(BLACK PR WIRE) -- Famous as President Clinton's first capital city, the cradle of the civil rights movement, and the center of the beautiful Natural State - no city more represents a bridge from the treasured past to the exciting 21st century than Little Rock.

With daily headlines trumpeting economic growth and exciting new developments, the future looks brighter than ever for Little Rock. The vibrant metropolitan area of more than 500,000 people boasts historic landmarks, an energetic downtown entertainment district, restaurants, nightspots and specialty shopping, making Little Rock perfect for business meetings and family getaways.

Home to major corporations such as Dillard's, Stephens, Inc. and Alltel, as well as Arkansas Children's Hospital, (one of the largest pediatric medical centers in the nation) and the inter-nationally known, University of Arkansas for Medical Science campus, which houses the Arkansas Cancer Research Center, Donald W. Reynolds Center on Aging, and the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy.

History buffs can tour the rich African American cultural sites, such as "Testaments" (located on the state capitol grounds; a Civil Rights Memorial sculpture of the Little Rock Nine); Little Rock Central High School (National Historic Site, and named "The Most Beautiful High School in America" by the National Association of Architects); Philander Smith College (HBCU); Bethel AME Church (first African Methodist Episcopal church in Arkansas); Mosaic Templars of America (designed by John E. Bush & Chester W. Keatts for achieved racial advancement through economic self-help programs and successful entrepreneurship for blacks); Sue Cowan Williams Library (plaintiff for the City Teachers Association vs. the LR School Board demanding equal pay for black teachers); Daisy Bates House (Civil rights leader, president of AR chapter of NAACP, served as an advisor to the LR Nine, her home was named a National Historic Landmark in 2001). 

The highlight of any trip to Little Rock could be exploring the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park. With exact replicas of the oval office and cabinet rooms, and the largest presidential archive collection, this library is a jewel that you will not want to miss.

Dining out in Little Rock is a Capital idea. Whether you like home style Southern cooking, prime aged steak, fresh seafood, fusion cuisine, or more of a heart-healthy fare, Little Rock's chefs offer the state's best selections making Little Rock "the dining capital of Arkansas."