What would I do if I had to show someone around the town and I only had one day to show them the best of Little Rock? These are the can't miss attractions in Little Rock! Best of all, they can all be done in 24 hours or you can take it at a slower pace and stretch it out over a weekend, which I would recommend. All of this in one day will wear you out and you'll get to enjoy it more without rushing through. It doesn't matter how long you're staying, just be sure to check these places out.
You have to see the "Little Rock" if you're in Little Rock. It's the city's name sake. Don't worry, it's not out of the way and it won't take you forever to get there. You can see it in Riverfront Park. Check out the map to find the exact location of the marker. Going to visit in the morning of your day here will put you where you need to be for the afternoon.
Although the market is jumping at night, it's the perfect place to go for a morning breakfast. May through October the Farmer' Market is open at 7 am with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. There are also a few specialty shops and restaurants open for breakfast. Get your breakfast to-go and take a short hike to banks of the Arkansas River. Nothing is nicer than sitting outside and having breakfast the Arkansas way.
Ours is the Governor's Mansion of a president. The Georgian colonial mansion is located at 1800 Center Street in the downtown area. It's beautiful to look out but tours are not regularly given. You can make an appointment for a tour. Take a drive by and get some photos.
Since you're downtown and near the River, I recommend checking out the capitol buildings next. Arkansas has two capitol buildings, an Old Statehouse (now a museum) and the newer Capitol Building that looks very similiar to the Capitol in Washington DC. You can take tours of both of these or just admire the architecture. If you only have a day, I'd quickly check out the inside of the Old State House and just peer at the Capitol from the outside. The doors open at 9.
The Governor's Mansion is in an area of town called the "Quapaw Quarter" which is a nine-square mile area encompassing some of the oldest and most historic parts of Little Rock. I suggest taking a drive through the area from the Governor's Mansion to MacArthur Park and the surrounding neighborhoods to look at the homes. Some of these homes date to before the Civil War (from 1880 to 1920). The Villa Marre, built in 1881 and featured in the television series "Designing Women, is in this area.
6. The Museums
The Quapaw Quarter is the home to a few great museums. My favorites would be the Arkansas Arts Center and Decorative Arts Museum (very close to each other) but I really suggest you check out one that suits your tastes. If you're more into history, check out the Arkansas Museum of Science and History housed in the former U.S. Arsenal Building in the Quapaw Quarter. If you're into the military, the Arsenal also houses the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.One of the greenest buildings in the nation is located in downtown Little Rock. Heifer International Headquarters incorporates many environmentally friendly ideas and you can take a tour in just 30 minutes. Tours are offered Monday through Friday: 11am and 3pm.
You have plenty of time to get out of the downtown area and go have lunch at the Little Rock Zoo. The cafe is the perfect place. I don't care how old you are, you'll enjoy a nice walk through the Zoo visiting the lions and tigers and bears, oh my! The Little Rock Zoo isn't very big but, with lunch and rushing, it'll still take over an hour to get through.
If you've never seen an IMAX movie, you've got to see one! The theater has a six story high screen with a six-channel, 16,500 watt sound system. On the weekends they have showings at 3, 4 and 5. On the weekdays, the last show is generally 2:00 so if you really want to see the IMAX, you'll have to skip something else or move it up the list.
It's been a long day. I bet you're hungry. How about dinner and a show? Nothing wraps up a day in Little Rock better than Murry's buffet and dinner theater. Dinner starts at 6:00. The show starts at 7:45. The shows are normally light-hearted comedies. Murry's is located at the corner of Asher and University in the K-Mart Shopping Center, with easy access from I-430, I-630 and I-30.
The Old Mill is actually in North Little Rock, but it'll be worth the trip to the other side of the Arkansas River.It's located at Fairway Ave. & Lakeshore Drive and it's not actually all that old. It's a replica of an old-water-powered grist mill and was featured in "Gone With the Wind." It's a beautiful place to spend an hour (or hours). It feels like you're stepping back in time. The hours are from sunrise to sunset and admission is free.
