The best of both worlds can be found in Little Rock, the capitol of Arkansas. With a population of about 300,000 in the metropolitan area, it is a city of culture and commerce as well as Southern hospitality. Located in central Arkansas at the foothills of the Ouachita and Boston Mountain Ranges, it is a city with beautiful lakes, parks and mountains.
Cultural activities are plentiful. The Arkansas Arts Center, in Little Rock's MacArthur Park, embodies just what the name implies, a collection of sensations for the eyes, ears, and mind. Amateurs and professionals are mutually involved in teaching and expressing the visual arts, theater, opera and dance. The Robinson Center in downtown Little Rock attracts Broadway shows, musical events, and internationally known performers. In addition, it serves as the home of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Scenic Riverfront Park along the Arkansas River is host to many outdoor concerts and festivals. The Arkansas Reperatory Theatre is a professional equity theater in Little Rock that has approximately ten productions a year with casts ranging from local talents to nationally recognized performers. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers many cultural events through their drama and music departments; and for those who prefer opera, Wildwood Park provides highly acclaimed performances in an environment that only Arkansas could provide.
Preserving the best of its past, Little Rock has moved confidently toward its future as an important Sunbelt city. Nowhere is this more evident than in the adaptive restoration of many landmark structures. Historic Union Station, for example, still serves as a depot for Amtrak rail passenger service, but also houses successful restaurants and a lively game parlor. The Arkansas Territorial Restoration, the first building erected in Little Rock, is still standing and furnished with items reflecting that period. It is available for those who would like to revisit the days of the early 19th century.
Dozens of shopping centers and malls offer anything Little Rock consumers need and want. Craft shows and antique shops are especially plentiful in and around the Little Rock area.
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Arkansas is truly a natural state. It is full of varied scenery and landscapes, from the rich bottomland of the delta on the east to the scenic overlook of mountains on the western border.
Arkansas is a sportsman's paradise for those interested in camping, hunting (with camera, gun, or bow and arrow), fishing, sailing, water-skiing, scuba diving and many other sports. There are more than half a million acres of lake surfaces within a short drive from Little Rock and trout streams are less than two hours distance by car. A moderate climate permits year-round outdoor activities.
Resort areas and vacation spots are plentiful in Arkansas. Hot Springs, about 50 miles from Little Rock, has three lakes for fishing, swimming and water-skiing, as well as 65 days of thoroughbred horse racing each year at Oaklawn Park. Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro attracts diamond hunters from all over the country. Blanchard Springs Caverns, near Mountain Home, is considered to be one of the cave finds of the century. Underground tours lead past stalagmites and stalactites, giant columns and an underground river. Eureka Springs is a charming Victorian town in the Ozark Mountains and is the home of the world famous Passion Play and Christ of the Ozarks statue. These are just a few of the many outstanding recreational and vacation spots in Arkansas.
The University of Arkansas Razorbacks football team, members of the Southeastern Conference, play half their home games in Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock uses Alltel Arena as the home court for the Trojans which is their Division 1A basketball team.
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