Total Solar Eclipse in Little Rock, Arkansas

A total solar eclipse is quite rare, so we chose to plan our trip a year ahead. Even then, the hotels in downtown Little Rock were already quite pricey, so we opted to rent an apartment through Airbnb. The apartment was conveniently situated just a short walk from the river and several restaurants.

We began our tour at the Old State House Museum, which served as Arkansas's original state capitol building and is the oldest remaining state capitol building west of the Mississippi River. The front entrance was where President Bill Clinton announced his presidential campaign on October 3, 1991, and where he celebrated his election victories on November 3, 1992, and November 5, 1996. Following this, we strolled along the Arkansas River and enjoyed a delicious lunch at Platinum BBQ, situated in the River Market neighborhood. The River Market is the hub of activities in downtown Little Rock.

Later, we went to the Historic Arkansas Museum, where many activities were centered around the upcoming eclipse. The museum's grounds feature some of the oldest buildings in the state. Unlike other museums that only display artifacts, this museum offers both exhibits with local artifacts and historic buildings. Every building we explored had staff dressed in period costumes.

We took a taxi to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, a contemporary structure recently expanded and renovated by the renowned architecture firm Studio Gang. The museum had reopened after a four-year renovation costing over $150 million. Some paintings were on loan from private collectors. We saw works by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Pierre Auguste Renoir, and Gustave Courbet.

Our final visit of the day was to the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. The high school's desegregation attracted national attention on September 3, 1957, when Governor Orval Faubus deployed the Arkansas National Guard to block nine African American students from entering the school. The following day, President Eisenhower dispatched the 1,200-man 327th Airborne Battle Group from the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division to escort the students into the school. Today, the site remains an operational high school. Visitors can photograph the front façade and explore the exhibits at the Visitor Center.

We dined at Samantha's Tap Room & Wood Grill. They offer 20 wines on tap, so when you order a bottle, they serve your 25 ounces from the tap into a decanter. It's a bit unusual, but aside from that, the food and atmosphere were quite enjoyable.

The following morning, we had breakfast at @ the Corner, a popular local spot. You need to wait in line for about thirty minutes to place your order, after which you're seated at a table. The food ranged from average to good, though it's quite expensive for this kind of arrangement. We had already booked our tickets for the Bill Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. The museum includes interactive exhibits, such as replicas of the Oval Office and the White House Cabinet Room. The layout of the exhibits in the main building was inspired by the renowned Long Room in the Old Library at Trinity College in Dublin, which Clinton visited when he was a Rhodes Scholar. The Clinton Presidential Park spans nearly 30 acres along the riverfront beside the museum. There's also a designated area where President Clinton could choose to be buried.

From there, we took a taxi to the Arkansas State Capitol. Built in the Neoclassical style more than a century ago, this building is a replica of the US Capitol. Since we visited on a Sunday, we were able to tour the main rooms, including the House, Senate, and Supreme Court. Our final stop of the day was at the Old Mill, a historic reconstruction of a water-powered mill from the 1880s, featured in the opening scenes of the classic film "Gone with the Wind." The mill is surrounded by a beautiful park, perfect for taking stunning photos (see top photo).

We dined at the Capital Bar & Grill in the 5-star Capital Hotel downtown. Despite it being very busy, they managed to find us a table. We appreciated both the food and the ambiance.

Monday, April 8th, was the day of the eclipse. We began our day at Big Bad Breakfast, where we had a wonderful experience. We then took a taxi to the Little Rock Zoo, which had special entertainment planned for the eclipse. We had purchased tickets in advance, and we visited the zoo in the morning. Established in 1926, the zoo houses over 725 animals. We chose to watch the eclipse from the Great Apes section, where a baby Orangutan was just a few months old. During the total eclipse, it became very dark for a few minutes, creating a lot of excitement among the crowd.  

We dined at Benihana, which is always a great experience. The restaurant is located in North Little Rock within the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel.

We were thrilled to select Little Rock as our spot to view the eclipse. The weather was perfect for three days. We had a wonderful long weekend in this delightful city. The locals are very friendly, and there are interesting places to explore.