Must-SeeLittle Rock Central High School
A National Historic Site at the still-working high school where the Little Rock Nine broke segregation in 1957 under armed guard.
Little Rock
Where nine Black students integrated Central High School in 1957, with Bill Clinton's presidential library and the Arkansas River running through town.
In 1957, the Little Rock Nine walked through a mob, guarded by the 101st Airborne, in a defining moment of the civil rights era. The school is still in use and is a National Historic Site.
The William J. Clinton Presidential Center, on the river, anchors a lively River Market district.
- Best Time
- April to June, September and October
- Time Needed
- 1–2 days
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Year-round
- Getting There
- Clinton National Airport is 10 minutes from downtown; it's about 2 hours from Memphis.
The Short List
9 sights, 8 of them free. Tick off what you've seen and rise from Sailor to Captain of Little Rock.
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Must-See
Must-See
Must-SeeClinton Presidential Center
A glass and steel 'bridge to the 21st century', on the Arkansas River, with a full-size Oval Office and Cabinet Room.
Must-SeeHot Springs National Park
A row of grand old bathhouses in a small mountain town, where Al Capone and Babe Ruth came to soak. It's the oldest federally protected park.
Worth a Detour
River Market District
A walkable waterfront district with a market hall, Ottenheimer Food Hall, restaurants and the trolley.
Worth a DetourOld State House Museum
A lovely 1842 Greek Revival building, where Bill Clinton announced his election victories, and the oldest surviving state capitol west of the Mississippi.
If You're Nearby
Big Dam Bridge
America's longest pedestrian bridge built to be such, spanning the Arkansas River over a dam, on a 16-mile trail loop.
If You're NearbyMosaic Templars Cultural Center
A free museum of Black Arkansas history, on Ninth Street, once a thriving Black business district.
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
A striking free museum rebuilt by Studio Gang in 2023, in MacArthur Park next to the Arkansas Museum of Military History.
Pinnacle Mountain State Park
A cone-shaped hill rising above the river, with a popular rocky climb to fine views of the Ouachitas.
Neighborhoods
- River MarketDowntown's walkable core.
- SoMaSouth Main's cool shops and restaurants.
- HillcrestOlder homes, shops and bistros.
- North Little RockArgenta's arts district and a WWII submarine.
Getting Around
The Rock Region Streetcar loops River Market and North Little Rock, and buses run elsewhere. Rent a car for Hot Springs, Central High and Pinnacle Mountain. It's flat and easy to drive, and Amtrak's Texas Eagle stops late at night.
Plan Your Visit
- Day 1: Central High School and the Old State House. Day 2: the Clinton Center, River Market and Big Dam Bridge.
Know Before You Go
- Central High tours need advance booking with the National Park Service.
- Hot Springs National Park is about an hour away.
Where to Stay
Stay in the River Market.
What to Eat
- Cheese dipArkansas claims to have invented it, at Little Rock's Mexico Chiquito in the 1930s.
- BarbecueSims and Whole Hog Cafe are both local favorites.
- Catfish and hushpuppiesSouthern classics at Lassis Inn, a historic Black-owned restaurant.
- Fried piesA Southern treat, at roadside stands and Ed Walker's.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
Editor's picks. Nobody paid to be on this list.
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Go Next
Worth a DetourMemphis and Graceland
Tennessee
Elvis's Graceland, the blues on Beale Street and the National Civil Rights Museum.
Full Guide
If You're NearbyThorncrown Chapel
Arkansas
A soaring wood-and-glass chapel in the Ozark woods near Eureka Springs, Arkansas, designed by E. Fay Jones and among the finest American buildings of its century.
Full Guide
If You're NearbyBranson and the Ozarks
Missouri
A theater-packed Ozarks town of country music, comedians and the Silver Dollar City theme park, among lakes and forested hills.
Full Guide
Last checked 2026-11-01. Part of the Southeast list.