Outside of Little Rock, we headed to De Valls Bluff for one of my coworker's favorite BBQ joints: Craig's Bar-B-Q. Craig's is a cash-only, family-run dive that is absolutely a gem. Look, it's not fancy. At all. But we watched a steady stream of locals taking food away the entire time we were there, and we were able to get four sandwiches (three BBQ, one grilled cheese) and drinks for under $20. For real.
Craig's is one of those road trip detours that is absolutely worth the trek! The pork is sliced vs. pulled (sort of the thickness/consistency of brisket) with homemade sauce. We got it spicy, and it's served with a slaw inside. I'm not even a slaw person, and I loved it.
On our return trip back through Little Rock, we decided to go a different direction foodwise... Asian noodles and dumplings! We hit up Three Fold downtown and got soup noodle bowls, dumplings, and a steam bun to sample the goods.
Little Rock (and its environs) impressed us foodwise, and there were a bunch of places I wish I could have tried. But we also tried to see some cool sights! We drove by the State Capitol at night and it was gorgeous. They had great statues and monuments around it, and it was beautifully lit.
We also did a quick walk-through of the Clinton Presidential Library & Museum. Regardless of your politics, I think visiting Presidential libraries and museums is pretty cool... it's like walking into a time capsule of a President's time in office.
President Clinton is one of the first Presidents that I remember, so it was kind of cool to look at the technology, the news headlines and major events, and more that happened from 1993 to 2001. I really enjoyed the full scale replicas of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, and seeing Cadillac One.
I also enjoyed seeing artifacts, gifts, and decor from the Clinton White House. There were saxophones, china settings, letters, even a white Chihuly Christmas tree!
I wish we'd had time for a guided tour, but maybe next time! It was really fun to blaze through before hitting the road back home. These types of road trip stops remind of how much there is to see in America and its "flyover states". I usually fly when I travel, focusing on my destinations. On this trip, I enjoyed focusing on the journey and figuring out things along the way off the cuff!
Thank you, Little Rock!