Top 20 Things To Do In Rockford Illinois

1. Learn About Chicago Rockford International Airport Museum

The Chicago Rockford International Airport Museum serves as an exciting window into the history of aviation, right within the airport.

This museum provides an opportunity for all visitors to engage with the history of flight and the significant place that Rockford occupies in such history. Displays include old aircraft, historical documents, and interactive displays depicting critical moments in aviation.

It is dedicated to flying pioneers from early times, technological advancements, and how aviation served its community and beyond. Educational value and unique attractions are provided by the museum for visitors with an interest in aviation, as well as for traveling visitors to RFD.

2. Visit Rockford Public Library

The Rockford Public Library is a must on the list of things to do in Rockford. With volumes ranging from bestsellers to some rare, unique finds, its main library will have something to pique the interest of every reader.

Besides, it offers numerous programs and community events, author talks, educational workshops, and family activities. It also offers digital resources, research databases, quiet study spaces, and relaxation areas. If you're a resident or visitor, the Rockford Public Library satisfies your demand to find the main center of knowledge, culture, and community engagement.

3. Explore CherryVae Mall

Retailers who mostly take their space in CherryVale Mall in Rockford, Illinois, find the shopping area primed and diversified with experiences. They find every kind of store from popular retail chains down to boutique shops and specialty stores. This mall offers everything the consumer could want, from casual dining to quiet, sit-down locations.

The food court at CherryVale Mall serves up snacks and has a very pleasant place to stop and take a rest besides shopping and eating. The lively gateway and easy convenience with proper comfort make the place a hot choice for shoppers in town and tourists wanting a complete shopping experience.

4. Explore The City Market

The City Market in Rockford is a very bustling and interactive place for the visiting public. Fresh produce, of course, encompasses the in-season fruits and vegetables that local farmers and vendors come to sell their products.

Visitors will also find several diversified selections of local crafts that include handmade goods and individually designed items created by local artisans.

The City Market comes up with a really fun atmosphere, complete with live music performances enhancing the festive ambiance. It's a good place to discover local flavors and support small businesses while soaking up that community spirit. Its energetic atmosphere will resonate with locals and visitors.

5. Stroll Along Rockford Riverwalk

The Rockford Riverwalk has beauty in its path that can be cherished with a good walk and other outdoor activities. This trail runs parallel to the Rock River and provides users with attractive views of the water and the landscape that surrounds it. You will pass through many long grassy landscapes, parks, and artistic displays within the public domain.

The Riverwalk is great for joggers, bikers, and anybody who just wants to spend a quiet afternoon. Plenty of spots along this route can be used for relaxation, picnics, or simply observing local wildlife. Riverwalk further hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, turning it into a lively dynamic of Rockford's outdoor scene.

6. Visit BMO Harris Bank Center

The BMO Harris Bank Center is the latest facility hosting a variety of activities within Rockford, IL. It offers a great blend of events and entertainment. This multi-purpose arena features such activities as concerts by the most popular artists, exciting hockey games, and other main sporting events. There are also family shows, exhibitions, and community events.

With cutting-edge facilities and ample seating, BMO Harris Bank Center is one of the finest places in Rockford to enjoy energetic shows and events both for residents and out-of-town visitors. It's always on the radar when it comes to making memories and searching for entertainment venues within Rockford.

7. Experience Lynne's Place

Lynne's Place is among the great local restaurants offering a unique dining experience with great food and very friendly service. The restaurant is extremely famous for creative cuisine, offering a plethora of classic comfort foods and new dishes alike, all well-prepared and made only from fresh, high-quality ingredients.

The warm atmosphere makes it just right for any casual dinner or any special evening out with family and friends. Lynne's Place is proud of its high service and warm hospitality, making every experience memorable and enjoyable. If you are a resident or just visiting this area, Lynne's Place is one of the places you must try while in Rockford.

8. Learn About Midway Village Museum

Midway Village Museum takes its visitors right into Rockford's past through dynamic exhibits and a living history village. Exhibits will contain elements of the past of the region, like artifacts, photographs, and some hands-on activities.

Living history in the village allows visitors to step back in time with re-created history, period homes, and interpreters, who dress up, hence bringing live life into the period.

Visitors can see the renovated buildings in the community including a general store, schoolhouse, and homes to understand the lifestyle of the olden ages. Midway Village Museum offers a resource-rich education and a site full of interest to all people concerned about the history of Rockford.

9. Visit Eli's Cheesecake Company

Eli's Cheesecake Company, purveyors of scrumptious cheesecakes that are truly iconic, offers a finely appareled experience to the visitors. You can take a guided tour of this bakery located in Chicago exhibiting all stages from mixing to baking.

You are going to learn about this bakery's history, how they bake their legendary cheesecakes, and what goes on behind the scenes in their production facility on this tour. And the cherry on top, of course, is sampling some of their delicious cheesecakes in both classic and new varieties.

Eli's Cheesecake Company provides a tastefully informational day out in the industry of creating some of Chicago's favorite desserts.

10. Visit The ZooMontana

ZooMontana would be one of the best activities in Rockford, IL, in terms of engaging and informing the various age groups visiting it.

The zoo has a very diverse population of animals, both native and exotic, all held in well-maintained surroundings. Interactive exhibits and a petting zoo make the visit interactive by bringing some of the animals closer to guests.

Several learning programs are also available that are worthwhile, particularly regarding wildlife conservation and animal behavior. From viewing all of the exhibits that ZooMontana offers to the educational activities, ZooMontana will be an experience a family remembers and enjoys.

11. Enjoy Rock Cut State Park

Activities at Rock Cut State Park are as diverse as the natural beauty that forms the setting for all of it. Multiple hiking trails will take one meandering through scenic landscapes, providing strolls and more difficult hikes. The lakes inside the park are well-stocked with different fish and prove to be a haven for fishermen.

There are also picnic areas within the park ideal for picnics. Such peaceful surroundings and a host of recreational activities bring to the forefront Rock Cut State Park as the best destination for those nature lovers and families who want to spend a day outdoors.

12. Explore Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden is a peaceful and lovely location that offers self-discovery in varied gardens, trails, and plant collections.

Landscaped gardens that showcase plants from vibrant seasonal flowering to lush foliage give way to serpentine trails for peaceful walks through wooded areas and across open fields, offering up views of the natural beauty of the landscape.

There are some unique species in the plant collections, carefully managed to show all horticultural diversity. Therefore, Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden is an appropriate place for nature lovers and those who like to relax in a quiet environment.

13. Watch Race At The Rockford Speedway

The Rockford Speedway is an exciting feature of the things to do in Rockford, IL. This local speedway provides adrenaline-pumping stock car racing events that turn out as a high-energy source of entertainment for people who have an interest in motorsports.

With its energetic atmosphere and pace, the speedway features various racing events throughout the season, from weekly races to special events.

This track is famous for competitive racing and community spirit, thus mostly visited by fans looking forward to the excitement of live racing. Whether you are a long-time racing fan or new to the scene, Rockford Speedway is sure to get your blood pumping and guarantee you a night of fun.

14. Visit Discovery Center Museum

The Discovery Center Museum is one of the best family and children destinations around Rockford, Illinois, offering a wide range of hands-on science and learning exhibits. It is an interactive museum with a wide selection of hands-on displays and activities that will most certainly ingrain curiosity and imaginative innovation in all. 

Apart from the trolley conducting tours in the exhibitions, there are additional activities taking place in the museum, such as workshops and programs that make learning even more real. Thus, the experience at the Discovery Center Museum engages one in science delightfully and accessibly, covering the needs of a visitor of any age.

15. Attend Coronado Performing Arts Center

The Discovery Center Museum is located in Rockford and serves as an outstanding destination for families with children. It has a wide variety of hands-on science exhibits related to learning.

Visitors may be exposed to several interactive displays and activities aimed at creating curiosity and fascination in the minds of visitors. It offers interactive, educationally oriented exhibits on physics, biology, and engineering.

It also hosts special events, workshops, and programs that capitalize on additional learning opportunities and fun. Emphasizing learning through experience and exploration, the Discovery Center Museum can enhance an experience that is enriching in a way that makes science exciting and accessible to visitors of all ages.

16. Visit Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum & Gardens

Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum & Gardens gives a view of old Rockford through its historic cottage and beautifully maintained gardens. Contained in a fairytale-like Swiss chalet-style home built in the 1860s, it is furnished with era furniture, antiques, and artifacts showcasing the life of the Tinker family and their times.

Guided tours offer interpretive information regarding the history of the home and its architecture, providing a considerable educational element. The Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum & Gardens is a quite nice place to visit where the visitor can enjoy history, architecture, and horticulture.

17. Explore Rockford Art Museum

The Rockford Art Museum has a contemporary collection of living art and vibrant exhibitions. Diversified with a lot of artists in painting, sculpture, and mixed media, the display showcases established artists and young artists.

Its exhibitions undergo a lot of change to represent an array of different styles and themes, such that every experience will be new and fresh.

As part of its commitment to advance visual arts and support the local art community, the Rockford Art Museum is an experience truly enriching for loving art. If you like the works of contemporary authors and other artistic trends, the museum in Rockford should certainly be on your list.

18. Experience Nickelodeon Universe

Inside Nickelodeon Universe, located in CherryVale Mall in Rockford, is an indoor amusement park environment that can be the most efficient and most fun for all age groups.

The center features several rides and attractions with Nickelodeon characters and shows. Guests may ride heart-pounding roller coasters or spinning rides, play in interactive areas designed for more youthful children, or just enjoy other attractions. 

It also offers live shows that are quite amusing and character meet-and-greets that add to the excitement. With its variety of activities and entertainment options, Nickelodeon Universe gives families a fun and adventurous way to spend their time together within the convenience of the CherryVale Mall.

19. Discover Burpee Museum Of Natural History

The Burpee Museum of Natural History is a truly interactive experience in the field of natural history, focusing on fascinating exhibits and hands-on, interactive displays. Inside, one can view impressively preserved dinosaur fossils, featuring "Jane," a juvenile T. rex, and interpret the prehistoric world with great detail.

The various exhibits include paleontology, geology, and natural environments. Interactive displays help to further the message of scientific principles and to engage with the subject matter literally. The Burpee Museum inspires children and adults through education, and therefore, it is very interesting to be in for those interested in natural history.

20. Explore Anderson Japanese Gardens

In Rockford, commandingly set against a serene, manicured landscape, are the Anderson Japanese Gardens a place for relaxation and reflection.

The gardens include tranquil koi ponds, graceful arched bridges, and carefully tended plantings, with flowers, traditional Japanese flora, and flowering trees. Visitors wandering the paths can enjoy the meandering views, and relax to the sounds of calm water trickling through the garden.

Others will come to realize that the design imputed into the garden is a tremendous piece of art. Seasonal events, educational programs, and cultural activities carried out in these gardens add up to this overall experience.