Little Rock is an up-and-coming city, but it still possesses a small-town feel, where it’s never hard to strike up a conversation with a stranger, become active in a cause or just borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor.

Nowhere is that more evident than the city's thriving River Market District, which sits on the Arkansas River, teems with restaurants, nightspots, shops and museums. It is the epicenter of the city's dining, cultural and entertainment renaissance.

Across the river sits the Alltel Arena, which holds up to 18,000 people for concerts, sports events and more. The Clinton Presidential Library is just down the street and east of the River Market District.

Eclectic Foods, Exciting Night Life

The east end of downtown Little Rock was once a collection of unused warehouses and forgotten businesses.

But today, the River Market District is brimming with dining and drinking establishments, eclectic shops and outdoor entertainment options during much of the year. Restaurants in the district range from the upscale to the more casual, and the Market itself offers several ethnic food and sandwich outlets.

The night life also is thriving in the River Market district. An English-style pub, a draught beer emporium and warehouse-type bars remain open until the wee hours of the night. Special events take place at the River Market year round but are especially numerous during spring and summer months. Live bands perform at 5 p.m. every Thursday in May as part of Big Downtown Thursdays, and the area's largest Memorial Day weekend celebration, Riverfest, takes place each year in the district.

A Summer Concert Series brings performers of all genres to the Pavilion. Every Tuesday and Saturday, area farmers offer fresh produce and area artists display their wares at the River Market.

Cultural Treasuers

The culturally-minded can explore the city's Main Library, the Museum of Discovery or River Market Artspace. The River Market overlooks the coursing Arkansas River, whose banks have become the site of two popular public parks, the Julius Breckling Riverfront Park in Little Rock, headquarters for Memorial Day weekend's Riverfest; and the North Shore Riverfront Park in North Little Rock, a stone's throw from Alltel Arena, North Little Rock's public arena. The arena hosts concerts, ranging from Norah Jones, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, to basketball and arena football.

A River Rail Street Car system connects the River Market with its neighbors across the river.