At the heart of Arkansas you’ll find the capital city of Little Rock. The hub of the city is the downtown area, which is thriving with restaurants, art galleries, museums, shops, bars and fine hotels. State government, medical, banking and financial centers and statewide media have also made their home in the area.

The William J. Clinton Presidential Center continues to bring in hundreds of thousands of guests from around the world. Adjacent to the center is the world headquarters of Heifer International and Heifer’s Global Village – an education center, outdoor commons area and wetlands. The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center overlooks the Arkansas River and highlights the state’s fish and wildlife resources.

A River Rail electric streetcar system connects the downtowns of Little Rock and North Little Rock, the latter of which is home to Verizon Arena, an 18,000-seat coliseum that plays host to a variety of sporting events and musical acts. Also on the north side of the river, Dickey-Stephens Park is the state-of-the-art home of the Arkansas Travelers baseball team, the AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

There are numerous opportunities to golf, play tennis and bike in the area. Additionally, the Arkansas River, Pinnacle Mountain State Park and Burns Park provide plenty of other activities like fishing and hiking.

The history of the state comes to life at the Historic Arkansas Museum and several other museums in the area, including the Old State House Museum, MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum and the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center.

Other notable cities/towns:
Benton, Bryant, Cabot, Conway, Jacksonville, Maumelle, Searcy, Sherwood

More can’t-miss attractions:
Arkansas Arts Center, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Arkansas River Trail, Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, Little Rock River Market, Little Rock Zoo