Little Rock is to Arkansas what a favorite grandmother is to her extended family. As the state’s capital, she provides charming front-porch-style hospitality to her visitors and proudly proclaims, "Life is better with a Southern accent." It has been named the top-ranked city in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s "10 Great Places to Live, 2013," an Editor’s Choice in Outside magazine "Best Towns of 2013," and one of the country’s Top 10 Downtowns by Livability.com.

Little Rock is big on an excellent quality of life—it's home to museums and cultural attractions; Arkansas River bridges are lit nightly with colorful LED lights; there's a vibrant theater and dining scene; the River Market entertainment district is filled with clubs, restaurants, shops; and there are frequent festivals and special events.

Little Rock also has the state’s oldest and largest farmers’ market, a Green Restaurant Association focused on sustainable products and locally sourced produce, and a thriving artisanal-food scene, featuring bakeries, charcuteries, cheese makers, gourmet ice-cream and ice-lollie shops, microbreweries, and the state’s first legal distillery since Prohibition.

Little Rock’s neighborhoods reflect the diversity of her residents with locally owned restaurants and shops that invite exploration. In addition to the downtown, other neighborhood gems include SoMa, Hillcrest, the Heights, Midtown, and West Little Rock.