Pebbles’ Road Trip Adventure: Taking A Piece of Little Rock Across Arkansas

Imagine cruising the scenic highways and backroads of Arkansas, passing through quaint towns and sprawling landscapes when, suddenly, you encounter an exciting slice of the big city right in your own backyard.

The LRCVB made that possible June 23-29, 2024, with the help of Pebbles, its new mobile visitor center. Pebbles followed the Arkansas Graveler cycling tour from Jasper to Jonesboro and brought the vibrancy of Little Rock to stops in between.

What is a mobile visitor center?

Pebbles is more than just a brochure rack on wheels – it’s one of the many ways in which the LRCVB advances community engagement and provides visitor services.

Pebbles was born out the enterprising 2023 Tourism Master Plan which provides a vision for Little Rock’s future along with actionable strategies to accomplish these goals.

Officially launched in February of 2024, Pebbles is a Ford Transit van equipped with interactive games and engaging displays all designed to entertain and educate visitors about everything Little Rock has to offer and promote it as a leading destination.

The van’s name is a play on words for Little Rock and was inspired by an acronym. Little Rock resident Tamarha Walker suggested Pebbles, to Promote Every Bit of Big Little Rock Excitement.

Perfect partners

Partnering with the Arkansas Graveler was a perfect opportunity to promote Pebbles outside the city of Little Rock.

The Arkansas Graveler was a bike ride that led gravel cyclists from Fayetteville to Jonesboro over the course of a six-day riding tour. The Graveler ride attracted visitors from 35 different states, many of whom had never visited Arkansas before.

In addition to introducing Little Rock to a new audience in general, Little Rock’s own lively cycling culture – part of which is emblazoned on Pebbles itself – was a great fit for the riders.

LRCVB Destination Services Specialist Katie Wilson traveled with Pebbles for the duration of the adventure and talked to curious cyclists about The Big Dam Bridge 100, the new Arkansas Enduro Series, and the various cycling trails and rental businesses around Little Rock.

Pebbles also proved to be useful to weary cyclists crossing the finish line each day. Pebbles provided bottled water to thirsty cyclists rolling into the first stop at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Jasper, soothing lip balm and fans for the hottest day of the ride in Marshall, and relaxing reclining chairs and lawn games in Cave City.

Over the course of the ride, Pebbles visited Jasper, Marshall, Leslie, Mountain View, Cave City, and Jonesboro.

Looking ahead

The Arkansas Graveler was Pebbles’ first excursion outside of Little Rock, but big plans for the future are in store.

Pebbles will be making a stop at the Hotter’N Hell bike ride in Wichita Falls, Texas, in August 2024 to once again promote Little Rock as a premier destination for cycling enthusiasts.

Whether you’re a Little Rock native or a first-time visitor, Pebbles invites you to join in the adventure. Keep an eye out for the colorful “Big on Little Rock” vehicle to roll into a town near you.