Winter in Little Rock

Little Rock is a great spot to spend a winter day. The hub of Arkansas’s capital city is the bustling River Market District(link is external), which has many restaurants, shops, bars, nightlife, museums and hotels. Don’t miss La Petite Roche Plaza(link is external) in Riverfront Park on the Arkansas River. Attractions nearby include the Clinton Presidential Center & Park(link is external), the nearby world headquarters of Heifer International(link is external), and the Central Arkansas Nature Center(link is external). Little Rock is also packed with places to learn year-round. As an added bonus, many of these spots are free to visit. Among these are the Mosaic Templars Cultural Museum(link is external), the Old State House Museum(link is external), Central High National Historic Site(link is external), and the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History(link is external).

The diverse Little Rock neighborhood of SoMa(link is external), South Main Street, is home to famous attractions like the ESSE Purse Museum(link is external), the only purse museum in the U.S., and Rock Town Distillery(link is external), the first legal distillery of any kind in Arkansas since prohibition. You can refuel and stay warm at neighborhood spots like Community Bakery, a landmark bakery in town, and South On Main, home to Southern cuisine.

If you are in the mood to get some park time in while in Little Rock, there are special guided hikes you can take in the winter at Pinnacle Mountain State Park(link is external), as well as wildlife to be on the lookout for during the season, like wintering bald eagles.

View Trumpeter Swans in Heber Springs
Each year, more than 100 trumpeter swans descend on Magness Lake(link is external), a small oxbow off the Little Red River. This wintering population of birds flocks to Heber Springs(link is external) from their Midwestern homes and their arrival makes for an exciting birding experience. Their stay extends from late November through February. These huge, snowy white birds are the largest waterfowl in North America, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission(link is external).

While viewing the Trumpeter Swans, you’ll find plenty of places to eat, stay, and play in Heber Springs. Founded as a health resort and first called Sugar Loaf in the mid-19th century, the city now serves as a gateway to Greers Ferry Lake(link is external) and the Little Red River(link is external). The historic downtown district includes a stately county courthouse with traditional square, a museum, antique shops, restaurants, restored theater and Spring Park.

Greers Ferry Lake(link is external), one of the state’s most popular lakes, is known for great fishing and water recreation. Camping, cabins and world-class resorts overlook the lake. The U.S. Corps of Engineers completed the 31,500-acre lake in 1963, and President John F. Kennedy came to Heber Springs in October of that year for the dedication. Below the massive Corps of Engineers dam, the Little Red River is internationally known as the home of the former world-record brown trout (40-pound, four-ounce). Trout resorts and outfitters are available. The lake and river have served as national models for environmental cleanliness.

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