Handy for planning getaways or just a day out of the house, I thought I'd make a list of the places I know around here that are good for families and kids.
FREE places
Witt Stevens Jr Central Arkansas Nature Center
Open Tues-Saturday 8:30 am-4:30 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
Regularly Scheduled Programs
Geocaching: Nature Downtown
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
1-5 p.m. Sunday
Fish Feasting
2 p.m. Every Wednesday
Alligator Feeding
2 p.m. Every Friday
Lil' Wild Ones: Nature Stories and Activities
2 p.m. Every Second Saturday
River Market District, Downtown Little Rock
"
The center focuses on the wide variety of outdoor recreational
opportunities that our state’s fish and wildlife resources provide.
Exhibits highlight the role of fish and wildlife management and many of
the projects conducted throughout the history of the Arkansas Game and
Fish Commission. The location along the Arkansas River allows many
watchable wildlife activities within an urban area. Basking water
turtles, butterflies and migrating pelicans are common sights. A
portion of the Arkansas River Trail crosses the site, offering more
options for exploration. The grounds of the center include beds of
native plants found throughout the state, while the main building
includes an exhibit hall, aquariums, gift shop, theater and special educational programs."
Heifer Village
Open Monday-Saturday 9 am- 5 pm
1 World Ave., Little Rock, AR 72202
"A place for learning about solutions to global hunger and poverty,
Heifer Village will spark commitment in all who experience it,
furthering Heifer International's mission to end hunger and poverty
while caring for the Earth."
Historic Arkansas Museum
Museum: Open Monday- Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm (FREE)
Historic Grounds Tour: Open Monday-Saturday 10 am- 4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm ($2.50 per adult, $ for children under 18)
200 E. Third Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
"The Historic Arkansas Museum is a historic site museum
of Arkansas's
frontier days. Five
pre-Civil War houses, on their
original block, are restored to antebellum appearances, so you can learn about life pre-Civil War in Arkansas.
Guided tours of
the historic houses encounter actors portraying original residents, making it easy to step back in time and learn about the history of Arkansas.
The Historic Arkansas Museum center features the museum's outstanding collection of Arkansas-made
decorative, mechanical, and fine arts objects in
six galleries. You'll also find a wonderful
museum store,
living history theater, educational areas and much more."
MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
Open Monday-Saturday 9 am-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm
503 East Ninth Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202
"The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
relates the military heritage of Arkansas and its citizens to a diverse
and widespread audience. Located in the historic Arsenal Building in
MacArthur Park--one of Central Arkansas's oldest surviving structures and
the birthplace of one of this country's foremost military heroes--the
museum collects, preserves, and interprets our state's rich military past
from its territorial period to the present."
Arkansas Arts Center
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 11 am-5 pm
9th & Commerce
9th & Commerce
9th and Commerce, Downtown Little Rock
The Arts Center is free to enter and see many exhibits. Some exhibits and performances by the Arkansas Children's Theater have admission fees.
Old State House Museum of Arkansas History
Open Monday-Saturday 9 am- 5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
300 W. Markham · Little Rock, AR 72201
The Old State House houses many permanent exhibits about Arkansas history and new exhibits come in regularly as traveling exhibits.
Pinnacle Mountain
Day use: Open 6:30 am- 1 hour after sunset
Visitor Center- Open 8 am- 5 pm daily
Trail Rides: Hours vary, check website ($25 per person)
"
The park offers a wide variety of hiking trails including the 1
1/2-mile West Summit Trail, 1 1/2-mile East Summit Trail, 2 1/2-mile
Base Trail, 2-mile Rocky Valley Trail, and 1-mile East Quarry Trail. In
addition, the park includes two barrier-free trails. These are the
1/2-mile paved Kingfisher Trail and 0.6-mile paved Arkansas Trail in the
Arkansas Arboretum. The park serves as the eastern terminus of the
250-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail which stretches from
Pinnacle Mountain State Park to eastern Oklahoma.
Two mountain bike trails opened in the park in early October 2010.
The new seven-tenths-of-a-mile Rabbit Ridge Mountain Bike Trail and
7.4-mile Jackfork Mountain Bike Trail offer bikers more than eight miles
of single track, mountain bike trails." There are also playgrounds at some of the parks.
Big Dam Bridge
Take a walk along the longest pedestrian bridge in North America that has never been used for cars or trucks. This bridge also connects to several hiking trails and connects Little Rock and North Little Rock.
Places with Admission Fees
Museum of Discovery
Open Tuesday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
Adults: $10
Children 12 and younger: $8 (kids under 12 mos old are free)
Seniors (60+): $8
500 President Clinton Ave Suite 150, Little Rock, AR 72201
"Tour our galleries: Amazing You, Earth Journeys, Discovery Hall, Room
to Grow, Tinkering Studio, AETN Public Media Center, the WOW Traveling
Exhibit Gallery, the Arkansas
Clinton Presidential Library
Open Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
Adults $7
Seniors (62+) $5
College Students (with ID) $5
Kids 6-17 $3
Kids under 6 FREE
FREE ADMISSION on President's Day, Fourth of July. On Veteran's Day, all active and retired military and their families get free admission.
Downtown Little Rock
"Featuring 20,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Clinton Library
chronicles American history at the turn of the 21st century.
Interactive exhibits, including a White House Cabinet Room
reconstruction and a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, give
visitors a first-hand look into the life and work of the 42nd president.
Other featured exhibits include 13 policy alcoves and an interactive
110-foot timeline within which the history of the Clinton Administration
unfolds. Another section of the museum is designed to present
exhibits about life in the White House: showing the splendor of state
events, the spirit of holiday celebrations and how the Clintons made
the White House their home. Also included is a gallery designed to
rotate exciting new exhibits through the Library on a regular basis."
Little Rock Zoo
Open daily 9 am-5 pm, last admission at 4 pm
Adults $10
Seniors (60+) $8
Kids 12 and under $8
Kids under 12 mos old are FREE
$2 parking fee will be assessed at the entry
1 Zoo Dr, Little Rock, AR 72205
Zoo animals include tigers, lorikeets, lemurs, gorillas, cheetahs, penguins, and many more!
9th & Commerce
