Home to many of the state’s CEOs and descendants of many of the city’s first business leaders, The Heights can be a city unto itself.

Residents confess they rarely need to leave the neighborhood â€" everything they need is within walking distance: chic boutiques, restaurants, and book and toy stores. The Heights also still has locally owned neighborhood grocers that deliver, like Hestand's.

“I like The Heights because it is small-town living in a city,” said Skip Rutherford, dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. The quiet streets reveal quaint Georgian and Tudor bungalows, wooded and manicured lawns, and friendly neighbors ready with a smile.

Compared with nearby neighborhood Hillcrest, The Heights has homes that are larger and more expensive. Prices range from $200,000 to $2 million. But don’t think The Heights doesn’t attract young families. Adults who spent childhoods in The Heights are moving back to the neighborhood as homeowners, and the area attracts new residents looking for suburban amenities but houses with character and history.

Homes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, many of which were built during the 1920s and 1930s, are being torn down to build "McMansions," much larger and more expensive homes on the same lots, but as with Hillcrest, the ambiance remains. Streets overlooking the Arkansas River, such as Edgehill Road, have survived multiple home expansions and offer incredible views of the city and beyond.

Other coveted views come from deeper within The Heights from the windows of homes surrounding the neighborhood golf course.

The 18-hole course, designed by Herman Hackbarth, features 6,454 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 70. But this isn't just some public municipal links. Only the Arkansas elite can access this beautiful course. Built in 1902, The Country Club of Little Rock is the oldest country club west of the Mississippi River. It's also the most exclusive country club in the state, so exclusive, in fact, that The New York Times has said, "The restricted Country Club of Little Rock's members are waggishly described as 'First Families of Little Rock.'"

And rightfully so. It offers a haven for Little Rock's upper echelon. Many of the members are decedents of the original players, and all are among the most powerful and wealthiest in the state. Former President Bill Clinton is among the elite who have teed up here; as Arkansas governor he was given an honorary membership for the duration of his term.

Despite its rich roots and swanky country club, The Heights isn't considered a stuffy neighborhood. Residents walking their dogs or taking a sunset stroll are eager to stop and chat when newcomers and old friends pass. Even the firemen come out to say "Hello" when you go by their station on Kavanaugh Boulevard. This hospitality is one of the lures to homebuyers and renters, although rental properties are hard to come by in this highly regarded and sought-after community.

Another neighborhood perk: When you're leaving The Heights to run errands, not that you'd ever need to, its central location means you're only five minutes from almost everywhere. Downtown is just down the mountain by way of Cantrell Road and Midtown's a short jaunt down University Avenue.

The local grocery store is indicative of The Heights' charm. After choosing from their wide range of products, Hestand's clerks will still carry your groceries to the car.