The Greater Little Rock area is a great place to live and work, and offers diverse opportunities for leisure activities, including the arts and Theatre**.  In the downtown area, Little Rock's major performing arts facility, the Robinson Center, offers Broadway shows, musicals, and other entertainment. It is the home of Ballet Arkansas and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra**. The Reparatory Theater, known as “The Rep”, also produces many quality theater productions. Weekend Theater is an intimate theater setting with local talent. Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts offers opera, chamber performances and festivals throughout the year. Many “big name” groups play at the Alltel Arena** in North Little Rock. A more eclectic (jazz, blues and alternative rock) array of recording artists play at smaller establishments in town.

The River Market District, which includes is an area in downtown Little Rock over looking the Arkansas River. It has a number of specialty shops, including antique stores and art galleries, small restaurants and coffee shops, the Museum of Discovery** (a hands on museum for children and adults), a large indoor market containing food stalls, and a farmers’ market that provides a diversity of produce, plants, handcrafted jewelry, handmade clothes, and other crafts. Located on President Clinton Boulevard, the River Market district is adjacent to the Riverfest Amphitheatre**, which offers a series of outdoor concerts every year; see Little Rock Nightlife** for more information. The Riverfront Park and the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park**, located in the same area are Historic Arkansas Museum**, which includes a collection of restored early 19th-century structures and their outbuildings dating from Arkansas’s territorial past, the Old State House Museum**, where President Clinton made his acceptance speech, and the Arkansas Arts Center** are within walking distance. Restored trolleys furnish transportation around the River Market District, and also cross the river to the  Maritime Museum** which includes tours of the World War II-era submarine, USS Razorback, located on the north shore of the river. There are also a number of other art, history, and science museums in the area. There is an IMAX theater at the Aerospace Education Center**, which includes exhibits of Russian/U.S. space hardware, an Aerospace Library, a gift shop, and antique aircraft, including the only Sopwith Camel** in the nation. For more activities for children and adults.

There is an abundance of outdoor activities in central Arkansas, as well as in other parts of the state. Well over 50 public parks and nearly 200 recreation facilities in the Little Rock/North Little Rock area, many of which include swimming pools, tennis courts, playgrounds, golf courses, soccer fields and softball fields.

North Little Rock is the site of the 1,575-acre Burns Park**, the second largest municipal park in the nation. Golf, tennis, racquetball, softball, baseball, fishing, boating and picnicking are all available in the park. Near the Little Rock VA are a number of parks, including Little Rock Zoo** and several public golf courses.

The Arkansas River Trail**, a planned 24 mile walking and biking trail, of which over 14 miles is completed, will extend from downtown Little Rock to near wilderness areas such as Pinnacle Mountain State Park**, and from downtown North Little Rock to Cook’s landing. Currently, a trail over the Murray Lock and Dam and bike path over the Main Street Bridge create a fourteen-mile loop covering both sides of the river from West Little Rock and Cooks Landing to downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock.

There are also numerous Arkansas State Parks** some within one hour drive of Little Rock. These include  Petit Jean State Park** and Pinnacle Mountain State Park**. Others, somewhat farther, also have a lodge and camping facilities (Mount Magazine State Park, Queen Wilhelmina State Park**).

For information on state parks and more, Canoeing on the Buffalo National River** in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas is a “must do”. For other interesting activities and events, see  Little Rock Parks and Recreation**.

For more information about Arkansas, go to the Arkansas Homepage**.

RECENT INTERN FAVORITES with their comments

Restaurants:

Coffee:

Beer/Drinks:

Parks & Recreation: