[1] Writing for Spin, Sarah Grant called the single "elegant and elegiac", with Del Rey's vocals "liberated, clear-eyed, and mournful" as she "sings her origin story with an innocence".

Grant further praised the track as an "astonishing farewell to an industry that trashed [Del Rey] from the beginning".

[2] Reanna Cruz from NPR acclaimed Del Rey's vocals as her "most mature tone yet" and wrote that the lyrics "carefully construct the very landscapes she describes", "[connecting] fully with her desired ethos".

[3] Writing for Consequence, Eddie Fu praised the song's "piano-driven production", calling it a "seductive track".

[4] The music video for "Arcadia" was released on YouTube alongside the song on September 8, 2021.