driving
Rental car
Arriving by mid-afternoon Tuesday through Saturday? The A-State Museum on campus is free and open until 4:45 p.m.
Day 2: Arkansas State campus tour
Embassy Suites Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center → A-State Welcome Center
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 0.7 mi (or ~15 min walk)
Driving
Drive or walk
Courtyard by Marriott Jonesboro → A-State Welcome Center
Driving (no traffic)
~5 min, 3.3 mi
Driving
Drive
Comfort Suites Jonesboro University Area → A-State Welcome Center
Driving (no traffic)
~6 min, 3.3 mi
Driving
Drive
Hampton Inn Jonesboro → A-State Welcome Center
Driving (no traffic)
~5 min, 2.9 mi
Driving
Drive
A-State Welcome Center → Arkansas State University Museum
Driving (no traffic)
~6 min walk, 0.3 mi
Driving
Walk
A-State Welcome Center → Memphis International Airport (MEM)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 32 min, 78.4 mi
Driving
Drive
Head for the A-State Welcome Center at 2400 Aggie Road. Enter campus at the traffic signal at Red Wolf Boulevard and Aggie Road, continue on Aggie Road past the sorority houses, and turn right into the lot by the Welcome Center.
Free visitor parking is in that lot: look for the "Welcome Center Visitor Parking" signs in front of the spaces.
Spots A-State suggests seeing include the A-State clock tower, the Reng Student Union and Centennial Bank Stadium.
Flying out of Memphis the same day? Allow about 1 hour 32 minutes from campus with no traffic, plus time to return the car.
3. Campus by campus
Wilson Hall on the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro, Arkansas (August 2007). Photo: Zereshk · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Campus tours start at the A-State Welcome Center, 2400 Aggie Road, Jonesboro.
Each visit includes a short information session with an A-State staff member, then a student-led walking tour (weather permitting); sessions typically last about an hour and a half.
Visitor parking
Free visitor parking is in the lot by the Welcome Center, in spaces signed "Welcome Center Visitor Parking."
Visiting the A-State Museum? It's next to the Dean B. Ellis Library; follow the campus signs for Library/Museum.
Getting there
Campus is about 1 hour 33 minutes by car from Memphis International with no traffic, and about 3 to 6 minutes from the hotels here.
What to know
A-State suggests a photo at the clock tower, a stop at the Reng Student Union, and a look at Centennial Bank Stadium.
The A-State Museum on campus covers the natural history and cultural heritage of Northeast Arkansas and the Mississippi River Delta, and admission is free.
4. Where to stay: Jonesboro hotels from the edge of campus to a few minutes away
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickMid-range
Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center
223 Red Wolf Blvd., Jonesboro, AR 72401
Why here
It's about a 3-minute drive or 15-minute walk to the Welcome Center, with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists a free breakfast buffet, a free daily manager's reception, an on-site Houlihan's restaurant, an indoor pool, free self-parking and pet-friendly rooms (fee). The minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's east of campus on Johnson Avenue, about a 5-minute drive to the Welcome Center with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists an on-site restaurant serving breakfast and dinner, a bar, a 24-hour gym and free self-parking; pets aren't allowed (service animals welcome). The minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's about a 6-minute drive to the Welcome Center with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists a free self-serve breakfast, an indoor pool, a 24-hour gym and free self-parking; pets aren't allowed (service animals welcome). The minimum check-in age is 18. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's about a 5-minute drive to the Welcome Center with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists a free breakfast buffet, an outdoor pool, a gym, free self-parking and pet-friendly rooms (fee). The minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Jonesboro has no 4-star hotels on Expedia, so there's no Upscale pick. The Embassy Suites is the only one here within walking distance of the Welcome Center; the Courtyard, Comfort Suites and Hampton Inn are about 5 to 6 minutes away by car.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
At the hotels
The Embassy Suites, Comfort Suites and Hampton Inn include a free breakfast, and the Embassy Suites has a Houlihan's restaurant on site. The Courtyard has an on-site restaurant serving breakfast and dinner.
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
Arkansas State University Museum
320 University Loop, Jonesboro, AR 72401
A free museum on campus, next to the Dean B. Ellis Library, covering the natural history and cultural heritage of Northeast Arkansas and the Mississippi River Delta, with Old Town Arkansas and a Tinkering Studio. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; closed Sundays and university holidays. About a 6-minute walk from the Welcome Center.
An Arkansas Game & Fish nature center on the south edge of Jonesboro, with indoor and outdoor exhibits, films and trails about the ridge that rises above the Mississippi Delta. Admission is free; open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. About 19 minutes from campus by car.
Head for the A-State Welcome Center at 2400 Aggie Road, and park free in the signed "Welcome Center Visitor Parking" spaces by the building.
Flying in and out
Memphis International (MEM) is about 1 hour 32 to 35 minutes from campus and the hotels with no traffic. Little Rock's Clinton National (LIT) is about 2 hours 26 minutes away, and Jonesboro Municipal (JBR) about 12 minutes from the Embassy Suites.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Jonesboro Municipal Airport)
Spring: March averages about 61°F highs and 41°F lows, April about 71°F/50°F and May about 81°F/60°F; May is the wettest month at about 5.2 inches.
Summer: June averages about 90°F/68°F, July about 91°F/72°F and August about 90°F/70°F.
Fall: September averages about 84°F/62°F, October about 74°F/51°F and November about 60°F/40°F.
Winter: December averages about 50°F/33°F, January about 47°F/31°F and February about 52°F/34°F.
Parent checklist
Register for a General Information Session & Walking Tour on A-State's admissions calendar (and note any department meeting you'd like).
Book flights into Memphis (or Jonesboro or Little Rock) and plan a rental car.
Book the Embassy Suites, the Courtyard, the Comfort Suites or the Hampton Inn in Jonesboro.
Plan to park free in the Welcome Center visitor spaces.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
1 Division I
Athletics
Arkansas State University
NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Arkansas State University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Jonesboro-Hotels-Embassy-Suites-By-Hilton-Jonesboro-Arkansas-State.h36863078.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Courtyard by Marriott Jonesboro (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Jonesboro-Hotels-Courtyard-By-Marriott-Jonesboro.h27836108.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Comfort Suites Jonesboro University Area (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Jonesboro-Hotels-Comfort-Suites-Jonesboro-University-Area.h2227698.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Jonesboro (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Jonesboro-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Jonesboro.h119113.Hotel-Information)
