More Things to Do
The emerging River Market District is a compact area located in the heart of downtown Little Rock. It offers visitors a variety of interesting restaurants, bars, live entertainment, cultural experiences and more. You can hop a trolley to get from place to place.
In many of these businesses, you’ll be treated like a neighbor, even if you’re from out of town, according to the Marriott’s Freeborn.
“People here will ask you about your history and background and then connect with you on a personal level,” he said. “There’s a small town-big city feeling here.”
Riverfront Park is an 11-block urban parkland along the Arkansas River in downtown Little Rock. Sprinkled with walkways, special lighting and a dozen sculptures, Sunken Plaza, Belvedere Pavilion and Riverfest Amphitheater attract locals and visitors for festivals, special events and concerts.
Those interested in Southern history, especially the 1950s civil rights movement, will want to stop outside Little Rock’s Central High School, where history unfolded in 1957. Nine African-American students attempted to integrate the all-white high school but were turned back by Arkansas National Guardsmen. Federal troops were called in to enforce the law. There were clashes, but the students, who came to be known as the Little Rock Nine, were enrolled as the world watched.
The street corner is now a National Historic Site. There’s an interesting interpretation center to stroll through, and tours of the neighborhood are available.
There’s more history to enjoy at the Old Statehouse Museum, located in the midst of Little Rock’s downtown hotel district. The former state capitol might best be known to the nation as the site of Bill Clinton’s presidential-election-night celebrations in 1992 and 1996.
Eating and Drinking
There are many exquisite restaurants at which to dine in Little Rock, but for a change of pace, some folks love to sample the out-of-the-way places with authentic down-home Arkansas cooking. Some of the stops were lunchtime hangouts of then-Arkansas Governor Clinton. Other longtime favorites include Doe’s Eat Place and Sims Bar-B-Que.
Have you heard of the farm-to-table restaurant movement? How about the grain-to-glass distillery trend? Little Rock has one: Rock Town Distillery, producer of artisan craft bourbon, vodka and gin. It’s the first legal distillery in Arkansas since Prohibition. There are tours available that take you through each step of the distilling process, ending with sips of various spirits.
Rock Town hosts small private parties and corporate events. You can even book a bottling party where your guests get to bottle and label the products on a mini assembly line. “We do events, mainly for charity, with live bands,” said Phil Brandon, Rock Town’s founder and head distiller. “There’s something about real whiskey barrels. People just love to see them and have a drink by one.”
As a destination, Little Rock appears to be gaining a reputation as a surprising meetings choice. “Little Rock has been a well-kept secret,” said the Marriott’s Spencer. “I’ve lived and worked in some big cities, and in Little Rock, you have it all in a smaller city. The downtown is alive and vibrant.”
