Little Rock

Thanks to some unique urban planning and a commitment to revitalization, Little Rock is a very pleasant small city. Downtown is anchored by the formidable Old State House museum and the Arkansas State Capitol, where Bill Clinton spent five terms as governor. Along the hip River Market District, locals shop for fresh fruit, duck in and out of boutiques or sip coffee and cocktails along the Arkansas River. In the Quapaw Quarter, antebellum and Victorian homes surround scenic MacArthur Park. An architectural gem, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center is surrounded by a riverside park and houses the presidential library and a cool, ...

Thanks to some unique urban planning and a commitment to revitalization, Little Rock is a very pleasant small city. Downtown is anchored by the formidable Old State House museum and the Arkansas State Capitol, where Bill Clinton spent five terms as governor. Along the hip River Market District, locals shop for fresh fruit, duck in and out of boutiques or sip coffee and cocktails along the Arkansas River. In the Quapaw Quarter, antebellum and Victorian homes surround scenic MacArthur Park. An architectural gem, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center is surrounded by a riverside park and houses the presidential library and a cool, interactive museum. Little Rock gained national attention in 1957, when nine African-American students entered the all-white Central High School in what would become one of the most significant conflicts in the struggle for Civil Rights. Today, the school is a national historic site and well worth a visit.

About the Expert

Debra Landau has written eight Lonely Planet guidebooks, including books on the USA, Caribbean, and the South.