Stellar views of the Little Rock cityscape from homes in the historic Park Hill neighborhood. Burns Park, one of the nation’s largest city parks at 1600-acres. Friday night strolls through more than 20 art galleries in Argenta, the colorful downtown district. All are examples of exceptional living in North Little Rock, Arkansas’ third-largest city.

The past decade marked the city’s emergence as a premier entertainment venue, anchored by the 370,000-square-foot Verizon Arena. It frequently hosts star-studded acts, but its 18,000 seats fill more regularly with fans of the Arkansas Twisters, an arena football team. Minor league baseball’s Arkansas Travelers play nearby in Dickey-Stephens Park, a hot spot for summer-evening socializing and catching a skyline view.

Shopping, Neighborhoods

If a stolen base doesn’t thrill you, maybe the shopping opportunities will. The city’s home to several big-box retailers, and it’s convenient having a Sam’s Club in town â€"there’s only one other in central Arkansas.

Here, neighborhoods cater to all budgets and tastes. Downtown condos, townhomes and traditional homes put you in the midst of the action. You can live large in the newer, stately homes of Timber Creek and Calico Creek. And Lakewood, known for the Old Mill, shown in the movie “Gone with the Wind,” is a developed subdivision sought after for its manmade lakes and recreational facilities.

North Little Rock has city services many others in central Arkansas don't â€" weekly large item pickup at your curbside, no sanitation fee and a leaf sucker that comes by to pick up the leaves you rake onto the curb.