2024 Attractions for Central Arkansas
Argenta Arts District
This arts district in downtown North Little Rock is located along the banks of the Arkansas River and is home to Simmons Bank Arena, Dickey-Stephens Ballpark and several art galleries and restaurants as well as a community theater and eclectic shopping. The Argenta Farmers Market takes place every Saturday beginning in late March. All products sold are certified as coming from Arkansas family farmers.
CONTACT: www.ArgentaArtsDistrict.org
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock offers an inspiring array of visual, performing arts, and educational experiences.. Work on the museum, which included both a redesign and expansion, began in 2016 and was completed in 2023, completely transforming the museum building and grounds.
The state-of-the-art building, which is located at 501 East Ninth Street, includes gallery space to house installations from the museum’s 14,000-work collection as well as temporary exhibits. Also at the museum are the Windgate Art School, an on-site theater and lecture hall, outdoor gathering spaces, a restaurant with outdoor dining and more. Along with this, over 11 acres of new landscaped grounds surround the museum at historic MacArthur Park including new walking trails. These new pathways invite visitors to explore the museum’s connection to this historic landmark, which is Little Rock’s oldest municipal park.
CONTACT: www.arkmfa.org
Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum
The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum is the only spot in the world where you can see two floating Naval vessels that bookend World War II. The museum is located along the Arkansas River in North Shore Riverwalk Park in North Little Rock. The vessels include the USS Hoga, a U.S. Navy yard tug that is an excellent example of a typical World War II era naval craft. It is one of only two known surviving yard craft that was present at the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, which led to the country’s entry into World War II. The tugboat has been designated a National Historic Landmark. The other vessel is the submarine USS Razorback. This sub was part of a record launch in 1944 with three other submarines that remains the largest single-day launch in U.S. Naval history. Along with these vessels, there is also a museum to explore on site.
CONTACT: 120 Riverfront Park Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72114, [email protected]; www.AIMMuseum.org.
Arkansas Repertory Theatre
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, or The Rep, is the state’s largest non-profit professional theater company.
CONTACT: 601 Main Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, www.TheRep.org.
Arkansas River Trail
Creating an expansive 88-mile loop, the Arkansas River Trail winds its way across the entire Little Rock metropolitan area connecting 38 parks, 12 museums and the towns of Little Rock, North Little Rock, Maumelle and Conway. The trail is popular to hikers, cyclists, skaters and joggers and crosses over four major bridges including the 1,600-foot long Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, the 1,162-foot long Two Rivers Park Bridge, the 100-year-old “lift-span” Junction Bridge and the 4,200-foot long Big Dam Bridge, the longest pedestrian/bicycle bridge built specifically for pedestrians and bicyclists and the second longest in the U.S.
CONTACT: www.RiverTrail.org, www.PulaskiCounty.net/junction-bridge,
Arkansas State Capitol
Constructed between 1899 and 1915, this neo-classical building has provided a century of service since the legislature first met in the unfinished structure in 1911. The exterior of the Capitol features Arkansas limestone, plus six bronze doors crafted by Tiffany’s of New York and ornate chandeliers by the Mitchell-Vance company.
CONTACT: 500 Woodlane Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/state-capitol
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra
The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO) performs a variety of concerts per season including their popular Masterworks series as well as statewide touring, chamber music and educational performances. The ASO collaborates with Ballet Arkansas and the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and others. Distinguished guest artists that have performed with the orchestra include Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, Mignon Dunn, Marilyn Horn, Andre Watts, Maureen McGovern, Bernadette Peters, Maya Angelou, and Doc Severinsen.
CONTACT: 2417 North Tyler Street, Little Rock, AR 72207, www.ArkansasSymphony.org.
Bayou Meto Urban Canoe Trail
Two-mile shaded waterway provides canoers and kayakers a view not seen from any other location, including large cypress trees, beaver dams and a profusion of wildlife. Ramps are located at Dupree Park and Reed’s Bridge Battlefield Heritage Park.
Burns Park
One of the nation's larger municipal parks, North Little Rock's Burns Park covers around 1,700 acres and is one of the most diverse parks in the state as well as being Arkansas’ largest urban municipal park. It has features that include family picnic areas, pavilions, playgrounds, an amusement park with children rides, miniature golf, batting cages, boat launching ramp, disc golf, bocce courts, hiking and mountain biking and walking trails, an urban equestrian trail, a BMX bike track, an RV park and camping area, and a softball, baseball and soccer complex.
CONTACT: Exit 150 off Interstate 40, North Little Rock, AR 72118, www.NLRPR.org.
Cadron Settlement Park
This National Historic Site on the Arkansas River offers the Blockhouse restoration, a boat launching ramp, hiking trails, picnic areas, a pavilion, handicapped trails and parking areas, markers, interpretive signs and more. The location, a part of the Arkansas Heritage Trails Registry, was a stop on both the Trail of Tears and the Butterfield Overland Mail Route Trail. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places because of its French trading post roots.
CONTACT: 6200 Hwy. 319 West, Conway, AR 72034, www.ConwayParks.com/?tabid=738388.
Central Arkansas Nature Center
The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center is located in Little Rock’s downtown River Market district and features exhibits and programs highlighting the variety of outdoor recreational opportunities that the state’s fish and wildlife resources provide. Located on the Arkansas River, watchable wildlife programs are available within this urban setting. An exhibit hall, aquariums, a gift shop, theater and special educational programs are also offered by the center.
CONTACT: 602 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, https://www.agfc.com/en/explore-outdoors/nature-centers/wsjcanc/
Clinton Presidential Center and Park
The Clinton Presidential Center is situated on the banks of the Arkansas River in the River Market District of downtown Little Rock and is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation. The library contains the largest collection of presidential papers and artifacts in U.S. history and includes an authentic replica of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. The Clinton School of Public Service, located in the renovated 1899 Choctaw Train Station, is the first graduate school in the nation to offer a Master of Public Service degree and hosts complete hands-on public service missions ranging from local work to international projects. Special events, exhibits and nationally-known speakers are held throughout the year. Forty Two, which gets its name from Clinton’s place in the line of U. S, presidents, is a full-service restaurant that offers an eclectic menu.
CONTACT: 1200 E. President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, www.ClintonPresidentialCenter.org.
Dave and Buster’s
What began around 40 years ago as two Little Rock establishments—a restaurant and a nearby grown-up play space—has now returned to its hometown after merging to build one of the country’s most popular arcade restaurants. Dave and Buster’s first opened in Dallas in 1982 (with Dave’s name coming first as the result of a winning coin toss) and now has locations across the nation—including one outside the continental U.S., in Hawaii.
CONTACT: 10900 Bass Pro Parkway, Little Rock, www.DaveAndBusters.com/little-rock.
Diamond Bear Brewing Company
Little Rock’s first production brewery, Diamond Bear Brewing Company produces beer using the methods of European brewers, using only two-row malted barley, hops and yeast, plus Arkansas water. Since its founding in 2000, Diamond Bear Brewery has won numerous national and international awards for its beer including Gold Medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup. Public tours are available and include samples.
CONTACT: 600 North Broadway, North Little Rock, AR 72114, [email protected], www.DiamondBear.com.
Dickey-Stephens Park
Dickey-Stephens Park is the third home of the Minor League Baseball Team the Arkansas Travelers, the Class AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim since 2001. The stadium tradition from the historic Ray Winder field, the wooden “bleacher bum” section, is now behind the first base line and consists of aluminum bleachers. It’s located next to a draft beer garden. The park is named for the Stephens family who donated the land and Arkansas natives and brothers Bill Dickey and George “Skeeter” Dickey, the former a Baseball Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees and the latter a catcher for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox.
CONTACT: 400 West Broadway Street, North Little Rock, AR 72114, www.Travs.com.
Esse Purse Museum
Esse Purse Museum, located in Little Rock’s newly revitalized South Main Street district, is home to the permanent exhibit “A Century of Women and Handbags (1900-1999).” This collection showcases the purse’s evolving function, design and variety of contents which illustrate the story of the American woman in the 20th century. The museum’s temporary exhibits showcase the history of fashion design and the arts. It is the only purse museum in the nation.
CONTACT: 1510 South Main Street, Little Rock, AR 72202, www.EssePurseMuseum.com.
Gann Museum
Originally the medical office of Dr. Dewell Gann., Sr., The Gann Museum of Saline County is the only known structure in the world built of Bauxite. Among the exhibits is one of Niloak pottery, which was originally developed in Benton and shipped worldwide.
CONTACT: 218 South Market Street, Benton, AR 72015, www.gannmuseum.com/
Heifer Ranch Center for Regenerative Agriculture
Heifer Ranch Center for Regenerative Agriculture, located in Perryville, is a 1,200-acre production and farmer-training facility nestled in the Ouachita Mountains.
CONTACT: Heifer Ranch, 55 Heifer Road, Perryville, AR 72126; Heifer International, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202, www.Heifer.org.
Historic Arkansas Museum
The Historic Arkansas Museum, located in Little Rock’s downtown, is a historic site museum depicting Arkansas' early history. The site includes five pre-Civil War houses that have been restored to antebellum appearances including the oldest building still standing in Little Rock, the Hinderliter Grog Shop. Visitors encounter actors portraying original residents. The center’s museum features several permanent exhibits including “Arkansas Made: History of the Bowie Knife,” a collection of more than 100 historical and modern knives, including the Bowie No. 1. Also on display is the exhibit “We Walk in Two Worlds,” depicting the story of Arkansas’ first people, the Caddo, Osage and Quapaw Indian tribes. There is also living a history theater and educational areas. The compound has been honored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the most significant museum villages in the nation and has been called a "little Williamsburg" by travel writers.
CONTACT: 200 East Third Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, www.HistoricArkansas.org.
Historic Downtown Keo
Known from 1900 to 1961 as the commercial center of the cotton-growing community, Keo is a small downtown district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The quaint downtown area includes antique shops, a veteran’s park and Charlotte’s Eats & Sweets, famous for its award winning pies.
CONTACT: www.KeoAR.com.
Jacksonville Museum of Military History
Commemorating the area’s role in the nation’s military history, the Jacksonville Museum of Military History contains exhibits on the Civil War Battle of Reed’s Bridge, the World War II-era Arkansas Ordnance Plant and the 3-D Desert Storm outpost. An interactive Titan II Missile Launch Control exhibit, a collection of over 350 original WWII posters and the Mighty-Mite, the smallest jeep ever produced, are also on display.
CONTACT: 100 Veterans Circle, Jacksonville, AR 72076, www.JaxMilitaryMuseum.org.
Lake Maumelle
Little Rock's main water supply (no swimming allowed), Maumelle is also a popular boating and fishing lake. Sailing is a top sport here with regattas held on a regular basis. Several marinas call the lake home as does the Grande Maumelle Sailing Club. The lake, dammed in 1957, covers an area of 14 square miles and has a 70-mile shoreline. Bass is the main fishing lure here with white, black and hybrid striped being popular catches. Kentucky bass, crappie, bream and catfish are other species found in the lake.
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
A major U.S. civil rights landmark, this site is still a working school and is the only operating high school in the nation to be designated a National Historic Site. Arkansas’ first African-American students -- “the Little Rock Nine” -- were admitted here in 1957 following a confrontation between Governor Orval Faubus, who used the state's National Guard to block desegregation, and President Eisenhower, who sent federal troops to enforce it. Guided tours of the school (by reservation only) during the school year. A visitor center features permanent exhibits covering these 1957 events and its role in the nationwide civil rights movement. The former visitor center, a restored Mobil Service Station, is now used for special programs.
CONTACT: 2120 Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive, Little Rock, AR 72202, www.NPS.gov/chsc.
Little Rock Nine Memorial: “Testament”
Nine life-sized bronze statues pay homage to the nine Little Rock students -- Melba Pattillo, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Gloria Ray, Carlotta Walls, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Minnijean Brown and Thelma Mothershed -- who overcame major obstacles to integrate Little Rock Central High School (now a national historic site) in 1957. Located on the State Capitol grounds.
CONTACT: 500 Woodlane Street, Little Rock, AR 72201
Little Rock Zoo
The Little Rock Zoo, the only zoo in the state accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), has an important role in inspiring people to value and conserve our natural world. The Zoo itself, has become one of the state's greatest educational and conservation resources.
CONTACT: 1 Zoo Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205, www.LittleRockZoo.com.
Lorance Creek Natural Area
Developed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, this area is primarily a deep swamp spreading along both sides of Lorance Creek. A handicapped accessible trail and boardwalk provide visitors an opportunity to explore and learn more about this special place. The paved trail winds through a mixed pine and hardwood forest into a bald cypress and water tupelo swamp. Interpretive panels line the trail and boardwalk illustrating the value and functions of wetlands, natural divisions of Arkansas and plant and animal life of forested wetlands. Located on Bingham Road off Interstate 530 (Exit 9) in southern Pulaski County.
CONTACT: www.NaturalHeritage.com/natural-areas/lorance-creek-natural-area.
Lower White River Museum State Park
Exhibits here define this river as one of the transportation routes for Arkansas’ early settlers and display its influence on settlements during the steamboat era. Life-sized figures of Captain James C. McManus, Memphis school teacher Miss Sallie Davis, surveyor John Garrison and Henry, a slave, introduce themselves to visitors via audio using dialog taken from oral history records and slave narratives. Other exhibits in the museum display the importance of agriculture, the influence of the Civil War, details on pearling and button-making and educational resources on the early timber industry, education, fishing, hunting, medicine and riverboats. Des Arc, which is located around 60 miles east of Little Rock, is one of the oldest river ports in Arkansas.
CONTACT: 2009 West Main Street, Des Arc, AR 72040, www.ArkansasStateParks.com/LowerWhiteRiverMuseum.
MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
The museum is located in the historic Tower Building of Little Rock's Old Arsenal, a National Historic Landmark and the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur. The building now preserves Arkansas' military heritage from territorial days to present. Exhibits include artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other military items from the contributions of the men and women who served in the armed forces.
CONTACT: 503 East 9th Street, Little Rock, AR 72202, www.ArkMilitaryHeritage.com.
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
The Mosaic Templars of America was founded in Little Rock in 1882 by John E. Bush and Chester W. Keatts as a black fraternal organization to provide services such as burial and life insurance to the African-American community. The former headquarters is now a reconstructed museum that collects, preserves, interprets and celebrates Arkansas' African-American culture and community from 1870 to the present. It also informs and educates the public using interactive exhibits about African-American achievements, especially in business, politics and the arts.
CONTACT: 501 West 9th Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, www.MosaicTemplarsCenter.com.
Museum of Automobiles
A collection of regularly rotated vintage vehicles dating from 1904 to 1967 are on display at the museum on Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton. The museum has a gift shop and offers surplus cars for sale. Very popular are two annual car shows and swap meets (June and September).
CONTACT: 8 Jones Ln, Morrilton, www.MuseumOfAutos.com.
Museum of Discovery
Full of interactive exhibits and programs, the Museum of Discovery provides visitors with educational opportunities in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. Visitors can learn to build things in the “Tinkering Studio,” discover how energy is used in the “Discovery Hall” or walk over a satellite photo map of the state of Arkansas at the “Earth Journeys” exhibit. Children six and under are welcome in the “Room to Grow” exhibit where they can use their imagination in a creative, hands-on environment tailored to their unique educational needs. Located in Little Rock’s River Market District.
CONTACT: 500 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, www.MuseumOfDiscovery.org.
The Old Mill at T.R. Pugh Memorial Park
An authentic reproduction of an old water-powered grist mill, this striking structure was built in 1933 and appears in the opening scene of the classic film Gone with the Wind and is believed to be the only building remaining from the film. The park is decorated with sculptures of toadstools, tree stumps, and a tree branch-entwined bridge that connects the mill to the rest of the park. Senor Dionico Rodriguez, a sculptor and artist of Mexico City, was responsible for all the details of each piece of concrete work made to represent wood, iron or stone, as well as the designing of the foot bridges and rustic seats. In 1991, Rodriguez's work at the Old Mill was renovated by his grandson, Carlos Cortes. The Old Mill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and tour guides are available by appointment for groups.
CONTACT: 3800 Lakeshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72116, www.NorthLittleRock.org.
Old State House Museum
Set in the oldest surviving state capitol west of the Mississippi River, the Old State House Museum has been designated a National Historic Landmark, though it is probably best known throughout the country as the scene of President Clinton's 1992 and 1996 election night celebrations. This magnificent Greek Revival structure houses a multimedia museum of Arkansas history with a special emphasis on women's history, political history and historical programming for school children. This Little Rock museum also has nationally recognized collections of Civil War battle flags, the inaugural gowns of governors' wives, Arkansas art pottery and African-American quilts.
CONTACT: 300 West Markham, Little Rock, AR 72201, [email protected], www.OldStateHouse.com.
Outlets of Little Rock
Outlets of Little Rock, the state's first outlet center, is a shopping destination featuring some of the nation's most popular brand names. Outlets of Little Rock is located at the I-30 and I-430 interchange adjacent to Bass Pro Shops, Dave & Buster’s, and more.
CONTACT: 11201 Bass Pro Pkwy., Little Rock, www.OutletsOfLittleRock.com.
Petit Jean State Park
The natural beauty and ancient geology of the legendary Petit Jean Mountain inspired the creation of Arkansas’ first state park and with it our state park system. This flagship of the state parks system encompasses acres of rare natural beauty -- an abundance of unmarred woods, ravines, streams, springs, spectacular views and interesting ecological formations preserved almost as French explorers found them 300 years ago. In addition to cabins and the park's Mather Lodge, the park has a restaurant, swimming pools, campsites, boating, fishing, several hiking trails and the spectacular 95-foot Cedar Falls.
CONTACT: 1285 Petit Jean Mountain Rd, Morrilton, https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/petit-jean-state-park
Pinnacle Mountain State Park
A day-use park dedicated to recreation, environmental education and conservation, Pinnacle Mountain State Park hosts activities including interpretive programs, festivals, exhibits, canoe and kayak rentals and floats, rock climbing and star parties. Facilities at the park include picnic sites, pavilions, launching ramps, hiking trails, mountain bike trails, horseback riding concession, the Arkansas Arboretum and a visitor center that overlooks the Arkansas River.
CONTACT: 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road, Little Rock, AR 72223, www.ArkansasStateParks.com/PinnacleMountain.
Plantation Agriculture Museum
This museum preserves Arkansas’ farming history and interprets the history of cotton agriculture in Arkansas from statehood in 1836 through World War II. The museum building was originally the general store and Scott Post Office and now features several installations and exhibits. The restored 1920s Dortch Gin Exhibit Building and Seed Warehouse No. 5 depicts how cotton was grown, picked and processed. The one-of-a-kind structure includes equipment from the original owner’s early 1900s cotton gin and is built so visitors can view the full sized gin from every angle.
CONTACT: U.S. 165, Scott, AR 72142, www.ArkansasStateParks.com/PlantationAgricultureMuseum.
Quapaw Quarter and Little Rock Visitor Information Center at Historic Curran Hall
Quapaw Quarter is a nine square mile area that encompasses Little Rock's oldest and most historic district. The neighborhood includes Little Rock Central High School Historic Site, Arkansas Governor's Mansion, Arkansas State Capitol and MacArthur Park. The Little Rock Visitor Information Center at Historic Curran Hall serves as the headquarters for the Quapaw Quarter Association and the Mayor’s Reception Hall. Currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Curran Hall was built in 1842. Over the years, it has been home to a number of families who were instrumental in the development of Little Rock. Curran Hall was constructed in the Greek Revival style adapted to a Southern frontier setting.
CONTACT: 615 East Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR, 72216, www.Quapaw.com.
Reed’s Bridge Battlefield Heritage Park
This heritage park is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the most intact of the three battlefields associated with the Little Rock Campaign during the Civil War. Also an official Trail of Tears site, the park includes an 1860-era replica homestead and a walking trail with narrative markers highlighting the 1863 Civil War battlefield site. Special events are held throughout the year.
CONTACT: Arkansas Highway 161 at Bayou Meto Creek, Jacksonville, AR 72076, https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/reeds-bridge-battlefield
River Market District
This area of downtown Little Rock is filled with restaurants, shops, art galleries, museums, bars, hotels, a seasonal farmers market, Riverfront Park and La Petite Roche Plaza. Riverfront Park stretches 11 blocks along the Arkansas River and serves as a venue for events, concerts and outdoor recreation. La Petite Roche Plaza is located within the park and tells the history of Arkansas’ capital city, named by early French settlers for the “little rock” that they saw here when arriving. At the Ottenheimer Market Hall you can find merchants who offer a growing list of market specialties year-round. The METRO streetcar provides transportation within the River Market District and between downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock. The area is also home to the River Market Entertainment District.
CONTACT: 400 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, www.RiverMarket.info.
Robinson Center
The permanent home for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra as well as site for major touring productions. You can walk directly from your accommodations at the DoubleTree by Hilton Little Rock into Robinson Center, making it easy to catch the next performance.
CONTACT: 426 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72203, https://www.robinsoncenter.com
Rock Town Distillery
The state's first legal distillery of any kind since Prohibition, Rock Town Distillery uses Arkansas grown grains to distill their award-winning bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin and moonshine. Tasting tours are offered at the distillery.
CONTACT: 1201 Main Street, Little Rock, AR 72202, www.RockTownDistillery.com.
Scott Settlement
The Scott Settlement depicts early farming life from statehood through mechanization and features original area plantation structures like an 1840s dog trot log cabin and more.
CONTACT: Scott, AR 72142, www.ScottConnections.org.
SoMa Southside Main Street District
This historic neighborhood just across I-630 from the River Market is home to funky shops such as the Green Corner Store, Moxy Modern Mercantile; trendy eateries like South on Main, Raduno, the Root Cafe and Loblolly Creamery; and North America's only museum dedicated to the art of the handbag, the ESSE Purse Museum.
CONTACT: Main Street from 12th Street south, Little Rock, www.SouthsideMain.org/aboutsoma.html.
Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park
Formerly Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park, Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park is one of the largest and most impressive archeological sites in the Lower Mississippi River Valley, this unique mound complex was the cultural center of the Plum Bayou people. Three mounds remain where 18 once stood surrounded by an earthen embankment eight to ten feet in height, a portion of which is still visible today. These sites are the remains of a large ceremonial complex and are rich with historical artifacts. A visitor center, pavilion, museum, guided tours and special events are also available at the park.
CONTACT: 490 Toltec Mounds Road, Scott, AR 72142, www.ArkansasStateParks.com/parks/plum-bayou-mounds-archeological-state-park.
Wattensaw Bayou Water Trail
An Arkansas Water Trail, the Wattensaw Bayou Water Trail consists of two sections totaling a length of 7.8 miles. The trail is a flat-water float and fishing, hunting and wildlife-viewing opportunities abound.
CONTACT: Located in Hazen, https://www.agfc.com/en/explore-outdoors/wildlife-viewing/water-trails/wattensaw-bayou-water-trail/
Wildwood Park
Situated on 105 picturesque acres in west Little Rock, Wildwood Park for the Arts is home to several botanical gardens and the Cabe Festival Theatre. Open free to the public daily, admission fees apply during festival weekends. Call to schedule a garden tour.
CONTACT: 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock, AR 72223, www.WildwoodPark.org.
Woolly Hollow State Park
This is a classic state park experience with fishing, boating and swimming on 40-acre Lake Bennett in Greenbrier about 18 miles north of Conway. The lake was built in the 1930s by the Soil Conservation Service as its first watershed project. Today it offers a launch ramp with canoes, kayaks, pedal boats and fishing boats for rent at the park. Bring your own pole, bait, and tackle. A snack bar is open near the lifeguarded swimming beach in the summer. Park facilities also include 30 AAA campsites,10 tent sites and a bathhouse for hot showers. History buffs will enjoy the Woolly Cabin, an original 1882 one-room family homestead. The state park is home to the 9.2-mile Enders Fault Mountain Bike Trail. Hikers have four trails to choose from.
CONTACT: 82 Woolly Hollow Rd, Greenbrier, AR, www.ArkansasStateParks.com/WoollyHollow.