[HANNU]

Greetings good people of Arkansas.
I did a search on this forum for comparisons between West Little Rock and Fayetteville and nothing came up (except for a few posts on Little Rock vs NLR vs Fayetteville). So I looking for your input.

I visited both areas and I find less to do in West Little Rock. Being an outdoor person, what else is there in the area besides Pinnacle State Park and Burns Park across the river? Are there other walking paths in the area? How about night life (not necessary bars, just places to 'hang out and meet people')? Do I have to go into the Rivermarket area for that?

It just seems from my brief experience in both areas, Fayetteville has more options e.g. a fine library, park areas in the city, etc. I understand that it is a college town which probably adds to the excitement. I am just finding West Little Rock to be a little bit boring for a single person in their late 30's.

Oh and employment will not be my main focus as I want to find my spot and make it work (whatever the employment conditions). So any advice for a newbie to the area: which area should I pursue?

[bchris02]

West Little Rock is more comparable to Rogers/Bentonville than Fayetteville. You have to go east of I-430 to find most of what LR offers as in "things to do". There is also plenty of outdoor activities within driving distance of Little Rock, though maybe not as much as Fayetteville. As far as nightlife - the River Market area is Little Rock's equivalent to Dickson Street. The big difference is atmosphere. Little Rock is a working class town while Fayetteville is a college town. Being as you are single, you might want to look closer to downtown. West Little Rock is very family oriented. Check out Hillcrest/Heights, Riverdale, etc and be a lot closer to the action.

[strumpeace]

West Little Rock is primarily home to upper middle income families. I have not a clue why a young, single person looking for a 'scene' would even consider WLR. On this board, nine times out of ten, if a person such as yourself asks for advice, those of us in the know would tend to direct you towards Hillcrest, Capital View, or even Downtown. WLR is not a happening place at all.

[GetmeoutofAR]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

West Little Rock is primarily home to upper middle income families. I have not a clue why a young, single person looking for a 'scene' would even consider WLR. On this board, nine times out of ten, if a person such as yourself asks for advice, those of us in the know would tend to direct you towards Hillcrest, Capital View, or even Downtown. WLR is not a happening place at all.

Even though Fayetteville will always be #1 on my list, from what I've seen of WLR its actually pretty nice.

[HANNU]

West Little Rock does look a bit suburban but I have the feeling that it has potential. For example, it will attract new amenities (like the new mall and IMAX on Chenal) with the influx of new people.

I looked at the Hillcrest area because of the walkability and vibe but its proximity to higher crime areas may negate the positives. It may still be in the running though.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by HANNU

West Little Rock does look a bit suburban but I have the feeling that it has potential. For example, it will attract new amenities (like the new mall and IMAX on Chenal) with the influx of new people.

I looked at the Hillcrest area because of the walkability and vibe but its proximity to higher crime areas may negate the positives. It may still be in the running though.

Yes, Hillcrest is closer to higher crime areas, but it is still a safe area. The main thing holding retail development in WLR back right now is the economy. We were set to get a slew of new national retailers and restaurants that didn't come to pass when the economy went south.

[LivingInLittleRock]

I lived in Fayetteville for 5 years and I have lived in Little Rock for two years. I can honestly say that I LOVE Little Rock. I don't ever see my wife and I leaving here! We are both 24 years old and we prefer the lifestyle in Little Rock over Fayetteville. We live in Hillcrest. We have a great crafstman bungalow that is completely remodeled and feels like new! We can walk to Cia Bacci, U.S. Pizza, and the Grocery Store (Kroger). The Heights is also a fun place to live. You're able to walk everywhere...grocery store, post office, Starbucks, and you can even walk to get sushi! Since Little Rock is centrally located, we have found that it's easier to travel ANYWHERE in Arkansas to camp or hike. The drives are usually less than two hours. Pinnacle Mountain is great and it's close. You can also go bike riding on the River Trail. This trail will you take you from Downtown Little Rock to the Big Dam Bridge in West Little Rock, over to North Little Rock, then to Downtown North Little Rock, which is also known as the Argenta District. Plan your whole day to do this! If you like to golf, we have several public golf courses. If you have dogs, you will enjoy the dog park down by the River. We got there all the time as well. It's a blast. There are so many state parks within an hour from LR. We have some friends that we go camping with during the Spring, Summer, and Fall and we're going to try and camp at as many state parks as possible in 2009! It's fun, cheap, refreshing, and you're in the outdoors. The Rivermarket offers a lot more than just bars. We have great restaurants, the StateHouse museum, the Clinton Library, Museum of discovery, and the Main Library is about to open and it will be fantastic. If you're in to shopping, we have quite a bit in Midtown...including the Midtowne Center and Park Plaza Mall. If you head out West, you'll find Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, Bed Bath and Beyond....and etc. Little Rock has a ton to offer and we would welcome you to our beautiful city!!

[Aporkalypse]

Originally Posted by HANNU

West Little Rock does look a bit suburban but I have the feeling that it has potential. For example, it will attract new amenities (like the new mall and IMAX on Chenal) with the influx of new people.

I looked at the Hillcrest area because of the walkability and vibe but its proximity to higher crime areas may negate the positives. It may still be in the running though.

If you are that worried about crime you really would prefer Benton Co to Fayetteville. Crime rates in Hillcrest and the older parts of Fayetteville (Wilson Park, etc) are pretty similar.

I always thought Fayetteville had a relative lack of parks compared to Little Rock as a whole. Murray, Rebsamen and Riverfront Parks, Pinnacle Mtn, War Memorial Park, Burns Park, etc give you a lot of park options for a mid-sized city. Getting from West LR to Riverdale or Hillcrest takes no longer than getting from the Vandegriff area to NWA Mall or UA, Fayetteville is pretty spread out as well.

I live in Chenal because I like the hills and scenery. I actually think there's more to do here than in Fayetteville (aside from UA sports). One huge negative up there is that all of the national stores and restaurants I like seem to be going in 30 min away in Pinnacle Hills or Bentonville.

[hognoxious]

As mentioned above, West Little Rock is more comparable to Bentonville. Both cater to chain store shopping and restaurants. Fayetteville is full of soul and character. On a down note, the HogHaus Brewing Company in Fayetteville caught fire this morning. Let's hope damage is minimal to keep those growlers flowing.

[Gallbaro]

Originally Posted by hognoxious

As mentioned above, West Little Rock is more comparable to Bentonville. Both cater to chain store shopping and restaurants. Fayetteville is full of soul and character. On a down note, the HogHaus Brewing Company in Fayetteville caught fire this morning. Let's hope damage is minimal to keep those growlers flowing.

The only soul and character I have really noticed are bars and the WAC, if that is soul and character than it certainly is lacking in diversity.