Location: Little Rock
Top Things to do in Little Rock
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The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Little Rock, Arkansas (AR)
The Clintons may have put Little Rock on the map, but this charming and historic capital city offers plenty of reasons to keep it there. The Central High Museum tells the painful, powerful story of the city's racial struggles. Political buffs and Clinton fans will want to check out the State Capitol. Shoppers can spend hours at the River Market, a collection of tasty eateries and eclectic stores. Kids will be more than wowed by attractions such as the Children's Museum, the Museum of Discovery and the Zoo, famous for its eye-popping ape exhibit. Stay at a charming historic abode, an inviting bed and breakfast or a luxury hotel. Eat at fabulous restaurants and enjoy exciting nightlife. Little Rock has all the ingredients of a perfect weekend getaway.
Restaurants in Little Rock
1. Maumelle Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
Camping area two miles east of Pinnacle.
Reviewed By syedaiyaz - Hoffman Estates, United States
What a wonderful place to spend with your family, either grilling or just hanging around. This is such an amazing place right on the banks of the beautiful Arkansas river. Must go for every family of all sizes for a great outdoor time.
2. Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 477 reviews
Opened in 1977, the Pinnacle Mountain State Park serves as a center for education, recreation and preservation.
Reviewed By 782rickw - Little Rock, United States
Pinnacle Mountain State Park is a delightful natural oasis 30 mins from Little Rock. The main part of the park has a large flat area where people congregate for all kinds of activities from Frisbee to volleyball to soccer. There is a playground for the wee-ones and restrooms for all. At the same area there is access to the Little Maumelle river for canoes/kayaks. One of the main draws to the whole park is hiking Pinnacle Mountain. One access is from this main parking lot. There is another area to access the hiking trail on the other side the mountain. The east side is the harder side. Both are well marked until the near top. Then you get into large rocks and boulders with the east side being steeper. There is also a trail around the entire called the Base Trail. You can hike up one side, down the other and around the base for about a 3 mile hike. I would rate the trails up the mountain moderate to hard. I see families with small children especially on the west trail but I would not recommend that. The views from the top are stupendous. There is much more in this wonderful park! a Fishing lake which is stocked, mountain bike trails, a visitor center and a delightful short hike that is disabled access to an overlook of the Arkansas River. There is an abundance of huge cypress trees with their "elbows" along the river. Yes, Arkansas is hot and we have lots of bugs, snakes, etc so go in the fall, winter, or spring. Get off your couch, put on some bug spray and enjoy this Natural State Wonder!
3. Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,188 reviews
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 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.
Reviewed By YourHighnessK
This was the highlight of our trip with high school aged Girl Scouts. It is a beautiful high school with reflecting pond in front, and the Visitor Center contains a wealth of information about the integral role that the Little Rock Nine played in the Civil Rights movement after Brown v. Board. My scouts are about the same age as the Little Rock Nine were during that time. Seeing the school and the visitor center was an important lesson for the younger generation and a poignant reminder for the older generations. We definitely recommend for all ages and would visit again if in this area.
4. Old State House Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 388 reviews
Built in 1836, this was the state's first capital building.
Reviewed By mariegleerup - Los Angeles, United States
Don't pass this one up -- what a terrific museum! We did not expect to spend more than an hour, but there was plenty to see (museum is free, also!). In May, curator Jo Ellen is opening two new areas: the Rock & Roll history of Little Rock, and The Governors of Arkansas. Both areas are fantastic, so if you're traveling to Little Rock, book yourself a couple hours to visit. We were able to view 28 of the 43 "first lady" inaugural gowns, which are impeccably displayed, with purse, shoes, coat and hat included.
5. Mount Holly Cemetery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 65 reviews
Home to the burial sites of some of the state's most famous citizens.
Reviewed By Foghorn14 - Little Rock, United States
Every year students from a local high school give narratives regarding the people who are buried in the cemetery. It is a great outing. Anytime is good to visit. The tombstones are interesting and many famous Arkansans are buried here.
6. Arkansas State Capitol
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 476 reviews
Visitors can tour this government building that sits on a knoll, overlooking downtown to the east and the Arkansas river to the north, and bears a striking resemblance to the U.S. Capitol building.
Reviewed By 908julias - The Woodlands, United States
We loved it, lots to see, free parking around. Be sure to visit the treasury to look rich (for a few mins anyway.
7. Historic Arkansas Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 181 reviews
Recalling Arkansas' frontier days with restored pre-Civil War houses plus a museum center featuring full-scale galleries, interactive exhibits and more.
Reviewed By TravellingMagi - Wichita, United States
We decided to spend a few hours here while passing through Little Rock recently and were very glad we did. Great exhibits and the personal, guided tour of all of the outbuildings was a very nice touch that made you really feel as if you were walking back in time. I have family that live in Little Rock who said they've never been there, and that's a shame. It's a real nice piece of preserved history right there in your little city and is well worth the time and money to go and see. Parking can be a bit tricky, but if you're not in a hurry it is well worth the stop. Highly recommended place to visit.
8. Arkansas Arts Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 149 reviews
The Arkansas Arts Center is an art museum and active center for the visual and performing arts. Featuring a world-class international collection of art, live theatre productions, art classes, lectures, films, family programs, shopping and dining, the Arkansas Arts Center offers something for everyone. Visit today and find your inspiration!
Reviewed By TallTexWally
The Arkansas Arts Center is located in MacArthur Park, just south of 9th Street, where the Little Rock Arsenal was located during the Civil War. The birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur, which is now the Arkansas Military Museum, is adjacent to the Art Museum. There is plenty of parking outside the building. Admission is free, but there is a box for contributions. When I visited they had a special exhibit for Delta artists in one section of the museum. You just have to register at the front desk to gain admission to the Delta exhibit. Works of art, mainly paintings, but some sculptures, from artists from Arkansas and surrounding states were on display. Many of the artists were born in other states, but have moved to Arkansas. All the works were interesting, and showed a sense of style and sophistication. Other parts of the museum housed the permanent collection. One section was devoted to French Impressionists. There was another gallery devoted to the works of young artists. The museum is larger inside than you would think at first, and it takes time to wander from one room to the next. Arkansas is not a large state, compared to others, but this collection of art, for a small state, is worth a visit. I should also like to mention that the new Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, AR is also a very fine art museum, and should be visited, although it is quite a distance from Little Rock.
9. MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 101 reviews
The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History relates the military heritage of Arkansas and its citizens to a diverse and widespread audience. Located in the historic Arsenal Building in MacArthur Park--one of Central Arkansas's oldest surviving structures and the birthplace of one of this country's foremost military heroes--the museum collects, preserves, and interprets our state's rich military past from its territorial period to the present. Admission to the museum is free.
10. William J. Clinton Presidential Library
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,553 reviews
The William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park, located on the banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock, Arkansas, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world to its grounds each year. Opened in 2004, the Center is home to the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, and the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
Reviewed By GRANDDADGREENGO - Texas, United States
The Clinton Presidential Library is a bold, modern building near downtown Little Rock, overlooking the Arkansas River, which does a good job of telling the story of the Clinton administration of 1993-2001, a period of relative peace and prosperity in the United States. Unlike some presidential libraries that feature a replica of the oval office, visitors here can have their photo made (for a fee) sitting behind a replica of the Resolute desk, which President Clinton (and other presidents, such as JFK), have used.
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