Top 5 Places to Find Pokémon in Little Rock
If you see people plastered to their phones walking around town, there's a pretty good chance they're not texting. They might be catching Pokémon. Nintendo's "Pokémon Go" app is the latest craze in augmented reality, and it strikes a chord with kids and adults, alike.
The basic concept of the app is to use the GPS on your phone to find Pokémon in the world around you and catch them. Pokéstops, gyms and Pokémon are synced with Google Map data points. Memorials, landmarks and special structures are usually a good place to find supplies and Pokémon gyms. The River Market, The River Trail and most of our city parks are full of them. Pinnacle Mountain State Park also has quite a few Pokémon and Pokéstops to peruse.
Whether you're in it for the nostalgia (we feel you), or your kids' new-found love for the game, we've rounded up the best spots around town to catch 'em all.
1. The Little Rock Zoo
Take the kids to the zoo to look at real-life animals, and find some extraordinary imaginary ones while you're at it. There are Pokéstops and gyms galore tucked around the zoo.
2. University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Go for a scenic stroll on UALR's campus during an afternoon and let your kids enjoy hunt for Pokémon while you relive the glory days of college. There are plenty of Pokéstops around campus and quite a few unique finds have been reported.
3. River Market District, the Capital and SoMa
With so many landmarks and memorials in the River Market area, this is prime Pokémon-catching real estate. If you hop on the River Trail or the River walk area of the River Market, you're bound to find tons of water Pokémon. With so many Pokémon to be caught, your battery might be all but depleted. Lucky for you, there are plenty of restaurants and shops to stop for a bit and recharge.
4. MacArthur Park
The park, museum and the Arkansas Arts Center are great places to take the kids to find Pokéstops, which are perfect starting points to begin hunting for Pokémon.
5. Mount Holly Cemetery
Some of the mausoleums and markers in Mount Holly have Pokéstops. You can teach your kids about Arkansas history and show them that cemeteries don't have to be scary. It's rumored that you can find ghost types in cemeteries.
Other notable areas:
- Shackelford and Markham Streets.
- The Heights/Hillcrest areas.
- Lakewood Lake/The Old Mill.
- Walmarts (there have been reports on exotic Pokémon found at Walmarts around town).
- Parks, churches, shopping centers.
So get out there and be active with your kids while catching some Pokémon and taking part in the latest gaming craze!
A few things to remember as you play:
- Don't play the game while driving - let your kids in the backseat take care of all the Pokémon catching while you're on the road.
- Try to avoid playing late at night when it's dark outside. Stick to well-lit, populated areas if you want to play after the sun has gone down.
- The game can use a lot of data, so be mindful of that as you traipse around the city.
- Don't visit sketchy locations just to catch Pokémon - the characters move to new locations frequently so just wait for one to show up in a safer spot.
- Be respectful of where you play - stay off of private property and don't loiter. Make sure your kids are respectful while Poké-hunting at places such as cemeteries and memorials.
- If you hand the phone off to your kids, make sure there is a password set on purchases so that they don't rack up a bill buying "PokéCoins" while your back is turned.
Now go have fun hunting Pokémon!