Rockford, Illinois

Anyone who visits Rockford, Illinois will definitely find enough activities to keep them busy. Rockford Illinois is noted for its great museums, theater and art. It has an outstanding park system, as well as the largest water park in Illinois. When you combine that with excellent dining options and a variety of lodging options and you have plenty of reasons to tour Rockford Illinois. Although Rockford Illinois is accessible from Chicago O'Hare Airport, if you are flying United or some of the smaller air carriers, you might consider flying into Rockford Illinois Airport.

Once you make the decision to tour Rockford, Illinois, you may have a tough time figuring out which attractions to see. In order to help you with your travel plans, we've arranged these attractions according to your possible interests.

Performing Arts Tour Rockford Illinois

If you enjoy international folk music, world music, dance and theatre, you will want to take a look at the performances sponsored by Charlottes' Web for the Performing Arts. This non-profit organization puts donated funds "into the arts, not bricks." As a result, performances are featured at a variety of venues throughout Rockford, Illinois.

For larger, more traditional concerts and productions, take a look at Centre Events. This company owns and operates the Metro Centre, which is a 10,000-seat arena located in Downtown Rockford. They are also the owners of the Coronado Theatre, Northern Illinois'premiere performing arts and entertainment center, andDavis Park at Founders Landing, a seven-acre outdoor venue along the Rock River.

If you enjoy music festivals, take a look at On the Waterfront, which is a nationally award-winning event is Illinois'largest music festival. It takes place each Labor Day weekend. The three-day event brings and combines music, food and fun.Since it encompasses over 30 blocks of downtown Rockford, there is music tosatisfy everyone's personal tastes.

Museum Tour Rockford Illinois

The Burpee Museum is a great place to explore animals, rocks and minerals, fossils, and native peoples. One of themuseum's most recent additions is Jane, a 65 million year old tyrannosaur.

The Keeling-Puri Peace Plaza was built in celebration of the rich and diverse ethnic history of the Rock River Valley region. It symbolizes a universal aspiration for tranquility and world harmony. The celebration of Rockford's ethnic heritage and diversity is symbolized in the illuminated Court of 40 Flags, which represent the 40 different nationalities that live in the Rockford area.

Rockford Speedway

The Rockford Speedway provides fun and excitement for fans of NASCAR racing. It is located at 9572 Forest Hills Road seven miles north of downtown Rockford, just two miles west of Interstate 90 at the intersection of Forest Hills Road and Highway 173 in Loves Park, Illinois. In 2003, the Rockford Speedway celebrated its 56th year of operation, making it Northern Illinois' oldest professional and continuous sports venue. Since the inaugural season in 1948, the high-banked quarter mile oval has earned its reputations as being Mid America's finest racetrack.