Great Areas of Central Arkansas Volume 7: North Little Rock

North Little Rock is another excellent place to live in central Arkansas. Located on the other side of the Arkansas River from Little Rock, North Little Rock provides a vast array of inviting neighborhoods, and the downtown area has experienced impressive growth over the past several years. The city’s neighborhoods offer the same quality living as in Little Rock, but generally at a more affordable level.

NLR's Argenta Area

Founded as Argenta, North Little Rock officially became a city in 1901. The name Argenta refers specifically to downtown North Little Rock, and this area continues to honor its history by brilliantly preserving its beautiful early twentieth century buildings. The City Hall is one of these buildings, which still bears the name “Argenta.” The Argenta area is celebrated to this day—the Arts & Entertainment District has become an increasingly popular hub for community events, farmers’ markets, live theater and comedy, excellent new restaurants, craft beer, vibrant night life, and much more. You will definitely want to experience everything the Argenta Arts & Entertainment District has to offer! If you like the downtown scene, there are also great apartments and town homes in the area. And in the spring, don’t forget to catch an Arkansas Travelers baseball game at Dickey Stevens Park, and take a tour of the World War II submarine USS Razorback!

The USS Razorback

Beyond Argenta, North Little Rock offers many other great locations for living. The Park Hill and Lakewood areas are beautiful suburban neighborhoods that provide boundless options for family living, all within a lusciously green suburban area. Here you will find a wide variety of home sizes and architectural styles to suit your taste. Tucked away in the Lakewood neighborhood, in the T.R. Pugh Memorial Park, is The Old Mill, a distinctive and beautiful historic landmark that was featured in Gone With The Wind. Further east, you can shop, dine and stay in the McCain Mall area, which offers a vast array of stores and restaurants. To the west, splash on down to Wild River Country, Arkansas’ largest water park!

The Old Mill

This article mentions just a few of the many attractions and excellent neighborhoods that North Little Rock has to offer. If you are considering a move to Central Arkansas, you don’t want to miss out on seeing the beautiful areas of North Little Rock and the increasingly popular Argenta area!

Great Areas of Central Arkansas Volume 6: Benton & Bryant

If you are looking for a place outside of the big city, the Little Rock area has some delightful suburbs that offer affordable home options with access to all the amenities of city living. Benton and Bryant are two of these Little Rock suburbs well worth looking at when searching for a new home in the Little Rock area!

Benton Square

Located just southwest of Little Rock along Interstate 30, Benton is the county seat of Saline County and has enjoyed significant growth over the past few years. Benton is a colorful and sunny community with plenty of Southern charm. The increasing popularity of the city is evident by its population increase of about 30% over the past ten years, and the community continues to grow and develop today.

Benton offers excellent value—the city has the advantage of providing a quality of suburban living equal to that of Little Rock, but with a more affordable price range. Benton residents have said that the city boasts an increasingly strong business community and an active chamber of commerce organization, and is an excellent environment for raising a family. Benton also has excellent ratings for schools and education.

Also along Interstate 30, between Little Rock and Benton, is another delightful suburb. Although smaller than Benton, the City of Bryant also offers great value for comfortable suburban living. The Keep Bryant Beautiful campaign and the Jumpstart urban revitalization program are also examples of Bryant’s vibrant and active community that will enjoy significant growth over the coming years.

Bryant High School

The Southern charm of this area is perhaps the most attractive characteristic. Located between Little Rock and Hot Springs, both Benton and nearby Bryant provide antique seekers ample opportunity to search for treasures with several antique malls on both sides of the interstate. The Saline River has excellent fishing, scenery and back-country floating for the outdoors enthusiast. Aside from antiques and beautiful natural attractions, there are plenty of signature dining options in Benton and Bryant. Brown’s Country Store and Restaurant, for one, is an iconic attraction in Benton along I-30, and is a long-time favorite stop for Arkansans, out-of-state travelers, and local residents alike.

All in all, the Benton-Bryant area is an excellent choice for suburban living. If you’re looking for a new home for your family, the value is hard to beat! These beautiful Little Rock suburbs provide quiet suburban living with the amenities of the big city, as well as strong, family-oriented communities.

GREAT AREAS OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS VOL. 5: MAUMELLE

The City of Maumelle is another excellent place to live in the Little Rock area. Located on the West side of North Little Rock and extending west to Interstate 430, this family-oriented city offers comfortable suburban living at very reasonable prices. Maumelle includes everything its residents need—from a vast array of restaurants and stores to excellent golf courses—all just a stone’s throw away from the attractions of Little Rock and North Little Rock. Perhaps the best aspect of Maumelle is its combination of comfortable suburban living options and beautiful natural attractions.

Maumelle is a largely residential area marked by its peaceful suburban neighborhoods. This area was developed beginning in the 1980s and has expanded significantly in the years since. Family-sized homes are abundant and affordable, and many new and beautiful apartment complexes and condominiums have developed in the city, such as the Fountaine-Bleau Apartments just northeast of Maumelle Boulevard. The subdivisions surrounding Lake Willastein and the Maumelle Country Club, as well as those surrounding Odom Boulevard are excellent places to find a suitable family home or luxury apartment.

Aside from its many living options, Maumelle also provides a great environment for the outdoor enthusiast. Maumelle Campground sits along the beautiful Arkansas River, offering boating, fishing and birding. The campground offers 128 spacious campsites with electric hookups, along with eight large group picnic shelters. Amenities include a dock, hot showers, a boat ramp and playground. Further, Pinnacle Mountain State Park is just two miles from the campground. The 13 mountain trails at Pinnacle range from easy to strenuous, and each one promises captivating scenery. Maumelle has two recreational lakes, Lake Willastein and Lake Valencia, both surrounded by park land, bicycle trails, and wooden bridges. Picnicking and fishing are available at both lakes. Maumelle also has one of the most extensive municipal bicycle trail systems in Arkansas (13 miles) that offers access to wooded greenbelts.

For the golfer, the Maumelle Country Club offers an 18-hole championship golf course featuring beautiful terrain and natural surroundings. Maumelle Country Club offers the perfect mix of leisure and competitive golf. The Club holds monthly tournaments through the Men's and Women's Golf Associations, as well as numerous couple's and Pro Shop sponsored events throughout the year.

Maumelle is also the home of Brandon Moving & Storage! Over the years, we've come to appreciate the convenience and beauty of Maumelle. It's a wonderful place to call home!

Great Areas of Central Arkansas Vol. 2: West Little Rock

If you prefer a more suburban setting with more room, or perhaps a quiet neighborhood to start a family, West Little Rock offers high-quality, comfortable living.

CHENAL

Chenal Homes

Chenal is a scenic community of impressive homes, luxury condos, championship golf courses, fine dining, shopping, outdoor recreation and so much more. Chenal is well known for having the most sought-after Central Arkansas homes. Whether you’re looking for a beautiful house in a specific neighborhood, a view overlooking the golf course, or lots to build your dream retreat, you’ll find it in this expansive subdivision. Chenal has seen enormous growth over the past ten years and offers a very wide range of living options in addition to upscale shopping and impressive dining options. The Promenade at Chenal —from beautiful large family homes to new upscale apartments for single residents or couples. Located near the Chenal Country Club, Chenal Valley is characterized by its eye-catchingly elegant houses and beautiful golf courses.

PLEASANT VALLEY

Pleasant Valley Country Club

West Little Rock’s prestigious Pleasant Valley is another beautiful neighborhood that offers comfortable suburban living in the midst of stunning natural scenery. Pleasant Valley is a large area that includes a variety of living options as well as excellent schools, churches, neighborhood pools, and golf courses. Pleasant Valley Country Club is the premier country club of Arkansas, featuring a 27-hole championship golf course of rolling hills and tree-lined fairways. In addition to stunningly beautiful homes of many different sizes and styles, Pleasant Valley is also home to Christ the King Catholic Church and School, Saint James United Methodist Church, and Temple B’nai Israel, and Pulaski Academy, just to name a few. In the rolling hills of Pleasant Valley, one will find the beautiful subdivisions of Pebble Beach, Marlowe Manor, Hillsborough, and Valley View, among many others. Impressive shopping and dining options are also found within this beautiful suburban area.

PLEASANT RIDGE AREA

Pleasant Ridge Town Center

The Pleasant Ridge Area is another beautiful suburb in West Little Rock, providing resort-style living at a prime location. Nestled in between prestigious Pleasant Ridge Town Center and Pinnacle Mountain, Pleasant Ridge offers the best of both worlds—near entertainment, shopping, and fine dining and also beautiful hiking trails by the Arkansas River. Pleasant Ridge Town Center is one of Little Rock's premier shopping centers and features all of the elements that appeal to the discriminating shopper. The Center is home to stores such as Belk and restaurants like Bar Louie and Bonefish Grill. In addition to beautiful homes that overlook the Arkansas River (Walton Heights), this part of West Little Rock offers an array of newly constructed condominiums and luxury apartments at reasonable prices.

Great Areas of Central Arkansas Vol. 1: Little Rock - Hillcrest & The Heights

Central Arkansas is a great place to live and has many great neighborhoods to offer. Whether you are looking for the hustle-and-bustle of the vibrant downtown area, a quiet homestead in a beautiful suburban neighborhood, or something more quaint in between, Central Arkansas has the option for you at an affordable price. This series of blogs will describe the many great places to live in Central Arkansas:

Hillcrest

One of Hillcrest's many festivals

Hillcrest is one of Little Rock’s beautiful historic neighborhoods—it is often referred to as the Hillcrest Historic District by its residents. Hillcrest is the lower, southern section of the Pulaski Heights neighborhood and contains some of Little Rock's most historic construction in both commercial and residential areas. Often thought of as the "heart of Little Rock," it is located almost directly in the center of the city and was arguably the first fully established suburb in Little Rock, and among the first neighborhoods in Arkansas. Much of what makes Hillcrest an historic district and famous neighborhood are the highly sought-after houses of diverse architectural styles. Ranging from Prairie to Queen Anne styles, the houses were built from all different time periods to represent Hillcrest as a unique neighborhood. Hillcrest is also a great place to raise a family, with historic schools and churches nestled alongside the beautiful historic homes. Along Kavanaugh Boulevard, the central vein of Hillcrest and The Heights, you will also find excellent restaurants, coffee shops, and boutique stores. Bars and restaurants such as Ciao Baci, The Afterthought, The Fountain, and La Terraza also offer an eclectic mix of establishments that offer unique cuisine and live music to keep Hillcrest nights alive.

The Heights

The Heights' strip of restaurants and shops

Nestled along the North side of Hillcrest is The Heights, another beautiful Little Rock neighborhood. This district is located on the north side of Cantrell Road and University Avenue, and extends East toward downtown Little Rock, ending at the beautiful Country Club of Little Rock. The Heights is mostly newer than Hillcrest and contains many popular stores, restaurants, and bars that give the neighborhood a vibrant evening and night life. The Heights is also very family friendly, with many beautiful family homes, churches, and excellent schools. A leisurely stroll along the north half of Kavanaugh Boulevard and into the more historic part of the Heights offers plenty of options for dining and shopping, as well as pleasant views of a beautiful and comfortable neighborhood.