ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & TOURISM

THE WEST GULF COASTAL PLAIN

The portion of the Coastal Plain Natural Division referred to as the West Gulf Coastal Plain (that part of the Gulf Coastal Plain west of the Mississippi River) extends from Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana, across southern Arkansas northward to the Ouachita Mountains, and reaches southern Little Rock (Pulaski County). Major Arkansas cities in this area include Magnolia (Columbia County), Camden (Ouachita County), Monticello (Drew County), El Dorado (Union County), and part of Pine Bluff (Jefferson County).

Geologically, the West Gulf Coastal Plain has been submerged by the Gulf of Mexico and its larger tributaries several times throughout Earth’s history. Consequently, its loose, sandy soil, derived from the ocean bottom, is generally unsuitable for row-crop agriculture but makes a fertile field for the state’s timber industry, earning its designation as “The Timberlands.” Also found beneath the soil of this part of the state are healthy deposits of oil and brine, and the sparkling gems of North America’s only public diamond mine. Sediment left by the larger rivers flowing through the region terraced the shelves along their banks with pockets of precious rich farmland, and blackland prairie appears sparingly in the region.

The gentle landscape of the region allowed its settlement to develop directly around its geological riches in El Dorado, near Arkansas’s southern border with Louisiana, and in Murfreesboro near the diamond mine. A number of the state’s political centers have historically been located in this region, most notably the Confederate Capitol at Washington (now a state park) and the current state Capitol in the Little Rock/North Little Rock metropolitan area. Between the two, the small town of Hope foretells national history at the birthplace of President William Jefferson Clinton. Texarkana, named for the two states that claim it, showcases the culture and heritage of both from its southwestern corner of the state.

The state’s diamonds are scattered on the fields of Crater of Diamonds State Park, but there are gems scattered throughout the West Gulf Coastal Plain. This region is rich with nationally important historic sites, including the nation’s 12th presidential archive and immaculately maintained Civil War battlefields. You will find upscale shopping and dining, and a cosmopolitan selection of entertainment options that range from symphonic strains on the banks of the Arkansas River to operatic arias on the gilded stage of the Perot Theatre. With a gentle terrain that welcomes all fitness levels, recreational facilities are abundant, providing a perfect setting for multigenerational family reunions.

This chapter separates the region into three sections: Little Rock/North Little Rock Metropolitan Area, Eastern Timberlands, and Western Timberlands.

AREA CODES The majority of the region, excluding the Little Rock–North Little Rock area, falls within the 870 area code. The capital city uses the 501 area code.

GUIDANCE The Heart of Arkansas Travel Association (501-370-3209; www.heartofarkansas.com) is a good resource for the Little Rock/North Little Rock metropolitan area. There are two tourist associations representing the communities in the Eastern Timberlands area of the West Gulf Coastal Plain: Land of Legends Travel (870-536-8742; www.arlandoflegends.com) promotes attractions in the Pine Bluff area; Arkansas’ South tourism association (870-814-9676; www.arkansassouth.com) represents the counties in southeastern Arkansas. Arkansas’s Great Southwest (870-777-7500; www.agsw.org) is your source for information about the Western Timberlands. Information on attractions and events in all communities can be found by contacting the local chamber of commerce office. Addresses are listed for chambers that operate a visitor center or keep regular office hours. If no address is listed, start with the website, and if you need additional information, give them a call.

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON’S BOYHOOD HOME IN HOPE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & TOURISM

Bradley County Chamber of Commerce (870-226-5225; www.bradleychamber.com).

Camden Area Chamber of Commerce (870-836-6426).

El Dorado Chamber of Commerce (870-863-6113; www.GoElDorado.com), 111 West Main, El Dorado.

Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce (870-535-0110; www.pinebluffchamber.com).

Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce (870-777-3640; www.hopemelonfest.com).

Arkansas at the Center (1-866-672-7682; www.arkansasatthecenter.com) is a partnership between the Little Rock and North Little Rock communities that markets their attractions jointly.

Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (1-800-844-4781; www.littlerock.com).

North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (501-758-1424; www.northlittlerock.org).

Pine Bluff Convention & Visitors Bureau (870-536-2120; www.pinebluffcvb.org), 1 Convention Center Plaza, Pine Bluff.

Texarkana Chamber of Commerce (903-792-7191; www.texarkana.org).

GETTING THERE By auto: For most of this region, I-40 will provide the most direct east-west access. The exception would be the southern portion of the Coastal Plain, but you will find US 82 is a straight shot across the state’s Louisiana border. AR 7 runs through the center of the state, providing a scenic drive from the Missouri or Louisiana border. If you are looking for a four-lane highway, I-425 enters Arkansas’s southern border with Louisiana near Crossett and will take you most of the way to Little Rock.

By air: Little Rock National Airport (501-372-3439; www.clintonairport.com), 1 Airport Drive, Little Rock. Airlines that service the Little Rock Airport include Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, Frontier Airlines, United, and Via Airlines.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES Three full-service hospitals in the Little Rock/North Little Rock area give you a few options for healthcare. The Baptist Health Group operates a number of clinics in addition to the hospital; if you aren’t facing a medical emergency and clinic services will do, check their website for a location near you.

Baptist Health Medical Center–Little Rock (501-202-2000; www.baptisthealth.com) 9601 I-630, Exit 7, Little Rock.

St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center (501-552-3000; www.chistvincent.com), 2 St. Vincent Circle, Little Rock.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (501-686-8000; www.uams.edu), 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock.

Wandering Around

EXPLORING BY FOOT Arkansas River Trail (www.arkansasrivertrail.org) is an 88-mile loop along the Arkansas River through the central cities of the state including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Maumelle, and Conway. The flat terrain of the river’s edge makes the trail an accessible recreational option for all ages and fitness levels. The entire project connects 38 parks, six museums, and 5,000 acres of federal, state and local parkland. There is also an urban route that is a 15.6 mile loop that starts at the Clinton Presidential bridge in Little Rock and crosses the river to downtown North Little Rock. The trail continues along the shoreline before crossing the river again at the Big Dam Bridge. There are three bike repair stations on the route, two information stations, and plenty of fully accessible restroom facilities. Bicycle rentals are provided by Rock Town River Outfitters with daily rental rates ranging from $54.50 for a comfort hybrid bike to $75.00 for a high performance street bike.

The Big Dam Bridge (501-340-6800; www.bigdambridge.com). The longest pedestrian/bicycle bridge in the world built specifically for pedestrians and bicyclists and the second longest in the United States, the over $9 million project connects 14 miles of trails on the Little Rock and North Little Rock sides of the Arkansas River. The bridge is 14 feet wide, rises nearly seven stories above the river, and connects with 7,000 acres of city, county, state, and federal park land.

Photographer’s Island (903-792-7191; www.texarkana.org), 500 North Stateline Avenue, Texarkana. On the region’s western border with the Lone Star State, Photographer’s Island is a unique opportunity to shoot your selfie while standing in two separate states—Arkansas and Texas—at the same time. Texarkana’s State Line Post Office and Federal Building is the only US post office that sits in two states. It is the second-most photographed courthouse in the country.

EXPLORING BY TROLLEY River Rail Trolley (501-375-6717; rrmetro.org/services/streetcar). Downtown areas of Little Rock and North Little Rock are now linked by replicas of vintage trolleys. The system comprises 3.4 miles of track and three operating streetcars. Attractions serviced include Verizon Arena, the State House Convention Center, the River Market, hotels, restaurants, the Historic Arkansas and Discovery Museums, Robinson Center Music Hall, and Riverfront Park and Amphitheater. An extension connects the route to the Clinton Presidential Center and Heifer International Global Headquarters.

EXPLORING BY WATER Arkansas River (501-324-5551; www.swl.usace.army.mil). Flowing between two of Arkansas’s largest cities is one of the best fisheries in the state; the Arkansas River is loaded with game fish, including largemouth bass and catfish. The US Army Corps of Engineers manages numerous public use areas, including campgrounds, boat ramps, and fishing areas, along the length of the river through the state. Maumelle Park, the only public campground in Little Rock, is a Corps of Engineers facility on the river that features a fishing pier, playground, showers, flush toilets, 129 camping spaces with water and electricity, boat ramp, and day-use picnic area. Access to the park is 3 miles off AR 10 on Pinnacle Valley Road.

Ouachita River. Below Lake Ouachita, the river continues through the Ouachita Mountains, though two dams interrupt its flow near the resort town of Hot Springs to form Lakes Hamilton and Catherine. Below Lake Catherine, the stream travels south past Arkadelphia before leaving the Ouachita Mountain region and entering the West Gulf Coastal Plain, also known in Arkansas as the Timberlands region. Camden, a town known for its Civil War history, lies on the river’s path. Before crossing the state’s southern border, the stream passes near the towns of Smackover and El Dorado, key sites in southern Arkansas’s oil history, and through the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge east of Crossett. Although limited in size and big-fish potential, short stretches of the Ouachita River provide excellent seasonal fishing for rainbow trout. Stocked rainbow trout are available in the tailwaters of dams in the Hot Springs area. Cold-water releases from Blakely Mountain Dam (Lake Ouachita) and Carpenter Dam (Lake Hamilton) provide good cool-season fishing for put-and-take rainbows for short stretches below each dam, from the bank or from a boat. Farther south, anglers seek bass, catfish, crappie, and bream in the Ouachita’s waters. The Felsenthal refuge is one of southern Arkansas’s most renowned fishing venues.

Cities, Towns, and Villages

Little Rock and North Little Rock form a budding metropolis that spans both sides of the Arkansas River in the center of the state. With a combined daily population of over 500,000 people, these two cities offer a multitude of dining opportunities, unique shopping outlets, and a fast-paced entertainment scene offering live theater, music, and an excellent selection of nightclubs. Little Rock is the official state capital, and as you might imagine, a grand collection of museums showcases something for every interest—from art to history to aerospace. Be sure to visit the Little Rock River Market for tastes of exotic cuisines and produce harvested from nearby farms in season. Extensive park systems in both cities provide the chance to play golf or tennis, fish for lunkers in the Arkansas River or on area lakes, hike leafy trails, talk to the animals in the parklike Little Rock Zoo, or picnic in beautiful natural settings.

EASTERN TIMBERLANDS

Camden (870-836-6426; www.growingcamden.com), 314 Adams Street Southwest, Camden. If you are a Civil War buff, you won’t want to miss the rich history displayed in Camden. Start your tour at the restored 1913 train depot, which also serves as a community museum. Artifacts related to two famous Camden products, Camark pottery and Grapette soft drinks, as well as Civil War and railroad relics, are exhibited here.

When federal troops occupied Camden during the Red River Campaign of 1864, the McCollum-Chidester House served as their headquarters. Open for tours, the house still contains 1860s furnishings. Nearby, the site of the Battle of Poison Springs is preserved by Poison Spring State Park, one of three state parks commemorating the campaign. Other Civil War sites in Camden include Fort Sutherland and Oakland Cemetery.

Two major events held in the city are the spring Camden Daffodil Festival and autumn BPW Barn Sale. Other area attractions include White Oak Lake State Park; the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources at Smackover, which recounts the story of South Arkansas’s oil boom; and El Dorado’s restored oil boom downtown.

El Dorado is best known as being the heart of the 1920s oil boom in south Arkansas, earning it the nickname Arkansas’s Original Boomtown. While the city was founded in 1843, it remained isolated until the arrival of railroads allowed a prosperous lumber industry to evolve. El Dorado lived up to the promise of its name when oil was discovered a mile west of the city in 1921. The resulting gush of population and prosperity led to an architectural boom still seen in a self-guided walking tour of the city’s restored downtown, now filled with beautifully renovated 1930s-style buildings. Many of the buildings are on the National Register, including the Rialto Theater, Arkansas’s only working art deco theater, and several great restaurants. In 2004, the downtown area was declared a National Historic District.

The city is home to the South Arkansas Arts Center and South Arkansas Symphony. At the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources, located in the small town of Smackover, visitors can learn more about the south Arkansas oil boom. Notable people from El Dorado include E. Fay Jones, architect and student of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock.

Pine Bluff. Thirteen colorful murals depicting the town’s past brighten the walls of buildings in the downtown area and are the reason folks call Pine Bluff “The City of Murals.” Just 45 minutes south of Little Rock, Pine Bluff is home to the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, which features exhibits chronicling careers of entertainers with Arkansas roots. You can also tour the only museum in the country devoted to musical band instruments at the Band Museum on Main Street. One of four of the state’s nature centers is in Pine Bluff. The Delta Rivers Nature Center’s exhibits and films reveal the history and importance of Arkansas’s Delta streams and wetlands. Saracen Landing, a $4.2 million park facility in town, features a 10,080-square-foot pavilion and concrete fishing pier. It is home to the Pine Bluff Farmers’ Market, plus a number of events every year. Visit the Dexter Harding House (870-536-8472), 110 North Pine Street, Pine Bluff; open Monday through Friday. Built in 1850, the restored home is now the city’s and region’s official tourist information center.

HOPE VISITOR CENTER

WESTERN TIMBERLANDS

Hope is President Bill Clinton’s birthplace and the Watermelon Capital of the World. Start your tour at the Clinton Birthplace and Museum, browse the gift shop, and then drive by his childhood home. The Hope Visitor Center is housed just down the way in the old train depot. The depot offers a large collection of Clinton memorabilia and photographs from his early days in Hope, as well as his subsequent trips home during his later years.

Texarkana was founded in the early 1870s where two railroads met at the Arkansas-Texas border. As it sits on the border between the two states, it is technically two towns with one name. State Line Avenue marks the boundary between the two states and the two cities. The only US post office located in two states can be found at 500 State Line, where Photographer’s Island is a popular spot for taking photos of people standing in two states simultaneously. Another unusual attraction is the Ace of Clubs House, built in the shape of a playing card club. Their slogan is “Life so large it takes two states.”

Texarkana is also home to the Texarkana Regional Arts Center, which hosts touring exhibits and works by regional artists; the Perot Theater, where touring national and international acts perform in an ornate 1924 theater; the interactive Discovery Place Children’s Museum; and the Texarkana Museum of Regional History.

To See

MUSEUMS

LITTLE ROCK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK METROPOLITAN AREA

IMMERSE YOURSELF AT HISTORIC WASHINGTON STATE PARK

Historic Washington State Park (870-983-2684; www.historicwashingtonstatepark.com), US 278, Washington. Open daily 8–5; closed holidays. This park in west Arkansas interprets the town of Washington from 1824–75. This town was a major service center for area planters and merchants, and served as the Confederate capital of Arkansas from 1863–65. Start your tour at the park visitor center, the 1874 Hepmstead County Courthouse, for tour tickets and a map of the park; enjoy a leisurely stroll through beautifully restored buildings populated with park interpreters portraying Arkansas life in the era. Self-guided tours include the Confederate Capitol, Tavern Inn, re-created Blacksmith Shop (where the first Bowie knife is believed to have been made), Weapons Museum, and several residences. The nineteenth-century town includes a print museum, steam-powered cotton gin, and the Williams Tavern Restaurant. The restaurant is frequently named among the best restaurants in the state, with standard Southern fare like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, roast turkey and cornbread dressing, Southern-fried chicken, and catfish.

Washington’s courthouse became the Confederate Capitol when Confederate Governor Harris Flanagin moved his state government after Little Rock was captured by Union forces in September 1863. Also the county seat of Hempstead, Washington thus became the cultural, political, and economic center of the area. The town was an important stopping point on the Southwest Trail, a major commercial route that connected St. Louis, Missouri, to Fulton, Arkansas, on the Red River. Historians believe that Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, and Jim Bowie all stopped here on the way to the Alamo to fight for Texas’s independence. Bowie commissioned a local blacksmith, James Black, to make a knife while he was in town.

Historic Washington State Park includes 54 buildings on 101 acres. Many of the 30 historically significant buildings have been restored. Selected historic buildings are open for tours seven days a week. Among the many notable structures are the 1836 Hempstead County Courthouse; the Works Progress Administration (WPA) gymnasium; the Pioneer and Presbyterian Cemeteries, where many notable early Arkansans are buried; the Washington post office; American Bladesmith Society’s Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing (the world’s first college dedicated to teaching the art of making knives and swords by hand); and the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives.

The park offers guided tours of historic homes and structures, museums, and interactive and living history programs. The park also hosts several special events annually, including the Five-Trails Rendezvous in February and the Jonquil Festival in March. In November, visitors converge on the park for Civil War Weekend, and in December the entire park is decorated in traditional nineteenth-century decorations for the Christmas and Candlelight celebration. Several tour options are available, based on the building open for any given day. The Washington Museum Experience, a guided tour of every facility open that day, is $8 for adults and $4 for kids 6–12. On select days and during special events, you can tour the park from the comfort of a horse-drawn carriage; call ahead for a list of dates when surrey rides are available. Group meeting facilities are also available in a couple of these historic structures. If your group is really cozy with one another, you might want to overnight in the 1914 Washington School, with its 48 bunk beds split into two rooms, using school lockers for storage. Modern amenities include DVD player and Internet access.

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum (501-371-8320; aimmuseum.org), 100 Riverfront Road, North Little Rock. Call for hours of operation. This museum includes the historic submarine USS Razorback (tours available), the World War II tugboat USS Hoga, and a 1939 towboat M/V Patriot. In addition to its historic vessels, the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum (AIMM) also has a small research library and a number of permanent and rotating exhibits on submarines and naval history. After extensive renovation work, two barges were moved into place in January 2006 for additional interior work. The first barge, Mary Munns, serves as the ticket booth, waiting area, and gift shop for the museum. The second, Savannah Lou, holds the museum’s interpretative exhibits, small theater, workshops, and library. The museum contains permanent exhibits on general submarine history, submarine training, and submarine operations such as firefighting and underwater escape, as well as the Razorback’s operational history. An inactive torpedo is part of a memorial to the submarine Snook. Rotating exhibits interpret a variety of topics, such as Pearl Harbor and the many ships and submarines with names related to Arkansas. The library—a joint effort between AIMM and the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI)—includes more than 2,500 books, periodicals, videos, CDs, and DVDs on many topics, not just submarines. There are significant holdings on US naval history, general military history, the Vietnam War, and maritime piracy and pirate history. The library also has a large selection of fiction titles. Free.

Arkansas Museum of Discovery (501-396-7050 or 1-800-880-6475; museumofdiscovery.org), 500 President Clinton Boulevard, Little Rock. Open Monday through Saturday 9–5, Sunday 1–5. This is a fun-filled indoor playground for kids and adults alike. Located in the heart of the River Market District, the museum has over 25,000 square feet of hands-on, interactive exhibits that focus on science, history, and technology. Surprisingly, this high-tech, state-of-the-art museum is also Little Rock’s oldest museum and touts itself as a world of discovery for all ages. Permanent exhibits include one on Arkansas Indians, the Health Imagination Station, the Passport to the World, the Discovery Express, and the new Room to Grow, a special area for ages 6 and under. The museum rotates temporary exhibits regularly to ensure there is always something new to discover at the Discovery Museum.

Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame & Museum (501-313-4158; www.arksportshalloffame.com), Verizon Arena, North Little Rock. Open by appointment only. Memorabilia chronicling sports legends from the state is on display here. Exhibits highlight the three major sports—football, baseball, and basketball—plus golf, tennis, the Olympics, and more. The highly interactive exhibits are designed to appeal to youth. Fantasy sportscasting is available at the Alltel-Pat Summerall Broadcast Booth, which allows museum-goers to imagine what it is like to call the plays from the booth with a legendary sportscaster. Past inductees include such notables as Pat Summerall, Steve Atwater, and Cliff Harris (football); Brooks Robinson, George Kell, and Bill Dickey (baseball); Pat Day and Larry Snyder (horse racing); Mike Conley and Clyde Scott (track and field); Mark Martin (NASCAR); and Joe Kleine and Reece “Goose” Tatum (basketball). The $3.5 million showplace is located inside North Little Rock’s Verizon Arena, bordered with displays and anchored by a 100-seat theater where a film about the history of sports in Arkansas is shown. Admission is $6 for adults (18–61); $4 for seniors (62 and over); $3 for military (with ID) and children (6–17); and free for ages 6 and under.

Arkansas State Capitol (501-682-5080; www.sosweb.state.ar.us), Woodlane Street and Capitol Avenue, Little Rock. Free guided tours available Monday through Friday 7–5. The Capitol is also open for self-guided tours on weekends and holidays from 10–3. Call to schedule a tour. Its uncanny resemblance to the nation’s Capitol has inspired filmmakers to fire missiles at its dome and lay motorcycle skid marks on its marble steps inside. During the 1980s, Arkansas’s 5 percent rebate combined with the Capitol’s familiar design to bring Hollywood to Arkansas, with both Brian Bosworth’s theatrical release The Brotherhood and the made-for-TV movie Under Siege, starring Peter Strauss, filmed here. This stunning Neoclassical building in downtown Little Rock was completed in 1915 and is modeled after the US Capitol. It has two long wings extending from a center rotunda and a classical portico across the long facade. The exterior is constructed of limestone from a quarry in Batesville, Arkansas, and the interior features Vermont, Alabama, and Colorado marble. The six solid bronze doors, purchased from Tiffany’s of New York at a total cost of $10,000, are now estimated to be worth more than $250,000. A restoration of the front walk and gardens returned the area to its original design. Located on the grounds are several monuments: Vietnam Veterans; Arkansas Police Officer Killed in Action; Confederate Soldiers; Confederate Women; Confederate War Prisoners; and, most recently, the Little Rock Nine Memorial, a life-sized bronze statue immortalizing the nine black youths who made civil rights history at Central High in 1957.

OLD STATE HOUSE MARKS STATE AND NATIONAL HISTORY

Old State House Museum (501-324-9685; www.oldstatehouse.com), 300 West Markham Street, Little Rock. Open 361 days each year. Governor William Jefferson Clinton announced his run for US president on the front lawn of the State House and held victory-night watch parties there in 1992. The eyes of the world were trained on this building when the Clintons and the Gores stood between its great columns to accept the presidency and vice presidency of the United States. In 1997, the Old State House was designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest recognition a building can receive. It is the oldest standing state Capitol west of the Mississippi River. The structure was built to accommodate all branches of the new state’s government. It served a multitude of uses before becoming, in 1951, a museum of Arkansas history. This museum portrays Arkansas’s history from its first days of statehood to present. Built in 1836, the Old State House was the state’s original Capitol until 1911 and served as the seat of both the Confederate and Union governments in Arkansas during the Civil War. It was also the site of the 1861 secession convention. Exhibits include first ladies’ gowns, African American quilts, Civil War battle flags, and Arkansas art and pottery. The museum continues to host significant events.

The museum offers hourly tours and provides free on-site programming for visitors of all ages, including gallery talks and lectures, musical concerts, family programs, summer youth camps, hands-on activities for K–12 audiences, and living history. The museum’s outreach program is extensive as well.

The building contains nearly 287,000 square feet of space, which is no longer sufficient to hold the majority of state offices and departments. A complex of office buildings around the Capitol reflects the twentieth-century growth of Arkansas’s bureaucracy.

EMOBA—Ernie’s Museum of Black Arkansans (501-372-0018), 1208 Louisiana Street, Little Rock. Open February through September; call for hours of operation and exhibit schedule. Small admission fee. The Museum of Black Arkansans and Performing Arts has exhibits on prominent black Arkansans and the African American experience. EMOBA is also the site of one of the best haunted houses in town during the Halloween season. Guided tours are available. The gift shop sells souvenirs.

Historic Arkansas Museum (501-324-9351; www.historicarkansas.org), 200 East Third Street, Little Rock. Open Monday through Saturday 9–5; Sunday 1–5. Daily tours and seasonal special events. A historic site depicting Arkansas’s frontier days, you can walk through five pre–Civil War houses that have been restored to antebellum appearances: the Hinderliter Grog Shop, the oldest standing building in Little Rock (circa 1827); the Brownlee House (circa 1848); the Woodruff Print Shop (circa 1824); the McVicar House (circa 1848); and the Plum Bayou Log House (circa 1830s). You will meet living residents throughout the compound during your tour. The center’s museum features an outstanding collection of Arkansas-made decorative, mechanical, and fine art objects, plus a living history theater and educational areas. Free.

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. Recent additions include replicas of a smokehouse, slave quarters, a barn, and a privy, which combine with the authentic 1830s Plum Bayou Log House to re-create a pioneer homestead. Native Arkansas plants and period landscaping are also a part of the project. Improvements to other museum historic structures include the addition of a kitchen building and appropriate landscaping at the Brownlee House to better interpret a nineteenth-century yard.

MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History (501-376-4602; www.arkmilitaryheritage.com), 503 East Ninth Street, Little Rock. Open Tuesday through Friday 9–4, Saturday 10–4, Sunday 1–4. The museum is located in the historic tower building of Little Rock’s Old Arsenal, a National Historic Landmark and the birthplace of Gen. Douglas MacArthur (1880). The building now houses a museum of Arkansas’s military heritage from territorial days to present. Exhibits feature artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms, and other military items. The museum hosts special events throughout the year, so visit their website to see what’s happening when you’re there.

EASTERN TIMBERLANDS

Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources (870-725-2877; arkansasstateparks.com), 3853 Smackover Highway, Smackover. Open Monday through Saturday 8–5, Sunday 1–5; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. This museum uses state-of-the-art exhibits inside and working oil field equipment outside to tell the story of the oil boom in south Arkansas. Ride the museum elevator down through a depiction of the formation of the oil strata into a re-creation of a 1920s Arkansas boomtown, complete with ruts in the street. In the 1920s, the country’s attention focused on south Arkansas and the Smackover field, which was ranked first among the nation’s oil fields. For a few months in 1925, the 40-square-mile field was the site of one of the wildest mineral booms in North America. Today, south Arkansas’s oil fields produce petroleum throughout a 10-county area. Inside that area, Columbia and Union Counties also stretch over one of the largest brine (saltwater) reserves in the world. Bromine is derived from the brine, and local companies play an international role in the commercialization of bromine and its many applications. The museum features a 25,000-square-foot main exhibition/research building that includes a 10,500-square-foot exhibit hall, theater, exhibit work area, research center, and museum store/gift shop. Take a chance drilling and see if you will become an oil tycoon or go flat broke. Learn how 95 percent of the products we use daily are made of, or with, two of Arkansas’s natural resources. Tour Oil Field Park adjacent to the main building, past full-sized operating examples of vintage derricks and equipment used from the 1920s to the modern era. The museum staff offers a wide variety of year-round educational and interpretive programs. Choose from guided tours of the museum and Oil Field Park, films, lectures, field trips, special demonstrations, and programs. Admission is free.

Arkansas Railroad Museum/Engine 819 (870-535-8819), 1700 Port Road, Pine Bluff. Open Monday through Saturday 9–3. Engine 819, Pine Bluff’s legendary queen of steam, weighs 368 tons, measures 100 feet from front to back, and takes 150 gallons of water and 15 gallons of oil to run just 1 mile of track. Railroad buffs should not miss it! Volunteer craftsmen lovingly rebuilt Engine 819, the last 4-8-4 Northern-type steam locomotive built in Pine Bluff. Tours are available year-round. The museum also houses passenger cars, cabooses, and baggage cars—all restored to their original splendor—as well as many artifacts used back in the days of steam engines. Special tours can be arranged. Free admission.

RARE NILOAK POTTERY ON DISPLAY AT GANN MUSEUM IN BENTON

Gann Museum of Saline County (501-778-5513), 218 South Market Street, Benton. Open Tuesday through Thursday 10–4 and by appointment. The museum is housed in the only known structure in the world made completely of bauxite. Originally the office of Dr. Dewell Gann Sr., the structure was built in 1893 by patients who couldn’t afford to pay the doctor for his services. Today it houses a museum of Benton and Saline County, including a large collection of the rare Niloak pottery, which was produced in Benton from the 1920s to the 1930s. Admission is free, donations are accepted.

Grant County Museum & Heritage Village (870-942-4496; www.grantcountymuseumar.com), 521 Shackleford Road, Sheridan. Open Tuesday through Saturday 9–4. You will need to allow yourself a couple of hours to tour this facility’s exhibits on the Union Army’s failed Red River Campaign and the nearby Battle of Jenkins Ferry. The museum’s collection of World War II artifacts includes 22 restored vehicles, which makes it the most extensive WWII vehicle collection in the country. It also has an extensive collection of Civil War artifacts; a restored Depression-era café; a collection of local history artifacts; and restored historic buildings. Free for county residents; nonresidents are $3 for adults, $1 for students.

Jacksonville Military History Museum (501-241-1943; www.jaxmilitarymuseum.org), 100 Veterans Circle, Jacksonville. Open Monday through Friday 9–5, Saturday 10–5. The museum highlights the important contributions made by local men and women, civilians and military, from the Civil War era to present-day conflicts. Exhibits highlight the Battle of Reed’s Bridge, a Civil War skirmish that took place in Jacksonville; the WWII-era Arkansas Ordnance Plant; the Vietnam War; and the 308th Titan II Missile Wing. Also featured is a collection of over 350 original WWII posters and the Mighty Mite Jeep from Vietnam, the smallest one ever produced.

WESTERN TIMBERLANDS

The Klipsch Museum of Audio History (870-777-3540; www.klipsch.com/museum), 200 East Division Street, Hope. Open Monday through Friday 8–4, and by appointment at other times. A museum dedicated to the life and achievements of the late Paul W. Klipsch, a Hope resident and an audio engineer who manufactured his world-famous loudspeakers there. Contains replicas of his office, speakers, model railroad trains he built, photographs, and other memorabilia. The museum shares the restored Cairo-Fulton Railroad Depot (circa 1873) in downtown Hope with the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce. Free.

Texarkana Museum of Regional History (903-793-4831; www.texarkanamuseums.org), 219 North State Line Avenue, Texarkana. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10–4. This museum tells the story of the city located in two states. Housed in the town’s oldest brick building, all-new galleries with exhibits tell of the region’s history, including agriculture, early industry, civil rights, and World War II. Pottery made by members of the Caddo Nation and information about the early Spanish and French explorers are also on display. An interactive music exhibit tells of native son Scott Joplin, the Father of Ragtime Music; Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter; and Conlon Nancarrow. This facility also includes the Wilbur Smith Research Library and Archives.

Turner Neal Museum of Natural History (870-460-1265; www.uamont.edu), University of Arkansas at Monticello. Hours vary based on the school’s schedule; call for days and hours. A museum of natural history of South Arkansas with three collections of big game, it also houses the Pomeroy Planetarium, which seats 40. Free.

GALLERIES AND FINE ART

LITTLE ROCK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK METROPOLITAN AREA

Arkansas Arts Center (501-372-4000; www.arkarts.com), MacArthur Park, Ninth Street and Commerce, Little Rock. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10–5. Located in Little Rock’s historic MacArthur Park, the arts center is a first-class facility with an internationally recognized collection of drawings, with works dating from the Renaissance to the present. It is also the home of top-notch art exhibitions spread throughout seven galleries. Masterworks in the collection include paintings by Diego Rivera, Odilon Redon, and Francesco Bassano; sculpture by Henry Moore, Louise Nevelson, and Roy Lichtenstein; and prints by Rembrandt, Whistler, and Dürer. The second major area of collecting is contemporary objects in craft media, including teapots by contemporary artists, contemporary baskets, turned-wood objects, studio glass, ceramics, metalwork, and jewelry designed by artists. Among the highlights are works by Dale Chihuly, Albert Paley, Peter Voulkos, and Dorothy Gill Barnes. A casually elegant restaurant—Best Impressions—and a museum gift shop are on-site. A multimillion-dollar renovation in 2000 expanded the center to include the Arkansas Museum of Art (the galleries); the Museum School; State Services (traveling exhibitions); and the popular Children’s Theatre. Check their website for the Children’s Theatre’s performance schedule; these plays showcase talented young locals on vibrant, creative stages. Admission to the museum and its galleries is free, excluding special exhibits.

EASTERN TIMBERLANDS

Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas (870-536-3375; www.artssciencecenter.org), 701 Main Street, Pine Bluff. Open Monday through Friday 10–4, Saturday and Sunday by appointment only. The center offers a diverse schedule of programs for the entire family. See exhibits of art in the galleries, from traditional paintings and sculpture to the innovative techniques of today. Turn your kids loose on one of the frequent interactive science exhibits or catch one of the several productions—perhaps a lighthearted musical or a drama. Fun, free, educational, and always changing! There’s something for everyone at The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas. Admission is free.

WESTERN TIMBERLANDS

Texarkana Regional Arts Center (903-792-8681; www.trahc.org), 321 West Fourth, Texarkana. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10–4. Housed in the former 1909 US Federal Courthouse, this fine arts center was renovated in 1992 at a cost of $1.6 million. The entire west end of the first floor was converted into museum-quality, high-security exhibit space. The former courtroom, now the Horace C. Cabe Grand Hall, has decorative paintings by the same artisans who worked on the Perot Theatre. All exhibits are art related now, and the center also offers lectures, classes, and concerts. With the only high-security galleries between Dallas and Little Rock, the Regional Arts Center is a frequent stop for visitors interested in seeing high-quality art exhibitions in the area. Admission to the galleries is free, excluding special events and exhibits.

CULTURAL SITES

LITTLE ROCK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK METROPOLITAN AREA

Clinton Presidential Library and Museum (501-374-4242; www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org), 1200 East President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock. Open Monday through Saturday 9–5, Sunday 1–5. America’s 12th presidential library is situated on the banks of the Arkansas River in the River Market District of downtown Little Rock. The $160 million structure contains 20,000 square feet of library and museum space and has earned great reviews from the over 3 million people who have visited. No matter how you feel about the former president or his administration, this museum will impress you.

As you walk into the first floor, you will see Clinton’s presidential limousine at the foot of the stairs leading to the main library. The second floor is organized into three-sided policy kiosks and follows the major issues addressed during Clinton’s two terms. From the impetus of legislation, through the debate and the signing, the kiosks incorporate video clips generously. Large panels in the center of the room mark Clinton’s presidency chronologically, allowing you to look up your birthday, for example, and check out what was going on at the White House on that date. Upstairs, gifts of state are displayed around the perimeter of the floor, with highlights including a table set with the Clintons’ presidential china, a Chihuli chandelier, and life-sized replicas of the couple in their inaugural attire.

The library, which is located in a 28-acre city park, contains the largest collection of presidential papers and artifacts in US history and an authentic replica of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. Forty Two, which gets its name from Clinton’s place in the line of US presidents, is a full-service restaurant that offers an eclectic lunch menu Monday through Saturday, with a Sunday brunch. The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service is also located on park grounds in the renovated 1899 Choctaw Train Station. Admission is $7 for adults (18–61); $5 for seniors, college students, and retired military; and $3 for kids.

Junction Bridge (501-374-3001; pulaskicounty.net/junction-bridge), 200 Ottenheimer Plaza, Little Rock. Open 24/7. Constructed in 1884 as the primary railroad bridge connecting the northern and southern railway lines, the structure has been renovated into a pedestrian and bicycle bridge joining downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock. It is believed to be the only converted lift-span bridge in the US. The lift span is locked in a raised position, allowing for uninterrupted barge traffic on the Arkansas River. Visitors may cross the entire 1,800 feet by riding elevators up to and down from the 360-foot lift span. Benches and other amenities are located along the way. Free.

Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (501-683-3593; www.mosaictemplarscenter.com), Ninth Street and Broadway, Little Rock. Open Tuesday through Saturday 9–5. This building was badly burned shortly after the Department of Heritage gathered with local dignitaries to celebrate its pending renovation. Now beautifully reconstructed, the museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and celebrating Arkansas’s African American culture and community from 1870 to present. The Mosaic Templars of America organization was founded in Little Rock in 1882 as a fraternal organization by John E. Bush and Chester W. Keatts. It also informs and educates the public about black achievement, especially in business, politics, and the arts. The third-floor auditorium seats 400 and hosts performing arts productions, conferences, and public symposiums. Admission is free.

HISTORIC SITES

EASTERN TIMBERLANDS

Civil War Red River Campaign State Parks (501-682- 1191; www.arkansasstateparks.com). Three state parks, with outdoor exhibits and picnic sites, preserve battlefields of the Union Army’s failed Red River campaign: Poison Spring (10 miles west of Camden on AR 76), Marks’ Mill (AR 97 and AR 8, southeast of Fordyce), and Jenkins’ Ferry (13 miles southeast of Sheridan on AR 46). Literature is available by phone or online.

WESTERN TIMBERLANDS

Clinton First Home Museum and Exhibit Center (870-777-4455; www.clintonbirthplace.org), 117 S. Hervey, Hope. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10–4. The first home of President Bill Clinton, this museum will let you tour the childhood home of the 42nd president. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the attention to detail is engaging—for example, playing cards are pinned to the curtains mimicking Virginia Kelley’s tutoring of young Bill Clinton. Clinton lived here with his grandparents between 1946–50. The Virginia Clinton Kelley Memorial Rose Garden pays tribute to his mother. Free tour includes the home, photographic exhibits, and museum store.

LITTLE ROCK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK METROPOLITAN AREA

Little Rock Central High Museum and Visitor Center (501-374-1957; www.nps.gov/chsc), 2120 Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive, Little Rock. Open daily 9–4:30, excluding holidays. It’s pretty powerful to walk the sidewalk outside Central High School if you grew up with an awareness of the 1957 crisis at the school. The images of nine young black students against a mob of angry adults will escort you on your journey, if you did. If not, this museum has impressive exhibits to set the scene for your tour. The current center opened September 24, 2007, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the 1957 desegregation crisis. It features 3,000 square feet of permanent exhibits covering the 1957 events that took place at Central High and its role in the greater civil rights movements in the US, audiovisual and interactive programs, and a bookstore. The former visitor center, a restored Mobil service station, is now used for special programs. Call ahead to reserve the ranger-led tour; it makes the trip. Free admission.

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (501-374-1957; www.nps.gov/chsc), 2120 Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive, Little Rock. Guided tours of the school are given by reservation only during the school year Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. A major US civil rights landmark, this National Historic Site is still a working school. Arkansas’s 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. A commemorative garden (sculpture surrounded by a landscaped garden) is also on-site. Free.

Curran Hall Visitors Information Center (501-371-0075; www.quapaw.com), 1206 South Main, Little Rock. Open Monday through Saturday 9–5, Sunday 1–5. The historic Walters-Curran-Bell House, or Curran Hall, was built in 1842 and is one of the oldest residential structures in Little Rock. The restored antebellum Greek Revival home serves as the city’s visitors information center, the Mayor’s reception hall, and headquarters of the Quapaw Quarter Association. The Historic Arkansas Gardens, a project of the Pulaski County Master Gardeners, features native and heritage plants common to the period and locale.

Little Rock Nine Memorial (501-682-5080; www.sosweb.state.ar.us), Woodlane Street and Capitol Avenue, Little Rock. Nine life-sized bronze statues, located on the state Capitol grounds, 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.

The Old Mill at T. R. Pugh Memorial Park (501-758-1424; www.northlittlerock.travel), McCain Boulevard and Lakeshore Drive, North Little Rock. Open 24/7. An authentic reproduction of an old water-powered gristmill, this striking structure appears in the opening scene of the classic 1933 film Gone with the Wind and is believed to be the only building remaining from the film. Also known as Pugh’s Mill, it was built in 1933 by North Little Rock developer Justin Matthews, who had the structure designed to look as if it was built in the 1800s. 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. Dionicio Rodriguez, a sculptor and artist from 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 design of the footbridges 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. Admission is free.

Over-the-Jumps Carousel (501-666-2406; www.littlerockzoo.com), 1 Jonesboro Drive, Little Rock. Zoo hours are 9–5 daily. The restored historic Spillman Engineering Over-the-Jumps Carousel (a.k.a. the Arkansas Carousel) is the focal point of the Little Rock Zoo’s entry complex. Unlike most carousels where the horses move up and down, Over-the-Jumps features an undulating track, the only one remaining of the original four produced during the 1920s. The 40 prancing ponies have been meticulously restored, as have the four chariots. The turn-of-the-nineteenth-century architectural design center also has a gift shop. Zoo admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and kids.

EASTERN TIMBERLANDS

Civil War Red River Campaign State Parks (501-682-1191; www.arkansasstateparks.com). Three state parks, with outdoor exhibits and picnic sites, preserve battlefields of the Union Army’s failed Red River campaign: Poison Spring (10 miles west of Camden on AR 76), Marks’ Mill (AR 97 and AR 8 southeast of Fordyce), and Jenkins’ Ferry (13 miles southeast of Sheridan on AR 46). Literature is available by phone or online.

WESTERN TIMBERLANDS

Clinton First Home Museum and Exhibit Center (870-777-4455; www.clintonbirthplace.org), 117 South Hervey, Hope. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10–4. This museum invites guests to tour the childhood home of the 42nd president. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the attention to detail is engaging—for example, playing cards are pinned to the curtains, mimicking Virginia Kelley’s tutoring of young Bill Clinton. Clinton lived here with his grandparents from 1946 to 1950. The Virginia Clinton Kelley Memorial Rose Garden pays tribute to his mother. Free tour includes the home, photographic exhibits, and museum store.

URBAN OASES H. U. Lee International Gate and Garden (www.grandmasterhulee.com/gate-and-garden), 101 East Markham Street, Little Rock. Open 24/7. A $1.4-million project saluting the martial arts while serving as a symbol of friendship between South Korea and America, this colorful and intricately carved tribute honors the founder of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA). It was a gift to Arkansas by the family of the late H. U. Lee, founder of the ATA, whose international headquarters is in Little Rock. The 80-ton Douglas fir gate was handcrafted by South Korea artisans and leads to a garden, a 9-foot tall fountain with reflective pool, a bust of Eternal Grand Master Lee, a 9-foot-tall wall of vision, and numerous statues and educational artifacts explaining martial arts. Free admission.

South Arkansas Arboretum State Park (870-862-8131; www.arkansasstateparks.com/southarkansasarboretum), Mount Holly Road and Timberlane, El Dorado. Open daily 8–5, excluding holidays. This 13-acre site is lush with plants indigenous to Arkansas’s West Gulf Coastal Plain, and walking trails wander lazily through flowering azaleas or camellias, depending on the season you visit. This little park is a great place to stretch your legs or take a break, with a covered picnic area, 5 miles of walking trails, and Arkansas native flora. Tour guides may be available with advance request. Free admission.

ZOOS Crossland Zoo (870-364-7732), 1141 Parkway Drive, Crossett. Open Monday through Saturday 9–6. One of only two zoos in Arkansas, you will find more than 75 different species of mammals, reptiles, and birds here. There is a nature trail, picnic area, playground, and stock pond. Call for admission prices.

Little Rock Zoo (501-666-2406; www.littlerockzoo.com), 1 Jonesboro Drive, War Memorial Park, Little Rock. Open daily 9–5. Over 750 mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians call this nationally accredited facility home. The entry complex greets visitors with the restored historic Spillman Engineering Over-the-Jumps Carousel, an expanded gift shop, and the Lorikeet Landing interactive exhibit, where guests can feed the birds a cup of nectar. The historic Works Projects Administration big cat house has been converted to Café Africa, a full-service restaurant. Other zoo attributes include special programs, a petting zoo, and miniature train rides. Admission to the zoo is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and children.

THE PERFECT PLAY FOR A RAINY, SUMMER DAY

Crater of Diamonds State Park (870-285-3113; www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com), 209 State Park Road, Murfreesboro. You’re on vacation and it’s raining. Your spouse has cabin fever, and the kids passed that point hours ago. What will you do to recover precious family memories from these dreary depths? If you’re on vacation in Arkansas, play in the mud! It’s the only place on the North American continent where you can dig for diamonds for a small fee and keep what you find. Rainfall is the perfect precursor to your diamond expedition because the rain washes away the sediment for you, leaving the gems sparkling on the surface of the fields. And some of them are of decent size. Among the more notable finds: the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam—the largest diamond ever unearthed in the US; the 16.37-carat Amarillo Starlight; the 15.33-carat Star of Arkansas; and the 4.25-carat Kahn Canary diamond, found in 1977, which was worn by Hillary Clinton during the presidential inaugural balls and two gubernatorial inaugurations. The 3.03-carat Strawn-Wagner Diamond, found in 1990, was cut to a 1.09-carat gem graded D-flawless 0/0/0 (the highest grade a diamond can achieve) by the American Gem Society. The Diamond Discovery Center will introduce you to the art of diamond searching, provide equipment rentals (or you can borrow a pail and shovel from a child), and has an exhibit gallery so you can see a sample before you trample. Diamond Springs is a 14,700-square-foot, mining-themed aquatic playground that is fun for kids and adults. There are also camping and picnic sites, a hiking trail, a wildlife observation blind, and a gift shop.

GREAT FINDS FROM THE FAMOUS CRATER

Although thousands of people have dug and sifted through the volcanic kimberlite soil, there are still plenty of diamonds waiting to be discovered. Since the park opened in 1972, more than 19,000 diamonds have been found, many of which are of gemstone quality. Tom Stolarz, the park’s superintendent, says about two diamonds are found by park visitors each day. “Most of them are about the size of a match head or smaller, and people usually keep them for souvenirs,” he adds. If you are one of the lucky ones, you might find a big one. Even if you aren’t lucky, you are sure to have a good time.

To Do

GOLF First Tee of Little Rock (501-562-GOLF; www.thefirstteear.org), 1 First Tee Way, Little Rock. First Tee of Little Rock offers those who would normally not have the opportunity to be introduced to golf a chance to learn the game. Open to the public and staffed with Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) professionals, the facility features a nine-hole, par 36, 3,400-yard course; a 16-acre driving range; a putting course; a short game area; and a nine-hole pitch and putt for both youth and adults. Founded by the Jack Stephens Youth Golf Academy, First Tee not only introduces young players to the game of golf, it also endeavors to nurture the soft skills inherent to the game—leadership, honesty, and integrity. Also located on the grounds is the Learning Center, a 7,000-square-foot multipurpose community center with a state-of-the-art golf library for member children, full-service golf shop, and three multiuse rooms with indoor hitting areas. This center is designed to accommodate non-golf corporate or association meetings or banquets.

Pippen Meadows Golf Course (870-835-2222), 1201 South Main. The nine-hole course features five par-four holes, two par-threes, and two par-fives. Owner is Hamburg native and former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Scottie Pippen.

Mystic Creek Golf Course (870-312-0723; www.mysticcreekgolf.com), 191 Club House Drive, El Dorado. This semi-private club opened in May 2013 in the rolling lands that surround El Dorado. The course sprawls through gentle slopes of towering pines with flashing bunkers and domed greens. Rates vary by time of day and day of the week, with nine holes ranging from $20–$40. Cart rental is included in your golf fees. If you don’t have your clubs with you, you can rent them for $25 for 18 holes and $15 for nine. The club hosts special events and welcomes your call for assistance organizing your golfing outing or tournament. Since opening, both Golf Digest and Golf Week magazine have listed Mystic Creek among the highest ranked courses in the state. “In 2018, we were listed as number two,” according to club manager David Cage. A clubhouse is slated to open in late summer of 2019 and will not only provide event facilities on site, but will also provide food, beverages, and a place to cool off between rounds.

GO-CART RACING Kartways of Arkansas (870-820-5595; www.kartways.com), 916 Bradley, AR 7 South, Warren. Go-cart racing on a combination 0.5-mile road course with a built-in 0.2-mile oval. Rentals of beginner- and professional-level go-carts; race-driving school; sanctioned local, regional, and national races; special events for corporations, parties, family reunions, and meetings; safety equipment included.

Green Space

Heifer International Global Headquarters & Village (1-800-422-0474; www.heifer.org), 1 World Avenue, Little Rock. Tours of the building are offered Monday through Friday 10–3. This four-story world headquarters building, semicircular and ecologically friendly in design, features recycled energy and rainwater made suitable for drinking. Interested in sustainable building products and green construction techniques? They have a tour for that. Heifer International is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to alleviate hunger and poverty by teaching people to be self-sustaining. There are a variety of daily programs of varying length for kids K–12. There is a 90-minute scavenger hunt to spice up the exhibit tour for kids 12 and under. Those without a lot of time might want to opt for the 30-minute Exhibit Experience. A 3-acre urban farm not only services several central Arkansas food networks, but it also allows you to walk through the garden and learn how Heifer uses and teaches environmentally friendly gardening techniques. Meet alpaca, chickens, goats, and pigs and learn how Heifer International uses them to help families overcome hunger and poverty. There is no charge for building tours. Public events are held throughout the year, and most are free. Heifer Hour is held on the second Saturday morning of the month for families with kids ages K–5 to inspire children and their parents to join in the fight to end world hunger. “Creative Creatures” is a class that introduces toddlers to Heifer’s work in the world. Annual events like Alpacalooza celebrate urban and rural farming with information booths, fun games and educational activities, and food trucks and local artisanal foods. Check the calendar on their website for dates and details about upcoming events.

Governor Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center (870-534-0011; www.deltarivers.com), Pine Bluff Regional Park, 1400 Black Dog Drive, Pine Bluff. Free. Open Tuesday through Saturday 8:30–4:30, Sunday 1–5; extended summer hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day), Friday and Saturday open until 7:30 p.m. Come and experience Arkansas’s first nature center located in Pine Bluff Regional Park. The center has 130 acres for exploring nature trails, wildflower areas, and a chance to view some of the native wildlife. Indoors you will find exhibits featuring Delta wildlife and history, aquariums with Delta fish, and a gift shop with educational environment-related items. An interesting mix of free programming includes feeding fish and alligators, and quilting. Free admission.

Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center (501-907-0636; www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com), 602 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock. This facility is on 3.4 acres in Little Rock’s Riverfront Park overlooking the Arkansas River. The river is the perfect setting for these exhibits highlighting the role of fish and wildlife management and the many projects conducted throughout the history of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The location provides many watchable wildlife opportunities within an urban area, including basking water turtles, butterflies, and migrating pelicans. A portion of the Arkansas River Trail crosses the grounds, offering more options for exploring the environment. Beds of native plants found throughout the state are a major part of the landscaping, while the main building has an exhibit hall, aquariums, gift shop, theater, and special educational programs. Little Rock’s Medical Mile passes the building, highlighted by decorative murals and sculptures; the walk follows the river for about a mile before looping back to the River Market area.

SPECTATOR SPORTS Dickey-Stephens Park (501-664-1555; www.travs.com), 400 West Broadway, North Little Rock. This state-of-the-art home of the Double-A minor league Arkansas Travelers baseball team is located at the foot of the Broadway Bridge in North Little Rock. It was named Ballpark of the Year by ballpark.com when it opened in 2006, making the cover of the national website’s annual calendar. The multimillion-dollar project, which favors the classic design found in major league ballparks, has close and casual seating along with 24 luxury suites. Dickey-Stephens seats 5,500 and has four concession areas in the general concourse and another in right field behind the grass berm, where fans can sit on blankets to watch a game. A tradition from the Travelers’ former home at 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 for the park, and Arkansas natives Bill Dickey, Baseball Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees, and catcher George Skeeter Dickey, who played for the Travelers, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox. Single-game box seats are $12 for everybody. General admission and the bleacher bum section are $6 adults, $3 children, $5 for military with an ID.

DICKEY STEPHEN FIELD IN LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & TOURISM

THEME PARKS Wild River Country (501-753-8600; www.wildrivercountry.com), I-40 and Crystal Hill Road, North Little Rock. Hours vary; check the website for details. This water theme park features both dynamic and relaxing attractions like Cyclone, Vertigo, Pipeline, Vortex, Accelerator, Black Lightning, and White Lightning. Other attractions include the Lazy River, River Rapids, Wave Pool, Tidal Wave, and Lily Pad Walk. The Tad Pool has 11 entertaining children’s areas. Tickets are $29.99 for adults, $20.99 for kids. PM Plunge (after 3 p.m.) tickets are $20.99, $15.99 Monday and Tuesday.

TOURS Little Rock Tours (1-800-933-3836; www.littlerocktours.com), 3100 I-30, Little Rock. This company has been nationally recognized for its daily sight-seeing tours of Pulaski County. Former television journalists Cary and Gina Martin have crafted their excursions with the same nose for news that earned them acclaim while on the air. Buses have four DVD monitors with surround sound that show video and movie clips about the area. Highlights of the standard city tour include the Old State House, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Quapaw Quarter historic district, State Capitol, the Old Mill, and a virtual tour of the Clinton Presidential Library and Center. Specialty, group, and school tours available; they specialize in convention groups, corporate parties, family reunions, and business outings. Prices vary based on the excursion; log on to the website or call for specific prices.

Texarkana Driving Tour-Texarkana Chamber of Commerce (903-792-7191; www.texarkana.org), 819 State Line Avenue, Texarkana. The Discover Texarkana Driving Tour is a self-guided audio tour of local attractions recorded on CD (CD only). Put your feet in the street where two states meet! Experience a truly unique Kodak moment as you strike a pose at the nation’s only federal building built in two states: the State Line Post Office. Tune in to Scott Joplin’s life while you check out the awesome interactive musical exhibit dedicated to the Father of Ragtime Music located inside the Museum of Regional History. This driving tour will take you to points of interest and provide informative and historical narrative for your journey.

Wild Places

Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge (870-364-3167; www.fws.gov/felsenthal), 5531 US 82 West, Crossett. The visitor center is open Monday through Friday; call for hours of operation. This is the world’s largest green-tree reservoir, consisting of the 15,000-acre Felsenthal Pool that doubles to 36,000 acres during winter flooding. Geographically, the refuge is located in the Felsenthal Basin, an extensive natural depression laced with a vast complex of sloughs, bayous, and lakes. The region’s two major rivers, the Saline and Ouachita, flow through the refuge. Popular outdoor activities at Felsenthal include fishing, hunting, and wildlife observation. Public use areas are at Crossett Harbor Recreational Park and Grand Marais. The visitor center exhibits include information about wildlife and Native Americans. Primitive camping is available at 11 sites within the refuge. Admission to the visitor center is free.

Lorance Creek Natural Area (501-324-9619; www.naturalheritage.org), Bingham Road off I-530 (Exit 9) in southern Pulaski County. Developed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, this natural area is primarily a deep swamp spreading along both sides of Lorance Creek. The entire Lorance Creek area is a mosaic of open water, bald cypress–water tupelo, beaver ponds, and sandy washes overlain with groves of swamp blackgum. All of these features are interconnected by a complex network of small streams and seeps, which support a rich aquatic flora. A handicapped-accessible trail and boardwalk will give you an opportunity to explore and learn more about this special area. The paved trail winds through a mixed pine and hardwood forest into a bald cypress–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.

PARKS Burns Park (501-791-8537; www.northlittlerock.org), Exit 150 off I-40, North Little Rock. Funland Amusement Park open late March/early April through late October, Saturday 10–7 and Sunday 1–6. North Little Rock’s Burns Park is one of the nation’s larger municipal parks, covering 1,575 acres of one of the most diverse plots of land in the state. The park’s features include family picnic areas, 15 pavilions, playgrounds, the Funland Amusement Park with children’s rides, miniature golf, batting cages, a boat-launching ramp, disc golf, two boccie ball courts, hiking and walking trails, a BMX bike track, an RV park and camping area, and a softball, baseball, and soccer complex. Amusement park tickets are $10 for unlimited rides all day, $1 per single ride ticket.

Cane Creek State Park (870-628-4714; www.arkansasstateparks.com/canecreek), 50 State Park Road, Star City. To reach Cane Creek State Park from Star City, travel 5 miles east on AR 293. Located where the rolling terrain of the West Gulf Coastal Plain and the alluvial lands of east Arkansas’s Mississippi Delta meet, this park offers you the opportunity to explore two of Arkansas’s distinct natural settings in one visit. The 2.5-mile kayak trail is easy, and in 90 minutes you will paddle from the West Gulf Coastal Plain to the Delta and back. Your route will take you through both living and dead cypress forests and by spectacular beaver lodges. The water is blanketed with apple-colored lily pads and creamy ivory lilies. Hike or bike the park’s 2,053 acres of woodlands in the Coastal Plain. Paddle or fish on 1,675-acre Cane Creek Lake, a timbered Delta lake. If you don’t have a boat you can rent one with a motor ($27 for half-day, $49 per day) or without ($10 half-day, $15 per day). Park staff offer guided walking, biking, kayaking, and birding tours and other interpretive programs throughout the year.

The campground at Cane Creek features 29 campsites (Class A, $27/day; Class B, $22/day), one Rent-An-RV ($85/day), and a modern bathhouse with hot showers. Cane Creek is one of the Arkansas State Parks system’s three parks that offer a Rent-An-RV. This 30-foot RV is just like home, with heat and air-conditioning; beds for eight people; a fully equipped kitchen, including stove/oven, refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, pots, and dishes; satellite TV/VCR/DVD; and a built-in sound system with CD and radio. The unit also includes a slide-out area. Alongside the RV is an 11-foot-by-11-foot wooden deck with a table, chairs, and a cooking grill. The RV is permanently set up on a campsite featuring water, electric, and sewer hook-ups. You get all the convenience and amenities of an RV without the gas and hassle of setup. A $50 deposit is required per stay. Weekday rentals may be made for one day, but weekends require a two-day rental. Cane Creek State Park also features picnic sites, a screened pavilion, enclosed climate-controlled pavilion, visitor center with exhibits and a gift shop, launch ramp, barrier-free fishing piers, hiking trail, kayak trail, bathhouse, restrooms, and a playground. Fishing boats, recreational solo and tandem kayaks, and bicycles (not mountain bikes) can be rented at the visitor center. Hiking, backpacking, mountain-biking trails, and a kayak trail offer outdoor adventure, including birding and other wildlife viewing opportunities. The 15.5-mile, multiuse trail goes through rolling terrain, along the lake, and across many bridges, including three spectacular suspension bridges. There is also a 2.5-mile multiuse trail for smaller adventures. The park’s 2.5-mile kayak trail offers a relaxing outdoor aquatic adventure.

KAYAKING AMONG THE CYPRESS AT CANE CREEK

Logoly State Park (870-695-3561), McNeil. From US 79 at McNeil, go 1 mile on CR 47 (Logoly Road) to the park. Open daily; call for specific hours. At Arkansas’s first environmental education state park, interpreters present workshops on ecological/environmental topics. The Everyone has a Home exhibit is a large, interactive exhibit where you open various doors to see what animals live in the various parts of a tree. Look for the queen in the living beehive exhibit. The park’s natural resources provide a living laboratory for students and visitors, with trails bearing informative panels. Most of Logoly’s 368 acres comprise a state natural area that includes unique plant species and mineral springs. Park facilities include six group tent sites (no hook-ups), a bathhouse with hot showers, standard pavilion (free to educational groups), picnic sites, playground, trails, and a visitor center with exhibits and an indoor classroom. Admission is free. Group camping is $3/person/day with a $9 site minimum.

Moro Bay State Park (870-463-8555), 6071 AR 600, Jersey. The park is located 29 miles southwest of Warren on US 63 or 23 miles northeast of El Dorado on US 63. Fishing is a popular activity at this park. Check with park staff about joining one of their many fishing workshops or tournaments. A couple of 0.25-mile trails are quick and easy for landlubbers. Park facilities include 12 cabins ($135/day), 23 Class AAA campsites ($34/day), picnic sites, a store, marina with boat rentals and gas pump, standard pavilion (screened), playground, trails, and the Moro Bay Ferry exhibit, featuring a historic tugboat and barge. Five rental cabins are fully equipped and feature a great room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. These 1,100-square-foot cabins include an outside living area furnished with a picnic grill and table. One cabin is a barrier-free design to meet the needs of visitors with disabilities. They are located near the entrance to the park and all overlook the waters of Moro Bay. Call for updated rates on the cabins.

Peabody Park. Located behind the Little Rock Marriott in Riverfront Park, Markham Street, Little Rock. Designed from suggestions made by area children, this Little Rock playground includes outdoor and underground rooms, large native stones for climbing, and a large water-spray area in the middle of the park that has motion sensor–controlled waterspouts. The Ozark Pavilion located near the riverbank offers a view of the Arkansas River and the wetlands area containing indigenous plant species.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park (501-868-5806; www.arkansasstateparks.com), 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road, Little Rock. The visitor center is open Monday through Saturday 9–5, Sunday noon–5. By the time you reach the top of this landmark, you won’t believe you are only 15 minutes from half a million people. This west Little Rock oasis is a diverse day-use park that equally addresses recreation, environmental education, and conservation. Activities include interpretive/audiovisual programs, festivals, and exhibits depicting the natural resources of the area. Park facilities include picnic sites, pavilions, launching ramps, and hiking trails. The Arkansas Arboretum includes a 0.6-mile barrier-free interpretive tail. The park’s proximity to the Big and Little Maumelle Rivers provides a great chance to explore the habitat of the bottomlands. The park has canoe rentals and floats, barge tours, and paddleboats, if you don’t have your own. Check the park calendar for programs and events that cater to Pinnacle Mountain’s visitors, like technical rock climbing, fishing, hayrides, star parties, and numerous volunteer groups/activities. The visitor center overlooking the Arkansas River includes a meeting room and a gift shop.

CANE CREEK’S KAYAK COURSE RUNS FROM THE WEST GULF COASTAL PLAIN TO THE DELTA

SARACEN LANDING IN PINE BLUFF

Saracen Landing (870-536-0920; www.cityofpinebluff.com/parks), Martha Mitchell Expressway (US 65B), Pine Bluff. This $4.2 million park facility features a 10,080-square-foot pavilion and a concrete fishing pier, plus a fountain that sprays water 40 feet into the air. It is also the home of the Saracen Landing Farmers’ Market. It’s all located on the shores of 500-acre Lake Saracen in downtown Pine Bluff.

White Oak Lake State Park (870-685-2748; www.arkansasstateparks.com/whiteoaklake), 563 AR 387, Bluff City. From I-30 at Prescott, travel 20 miles east on AR 24, then go 100 yards south on AR 299, then go 2 miles southeast on AR 387. Adjacent to Poison Spring State Forest, this park lies on the shore of White Oak Lake, 2,765 timber-filled acres for bass, crappie, catfish, and bream fishing. Rich in wildlife, the park offers regular sightings of great blue heron, egret, osprey, and green heron, and in winter, bald eagles. Park facilities include 45 campsites (41 Class B, and 4 tent sites); a store with supplies, bait, and gifts (open throughout the year); a marina with boat rentals; a launch ramp; a barrier-free fishing pier; a standard pavilion; along with picnic sites, hiking trails, almost 10 miles of mountain bike trails, and a playground. The visitor center includes exhibits and a park interpreter provides programs, guided hikes, nature talks, demonstrations, and evening presentations free of charge during summer months.

LAKES Lake Maumelle (501-372-5161 www.carkw.com/source/lake_maumelle.asp). Access to the lake is at Maumelle Park on AR 10 west of Little Rock off Pinnacle Valley Road. Like the state park, you will be amazed that you are only 15 minutes from one of Little Rock’s fastest-growing developments at Chenal. This lake is Little Rock’s main water supply (no swimming allowed), and it’s 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 also found in the lake.

Millwood Lake, located on AR 32, is 9 miles east of Ashdown in southwest Arkansas. This body of water was formed when the state’s longest earthen dam (3.33 miles) was completed across the Little River. Every year, this lake is the site of numerous bass fishing tournaments and fishing derbies held by local and out-of-state organizations, which capitalize on the 29,000 acres of flooded timber that contribute to its renown with bass fishermen. The flooded timber provides exceptional cover for a wide variety of fish, including largemouth and spotted bass, crappie, white bass, striped bass, channel and flathead catfish, and bluegills. Boat lanes lead the way through the water, and there are 5,000 acres of open water near the dam. The lake and its surrounding environs are also rated one of Arkansas’s best birding locations. The National Audubon Society named the area an Important Birding Area because of its massive and diverse migration population. Millwood Lake boasts more species on its checklist than any other location in the state. The US Army Corps of Engineers’ project office near the Millwood Dam has wildlife displays and free brochures on subjects such as area birding and hunting. Located on the lake’s southeast shore, Millwood State Park offers a full-service marina and boat dock, 117 campsites, and hiking and biking trails. Corps of Engineers’ recreational areas on the lake offer 230 campsites, picnic areas, boat-launching ramps, and group picnic shelters available by reservation.

Lodging

LITTLE ROCK–NORTH LITTLE ROCK, PINE BLUFF

BED & BREAKFAST INNS An Enchanting Evening Winery, Wedding Venue and Luxury Log Cabin (501-330-2182, www.anenchantingevening.com), 29300 Highway 300, Little Rock. This private and classic rustic lodge is set amid acres of scenic beauty, yet it is only a short 20-minute drive from Little Rock, making it a popular choice for weddings. Private rooms in the lodge provide space for the wedding party to get ready while guests gather in its main hall. The upper deck is a favorite for an outdoor ceremony, with guests seated to face the cliff’s edge, and Pinnacle Mountain and Lake Maumelle providing a stunning backdrop for photos of the bride and groom. An infinity pool with outdoor bar and waterfall is an elegantly casual place for a reception under the stars. The property’s understated elegance features granite counters and upscale finishings, and amenities include self-service chocolate fondue, a DVD lending library, and outdoor hot tub for two. Cabin rates are $195 for the first night, $145 for each subsequent night. A wine tasting room on the property is open Friday 5–8 p.m., Saturday 10–5, and Sunday noon–5. $–$$$.

The Elms Plantation (870-766-8337 or 501-454-7165; www.theelmsplantation.com), 400 West Elm Plantation Road, Pine Bluff. Tours Thursday 10–3; last tour begins at 2 p.m. Call ahead because the facility is closed at times for special events, weddings, and holidays. Huge old pecan and elm trees line the drive to this 1886 Altheimer plantation listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This plantation home is now a bed & breakfast and hosts special events such as retreats, weddings, receptions, and dinners. $–$$.

Empress of Little Rock Bed & Breakfast (1-877-374-7966; www.theempress.com), 2120 Louisiana Street, Little Rock. This AAA Four Diamond 1888 small luxury hotel/bed & breakfast is located in the Quapaw Quarter historic district. The multiple award-winning property features a majestic double stairwell, secret card room in the turret, featherbeds, candlelight gourmet breakfasts, fireplaces, spa/sauna/aromatherapy, and Jacuzzis. The eight distinctly decorated guest rooms, three suites, and three mini-suites have a private bath. Indoor and garden wedding packages available. $–$$.

Margland Inns Bed & Breakfast (870-536-7941; www.margland.net), 703 West Second Street, Pine Bluff. Winner of the 1985 Historical Preservation Award for Arkansas, Margland consists of four historic Southern homes circa 1879–1907 that have been turned into delightful bed & breakfast lodgings. Each of the four properties features elegant antiques and loft bedrooms, and some rooms also have Jacuzzis. The four properties share a light, sunny exercise room, a business center with fax and copy machines, a refreshing outdoor pool, quiet courtyard, and garden. Standard amenities include cable television, audio-visual services, and exhibit space, if needed. This property is an elegant and affordable setting for family reunions, retreats, and weddings. Group rates are available. Room rates range from $65/night to $110/night. $–$$.

Rosemont Bed & Breakfast (501-374-7456; www.rosemontoflittle rock.com), 515 West 15th Street, Little Rock. Rosemont is a beautifully restored nineteenth-century farmhouse in the heart of the downtown historic district, within minutes of the River Market. Enjoy a restful, secluded garden, front porch, guest parlor, and dining room, all comfortably decorated with antiques and vintage furnishings complemented by such twenty-first-century amenities as Wi-Fi, cable television, Jacuzzi tubs, and gas log fireplaces. The inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Weekend rates for rooms are $99–150 single or double occupancy; Monday through Thursday rates are $89 single, $99 double occupancy. There is a $25 per night charge for additional guests. Whole-house bookings for the Rosemont require a two-night minimum stay at the rate of $750 per night. $$–$$$.

HISTORIC HOTELS Capital Hotel (1-800-766-7666; www.capitalhotel.com), West Markham and South Louisiana Streets, Little Rock. This totally restored historic landmark is a repeat AAA Four Diamond award winner; Ashley’s restaurant is also AAA Four Diamond. The Capital Bar is a great gathering place to unwind and to people-watch local movers and shakers and visiting celebrities. This nineteenth-century hotel features an elaborate ornamental cast-iron facade, a restored lobby with mosaic tile floor, a grand marble staircase, and a stained-glass ceiling. The hotel is situated near Arkansas’s first state Capitol (now known as the Old State House) and has been part of the city’s history since 1872. One of the most luxurious hotels in the state, it often served as an unofficial political headquarters, where decisions, as well as political careers, were made. In 1974, the hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the Capital Hotel’s most notable features is the prefabricated cast-iron facade, part of the original construction (though it has been enhanced). This architectural detail was built out of state—where is not known for sure—and shipped to Arkansas. The hotel has hosted many political and historic personages, including President Ulysses S. Grant. In fact, legend says that the Capital’s unusually large elevator was built to allow Grant to take his horse to his hotel room.

Originally constructed as an office building in 1872, the Denckla Block was converted into a hotel in 1877 when The Metropolitan Hotel, the city’s only luxury hotel, burned. Major John Adams and Colonel A. G. DeShon, the former manager of The Metropolitan, partnered to convince city officials and the building’s agents of the city’s need for upscale lodging. The new hotel got its name from a Little Rock matron, Mrs. Morehead Wright. When asked by Adams and DeShon to suggest a name, Wright noted that it was a “capital enterprise located in a capital building” in the “capital of the state,” which she hoped would be a “capital success.” As you might expect, as one of the city’s most luxurious hotels, it is also one of the priciest. $$–$$$$.

Little Rock Marriott Hotel (501-906-4000; www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/litpb-little-rock-marriott), 3 Statehouse Plaza, Little Rock. The ducks may be gone, but the luxury remains in this AAA Four Diamond hotel with 418 rooms ($119–$184 city view; $144–$214 river view), and two concierge floors. Club access can be purchased with your room package for an additional fee. In its upscale new concept restaurant, Heritage Grill Steak and Fin Restaurant, you will find American cuisine with a creative twist. Beautiful banquettes line the exterior wall of The Lobby Bar, and they provide a cozy spot for people-watching and sharing a drink after dinner. All rooms are equipped with dual-line phone lines, irons and ironing boards, 24-hour room service, complimentary airport shuttle service, and cable television with premium channels. Express checkout services are available. $$–$$$.

ROSEMONT BED AND BREAKFAST IN LITTLE ROCK

REST OF THE WEST

RANCHES Bar J Ranch (870-748-2514; www.barjranch.biz), 7938 Calion Highway, El Dorado. Pets accepted. This is a working ranch with lodge and stables, trail riding, black Angus cattle, horses, fishing, camping, and a shooting range. Summer camp is offered, as are trail, pony, and hayrides, birthday parties, and weenie roasts. The bunkhouse has a private bath, in-room refrigerator, and microwave; campfire, and continental breakfast. The Ranch House Lodge has private room or bunkhouse style, and includes continental breakfast, use of large common room with fireplace, full bath, wraparound porch with rocking chairs, as well as use of two horses for a guided trail ride. A hot country-style breakfast will be prepared for you for at an additional charge. Contact the ranch for large group rates. Campsites ($10/night) are available that include riding packages, as are RV hook-ups ($30/night) if you want to bring your own camper. Horse lodging and boarding ($15/night) are provided if you want to bring your own horse. Two cabins, each sleeping two adults and two children, are available for couples and families. Dreaming of a horseback wedding? They can help you plan a memorable one. Lodging rates range from $99 per night for a cabin for four to $299.99 per night for Robber’s Roost which sleeps 10. $–$$$.

INNS Union Square Guest Quarters (870-864-9700; www.usgq.net), 234 East Main, El Dorado. Union Square Guest Quarters has a variety of lodging options for your El Dorado stay. Two executive suites are located downtown, and an executive apartment is located at the Myrtelles House. In addition, a beautifully restored and furnished 1925 oil-boom mansion with four bedrooms is available and can be used for weddings, receptions, and family gatherings. The guest quarters consist of 32 suites, and 17 luxury suites with sitting areas, large dressing rooms, and private baths equipped with the finest modern amenities. Four full suites are in a restored circa 1875 home. A number of the luxury suites overlook Corinne Court. Free high-speed wireless Internet and cable television are in all rooms. Room rate includes continental breakfast and use of nearby fitness center, which has indoor and outdoor pools. This wide selection of lodging options is available for an equally wide range of prices. Suites range from $139–$169 per night, with luxury suites topping out at $279. $–$$$$.

Where to Eat

EATING OUT Brave New Restaurant (501-663-2677; www.bravenewrestaurant.com), 2300 Cottondale Lane, Little Rock. Open Monday through Saturday 11–10. Situated discreetly on the banks of the Arkansas River, Brave New Restaurant’s deck is an ideal setting for lunch or dinner during the mild days of spring and fall in the Natural State. You will also find that the breeze coming off the river will keep you cool enough to enjoy lunch on the deck during most of the summer. Peter Brave has made quite a name for himself using locally grown, organic produce and basing his ever-changing menu around whatever is in season at the time. Brave’s mussels in garlic butter appetizer is considered among the best in the state; a fresh fruit and Brie plate is a great accompaniment to your end-of-day glass of wine. Brave also has a way with veal; it will be on the menu and is well worth a try. Meals average $30 per person or less. A banquet room and catering services are available. $$–$$$.

Café Africa (501-666-2406; www.littlerockzoo.com), 1 Jonesboro Drive, Little Rock. Open 9–2 during winter months and 9–4:30 March through October. Café Africa is housed in a renovated historic lion house at the Little Rock Zoo. Built in 1933, this Works Progress Administration all-stone building features a stone fireplace, multilevel dining, and a wide variety of menu items to appeal to kids and adults alike: sandwiches, burgers, chicken fingers, tater tots, and fries; specialty menu items include a daily hot plate special and panini sandwiches. Café Africa is also available for private party rental. Prices average $10–12 per person, including drink. $.

Flying Fish (501-375-3474; www.flyingfishinthe.net), 511 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock. Open daily 11–9. The Flying Fish is a fun place to eat. The clever decor includes outboard motors, singing bass, and flying fish. You just have to see them to appreciate them. The food is always great, and their catfish rivals the best in the state. This is not your typical catfish place, however; with oysters, salmon, and tilapia on the menu, it seems more like a seafood restaurant. Plan to spend $15 for lunch and $25 per person for dinner. $–$$.

The Mammoth Orange Café (870-397-2347 or 870-397-2572), 103 North AR 365, Redfield. You won’t need your GPS to find this restaurant, located halfway between Little Rock and Pine Bluff. It is a giant orange that was inspired by a similar restaurant in Fresno, California, circa the 1950s. The menu includes hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, and daily specials. Very affordable diner fare at $10–12 per person. $–$$.

Whole Hog Café (501-753-9227; www.wholehogcafe.com), 5107 Warden Road, North Little Rock. Open daily 11–6. The Whole Hog Café competes in the Memphis-in-May and the Kansas City Barbeque Society Barbeque Championship Circuits as the Southern Gentlemen’s Culinary Society. Menu items are mostly variations with pork, beef, or chicken on a plate, in a sandwich, or spread over a potato or a salad. Ribs are also popular, and the potato salad is unique. Basically, Whole Hog knows how to cook the potato. Choose one, or many, of seven levels of BBQ sauce ranging from #1 (mild) to #9 (volcano). Listed in Fodor’s Travel America Guide: Don’t Miss in Arkansas. The restaurant has also been featured on the Food Network’s Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels. Ribs are $17/slab, with sides à la carte. Plates and sandwiches range from $7–10 with drink. $–$$.

DINING OUT Cajun’s Wharf (501-375-5351; www.cajunswharf.com), 2400 Cantrell Road, Little Rock. Restaurant hours are Monday through Thursday 5–10, Friday and Saturday 5–11. Cajun’s bar is open Monday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to close. Cajun’s Wharf is one of Arkansas’s best-known restaurants at one of Little Rock’s premier locations, overlooking the Arkansas River. The rustic exterior is abandoned once you are inside. A sleek, modern design prevails in the main dining room, featuring a bank of glass to the riverside, and large aquariums in the center of the room provide romantic and soothing ambient lighting. The Cajun-style menu features oysters, shrimp, crab legs, several fish dishes, and steaks. Three courses for dinner, with wine, will average $60 per person, depending on the wine you select from the restaurant’s extensive cellar. You can also make a mighty fine meal from Cajun’s appetizer menu. The crabcake sandwich ($6) is one of the best versions in town and is plenty to eat. The bar is urban upscale, with lots of frosted glass and cobalt pendant track lighting. The bar offers live music Thursday through Saturday most weeks, featuring very talented local and regional acts. The large deck upstairs is partially covered and has ceiling fans to stir the breeze on hot summer evenings. This is one of the best places to watch the sunset in central Arkansas. Happy hour is often accompanied by a solo guitarist, and the food, drink, and location combine for the perfect place to unwind and watch the river traffic float by. $$–$$$.

Loca Luna Bold American Bistro (501-663-4666; www.localuna.com), 3519 Old Cantrell Road, Little Rock. Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11–2. Dinner is served Sunday through Thursday 5:30–9, Friday and Saturday 5:30–10. Sunday brunch runs 10–2. Loca Luna is one of Arkansas’s most celebrated restaurants. In addition to scores of local dining awards and glowing four-star reviews, Loca Luna has been nationally recognized in Southern Living, Gourmet, USA Today, Food Arts, New York Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and many others. Bon Appetit called Loca Luna one of America’s best neighborhood restaurants. Attire is up to you; owner Mark Abernathy recommends “whatever you feel good in.” Abernathy calls Loca Luna’s cuisine “nouveau schizophrenic” because it’s all over the map, and this truly is one of those places where there is something for everyone. At dinner the focus is on grilled meats, fresh seafood, creative pastas, and wood-fired, brick-oven pizzas. It’s international cuisine with a Southern twist. The lunches are legendary. In addition to outstanding soups, salads, and sandwiches, Loca Luna offers award-winning Best Plate Lunches with traditional Southern roots. Items like pot roast, chicken-fried steaks, chicken and dumplings are on the menu, all with a huge assortment of homestyle vegetables like greens and real mashed potatoes with pork thyme cream gravy. Great appetizers and homemade desserts round out the offerings. Prices are moderate, with lunches around $7–8 and dinners between $12–18. $–$$.

Entertainment

LITTLE ROCK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK METROPOLITAN AREA

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (501-666-1761; www.arkansassymphony.org), Robinson Center Music Hall, West Markham and Broadway, Little Rock. The Arkansas Symphony performs more than 30 concerts annually at Little Rock’s Robinson Center Music Hall and at numerous special events. A variety of performers and music types are featured in the Masterworks Series, the Pops Series, and the Chamber Music Series. The Symphony Youth Orchestras provide opportunities for young musicians of Arkansas. Nationally known guest artists who have performed with the orchestra include Itzhak Perlman, Van Cliburn, Marilyn Horne, Bernadette Peters, Doc Severinsen, Michael Bolton, and Olivia Newton-John. The website maintains a schedule of performances and ticket prices.

Ballet Arkansas (501-223-5150; www.balletarkansas.org), Robinson Center Music Hall, West Markham and Broadway, Little Rock. Call or visit the website for a schedule of performances. Ballet Arkansas was founded in 1978 as a nonprofit organization, and it traces its roots back to the Little Rock Civic Ballet. Throughout the years, Ballet Arkansas has seen many accomplishments, such as Cynthia Gregory performing with the ballet, bringing Mikhail Baryshnikov to Little Rock, and receiving the Stream Award from the Southwestern Regional Ballet Association Festival. Performances include the annual Nutcracker each holiday season.

River Market, President Clinton Boulevard, Little Rock, is a carefully crafted and diverse medley of owner-operated shops, stalls, and/or day tables filled with a huge variety of vendors and flavors for your dining pleasure. Located in the heart of Little Rock’s River Market District, the River Market is an exciting public food market that will entice your senses with its relaxing entertainment and rich cultural experiences. The farmers’ market is held here through the growing season. Open May through October, Tuesday and Saturday 7–3.

Major elements of the River Market District include the Central Arkansas Main Public Library, the Arkansas Museum of Discovery, several restaurants/bars, specialty retail stores, residential living, Julius Breckling Riverfront Park, and the River Market. The River Market’s Ottenheimer Market Hall houses nearly a dozen permanent merchants who offer market specialties year-round. There is a wide selection of fantastic food from all over the globe, whether you’re looking for something terrific to take home for dinner or just stopping by for lunch. Among the growing list of specialties, you’ll find hand-crafted artisan breads and pastries; homemade pies and cakes; meats and poultry—pork, beef, chicken, and turkey—smoked, barbecued, glazed, and deli cuts; locally roasted gourmet coffees and specialty espresso drinks; authentic Mexican, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Central European cuisine and groceries; fruit smoothies; and gourmet chocolates, jellies, preserves, sauces, spices, and seasonings. If you’ve got a picky palate, the Ottenheimer Market Hall is the place to be!

Verizon Arena (501-340-5660 or 501-975-9000; www.alltelarena.com), One Verizon Arena Way, North Little Rock. A state-of-the-art, multipurpose facility, the arena is situated on the Arkansas River in North Little Rock. It seats 18,000 for basketball and is home to the Arkansas Twisters Arena II football team. It has hosted such special events as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Champions on Ice figure skating exhibition, Southeastern Conference regional men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments, and concerts by such major entertainers as Journey and Def Leppard, Shania Twain, Kevin Hart, Pink, Fleetwood Mac, and Miranda Lambert.

WESTERN TIMBERLANDS

Perot Theatre (903-792-4992; www.trahc.org/perot.shtml), 221 Main Street, Texarkana. Built in 1924 and originally known as the Saenger Theatre, this fully restored Italian Renaissance theater has hosted such performers as Douglas Fairbanks, Will Rogers, and Annie Oakley; it now hosts top national/international stars and Broadway touring productions. Ticket prices vary; the website posts details on performances.

MICROBREWERIES Diamond Bear Brewing Company (501-708-BREW; www.diamondbear.com), 323-C Cross Street, Little Rock. Beer produced in the old, time-honored traditional methods of European brewers, using only two-row malted barley, hops, yeast, and great Arkansas water. Being brewed locally gives the beer a great advantage in freshness, capturing some of the world’s most famous styles of beer without the use of adjuncts or preservatives. Free tours of the brewery are conducted every Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m., and include a walk-through of the facility and samples of the product. Root beer is available for those who are under the legal drinking age of 21 in the state. Private tours and meeting facilities are available upon request for larger groups. A gift shop sells Diamond Bear souvenirs and the beer. All of Diamond Bear’s draft beers have been brewed on-site from the beginning, and as of the fall of 2006, their bottled beers have also been brewed locally. The bottled beer was previously brewed and bottled in Minnesota, but after purchasing a bottling line from a company in Wisconsin, the brewery is able to produce all of its products here. This also allows the brewery more flexibility in the varieties it can offer. The water used in the beer production comes from Lake Winnetoka outside Hot Springs. The brewery specializes in craft beers, which are beers that contain no adjuncts, chemicals, or additives. Eight types of beer are brewed annually at Diamond Bear; including a non-alcoholic beer and one seasonally produced. Diamond Bear has won numerous national and international awards for its world-class brews, including Gold Medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. The Arkansas Ale House located inside the brewery serves “beer-centric” sandwiches, soups, and stews as well as daily and weekly specials. It is open Tuesday through Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., and the bar stays open Friday and Saturday night until 10 p.m.

THEATER Arkansas Repertory Theatre (501-378-0445; www.therep.org), 601 Main Street, Little Rock. The Rep, as it is affectionately called, has a national reputation as one of the finest repertory theaters in the country. Contemporary comedies, cutting-edge dramas, musical theater, and literary classics are presented by the company. Since its creation in 1976, The Rep has produced more than 230 shows, including 30 world premieres. Located in downtown Little Rock, the company mounts productions in its 354-seat MainStage Theater, a venue for The Rep’s more stylistically traditional work. The company’s Second Stage, a 100-seat black box space, reflects The Rep’s interest in the works of emerging playwrights and offers newer and lesser-known works in a more developmental context. Ticket prices vary according to show. Details are posted on the website.

Wildwood Park (501-821-7275; www.wildwoodpark.org), 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock. The facility’s hours are dependent upon the event. Wildwood is located on 105 acres of virgin forestland in west Little Rock. This acclaimed performing arts park grew out of the Arkansas Opera Theatre and now serves as home for the company. Seven spectacular gardens and an 8-acre lake provide a beautiful background for outdoor musical performances. The renowned Wildwood Music Festival is held each June and highlights the performing and visual arts, plus up-and-coming young artists. Past guest performers include Peter Duchin, Crystal Gayle, Judy Collins, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Riders in the Sky, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Ticket prices are based on the event and range from $10 for the Harvest! Festival each fall to $75 for the Wine & Food FEASTival, one of its best-attended events.

EASTERN TIMBERLANDS

South Arkansas Arts Center Theatre (870-862-5474; www.saac-arts.org), 110 East Fifth Street, El Dorado. Open Monday through Friday 9–5. The South Arkansas Arts Center (SAAC) provides monthly gallery exhibits featuring local, regional, and nationally acclaimed artists; a season of community theater productions annually; and classes for children and adults in visual arts, photography, ballet, music, and drama on-site as well as Artists-in-Education in area schools. SAAC’s 22,500-square-foot facility houses three art galleries, a ballet studio, a 206-seat theater, a scene and costume shop, a photography studio, educational classroom space, and an open studio for artists offered free of charge to anyone in the community.

Selective Shopping

LITTLE ROCK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK METROPOLITAN AREA

Bernice Garden Farmers’ Market (501-617-2511) 1401 S. Main Street, Little Rock. Open every Sunday from mid-April until mid-October. Sustainably raised and grow produce, cheese, nuts, salsa and soap are among the wide array of products available in this charming garden market in the hip SOMA district. Frequently a popular area for live music and food trucks. Open 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

EASTERN TIMBERLANDS

James Hayes Art Glass Co. (870-543-9792; www.hayesartglass.com), 2900 Ridgway Road, Pine Bluff. James Hayes is a Pine Bluff native and professional glass blower. Tour his shop and see the treasure trove of extraordinary glass works in an astounding array of brilliant colors and remarkable shapes. Some of Mr. Hayes’ honors include an invitation from the White House to design a Christmas tree ornament, designing gifts for the 2003 Lieutenant Governors Conference, and the design of the 2001 Governor’s Arts Awards. He also provides demonstrations for scheduled tours.

El Dorado Downtown (1-888-921-BOOM; www.mainstreeteldorado.com), El Dorado. Boutiques and shops on this historic square feature a wide variety of wares. Stretch your legs and combine a walking tour of these architecturally significant buildings, many financed by the South Arkansas oil boom and the timber industry.

WESTERN TIMBERLANDS

Sweet Things Vintage Antique Mall (870-773-1006; www.sweetthingsvintage.com), 620 East Seventh Street, Texarkana. Open Monday through Saturday 9–5. Come here for vintage jewelry, elegant glassware, and a variety of collectibles, including furniture, decorative items, and linens.

Special Events

March: Camden Daffodil Festival (870-836-9243; www.camdendaffodilfestival.com), 3064 Roseman Road, Camden. One of most beautiful festivals in the state! Includes tours of four daffodil gardens, a cemetery walk with live reenactments, historic home tours with reenactors, a downtown festival with over 100 vendors, arts and crafts, a quilt show, children’s activities, and Civil War reenactors with cannons blasting over the banks of the Ouachita River. Also an antique car show, live entertainment, and a grand finale of the Championship Steak Cook-Off on Saturday evening. Admission: garden tours $20 adults, $8 children; home tours $7 each house; Oakland Cemetery Walk $7 adults, $3 children.

May: Annual Riverfest (501-255-3378; www.riverfestarkansas.com), Little Rock and North Little Rock. The banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock and North Little Rock come alive every May for an annual celebration of music, dance, and art. For more than a quarter of a century, tens of thousands of people have joined for a weekend of food and fun for the family. Special areas for children include face painting and crafts; special performances by local dance troupes and magicians; and a river fun area that has games with prizes. Every type of food vendor you can imagine is here, plus headline musical acts in every genre. Arkansas performers are also spotlighted on special stages. The trolley runs constantly, making it more convenient to tote your blanket or lawn chair from stage to stage and to enjoy acts like Bonnie Raitt, the Dave Matthews Band, and back-in-the-day bands like Jethro Tull. Check the website for a schedule of performances. An annual fireworks display caps off the event and is accompanied by the Arkansas Symphony. Tickets are sold in advance while supplies last (multiday $50–60; single-day $25–30). Children 4 and under admitted free with an adult. Children 5–12 years of age $10 per day.

September: Annual Camden BPW Barn Sale (870-231-6244; www.bpwbarnsale.org), Oakland Farms, Oakland at Monticello Street, Camden. No gate admission; $4 per car for parking in reserved area. The massive old oak trees provide plenty of shade as you stroll beside the historic barn while listening to an old-fashioned gristmill grind cornmeal throughout the day. Watch a potter or woodcarving artist at work or purchase a newly made treasure from one of the 160 crafters. All crafts are original and handmade. Expect to find handcrafted wooden pieces, ceramics, paintings, floral arrangements, handmade clothing, jewelry, stained glass, and much more. This is South Arkansas’s largest arts and crafts festival, and it includes an antique and classic car show, 5K run, pancake breakfast, and spaghetti dinner, plus many other activities around town.