Arkansas really is a great place to live, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Take Ted Danson’s. The famed actor talks about why he loves living in Arkansas part-time with his actress wife, Mary Steenburgen, in the 2011 edition of Living in Arkansas.

Among his reasons are the cuisine – he sometimes goes straight from the airport to a favorite barbecue restaurant – but Arkansas menus have items you wouldn’t necessarily consider Southern. In fact, foodies have taken note of the recipe revolution that’s making Arkansas a culinary destination. The regional vice president of the National American Culinary Federation was impressed with the fare on a recent trip, according to  Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School Director Chef Todd Gold, who we interviewed for this article.

Food is just one of Arkansas' winning attributes. You’ll find 12 more in a list of things Arkansans brag about. The great outdoors and natural beauty occupy separate spots on our list -- fitting since Arkansas’ nickname is The Natural State – so we thought it appropriate to highlight nature in a photo essay. Outdoor activities also play a big part in our compilation of necessary Natural State adventures, like stargazing atop Mount Magazine.

It’s also affordable to live here, as you’ll see in our cost of living comparisons. And for those interested in relocating to Arkansas, we’ve assembled lists of communities and other essentials to help you plan a move. We’re even giving away a flight package if you’d like to check Arkansas out for yourself.

With so much to say about Arkansas, it's impossible to say it all – although the folks we profiled tried. If there’s something you’d like to know about Arkansas that’s not in the magazine, let us know!

More of Ted & Mary

The couple are fixture on the local social scene. See Soirée party pics of Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson at the Fifth Autumn Light Gala last year and Mary Steenburgen at the Oxford American Gala honoring Morgan Freeman and Charles Portis this year.