WEST LITTLE ROCK

West Little Rock, roughly defined as the area west of Interstate 430, not long ago was home to acres and acres of tall pines and wildlife. Today, this newest part of town is both a mecca for shopping, dining and luxurious family living (mostly south of Highway 10) and a draw for incomparable hiking, biking, birding and boating (north of Highway 10). Major attractions for folks who love the outdoors are Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Rattlesnake Ridge, Lake Maumelle and Two Rivers Park.

SEE & DO

Pinnacle Mountain State Park is where hikers get on the Ouachita Trail and features the volcano-resembling Pinnacle Mountain. Canoists can launch on the Little Maumelle River here. Hikers and mountain bikers head to Rattlesnake Ridge.

Walkers, runners, canoists, cyclists and paddle-boarders all take to Two Rivers Park, the peninsula bordered by the Little Maumelle and the Arkansas River. Two Rivers is the western end of the Little Rock side of the Arkansas River Trail, which earned Little Rock and North Little Rock’s identity as a cycling destination. Boosting that reputation is the new River Mountain Park, an east-west ridge south of the Little Maumelle, the city’s only park dedicated to mountain biking. For indoor sporting, head south of Highway 10 (also known as Cantrell Road) for the Professor Bowl on Reservoir Road or the Arkansas Skatium, the roller and ice skating rinks on

Bowman Road. Also on Bowman: The Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park for anti-gravity fun. Big kids can practice their outdoor climbing indoors at The Little Rock Climbing Center on Colonel Glenn Road. Little kids can party and make art at The Wonder Place on Rodney Parham Roads. Adults can unwind with a relaxing massage at Rejuvenation Clinic and Day Spa off Rodney Parham, Ava Bella Day Spa on Shackleford Road or Copper Well on Cantrell (Highway 10). Catch the latest films at Regal UA Breckenridge, Cinemark Colonel Glenn, Movie Tavern (which features a bar and food service) out by Bass Pro Shops, and the AMC Chenal 9 movie theater, which includes an IMAX screen, in The Promenade at Chenal.

Shop

Highway 10, Rodney Parham Road and the Chenal Parkway are West Little Rock’s major shopping arteries.

The Pleasant Ridge Town Center on Highway 10 features a number of locally owned shops such as Vesta’s, for clothing and gifts; the boutique women’s store Beyond Cotton; the Toggery children’s clothing and toy store; and many other shops, including shoe stores.

The Promenade at Chenal, an outdoor shopping district featuring small streets, sculpture and a fountain, is home to high-end retailers like Urban Outfitters, lululemon and Anthropologie, as well as Little Rock’s Apple store.

For outlet and sports shopping, head south on Interstate 430 to The Outlets of Little Rock and the Bass Pro Shop.

EAT & DRINK

Ask any longtime Little Rock native where to go to find a great hot donut and they’ll tell you to head to Shipley’s Do-Nuts on Cantrell (and other locations around town). Farther out Cantrell in the Pinnacle Creek area is DJ Donuts. For firstclass French delights, hit the Croissanterie on Highway 10. Big breakfast in mind? Get a good one at Big Bad Breakfast at West Markham Bowman Road. Delicious Temptations on Rodney Parham, like the Croissenterie and Big Bad Breakfast, offers lunch as well. Wake up at Guillermo’s Coffee, Tea & Roastery; satisfy your sweet tooth at Blue Cake/Honey Pies on Bowman, Mickey’s Cakes and Sweets on Rodney Parham, Cinnamon Creme Bakery on Chenal and Community Bakery’s West Little Rock outpost on Shackleford Road.

Standout West Little Rock burger places include David’s on Bowman and Big Orange, Five Guys and the purveyor also of purple milkshakes The Purple Cow, all on Chenal. For more variety, find home cooking at Homer’s; pizza at the Pizza Cafe West on Highway 10 and Sauce(d) Bar and Oven on Rodney Parham; and Mediterranean fare at The Little Greek and Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe on Highway 10, the Terrace on Rodney Parham and the locally owned Aji Ramen Bar on Shackleford. There’s Vietnamese cuisine (Pho Thanh on Shackleford) and Indian (Taj Mahal off Rodney Parham, Star of India on Shackleford and Saffron on Highway 10). Kemuri, a locally owned and wildly popular Japanese restaurant in Hillcrest, has opened a second location on Chenal.

Local Lime in The Promenade offers south-of-the-border favorites. Watch your favorite sports at the Red Moon Tavern on Chenonceau Boulevard and feel sophisticated at ZIN Wine Bar.

If you’re in the mood for fancier fare, check out Arthur’s Prime Steakhouse, Sullivan’s Steakhouse and Oceans on Chenal, Table 28 on Merrill Drive, and Petit and Keet in the Market Street Plaza. Comfortable Capers on Highway 10 features New American cuisine.

Visitors planning to picnic with healthy food will find Natural Grocers on Rodney Parham, Whole Foods Market on Bowman and Fresh Market on Cantrell.

West Little Rock is also buzzing with news of a redo of Breckenridge Village shopping center on Rodney Parham: New owners plan to open a Waldo’s Chicken & Beer there; outposts of North Little Rock’s Flyway Brewing Co., Hot Springs’ Deluca’s Pizza and downtown’s Root Cafe are expected. The changes, which will include new retail, should come in 2023 and 2024. n