First day in Downtown Little Rock and I checked out the view of Riverfront Park from the Junction…read moreBridge. The views at night were gorgeous and I enjoyed standing there watching the views of the skyline. The park offers well paved walking trails of various lengths as well as many places to sit and ample greenery.

Riverfront Park in Little Rock, AR, was a pitstop we happened upon since our hotel check-in was not…read morefor another hour. It was a sweltering hot day on July 22, 2025, but my daughters, our dog, and I enjoyed this place anyway. The park, named after a for parks and recreation director named Julius Breckling (not listed on this Yelp page with his name), was huge - 39 acres huge. Lol. The cons were: - trash scattered sparingly on the ground - sus characters - some areas that were worn out/ run down - parking fees (see below) - no restrooms available - none that we saw Pros: + amphitheater + dogs on leashes okay + playground area + sculptures throughout + shaded sitting areas + splash pad (there were two of them, but only one was operable that day) + terraces + walking paths + water fountains + nearby pedestrian bridge + The Little Rock monument near the bridge Parking was $3 per hour for 8 hours maximum - enforced 24/7. The kiosk accepted coins or card payment only.

Margaret Clark Adventure Park is the smaller of the two playground areas that my girls discovered…read moreinside Riverfront Park in Little Rock, AR. This was a bit smaller compared to the other one. In fact it didn't interest my big kids all that much. There wasn't a "can we go back to the other park?" It was, "we're going back to the other one. Bye, Mom." Lol. Just a reminder parents, please teach your kids to pick up their trash right before you leave. It's good for them and helps us all enjoy the park much more. Plus the Arkansas River is just a few yards away.

This is a neat like sub-park/play area located in Riverfront Park, just off of the main section of…read morethe Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden. It is named after Margaret Clark in appreciation of her longtime commitment to children and her interest in Riverfront Park. Her husband William E. Clark, has a wetlands park, down the street from this one by the Clinton Library, that is dedicated to him as well. It is very nice and welcoming. You know you have found the park when you see the twin sheep sculptures, Bliss and Glee, which are the work of Giuseppe Palumb. The park also has a hippopotamus sculpture named Roundbottom, that serves double duty as a bench. It is the work of Tim Cherry. The park opened in 2018 and still looks relatively new. It was designed for children ages 2-5 and is on artificial grass and mud free rubber surface. The park appears to have a nature theme and has a bank of traditional/toddler swings, rocks to climb, percussion instruments, bridges, slides, stand and spin, and a spinning cone climber. The slides are small and there is not much there as far as equipment goes, so I do not see the park entertaining kids much older than 5. It is a nice park though and well maintained. I have no issue with them catering to pre-school kids because sometimes the littles get over run over and pushed to the side by the big kids at other parks. This is not a destination park, but it is nice spot to visit if you are in the area with little kids and some time to kill.

Great place to visit with family - caught fish, played at the park, enjoyed the beautiful grounds…read more Love it!

A very nice upkeep park. Great for family. There is a pond near the entrance that people were…read morefishing. Plenty of seatings throughout the park, shaded and not shaded. Being a solo traveling person, I totally feel safe at this park. Many different trails to take. The trails leading to the water was my favorite. I end up just watching people riding their boat and water skiing. Great place to have a picnic also. The fishing pier is my favorite spot to get some sun in and there is a bench there that you can just sit and look out. If you really look, you will find a spot you can actually go down to swim. Not sure if it's safe and permit. Take a look at my picture I posted to see if you can find the spot. BTW, getting to the park is easy breezy but when it's time to get out the park, use caution. Cars coming all different directions with the slopes!

This place is so fun for young kids! There's a little arcade, a shop up front with cute clothes and…read moretoys, and a big playroom with toys/ jungle gym/ ball pit and trampolines!

This place is amazing for kids all ages especially young kids.They also have toys to play with nice…read moreworkers a tiny gift shop and some socks if your kid aren't wearing none.They also have a fun arcade to play at and big slide to go down on.Also fun little jungle gym with a ball pit.

When my brats were young this park was a safe place 4 them. Ill be taking my glams(grands) there…read morepretty soon. The new layout & updated equip is a great look and scene for the area. Tennis & Basketball across the street. Football or kickball in the field nearby.

Well... the homeless woman yelling profanities at us while our kids tried to play didn't sit well…read morewith me. We're just minding our business and she kept talking sh*t to us. This park is actually pretty nice. It's in a crappy area. Such a shame. Playground is pretty cool. Rubberized ground cover is super soft and clean- unlike wood chips. There is a great looking splash pad here to cool off on a hot day. Unfortunately our whole experience was soured by that lady. Wish this place was crawling with kids but it's probably bc of the area.

Peabody Park is a playground area inside Riverfront Park in Little Rock, AR…read more This was the first area my 12 and 10-year-olds wanted to navigate. They loved it. Admittedly we were all bummed the splash pad in this particular area was still inoperable (according the Tank G.'s 6.20.2023 review). However, walk a bit further to the east and there is another one. The inclusion of the splash pad in this flatter area was quite the boffo decision on city official's part as the July 2025 heat proved to be highly intense. I didn't allow my dog to run through it as there were many other kids including my daughters enjoying the splashes of cold water, but she acted like she wanted to. She's normally little Miss "Oh No the neighbor's sprinklers are going to spray me." Lol. I didn't take photos of this park because there were so many kids there. The humidity mixed with the Arkansas heat was a bit more bearable with the trees and shade structures nearby. I appreciate the tube slides (since they're enclosed) so the kids don't burn their bums sliding down... Lol. And thank goodness I had our dog with me because otherwise I might have needed rescuing much like this recent News Nation headline: "Connecticut man, 43, rescued after 'wedged' in playground slide." Knocked off a star due to many areas such as the playground surface being worn out and being quite the salient eyesores.

This park, billed as "An Adventure Playground" is located in Riverfront Park just off of the…read moreJunction Bridge. The play area was designed by children and opened in the Summer of 2008. The park features an awesome splash pad, large outdoor and underground tunnels, a spider pyramid, giant rocks for climbing, a bridge and a slide. A large portion of the play area's ground (lower level) is lined with the mud free rubber surface. It has a kind of unique setup where it is kind of like two levels. An upper level and a lower level, with the two being separated by a steep incline. One cool part about this is that you can take the slide from the upper to lower level. On a side note, the splash pad was not operating while I was there, but it was just the beginning of Summer, so I cannot really speak much about it. It does look nice though You will also find a pavilion, Ozark Pavilion, that is elevated and overlooks the splash pad and play area, n the area that allows parents to sit and relax, while supervising their littles. The park is very well maintained and still looks relatively new. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance to/from the park and the meters run from 8AM to 6PM, Monday through Friday. This is a very nice park to visit and spend some time at. It is spacious and picturesque. I highly recommend checking this place out if you get the chance.

On our visit to Hot Springs, we were told to check out Garvan Woodland Gardens. It was definitely a…read moregreat decision to come by and have a nice long stroll through the various gardens, forests, streams, and just nature. Its not too hard to find and there's plenty of parking out front. Leaving the parking lot is a little confusing though (signs would be helpful...). But its well worth the trip out! There were a variety of slices of nature and we spent a few hours here and still did not get to see it all. There's a whole nature preserve that's part of it and apparently great in the dawn/dusk to spot and hear various birds. We did see quite a bit of wildlife and fun plants around so even if we missed the preserve it was fun to see everything else. I think this is a great spot to reconnect with nature for a bit. There were well marked paths so it wasn't too strenuous and there were some more kid friendly areas as well for them to explore and run around.

Options for autumn when Canada was "closed" (1 of 2)…read more - - - - - Covid may seemingly be a thing of the past, but, for some, it will never be forgotten because it affected them or their loved ones in far more serious ways. It changed how we interacted, shopped, circulated, and even limited our options as to where we could travel. For a while, Canada was closed and it always comes to the top of my list when it comes to fall colors. That said, other options became New England, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the Ozarks. Garvan Woodland Gardens is located just outside of Hot Springs, Arkansas, thus in the general Ozarks area. Hot Springs itself was already on the map as place of touristic import. Along a major avenue there is "Bathhouse Row," a string of private spas in ornate mansion-sized facilities that rose to fame during the 20th Century. Its most famous visitor may have been Al Capone. I came to learn that Capone died a natural death. One might have thought otherwise. I vaguely knew about these gardens - the Garvan Woodland Gardens. However, if in town and you ask questions about things to do, their existence, and their details, become front and center. It's an easy drive from the small city of Hot Springs. The gardens began as a private garden that then flourished when they were donated and "privatized," or realistically operated by the University of Arkansas. As such, there is an admission fee. As can be expected, the gardens are segmented and themed. The most notable might be the Japanese Garden and the manicured plantings that go with that. There are also other themed areas, including some areas which are a little natural, or scruffier, if you prefer that word. There are other areas such as a toy railroad sort of old town, walkways abutting the lake, and odd contraptions that serve as stairs, bridges, and tree houses. Then, there are some areas with art installations of sort that look sort of granola. I didn't have time to read every placard explaining the logic, if any, of some of these things. There is also a non-denominational chapel on the grounds and it closely resembles the state's Thorncrown Chapel designed by the University of Arkansas's famed alum E. Fay Jones. I had already seen that chapel in Eureka Springs, but, if you can't make it to its remote corner of the state (actually just south of and somewhat close to Branson, Missouri), this one will almost enable you to check Thorncrown Chapel off your list. Seasonal blooms will affect what you see. Note that, if seeking fall color in the state, it will come later than other parts of America owing to the more southerly latitude. In the fall, it won't be as "flowery." The forested lands in which Garvan Wooodlands Gardens sits appear to be studded in Southern pine, and reminded me of the vegetation surrounding the Atlanta area. The employees on hand were very helpful. Note that, in this state, your bucket list ,at the very minimum, would be about 3 state parks, 2 more rugged natural areas, the historic areas of Little Rock, Eureka Springs, and Hot Springs, which would include these gardens. The beauty of everything you see may exceed your expectations. Just about everyone is giving Garvan Woodlands Gardens 5 stars. For its context and area, it should fetch 5 stars. However, compared to other places with a similar admission fee, I felt it was closer to 4 stars. It is nonetheless impressive and recommended and you should also consider the month in which you plan to visit. However, it could also be that the few hippie-dippy things there made for an eye roll. They always do.

It's nice and big nice space for kids to run around. But my issues lay with safety. There were…read moreexposed cords everywhere, no supervision or separate space for the water table area, and there was no up keep on maintaining sanitation or tidiness of each area. I did see employees walking around but that's it...they didn't maintain areas.

What an improvement from my last visit 2 months ago!! Whatever happened to change the front desk…read morehas worked. All was ok , but staff's children running wild , and not following directions of The Wonder Place was bad. Especially for the young children watching. Thank goodness The Wonder Place is back to where it once was. Thank you!

This is a well-kept park that overlooks the Arkansas River and the Toad Suck Bridge and Dam. There…read moreare a variety of recreational opportunities here. With its picturesque waterfront setting, the park offers a calm respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Whether you want to have a picnic by the river, take a leisurely stroll along the walking trails, or simply relax and enjoy the breathtaking views, Old Ferry Landing Park is the ideal spot for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. This was a nice break and a great view. We enjoyed having a bit of a walk about as we've been driving for a while! [Review 2307 of 2024 - 370 in Arkansas - 23322 overall]

Our favorite park! It has something for everyone in the family. The scenery is beautiful and it is…read moreconveniently located right off of the interstate and close to the hospitals and shopping. There is a little splash pad for the summer!

For walking, this is a relatively level trail. After all, this was a golf course before being made…read morea park for walking and other things. Having restrooms is convenient. Coleman Creek flows through the park. The pond is nice and might be able to be fished by children. In the summer, the city has a splash pad to play and stay cool.