Little Rock, AR Road Trips

Little Rock lies at the center of the state, more-or-less where the Ozark Mountains, the Ouachita Mountains, and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (the "Delta") come together. Traveling east from Little Rock, you traverse flat land nearly all the way to the Mississippi River; traveling west you quickly enter hilly country. Little Rock is Arkansas's largest city, as well as the state capital and major economic center (although northwestern Arkansas, with Walmart, Tyson Foods, and major trucking firms, is rapidly gaining). Little Rock is home to the state's only medical school, and one of the two branches of the University of Arkansas law school. In 2019, it had a population of about 200,000 with a metro area of over 700,000. Little Rock derives its name from a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River called La Petite Roche (the "little rock"). The "little rock" was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing. The original historic "little rock" was later dynamited and used as a foundation for a railroad bridge, but its location can be visited in downtown's Riverfront Park. Little Rock is located at the first high that upstream travelers on the Arkansas River came to, and so was a logical place to found a settlement. When it became apparent that the original capital of Arkansas Territory, Arkansas Post, was too subject to flooding, the seat of government was moved to Little Rock in 1819.

The eastern edge of Little Rock is sparsely populated but is a vital economic area, as Little Rock National Airport and Little Rock River Port are here. 1 Little Rock Audubon Center, 4500 Springer Blvd. Headquarters of the National Audubon Society's Arkansas chapter and a nature education center complete with a 400 acres (160 hectares) park. Many of Little Rock's most interesting attractions are found in its downtown area. 2 Arkansas State Capitol, 500 Woodlane St, ☏ +1 501-682-3000. M-F 7AM-5PM. Completed in 1915, is of some interest as it was modeled after the U.S. Capitol, and as a result, it has been used in several movies. If the legislature is not in session, you may visit the Senate and House chambers. The Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arkansas Law Enforcement Memorial, and a monument honoring the Little Rock Nine are on the grounds. The Capitol occupies the former site of the state penitentiary. 3 Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, 401 President Clinton Ave, ☏ +1 501 918-3056. The largest facility dedicated to the study of Arkansas history, housed in two historic buildings (built in 1882 and 1914) adjoined by a present-day structure. The Main Library of the Central Arkansas Library System is next door. 4 Central Arkansas Library System Main Library, 100 Rock St, ☏ +1 501 918-3000. The largest public library in Arkansas. The building is the former warehouse of the Fones Brothers Hardware Company (founded in 1865, ceased operation in 1987), completed in 1920.

If you have kids with you, the Little Rock Visitors Bureau website has a kids section with a wide range of activities. Arkansas State Fair. The Arkansas State Fair is held every October at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds, south of downtown. Even when the fair is not in season, the fairgrounds play host to many other special events such as sports competitions and trade shows. Riverfest. Riverfest is Little Rock's premier cultural arts festival, held every Memorial Day weekend (the weekend that includes the last Monday in May) in Downtown's Riverfront Park. It is known for its art exhibitions and live entertainment, but don't miss the conclusion of the event which is a spectacular fireworks display over the Arkansas River. Greek Food Festival. Held every May at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Napa Valley Drive, in west Little Rock. The largest ethnic festival in Arkansas. Despite the name, the fare includes Palestinian, Israeli, Russian, and Lebanese flavor. Little Rock Film Festival. Held every May. Little Rock Marathon. A city-wide race held in March drawing several thousand participants. Movies in the Park. On Wednesday nights in June and July, free movies under the stars at the Riverfest Amphitheatre. Pinnacle Mountain Rendezvous. In October, step back in time at this reenactment of a 19th-century pioneer rendezvous, held in Pinnacle Mountain State Park. For those who want to get off the beaten path, Little Rock offers a wide range of sports and leisure activities.

1 Sonny Williams' Steak Room, 500 President Clinton Ave, ☏ +1 501-324-2999. Boasts an excellent wine list, a piano bar, and some of the best steaks and seafood in Little Rock. 2 Sticky Rock and Roll Chicken Shack, 107 River Market Ave, ☏ +1 501-372-7707. Has a musical lineup worth checking out while you're in town. 3 Vino's, 923 W 7th St, ☏ +1 501 375-8466. Billed as Little Rock's original brewpub and serves handcrafted ales, pizza, calzones, and is the place in Arkansas to find premier alternative entertainment, but it also makes for a fine restaurant. The place for LR's tattoo and piercing crowd, but also friendly to older folks. (updated May 2018) 4 Butcher Shop Steak House, 10825 Hermitage Rd, ☏ +1 501 312-2748. Casual, welcoming atmosphere for families and business meetings. USDA choice and prime steaks, hand cut on premises. Also have fish, pastas, chicken and more. 5 Corky's Ribs and Barbecue, 12005 Westhaven Dr, ☏ +1 501 954-7427. 6 Delicious Temptations, 11220 N Rodney Parham Rd, ☏ +1 501 225-6893. 7 Grumpy's Too Neighborhood Bar and Grill, 1801 Green Mountain Dr. 8 Izzy's Famous Food Place, 5601 Ranch Dr, ☏ +1 501 868-4311. Southern hand-rolled hot tamales, brick-oven pizzas, 14 freshly made salads, hand-prepared burgers. Group menu is available, as well as separate checks for groups. 9 The Pantry, 11401 N Rodney Parham Rd, ☏ +1 501 353-1875. M-F noon-midnight; Sa 4PM-midnight. Fans of Czech, German, Austrian and other central European fare have made this warm west Little Rock restaurant a favorite since 2009.

An Enchanting Evening Winery, 29300 hwy 300 (15 minutes past pinnacle mountain on Hwy 300 west of Little Rock), ☏ +1 501 993-2072, [email protected]. Small winery featuring a deck that looks out over Pinnacle Mountain and Lake Maumelle. (updated Jun 2022) 1 The Flying Saucer, 323 President Clinton Ave, ☏ +1 501-372-8032. In the heart of the River Market area downtown. (updated Oct 2016) 2 The White Water Tavern, 2500 W 7th St, ☏ +1 501-375-8400. Cheap beer, great food and live music on most nights of the week. (updated Oct 2016)

The opening of the Clinton Presidential Library in 2004 nearly caused Little Rock's hotels to burst at the seams, and the number of visitors to the city is growing. It would be nearly impossible to list all the best hotels here. The designations of Budget, Mid-range, and Splurge do not necessarily reflect price range, and also apply to the quality of accommodations and amenities. 1 Comfort Inn and Suites Airport, 4301 E. Roosevelt Rd, ☏ +1 501-255-9784. 2 The Burgundy Hotel, Tapestry Collection By Hilton, 1501 Merrill Dr, ☏ +1 501-224-8051, fax: +1 501 221-7552. Central location, gym, outdoor pool. 3 Comfort Inn & Suites Presidential, 707 I-30, ☏ +1 501 687-7700. 4 Quality Inn & Suites Little Rock West, 300 Markham Center Dr, ☏ +1 501 227-0120. 5 Holiday Inn Express West, 4900 Tally Rd, ☏ +1 501 224-2600. 6 Candlewood Suites, 10520 W Markham Rd, ☏ +1 501-975-3800, toll-free: +1-877-226-3539. 7 Holiday Inn Little Rock-Presidential-Dwntn, 600 Interstate 30, ☏ +1 501 375-2100. The closest hotel to the Clinton Library. (updated Apr 2026) 8 Hampton Inn & Suites Little Rock Downtown, 320 River Market Ave, ☏ +1 501 244-0600. Located 2 blocks from the banks of the Arkansas River in the revitalized downtown River Market district. 9 Hampton Inn & Suites Little Rock, 1301 S. Shackleford Road, ☏ +1 501 537-3000. Located in the financial district. 10 Little Rock Marriott, 3 Statehouse Plaza. The state's only full-service Marriott. (updated Oct 2016) 11 The Capital Hotel, 111 W Markham St, ☏ +1 501 374-7474, toll-free: +1-877-637-0037.

1 Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT IATA). It lies just east of downtown Little Rock, about 10 minutes from the Clinton Presidential Library. It is served by all major U.S. airlines. Southwest Airlines is the airport's largest carrier with service from five destinations. The airport has a single, 12-gate terminal building. (updated Apr 2020) Alliegant: Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Los Angeles, Orlando-Sanford. American: Charlotte, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Washington-Dulles. Delta: Atlanta and Detroit. Frontier: Denver and Orlando International. Southwest Dallas-Love Field, Houston-Hobby, Las Vegas, Phoenix, St. Louis. United: Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Houston George Bush Intercontinental. Amtrak serves Little Rock with the Texas Eagle between Los Angeles and Chicago, however the schedule is not optimal nor reliable. The westbound train from Chicago is scheduled to arrive at 3:10AM, and the eastbound train from L.A. by way of Dallas is scheduled to arrive at 11:34PM. 2 Little Rock Union Station, 1400 W Markham St (west of city center). Impressive station, opened in 1921 that's a reminder of a bygone era. The station has a waiting room, but no other services. (updated Jul 2020) Little Rock is located at the intersection of Interstates 40 and 30, about two hours west of Memphis, five hours east of Oklahoma City, and five hours northeast of Dallas. I-530 and U.S. Route 167 also lead into the city. Interstates 430 and 440 nearly encircle the metropolitan area, and I-630 runs from downtown westward to end at I-430.

Metro Streetcar. The trolley will take you to most of the major downtown attractions, as well as across the Arkansas River to downtown North Little Rock. You can pick up a River Rail schedule from any of the hotels or downtown attractions. It passes by every 15 minutes or so. The trolley is a fun, easy way to get around downtown Little Rock. Free. If you'd like to see more than Downtown, a car is your best bet. While taxis aren't as common a sight in Little Rock as they are in Dallas or Atlanta, they are available. You'll definitely be able to find one at the airport, and probably you'll see one pass through downtown if you're patient. A better plan would be to call in advance. You can call Capitol Cab at ☏ +1 501 570-9999. If you're renting a car: I-630 runs from east/west from downtown to the edge of west Little Rock; for most attractions you won't go too far north or too far south of 630. Be aware while driving that east Little Rock is pretty much flat, whereas west Little rock can get extremely hilly. Parking is generally not difficult in Little Rock. However, if you're parking where the Metro Streetcar (formerly River Rail) runs, you'll want to make sure that you're well clear of the tracks. Check this specifically on Markham, Second, and Third Streets near the River Market and the Clinton Library in downtown Little Rock, and around Main and Maple Streets in North Little Rock. It would probably be wise to walk or ride the trolleys to visit these areas. Rock Region Metro (Central Arkansas Transit Authority).