Little Rock Activities: Sports and Leisure

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For those who want to get off the beaten path, Little Rock offers a wide range of sports and leisure activities.

• Arkansas Queen www.arkansasqueen.com, 100 Riverfront Park Drive in North Little Rock, (501) 372-5777. Lunch and dinner cruises with live entertainment are available.

• Arkansas River Trail www.rivertrail.org. A great place to exercise by walking, running, roller skating, or cycling. The trail runs from downtown Little Rock west along the Arkansas River to the Big Dam Bridge, crosses it, and runs back east to downtown North Little Rock. Soon you'll be able to make a circuit when the downtown hike-bike bridges over the river are finished.

• Arkansas Skatium www.arkansasskatium.com, 1311 Bowman Road, 501-227-4333. Dual ice and roller skating facility. Learn how to figure skate or play hockey if you don't know already. Or if roller skating is your interest, the roller side has speed skating and women's roller derby.

• Camp Aldersgate www.campaldersgate.net, 2000 Aldersgate Road, 501-225-1444. For children with disabilities or other special needs.

• Gator Park www.gatorparkfun.com, 11411 W. Baseline Road/11000 S. Interstate 30, (501) 455-3750. Miniature golf, go-carts, bumper boats; perfect for kids.

• Golf is a popular activity in Little Rock. Both public and private courses; country club membership may apply.

• Jim Dailey Aquatic and Fitness Center www.littlerock.org/ParksRecreation/WarMemorial, 300 South Monroe, (501) 664-6976. Located in War Memorial Park.

• Playtime Pizza www.playtimepizza.com 600 Colonel Glenn Plaza Loop (behind the Rave movie theatre), 501-227-PLAY. There is a good reason to place this listing here and not under "Eat": consider it a Chuck E. Cheese's on steroids. Here you'll find an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, video arcade, go-karts, laser tag, bumper cars, miniature golf, rock climbing wall, and ten-pin bowling alley, all under one roof.

• Riley's Health and Fitness Centers www.lrac.com, four locations.

• See a movie at UA Breckenridge Village 12 (1200 Breckenridge Drive, 501-224-0992, online ticketing at Fandango) or Rave Motion Pictures Colonel Glenn 18 (18 Colonel Glenn Plaza Drive, 501-687-0499, online ticketing at movietickets.com), both of which have digital projection, stadium seating and surround sound. For the ultimate film experience, the Chenal 9 chenal9.com (17825 Chenal Parkway, 501-821-2616, online ticketing at movietickets.com) features a full-scale IMAX screen. Independent films are shown at Market Street Cinema marketstreetcinema.net (1521 Merrill Drive, 501-312-8900, no online ticketing available).

• Wild River Country www.wildrivercountry.com, 6820 Crystal Hill Road, North Little Rock. 501-753-8600. This waterpark, the largest in Arkansas, makes the perfect getaway during the spring and summer. Located across the Arkansas River from west Little Rock.

• Willow Springs www.willowsprings.net, 3903 Willow Lake Road, 501-888-4148. Another great waterpark, also the oldest in Little Rock, open since 1928. Located south of downtown.

• YMCA of Metropolitan Little Rock ymcalr.org, Westside branch in West Little Rock, Carver branch downtown, and Heflin branch in North Little Rock.