Welcome to Real, Original, Rockford!
Real Original Summer Activities in your Backyard! Rockford, IL
Real, Original Rockford provides plenty of fun for your family this summer! We are a City of Gardens, a Region of Four Rivers, where culture and entertainment are abundant.
Do the kids love nature? Rock Cut State Park is the place to explore. With its 3,062 acres surrounding two large lakes, you and the family can enjoy hiking, fishing, paddle boating, kayaking, camping and more. Don’t have the time to spend exploring Rock Cut? Take a ride down the Rock River on a Friday evening on one of Paddle and Trail’s new stand up paddleboats, and end up at the third annual Rockford City Market. Vendors from all over the area sell locally grown and hand crafted items while live entertainment provides something for everyone. While you’re downtown, take in a free movie (and complimentary popcorn!) on the Great Lawn at Davis Park.
Didn’t get enough fresh air? Visit the majestic Anderson Japanese Gardens, recognized as one of the best Japanese gardens in the world. If it’s raining, take shelter inside Nicholas Conservatory, newly built within Sinnissippi Gardens and boasting 22,000 square feet of tropical plants and water features.
For something to do indoors, visit one of our many museums. The Discovery Center Children’s Museum is an interactive science museum for all ages, while the adjacent Burpee Museum of Natural History displays Jane the T-Rex, Homer the Triceratops, Ice Age Mammals, and much more. There is so much to do and see, the kids will hardly know they’re learning! Take a quick jaunt across town to Midway Village Museum for a look at Rockford’s rich history. And for a truly authentic look at Rockford’s past, be sure to stop by Tinker Swiss Museum and Cottage, situated on a limestone bluff overlooking Kent Creek.
If you’re looking to cool down, stop by one of our many aquatic facilities open to the public. Magic Waters Waterpark opens in June and features the Double Dare Drop, a new slide that is sure to thrill even the bravest water park goers! Magic Waters also features the slide Typhoon Terror, Splash Magic River, Tsunami Bay, and Little Lagoon, for the littlest of visitors. On a cool or rainy day, or just to get out of the sun, visit our 60,000 square foot indoor water park CoCo Key. CoCo Key features fast and furious four story water slides, Coconut Grove Adventure River, Parrots Perch Play Island, and more.
After the kids settle in for the evening, culture and entertainment are abundant within Rockford’s nightlife. Visit one of our great Real, Original, Rockford restaurants; take in a show at the beautiful Coronado Theater; visit the Rockford Art Museum’s latest exhibit Pulp and Pigment; or enjoy some live music at a Rockford Original bar or nightclub.
There’s always something to do in Rockford. We hope you’ll visit and stay awhile. Because in Real, Original Rockford, you’ll find there truly is something for everyone.
For more information, visit www.gorockford.com.