Riverdale’s conduciveness to recreation attracts residents from across the city. Many come for a round of golf, a bike ride down the River Trail or a game of sand volleyball. Others come, especially on Thursday afternoons, just to watch the river roll by on the deck at Cajun’s Wharf, a popular restaurant, bar and live music venue.

LIVE

Several quality apartment complexes and condominiums of all price ranges give new residents plenty to choose from. You’ll also find upscale single-family homes here, including several on a ridge with river views and those in Canal Pointe, where many residents can navigate their boats right up to their doorstep. It might seem detached from the rest of the city, but Riverdale’s centrally located for the times you do want to leave. However, with plenty of dining, shopping and even employment opportunities in the area, you don’t necessarily have to go anywhere.

WORK

River views and the proximity to Little Rock’s downtown have lured several companies to Riverdale. The regional headquarters for telecommunications providers Verizon and Windstream are here, as well as the corporate headquarters of Dillard’s Department Stores and the non-profit Winrock International. The area also contains a design district, with retailers providing fabric, lighting, furniture and antiques to decorators and consumers alike. Because recreational opportunities are so near, it’s common for employees in the area to squeeze in some lunchtime or after-work exercise.

PLAY

The Arkansas River Trail winds past Rebsamen Golf Course, the city’s largest public golf course, as well as Murray Park, where you’ll find soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, a boat dock and pavilions. The Big Dam Bridge, the world’s longest pedestrian bridge, traverses the Arkansas River in this area. Don’t miss the award-winning ribs at Whole Hog Café and the eclectic menu at Loca Luna.

EXPERIENCE

If it sounds like a great neighborhood to live in, you’re right. In fact, many newcomers, especially younger ones, make their first central Arkansas home in Riverdale. The attractive outdoors environment and affordable housing partly account for this phenomenon, but the neighborhood’s mix of housing, retail and dining options add to the allure. Riverdale is evolving as well – the Riviera Condominiums opened in 2009 with gorgeous views of the downtown skyline, and the Town Pump, a long-time neighborhood bar, recently experienced resurgence in popularity.