The French word "Chenal," attached to several area neighborhoods, streets and businesses, hints at the prestige associated with west Little Rock.

This expansive part of town is generally thought of as one of the more well-off areas of central Arkansas. It's not just the abundance of million-dollar homes inside gated neighborhoods that fuel the perception. The unprecedented growth experienced out west means much of its infrastructure is new.

Since 2006, the area has gained three new shopping centers: Shackleford Crossings, a mixed-use development; Pleasant Ridge, a bustling 27-acre open-air development; and The Promenade at Chenal, a 340,000 square-foot open-air facility with a French Gothic design.

That's not to mention all the free-standing big box retailers in the area. Other commercial developments include major employers, like those along Financial Centre Parkway, the section of roadway between the end of I-630 and Chenal Parkway.

Go south and you'll run into a remaining horse stable or two. They're found near Brodie Creek, a neighborhood with homes reminiscent of Seaside in Florida or Harbortown in Memphis, and Woodlands Edge, a nature-lovers paradise. Go north toward the river and you'll find Pinnacle Mountain State Park, where with a short hike you can escape the world below.