10 Things to Do in Little Rock That You Shouldn't Miss

Opened in 1977, the Pinnacle Mountain State Park serves as a center for education, recreation and preservation.

Arkansas' first legal distillery since prohibition. Distiller of award winning hand crafted spirits.Tours seven days a week. See our website for times.

This National Park Service site encompasses the campus, but Central High is still an active high school. Visitors should park and begin their visit at the National Park Visitor Center, located diagonally across from the campus, at 2120 W. Daisy Gatson Bates Drive. Visitor entrance into the school is via free Ranger-led tours, which need to be reserved in advance to guarantee participation. Interpreting the Civil Rights Movement with an emphasis on school integration, this National Historic Site focuses on the 1957 desegregation crisis that resulted when Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus ordered National Guard troops to prevent the first African American students, "The Little Rock Nine," from entering formerly all white Little Rock Central High School, leading to federal intervention by order of President Dwight Eisenhower.

Dedicated purse museums in the world are rare jewels of history: Amsterdam, Seoul and Little Rock claim the distinction of being home to the three brick-and-mortar galleries in existence. ESSE Purse Museum at 1510 Main in the SoMa district of Little Rock opened its doors in late June 2013 to share what's inside the fabulous exhibit featuring over 500 artifacts. More than a fashion history, the museum showcases a compelling narrative of the 20th-century American woman - decade by decade - through the bags she carried and the contents within. The delightful displays of purses are complemented by carefully selected items women from each era carried - true history held in a handbag. Small photos in the displays and enormous backlit photos on the north wall show real women with their personal bags. Three cozy dioramas - "Nothing's More Natural Than Skin," "By Land, Sea or Air" and "A Night on the Town" - feature specialty purses, and a large, whimsical art installation addresses the essence of a woman, her handbag and the contents within. ESSE, which grew out of a traveling exhibit selected from owner Anita Davis' extensive collection of bags, is a privately-owned museum housed in a historic building in an up-and-coming, hip neighborhood, close to other world famous attractions like Central High School (the only school that is a national park) and the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park. More than just a trip down memory lane or history lesson, ESSE Purse Museum is a don't-miss experience. Museum hours are 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10, $8 for students (6-18), seniors (60 and up) and military. Children 5 and younger are free. Call for group rates and special tours.

The Arkansas River Bicycle Trail System is roughly 100 miles of bike paths stretching from downtown Little Rock in the River Market all the way out to Pinnacle Mountain. The bike trail begins in the Little Rock River Market and extends on both sides of the Arkansas River, crossing three pedestrian only bike bridges, including the magnificent Clinton Presidential Bike Bridge in the easternmost River Market district, Two Rivers Park bridge on the westernmost portion of the trail, and the World-Famous Big Dam Bridge which is the world's largest ped-only bike bridge spanning over the entire Arkansas River Dam. Bring your bike and enjoy both sides of the Arkansas River as you ride from downtown Little Rock through scenic Burns Park over the Big Dam Bridge and Two Rivers Park bridges extending all the way out to Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas' most popular state park). Bike Rentals are provided in the downtown Little Rock River Market.Whether you walk, skate, or prefer to bicycle the miles of Riverfront beauty, you won't be disappointed. The entire Arkansas River Bike Trail system is paved and no motorized vehicles are allowed (including cars, trucks, and segways).