This was my first trip since the pandemic began and was a great distance from Houston. The drive is approximately 7 hours, though there are many charming towns along the way. Notably, Marshall and Nacogdoches are an excellent stopping point for a bite and bathroom break.
In Marshall, leave time for a stop at Jucy’s Hamburgers. Their burgers are phenomenal and offer many delicious burgers including the blue-cheese burger. If short on time, they do provide a friendly drive-thru service.
Unfortunately, with it being summer and an ongoing pandemic, I was limited on things to do in Little Rock. Though, I did find a few unique points of interest along the way.
Points of Interest
The first gem was The Promenade at Chenal in western Little Rock. The Promenade offers an upscale area of shops and restaurants with outdoor dining. Certainly, one of the newer and premier areas of Little Rock.
https://chenalshopping.com/
For outdoor lovers, try the Pinnacle Mountain State Park with two accessible trails. This park may not be the highest point in all of Arkansas, though the park offers excellent scenic views. Only minutes away from Little Rock, this excursion is a nice getaway from the usual tourist destination.
Last of them all is Hot Springs, Arkansas which is a national park inside a city. They have two accessible outdoor trails and a nice Hot Springs museum run by the National Park Service. The town is a popular tourist destination year-round with plenty of hotels, activities, and restaurants to choose from. Though be sure to reserve a room in advance, many hotels on the main drag fill up fast. Make sure to leave time for a stop at the Hot Springs Tower and experience nice scenic views of the Hot Springs area.
https://www.hotsprings.org/
The Burgundy Hotel
With regard to my Little Rock hotel, I stayed at the Burgundy Hotel in western Little Rock. Considered to be the only boutique hotel in Little Rock. With the charming French countryside theme, the hotel was nice and cozy, though I was disappointed in my visit. This will be detailed more in my official review.
- Accessible bathroom
- Accessible rooms
- Easy access to and from hotel
- Outdoor patio is not wheelchair accessible
- Indoor restaurant is partly accessible
- Small shop with drinks and snacks is wheelchair accessible
- Hotels offers two handicap accessible parking spots
Accessibility: C+
Accommodation/Service: B+
https://www.theburgundyhotel.com/
YaYas European Bistro
Located at the Chenal Promenade in western Little Rock. Expect to see an extensive list of classic European and American dishes along with a huge wine and cocktail list. They offer a nice outdoor dining area, which is surprisingly rare in Little Rock.
My meal started with the roasted red pepper hummus as a starter. The hummus was intensely delicious and came with an abundance of pita bread. After the starter, I received complimentary Italian bread with olive oil and seasoned garlic sauce. This was exceptionally good and as good as any starter.
I ordered the bistro steak for my entree. The steak comes with seasoned corn and red peppers. However, I ordered a side of the parmesan truffle fries. It is an understatement to say the fries were good. They were freaking phenomenal with a delicious side of aioli sauce.
To end my dining experience, I ordered the blueberry cobbler for dessert. The cobbler came out hot and was complemented with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This was very filling and intensely savory. Personally, top-notched and one of their finest desserts.
YaYas provides an exceptional experience from spacious outdoor dining to savory food. Along with extraordinary service, this is truly one of Little Rock’s finest restaurants.
Bistro steak with seasoned corn and red peppers. 
Parmesan truffle fries with aioli sauce. 
Roasted red pepper hummus with pita bread. 
Blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
- Easy access to and from the restaurant
- Accessible parking near entrance
- Step free paths
- Tables can accommodate most wheelchairs
- Outdoor dining available
- Standard size bathrooms
- Waiter service
Accessibility: A-
Food/Service: A+
Price: $$-$$$
17711 Chenal Pkwy, Little Rock, AR 72223
Phone: (501) 821-1144
https://www.yayaseurobistro.com
Additional Information
For more information about Little Rock, visit their official website at
https://www.littlerock.com/. The website has an extensive list of important literature from dining, hotels, attractions, and much more.
